Operation Teddy Drop

I'm grateful that Mike LaSalle at Men's News Daily posted the tip I passed along to him yesterday as this headline, listed in the category of 'World and National News' -

OPERATION TEDDY DROP
Blackhawk Pilots Bomb Iraq with Teddybears

Pictured in the photo is Randor aka Christpilot, our faithmouse correspondent in Iraq. Randor has been engaged with his fellow Blackhawk pilots for the past fifteen missions or so in dropping stuffed animals to Iraqi children.

'After a couple of months of receiving donations and making parachutes, we kicked off off Operation Teddy Drop. Instead of doing static drops, we decided to randomly drop Stuffed Animals throughout the countryside as we flew around. We primarily work the Baghdad and surrounding area, but on occasion we are able to get to other areas and share a Teddy Trooper or Para-Bear with the children in the outlying areas. We wait until we see a small group of children and then try to drop the same number of toys as there are children on the ground. It is truly amazing to watch the children hesitate for a split second to determine if they should run to, or from the object falling, but once the chute opens there is no doubt. The children will take off running as fast as their little legs will carry them, and some are even quick enough to catch the toys before they hit the ground. It is something to see and will bring a smile to anyone that is fortunate enough to see it.'

Photos and more at Christpilot's site at RMKonline.

Update 5/01/05-

Dear Dan,

WOW - That is great. We certainly do appreciate it. I tell you Dan, we are having a great time doing this. So far we have dropped over 500 Teddy Bears. Even the hardest heart cannot help put smile when they see kids running after the stuffed animals. I truly believe that we are getting more out of this operation than the kids we are dropping to - it is good for the soul.

Thanks for helping us get the word out. Without donations from the good people back in the States we cannot continue to do this. I know my kids stuffed animal collection has been depleted down to their favorite one or two because they wanted to help the kids here in Iraq. -Randy