eeboater
Commander
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2004
- Messages
- 2,644
This was posted by a Marine on a Jeep forum that I frequent. It was received from an old buddy of his (via his buddy's wife) whom is currently serving in Iraq.<br /><br />Gives a great feeling.<br /><br /><br />------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />----- Original Message -----<br />From: Mark & Colleen Francis<br />To: Iraq<br />Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 8:54 PM<br />Subject: The Heart of an American...<br /><br />Hi:<br />I just wanted to share this email with everyone. This came from Mark tonight. What an incredible story to tell... I pray that you will share this email with others to show what kind of impact our military service men and women are truly having in Iraq. A special thank you to Debbie Jacks, she is Mark's brother's wife's mother!, she sent over several boxes of toys/stuffed animals to Mark for the Iraqi children. This little girl was holding a bear she sent, how do we know? Mark said it was an "Ohio beanie baby", and she sent over lots and lots of them. So thank you very much, your simple gift easily saved the life of my husband and many other Marines.... Thank you Debbie for your heart, and for children who may never see until you see them in heaven.... Read the story and you'll see why!<br /><br />In His Grip,<br /><br />Colleen Francis<br />Honored wife of GySgt Mark Francis USMC<br />December 12th, 2004<br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br />Beautiful,<br /><br />Just wanted to write to you and tell you another story about an experience we had over here.<br /><br />As you know, I asked for toys for the Iraqi children over here and several people (Americans that support us) sent them over by the box. On each patrol we take through the city, we take as many toys as will fit in our pockets and hand them out as we can. The kids take the toys and run to show them off as if they were worth a million bucks. We are as friendly as we can be to everyone we see, but especially so with the kids. Most of them don't have any idea what is going on and are completely innocent in all of this.<br /><br />On one such patrol, our lead security vehicle stopped in the middle of the street. This is not normal and is very unsafe, so the following vehicles began to inquire over the radio. The lead vehicle reported a little girl sitting in the road and said she just would not budge. The command vehicle told the lead to simply go around her and to be kind as they did. The street was wide enough to allow this maneuver and so they waved to her as they drove around.<br /><br />As the vehicles went around her, I soon saw her sitting there and in her arms she was clutching a little bear that we had handed her a few patrols back. Feeling an immediate connection to the girl, I radioed that we were going to stop. The rest of the convoy paused and I got out the make sure she was OK. The little girl looked scared and concerned, but there was a warmth in her eyes toward me. As I knelt down to talk to her, she moved over and pointed to a mine in the road.<br /><br />Immediately a cordon was set as the Marine convoy assumed a defensive posture around the site. The mine was destroyed in place.<br /><br />It was the heart of an American that sent that toy. It was the heart of an American that gave that toy to that little girl. It was the heart of an American that protected that convoy from that mine. Sure, she was a little Iraqi girl and she had no knowledge of purple mountain's majesty or fruited plains. It was a heart of acceptance, of tolerance, of peace and grace, even through the inconveniences of conflict that saved that convoy from hitting that mine. Those attributes are what keep Americans' hearts beating. She may have no affiliation at all with the United States, but she knows what it is to be brave and if we can continue to support her and her new government, she will know what it is to be free. Isn't that what Americans are, the free and the brave?<br /><br />If you sent over a toy or a Marine (US Service member) you took part in this. You are a reason that Iraq has to believe in a better future. Thank you so much for supporting us and for supporting our cause over here.<br /><br />Semper Fi,<br />Mark J. Francis<br />GySgt / USMC
