"The biggest challenge right now for these nuns and volunteers will be to find a new place while taking care of the children," said CPT Steven Slauson, chaplain for 720th MP Battalion. "They don’t know where they’re going. They just know they have to leave."

Photo M00032: PFC Bianca Natividad, HQ Detachment, 720th Military Police Battaltion, 89th MP Brigade, finds contentment in holding a young Iraqi girl while rocking her to sleep during volunteer service at a local Baghdad orphanage on 26 August 2005, during Operation Iraqi Freedom-II. Photo Courtesy of PFC Laura M. Bigenho, Army News Service.

   An American-owned orphanage owned the property that serves as this orphanage since 1991. The Americans handed the property over to the Iraqis to use as an orphanage for children with disabilities, but the Americans are taking it back to use as a school for their orphans.

   "One of the nuns said something that kind of struck me. She said, ‘next time you visit, we may not be here.’ It made me realize that the next time we show up and ring that little bell, they may not be there to answer," Slauson said.

"Sure, they enjoy our help and they love it when we come, but their main concern is taking care of the kids,” Slauson said. “They’re in a constant state of prayer looking for a place."

        It was a difficult reality check, yet Slauson vows that he and his Soldiers will continue to visit the orphanage as long as the children are there. The visitations are valuable experiences for both the Soldiers and the children; it is a time for Soldiers to see that not everything over here in Iraq is bad, Slauson said.

        "As much as the nuns and children appreciate us, the Soldiers appreciate the children. There’s something very humbling and almost therapeutic in holding an infant and feeding a child who cannot feed himself," Slauson said.

        SPC Robert Gregoire, driver, 411th MP Company, volunteered to go when he learned about the visit. Much like the other Soldiers, Gregoire was touched emotionally just being in the children’s presence.

        "(Being there) was a good heart check. It was great holding the children, but I felt so bad at the same time. I wanted to take all of them home," Gregoire said.

        Despite present hardships, Slauson feels positive about the futures of the Iraqi children in the orphanage, and building and establishing a free, liberated society is the first step toward getting these children the help they need.

        "As (Americans and coalition forces) make this a better place, people are going to have an opportunity to care for children like these. They’ll be able to take care of themselves first, and then they’ll be able to take care of the children," Slauson said.

        A number of children have already received special care thanks to Soldiers and members of the coalition forces. One child has gone to the United States for care, and 3-year-old Nora will be joining two others who have gone to Australia for prosthetic limbs. Although these are extremely rare occurrences, they have given the children hope for their futures.

        For now, Soldiers continue to help these children by showering the children with love and by filling their cabinets with necessities at a time when life is especially uncertain.

        "Seeing the joy in a child’s face as a result of you hugging them, holding them, and making them laugh … it makes you realize that maybe your situation is not so bad,” Slauson said. “It is by far one of the greatest gifts we can both give and receive."

Edited from: Article, MPs bring joy to orphans, volunteers, Army News Service, Baghdad, Iraq, 26 August 2005, By PFC Laura M Bigenho.