Posted on: Monday, December 27, 2004
Santa visits Afghan village
Advertiser staff report
Hawai'i-based soldiers in Afghanistan have teamed with Utah National Guard personnel for a series of humanitarian missions and programs with the Afghan people, including a Christmas Eve cultural exchange with the people of Jagdalek Village in Parwan Province.
Spc. Cheryl Ransford • U.S. Army The event was conducted by Task Force Pirate, which includes soldiers from the 214th Aviation Regiment from Schofield Barracks and the Army National Guard's 211th Aviation Battalion, based in Salt Lake City.
The soldiers distributed more than 300 wrapped presents to children in Jagdalek Village. Soldiers and villagers provided food for a meal, and the task force chaplain told the story of Christmas in a program planned with the village mullah, or religious leader.
The program also included music, caroling and a visit from Santa.
The Christmas Eve event was part of Task Force Pirate's Adopt A Village program in which the soldiers have distributed humanitarian aid for the past seven months, largely from donations from family members in the United States.
Task Force Pirate soldiers have distributed more than 80,000 pounds of clothing, toys, school supplies and food in Jagdalek Village, and are awaiting the arrival of an additional 40,000 pounds of humanitarian goods, the Army said.
Programs include the distribution of shoes donated by soldiers' families; providing clothing, school supplies and toys to about 700 children at an orphanage; and providing medical care, such as arranging for military doctors to operate on a girl to correct a vision impairment and on a boy who has a serious heart condition.
About 200 service members spent the day with villagers in the program called Operation Good Will, the Army said. The event took place a month after the end of Ramadan.
Pfc. Flora Estrada of the 25th Aviation Brigade helps hand out humanitarian goods in Afghanistan on Christmas Eve as part of an Operation Good Will mission.
