KANDAHAR CITY, Afghanistan — It wasn't just another routine patrol on this sunny morning in Kandahar City for some Canadian soldiers from the Provincial Reconstruction Team. Master Corporal Todd Woods, the section second in command, had organized a visit to a local orphanage to hand over much needed winter clothing and school supplies.
Over the past few months, his parents, Richard and Marnie Woods of Cochrane, Ontario, have been sending MCpl Woods boxes of pens, pencils, scribblers, toys and other items that we take for granted because we can buy them at any local department store.
Mr. and Mrs. Woods have been collecting the items, which have been donated by their local church and library. They said through Todd "this kind of thing brings the town and community together."
The orphanage, which has about 300 school students including 100 live-in children, is nothing like most of us would imagine. The small 8 x 10 ft classrooms are crowded with about 30 children each, most standing. The children, in their dirty clothes, all seemed cheerful at the sight of Canadian soldiers showing up in their courtyard.
The kitchen is a bare concrete room with paint chipping off the walls, and a large boiling pot over a propane burner in the corner. Fortunately, it is the warmest room in the place. The compound, which contains multiple buildings in various states of disrepair, has not aged well in over 25 years of war.
The Canadians, along with RCMP officer Corporal Bob Hart, surveyed the site for future possible upgrades. "This place certainly has a lot of possibilities", said Cpl Hart "I hope we can do some good improvements here."
Once out of the courtyard and back on the road, the troops felt they had made a few lives in Afghanistan just a little bit more comfortable.
Article Sergeant Jerry Kean Photos by Sgt Jerry Kean and Master Corporal Ken Fenner
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