If Anyone Needed Another Reason for Us to Help

Here it is.

How can our soldiers win the war if civilians are dying and their deaths are used as propaganda?

An Apology

I let this project fall to the side as the logistics seemed too difficult, and for that I am very sorry.

Our troops need our help. They can work wonders, but would have a much better chance if the American people joined in the effort with them.

Any ideas?

School Starts in March!

Now is the time to gather school supplies to send for school kids in Afghanistan. Perhaps your child's school could do it as a class project? Or perhaps your church group? Your friends, neighbors, and coworkers?

And whom are you helping? Kids like the 6th grade Afghan girl who wrote this letter to Madill (OK) Middle School students:

"I am pleased on the arrival of the Coalition Forces in Afghanistan. Because five years ago I and my sisters all sisters of our country couldn’t go to school. The Taliban were controlling all of Afghanistan. They didn’t wanted the girls to go to school and study. And now that we can go to school we are proud for all our sisters. After the collapse of the Taliban we were studying in ruined school buildings and now we are thankful to the Coalition Forces for building us a new school to study. And now all student can study in this new building we become very happy when some help and serve us."

Send the supplies to:

Michael Larkin or Mark Roper
41 BCT HHC 1-180 SECFOR
Camp Phoenix, AF
APO, AE 09320

Help Buy Shoes for Afghan Kids

Here's an excerpt from a recent blog post by Corporal Larkin:

"I was handing out several pairs of shoes that my wife sent me. Bayleigh was highly disappointed to see other kids with her shoes from 2 years ago but she will one day realize that it was a good thing.

"I just can’t stand seeing these kids without shoes and without something on their head when its 10 degrees outside. I was standing beside the pharmacy and watching the kids follow right along side their mother or their brothers and sisters. Looking at some of the 7 year old girls carrying their year old brother on their back walking through the snow and mud like it’s a paved road. I looked down at one maybe 6 year old girl and saw her shoes with a split down the back because she outgrew them and instead of buying a new pair they just cut the back out of them so she can continue to wear them.

"Ricky told me a pair of the sandals cost around .50 cents and a pair of rain boots are just a little over a $1.00..So here is my proposition!! I know some people will be a little leery of this idea or just think its ridiculous but I want to do this for these kids and try to make as much of a difference as I can while I’m here. I’m giving Ricky $100.00 to buy 100 pairs of rain boots, different sizes and colors.

"Here is what I want you to do if you can and if you will. If you will send me a check money order or whatever to my address over here in Afghanistan and we will put it into our Afghan Children’s Fund for Shoes. It can be $1.00 or $20.00 or whatever you want I just want to see what we can do.

"People have already sent me clothes, school supplies, and a few pairs of shoes so I want to see if we can get some money into this poor country and get some shoes on these kids’ feet. I will make sure you get a receipt for tax purposes or just for proof, that’s what your money is being used for.

"I’m not begging or asking for hand outs for people who don’t need it but these people do need it. I wish I could let you see first hand, live and in color just what I see every time I go outside. I can just show you with pictures what I see and what we do and how tough it is to see this everyday. I mean the mortality rate is one of the highest in the world considering this is the 3rd poorest country in the World. So if I can keep a hundred kids feet dry during the winter with $100.00 than maybe I can keep half of them from losing toes or even their feet from frostbite than maybe I’ve done some good.

"I’m just asking for a little help from the people who read this and haven’t helped out already. I just want to make a change for as many kids as I can, and hopefully some of you feel the same out there as I do....

"50 cents = 1 pair of sandals
$1.00 = 1 pair of rain boots

"Michael T. Larkin
41 BCT HHC 1-180 SECFOR
Camp Phoenix, AF
APO, AE 09320

"Make Checks Payable to:Michael Larkin or The Afghan Children’s Fund

"Thanks for your help and please remember you don’t only help out these kids but you are also helping save soldiers lives."

Help Make a Difference, One Small Step At a Time

The box of winter clothes I sent arrived in Afghanistan and the supplies were distributed. I marvel at how simple it was for me to gather up things at home and a few more at Wal-Mart. There was so little cost to me. I don't have any illusions that my few offerings are the key to peace, but every little bit helps. These photos, from Corporal Larkin's blog, melted my heart. It's easy to share in that feeling. Just send our troops some supplies, whatever you think the Afghan people might need.

Mailing Instructions: It's Easy!

Is the thought of sending humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan intimidating? No worries! It's easy.

When you send our troops supplies for the Afghan people, you will need to fill out a customs form, which will be available at the post office:

The cost of shipping isn't prohibitive. The package I mailed weighed 11 pounds, 10.8 ounces. The cost for regular mail was $14.46, and for Priority Mail was $17.20.

So next time you are making a run to mail Christmas packages, put together a package for Afghanistan, too. You will be helping to make a difference for our troops as well as for the Afghan people.

Here are the main requests:

Winter clothes, gloves, scarves, toboggans, and coats.

Also any medical supplies; gloves, medications, diapers, baby powder and formula and any over the counter meds.

And once again, the address:

Michael Larkin or Mark Roper

41 BCT HHC 1-180 SECFOR

Camp Phoenix, AF

APO, AE 09320

Send Donations to Afghanistan

Are you wondering how you can do your part to secure peace in Afghanistan? Oklahoma's National Guard troops are serving in Afghanistan and could use your help in their humanitarian relief mission. You can mail supplies directly to Michael Larkin or Mark Roper at the address at the end of this post. I am also trying to identify organizations that would be willing to sponsor donation drives and pay shipping costs, and I would appreciate any suggestions.

Here are excerpts from a letter from Corporal Larkin (pictured above), an Oklahoma National Guardsman serving in Afghanistan [emphasis added here and there by me]:

Our entire mission is to help the people of Afghanistan with schools and clinics and all the missions we can supply for the Kabul area. We love doing this and love it when people from back home are willing to help out a country so far away. You are a great person to donate your time and money to the unfortunate people here in Afghanistan, a lot of people don’t realize that not only are they helping the people here but you are also helping us build a better relationship with the people and in the long run as unbelievable as it may sound, you are saving American Soldiers lives.

It is up to you what you want to send here is just a little suggestion:
School will be out here in 2 weeks and will not start back till March so if you would like to send school supplies I would suggest the end of February.

Winter clothes, gloves, scarves, toboggans, and coats. These items will be the best for right now.

Also any medical supplies; gloves, medications, diapers, baby powder and formula and any over the counter meds.

Anything you are willing to send it’s up to you, these are just some suggestions and anything will help out.

Also anything you send I will write stories and send back to you and local newspapers and make sure you and who ever helps you out are thanked graciously for helping out your troops and a country that needs A LOT of help. I will also personally make sure you receive plenty of pictures of your items being handed out and donated.

Thanks again for your help if you need anything else let me know and I will get back to you.

Here is our mailing information and a website we use for the deployment. I am also attaching some pictures of other humanitarian missions so you can see just what its like over here and what we do.

www.taskforcewarrior.org (deployment website)
http://taskforcephoenix5.blogspot.com/ (my personal BLOG about Afghanistan )
[These sites are posted in this blog's link list.]

Mailing INFO:

Michael Larkin or Mark Roper
41 BCT HHC 1-180 SECFOR
Camp Phoenix, AF
APO, AE 09320