Life on the Vine

Several weeks ago I received a box from my Aunt Almeda. Inside were about 14 little black fabric pouches that sealed with Velcro. I could tell that my aunt had made them. They were pretty cool. Inside were chocolates, hand sanitizer, beef jerky, and chap stick. All stuffed by my Grandpa and Uncle Paul. I added a few things to the pouches, some alcohol swabs and Crystal Light powder to flavor water. My family's intent was for me to find some soldiers to give the care bags to. Occasionally there are units of soldiers that pull up in front of our headquarters building, either taking a break, grabbing some coffee or waiting to pick up VIPs. After I got the pouches I started praying that the Lord would bring along the perfect unit who I could give the gifts to. Well, Monday I was on my way into the office in the morning (note my wet hair in one of the pictures) and I saw a group of vehicles parked outside on the main road. I guessed by the vehicles that they were military police and

Last week I helped "stir the pot" as a traditional dish called "Hereesah" was made at the GRD compound. I'm told that during the first two months of the Islamic lunar calendar it is tradition to prepare and cook Hereesah. Its main ingredients are barley and meat cooked together in a large pot until all the ingredients resemble a creamy smooth texture...think oatmeal but a little stringy. Adding to the oatmeal analogy is the fact that the dish is garnished with sugar, cinnamon and butter. The food is then distributed to the "community" as an act of sharing and solidarity. Tradition is that everyone takes part in the preparation by stirring the pot and making a wish. For the last two years the dish has been prepared at GRD HQ in the International Zone. They prepare the dish to symbolize unity between GRD and Iraq. I heard it described that like the ingredients of Hereesh being melted together in one pot that the differences in Iraq would be melted

The Gulf Region Division is headquarters for three districts, Gulf Region South, Central and North. When I was in Iraq the first time (November 2004 - March 2005), I was the Public Affairs Officer for the district in the north. One thing about being at the Division level is there are less opportunities to travel, which my husband and family probably don't mind in the slightest. The least amount of traveling I do the better. But that means I have to live vicariously through others. In January employees from the Gulf Region South district took some toys and soccer balls to students attending Dar Al-Amal, a hearing-impaired school in Basra. The school’s headmaster, Wafaa Mohammed, said, “Today is very special for them. The kids are very happy to see you. We get very few such visits and your kind gesture means a lot to them. It tells them they are important and people really care.” The 28-year-old facility has eight classrooms where 25 teachers instruct 130 hearing-impaired stu