Carols by Kosovo Kids...

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It’s the holidays and from near and far the Christmas spirit is being brought in to be shared with the troops here at Camp Bondsteel. Being away from the holidays is never easy but with the efforts of many there is a feeling that some people care so much.

We have a civilian team whose entire job is to focus on MWR (moral, welfare and recreation) for the soldiers and civilians who are lucky enough to be stationed here. Just in the month of December they have planned: basketball and volleyball tournaments, bingo games, pinochle games, karaoke evenings, chess matches, texas hold em tables, just to name a few. But for the holidays they went above and beyond and scheduled some “Special events”. Last week we had the Navy Rock Band, there was a door decorating contest and last night there were seven teams competing for the title of best gingerbread house.

All of these activities and events are great but the latest was by far the most touching. The idea came from soldiers. Just regular old soldiers out on the beat who saw the talent and found a way to share it with all of us. The MWR people assisted with getting them on Camp Bondsteel and the advertising, but these few soldiers found a way to make it happen. For 80 young people of the nearby town it was like a dream. To belong to a School of Music and get invited to sing for soldiers of many nations was indeed a first for this group. Our soldiers paid out of their pockets for each and every meal that was fed to them in our messhall, and found teams of soldiers to be escorts during their visit.

The school buses drove them around for a limited tour and then it was a crazy race into the dining facility so they could see what was offered. The amazement at the many choices, deserts everywhere and a salad bar a mile long. The kids were chatty, almost to a hyperactive level as they laughed and joked around in their high school spirited ways. The boys in their black mischievous colors and the girls in a turquoise theme. They were all sizes and quite varied in their ages, but one thing was the same…their smiles! Of course, that might have had something to do with the best Cookies and Cream Ice Cream they’d ever tasted!

Eventually dinner was finished and they migrated over to the recreation room turned into concert hall. The youth were standing around waiting to go on stage and the soldiers were filing into the building as fast as they could. Chairs were filling fast and soon it became standing room only, and soldiers were happy to do that, just to be a part of this special evening. In all of our events combined since we have been here I have never seen so many soldiers in one place. That in itself spoke volumes for the support and appreciation of our youthful guests.

The show started with two young Albanian girls welcoming us and explaining the program. One spoke Native Albanian and the other translated it to English for us and then they sang. And sing they did. From the back row to the front row you could feel the passion and excitement as they belted out song after song. Most were songs unfamiliar to us and in a different language but the spirit could be felt by each and every soldier.

They then gave a big effort and sang a few pop songs in English and it wasn’t quite the same but big cudo’s for the effort. There was a very young girl who stood up on the stage and belted out a very bouncy rendition of Grandma’s Song. The crowd was eating out of her hand and cheered and cheered as she made quite the impression with her marvelous stage presence.

There are moments that you know you are witnessing something special. It was the moment one of the young gentlemen was escorted out to the front of the stage by a couple of his friends. It was at that point that the crowd realized he was blind and you could feel our attention focus and await his song. When he started singing for some it was a lump in the throat, for others it was a smile, but for most it was very reflective. The moment he started singing the crowd cheered and then settled into their own thoughts. He had chosen the song by Michael Jackson “You Are Not Alone”. His voice so tender and then so powerful when he would sing the words:




You are not alone
I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
You are not alone
I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart

I could feel the tingle in the corner of my eye as the tear began to form and then slowly fall to my cheek. I missed home. I missed my family. I missed my friends. These are the tough moments when home seems so far away. These are the times when your heart gets the best of you. The song was a wonderful rendition and the soldiers from all countries not only clapped but stood to recognize his talents. I wonder if he could feel the kindness, if he could sense the tears that streamed down our faces or if those children on the stage could sense that how much we craved to be next to our families because of their wonderful performance.

They ended the concert with traditional Christmas carols in many languages and then the General presented a token of our appreciation. He gave them a nice plaque and our thanks and then ended it when he gave the youngest performer a military coin. That little girl stood next to the General and held her own as the soldiers cheered and cheered.

As we all began to shuffle out of the room there was a nicety about us all. Wishing each other Happy Holidays and smiling at friends we haven’t seen for a while. I looked around the room and was comforted with the realization that I was with my family and friends and I was such a very lucky person to be surrounded by such wonderful people. This is my Kosovo family and I wish everybody back home and here at Camp Bondsteel a very Merry Christmas!

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