Photo By Staff Sgt. Mickey Miller | U.S. soldiers from KFOR Regional Command East and Area Support Group Balkans delivered...... read more read more
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Laughter and excitement could be heard throughout the St. Joseph Catholic Church congregation in the village of Stublla e Epërme, Viti, Kosovo, Dec. 5, 2024. Volunteers with the Oregon Army National Guard's 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team assigned to Regional Command East of the NATO-led Kosovo Force mission, also known as KFOR RC-E, attended the Thursday evening service and brought wrapped gifts to hand out to the local children in attendance.
The village where St. Joseph’s is located has been home to many people of the Catholic faith for centuries, and the church is a cultural heritage monument.
For the local community, this day is an annual event that serves as a celebration and a day of remembrance for all the innocent children who have lost their life too soon due to war and instability in the region. Many also honor the memories of the young males who were killed in Bethlehem centuries ago, dating back to the biblical story of King Herod the Great, who ordered many to be killed in hopes that one of them was baby Jesus.
The history of the event is somber, however, in modern times the innocent children are honored during the service with a toy donation at the St. Joseph church. The donation event brings joy to the children and volunteers alike.
KFOR Soldiers who attended the service wanted to bring happiness to the local children during the holiday season. U.S. Army Staff. Sgt. Kerry Wood, an NCO of the Oregon National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s communications section, spoke of why she chose to volunteer, and said the event reminded her of her own children and the students she taught when she was a school teacher.
“I love helping people,” said Wood. “These opportunities remind me of why I wanted to be a teacher and a positive influence for kids.”
KFOR coordinates donation events with members and organizations of the local population of Kosovo throughout the year as part of KFOR's daily mission to support all communities living in Kosovo.
All opportunities to donate items are significant. U.S. Army Chaplain (Maj.) Patrice Borne, the KFOR RC-E chaplain, leads the Religious Support Team and helped organize this specific KFOR gift donation for children of all ages in the Viti community. Borne understands that investing in the local children is also an investment in the future of Kosovo.
“The joy of the soldiers attending deeply touched my heart,” said Borne. “These children are growing up in a world where armed soldiers are all around them. It is a world Americans will never understand and I hope we never have to.”
The innocent children day of remembrance holds deep meaning for the families of Kosovo. Later in the evening, Naim Bajrami, a civilian of Kosovo and KFOR interpreter, explained to KFOR soldiers the significance of the St. Joseph Catholic Church and how meaningful the toy donation is to the community.
“This area in Kosovo, together with all of the Balkans, gave a lot of children,” said Bajrami. “They paid a heavy price. This village is a symbol of a fight against tyranny, hate, and against persecution based on religious differences. For us, this is a very sentimental place regardless of our religion.”
Borne recognizes that small acts of kindness can have a large impact. She had been looking forward to the event at St. Joseph’s since early on in the 34th KFOR rotation, and seeing the happy children with their gifts gave her tears of joy.
“One present will not change the outcomes of an entire population,” said Borne. “But one small gesture of kindness can kindle a tiny flame in a child and spur that child to show that kindness to others. Children are the future of Kosovo.”
| Date Taken: | 12.05.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.20.2024 09:49 |
| Story ID: | 488058 |
| Location: | VITI, ZZ |
| Web Views: | 42 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, KFOR honors community members, donates gifts to St. Joseph Catholic Church, by SGT Cheryl Madolev, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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