Outreach
Honored By Presentation of American Flag
Mother Teresa Outreach was honored when parishioner Jeannie
M. presented the church with an American flag that had flown
over the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq on July 4, 2007.
Last spring, Jeannie notified the Armed Forces Support Committee
of Mother Teresa Outreach of her family friend, Lt. Abby K.,
a JAG officer stationed in Iraq. This committee contacts local
soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan to offer prayers, support
and items the soldiers would like to receive in a care package.
Through correspondence, Lt. K. told of her efforts to assist
the local Baghdad Catholic Church in providing much needed items
for Iraqi families experiencing difficulties amidst the fighting.
Indicating no need for herself, she suggested that items could
be sent for the local Iraqi children to lift their spirits.
Through the generosity of the Mother of Sorrows parish family,
the committee was able to send her over 200 pounds of toys,
school supplies, and candy.
Ironically, at the same time the boxes were in transit to Iraq,
a deadly bombing in the nearby town of Dora left many people
homeless and they reached out to their local Catholic Church
for help. The Catholic Church in Baghdad was overjoyed to receive
the boxes from Murrysville to share with the displaced families.
This small effort gave these families hope in their situation
of despair. (see more on
this miraculous event below)
In the dawn, on the morning of July 4th, 2007, Lt. K. respectfully
raised the flag to bear witness to the strength and resolve
of the American spirit both home and abroad. She requested that
this flag be delivered to Mother of Sorrows as a tribute to
their efforts of welcomed support.
Mother of Sorrows will be forever honored with this gift and
it will proudly be displayed in the church.
The
Miracle from Murrysville!
My
dear Judy,
Abby's
mother called me from Buffalo, NY last night to relay this story.Just
as boxes arrived from Murrysville, Abby met a man from the Knights
of Columbus in Baghdad and he told her there was a bombing in
Dora and many families were evacuated to the Catholic church
in Baghdad. These refugees could bring no essentials with them.
And just on that day, at that time, a "Miracle from Murrysville"
arrived to provide them with clothes, shoes, toys, etc. Of course,
a truck was needed to transport the boxes to the church.My
sincere thanks, my prayers, my deepest appreciation for your
efforts and the 'miracle' arriving in Baghdad.
Yours
in Christ,
Jeannie M.
Hi Kristy,
Well I am delighted and ecstatic to tell you that all of the
boxes arrived a few days ago (sorry our internet has been intermittent).
Your organization was extremely generous. I can not thank you
enough for my presents and for all of the boxes for the Iraqi
families. I rushed them over to the chapel as the Father from
the Church in the Red Zone was coming with a truck to pick up
items. They were overjoyed to see all of the boxes I brought.
I can not tell you how much it will mean to so many. The Colonel
told me it couldn't have come at a better time, as many of the
families were being killed and driven out of their homes by
the Muslims in the city of Dora (a very dangerous area right
now). He said they came to Baghdad with nothing and are living
out of the Catholic Church here. Thank you again and please
extend my gratitude to your church. I
have attached a few photos for you and the church. I recently
went (during a little down time) to visit some of the wounded
children at the hospital. The first picture is of me holding
a 9 month old Iraqi baby that received shrapnel to the stomach
from an IED. All of the children we visited had injuries from
IEDs. It was heart wrenching to see the pain they were going
through. The second picture is me with my board members. They
had given me a dishdasha, a typical Iraqi dress. I
can not thank you enough for all of this. I know God will bless
you and all your organization members for all that you have
done for the Iraqi families.
Sincerely,
Lt. Abby K.
Other
Soldier Outreach information.
