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December 23, 2008
Posted: 1658 GMT
BAGHDAD, Iraq — In Iraq, Santa Claus doesn’t always wear red. 
An Iraqi schoolgirl tries on her new backpack.
 Major Eric Egland, founder of the nonprofit organization troopsneedyou.com, is dressed in camouflage, complete with body armor and helmet. The U.S. Air Force Reserves officer is heading to a poor Baghdad neighborhood to deliver holiday gifts to children at an elementary school. As he and his fellow soldiers load up several armored Humvees with boxes, Egland tells me: “We’re going to deliver some school supplies that were picked out — not by bureaucrats, not by government, not by adults — but by kids themselves in northern California.” Egland’s group is based on his personal theory that helping Iraqis also helps U.S. troops because, “when you give the locals the resources that they ask for and you improve their lives, they trust you and they will stand up for security and the new government.” We park the Humvees at the local military district headquarters and set out on foot for the school, about an eight-minute walk away. As we approach, the headmaster emerges and warmly greets Egland. Inside, in the cold but sunny courtyard, young boys are playing a furious game of musical chairs, racing in a circle, brought to a stop by a piercing whistle blown by their teacher. There are few girls. They stand quietly to the side, near the female teachers. As the soldiers carry in the boxes, then cut them open, the children stand in two rows, waiting for their gifts. But it’s not the usual holiday gift of toys. It’s school supplies: colorful backpacks, pens, colored pencils and paper — along with some bright green caps and T-shirts. The schoolmaster is thrilled. This is what the students really need, he says. “Honestly, I don’t think the families of these children can provide their children these kinds of school supplies,” he adds, “and of course it makes us happy when we see the students happy.” As each student comes forward to get his or her gift, they say “thank you” — some in Arabic, some in English. Everyone seems to know the favorite English expression, “OK! ” which they yell out happily and give a thumbs up. When the gifts are distributed, the soldiers wave goodbye to the children, and we pile into the Humvees. We drive slowly through streets filled with traffic. This is an old neighborhood, filled with an astounding number of small businesses, especially car-repair shops. Most of them appear to be doing a brisk business replacing smashed windshields. I notice several children helping out in the shops, one of them serving tea to a street vendor, another sweeping a shop floor. It’s midday and they are not in school. And I realize how lucky the children at the elementary school really are. Watch Jill Dougherty with the camoflage Santa Posted by: CNN Correspondent, Jill Dougherty |
 
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