Hey everyone. I’ll do my best to post this blog, but my internet is working really slow out here outside of Topeka, Kansas, so I won’t be able to post any pictures. That really sticks because the pictures really go with the story of today. Oh well, that’s how things go sometimes. I’ll post some of the pictures tomorrow if I have a better internet connection at our next campsite. 

This morning I walked from our campground to the Kuehne-Thomas branch YMCA in northern Topeka. Dina and I met with a pretty large group of kids (70-80) from a few different camps. I’m just going to quote two letters from two very special kids I got to meet today. 

This first quote I’ll share was from a 9 year old girl. After she wrote the letter, she made a point to pull on my arm so I would kneel to her level. Then she put her hand on my shoulder and gave me a very serious 9 year old talk about how we need to care for children who have it worse then we do. She told me it hurt her bad inside to know that the kids in Iraq might be scared to go to school because of the chances of explosions and kidnappings. She said her mom told her that we need to care for children in other countries, because they may have a harder life than we do, and we need to appreciate how good we have things. I hope her mom gets to read this, because I think she would be very proud of her daughter.

“I hope some day the war will end and you guys will have peace. When I grow up I want to be a doctor because I might get to come to your country and help. And I hope peace comes to Iraq because I feel terribly sorry, but US kids in America care because we want peace as much as you do” – Carmieona

The next letter I’ll quote is from a 15 year old boy. Dina had read his letter first and then brought it to me and told me I needed to read it right away and meet the young man who wrote it. I was thoroughly impressed, gave the boy a firm handshake, and told him I was proud of him. I always tell the kids we meet that each of the letters we collect will go to a kid in Iraq, and that kid in Iraq may cherish that letter for the rest of their life. Well, little moments like this, when I get to see a spark of inspiration in a kid’s eye, I know these may be moments they cherish forever too. Perhaps the letter this young man wrote will be something he remembers forever; the day he wrote a great and caring letter to a kid in Iraq.

“I really feel for all your family and friends for all you guys have been through. I hate war and fighting. I hope for the best in the war so that you and your country can be free…so to you who is reading this I have to say keep your hopes up and pray, cause the war will end soon. Peace to you and your family.” – Marquis

Kids are amazing…I don’t know what else to say.

- Gunnar