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The following eight posts tell the story of our Gold Star Mother's trip to IraqIn my wildest imagination I never saw myself on the ground in Iraq, but that is indeed what is about to happen. With a little over a week to go, I and several other Gold Star Moms are frantically gathering our supplies and attending to the last minute details before we assemble at Salt Lake International Airport and begin our journey. We will join the other Gold Star Mothers and the staff of FUTURE who is hosting the trip, in Atlanta, and head off to the land where our sons served.
Our trip will include service projects to benefit Iraqi widows, orphans, hospital patients and the physically handicapped. We will be working with Utah based Operation Give to make and distribute aid kits, along with children’s educational and activity packs, as well as providing assistance to the Iraqi women in completing projects in their community.
Our travels will take us to the site of worst chemical attack in history. The 1988 chemical weapons attack by Saddam Hussein’s army killed 5,000 men, women and children. There, we will meet the town’s people and survivors of the gruesome attack. We’ll also spend time distributing supplies and activity packages in the community.
Cultural and social exchanges will be part of the week’s events as we get to know and understand the people our sons fought for.
As mother’s who’ve lost sons at war, we are uniquely privileged to have the opportunity to visit the nation our son’s gave so much for. As their moms, we count it an honor to do what we can for Iraq in light of all our sons did.
Follow our progress as we make final preparations and embark on this life changing journey. I have no doubt I will come back a different person, not only because of the experiences I will have and the people I will meet, but also because I will be in the country where my son spent the last days of his life. I'll have visited the land where a piece of my heart will remain forever.
Amy, Adam is smiling down upon you and the other Utah Mothers as you begin your journey into Iraq. I so wish I could join you all as you take steps into a new adventure. I will definately follow your travels. Good luck and best wishes,
ReplyDeleteBetty Kilbride
the embedded writer who deployed was with 3LAR and Adam
Your son left bravely to provide a better life for others. This is a heroic act and you cannot find such an achievement within many people. What we have done in Iraq is amazing and the lives of many fallen American heroes are not going in vein. I am Kurds from Utah and I always pray for them what they have done for my people.
ReplyDeleteGod bless their heart.
Kamal Bewar
Hello Amy,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Jessica Ballard, I am with the American Red Cross. One of your neighbors has nominated you for one of our Heroes Awards in the Military Hero category for the services you have been doing for our soldiers. However, she did not have a phone number or email for you so she referred me to your blog. If you could please email me at jballard@utahredcross.org I would greatly love to talk with you more and see if you accept this nomination. Thanks!