Give Iraqi Children Some Toys

Perry

Chief Wiggles (2003, Operation Give)

Chief Wiggles is a member of the Utah National Guard stationed in Iraq and keeps a widely read online journal (web blog). While on duty in Bahgdad, Chief Wiggles noticed a little girl crying on the other side of a barbed wire fence at the location where he works. "She was obviously very poor, in her tattered old dress, totally worn out plastic flip-flops, her hair matted against her head indicating she hadn't had a bath in a long time and her skin blistered from the dirt and weather" (Chief Wiggles). He remembered that he had some toys in his office, so he hurried and brought the girl a toothbrush, a whistle, and a toy monkey.

"Her eyes lit up with such joy as I put the monkey arms over her head. She was so excited to receive everything, being somewhat shy though, not having dealt with an American before" (Chief Wiggles). After posting this experience on his web blog, thousand of people enthusiastically emailed Scott Evenson, who maintains Chief Wiggles' web blog, asking where they could send gifts. After organizing a small group of volunteers, Operation Give was born. Hundreds of boxes have been delivered to children in Iraq, and Chief Wiggles would like to thank everyone for their overwhelming support.

Simon

Thanks Perry ... that sounds like something *really good*

Poor kids

Stacy Smith

Poor kids is right. As rich as the regime was the poor were very poor. I'm certain the average Iraqi child never received a gift of a toy in their entire life. Chief Wiggles is a good guy.

Phantom Stranger

No toy guns, I hope.

This does look great - I'll add it to our list!

SixofNine

When I was a kid, we'd just find a tin can and a stick, a piece of string, and maybe a big-wheel with the front wheel torn, and we'd have fun. If you were rich, maybe you'd have c-4 to play with. Bye golly.

DJ

cool....thanks Perry!

franklin J

thank you for the info, Perry; you have done us a service

My wife and I would very much like to contribute to these children

Frank

simplesally

Six, did you have to walk 5 miles in the snow uphill both ways??? Poor little Six. Maybe we should do Operation Six and send you some toys? Hmmm what kind of toys would he like?

Perry

I'm glad that others may send something too. While we were packing the box, we were overcome a little by feelings of warmth from this simple act of kindness.

When Marika came to the model clay she picked out, she remembered playing with this toy for hours on end as a kid and making really good and detailed statues. She got really hyper and really went on about it. When I held a toy micro-phone that broadcasts on FM radio, I remembered doing my Elvis, Ed Sullivan, and local elders impersonations around age 5 or 6. I don't really remember how it started, only that adults laughed a lot when I did. Maybe some Iraqi kid will imagine himself as a public speaker with that microphone and grow up to speak convincingly about democracy one day.... who knows.

We both had a sudden and curious desire to be there to see the looks on the children's faces. We quickly felt a tinge bit ashamed because we realized that it would be for our benefit and would probably lessen the enjoyment for doing something for total strangers. I did manage to squeeze in a post card booklet with pictures of the beautiful Riverwalk and other attractions in San Antonio.

So off the box went, destined for untapped little fertile minds and anonymous faces with at least a fighting chance for happines now that their families have been liberated from a monster.

How different was the feeling from this simple act of charity than from the feelings of "charity" in distributing WTBS literature? Well, just send something off and judge for yourselves.

Give Iraqi Children Some Toys

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