Servicemembers provide a little TLC

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Francesca Popp
  • U.S. Central Command Air Forces News Team
CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti (AFNEWS) --  The cries and coos of orphaned babies echo atop a green fenced-in veranda in Djibouti City, Djibouti.

Three times a week, American servicemembers visit the Franciscan Missionaries of Notre Dame Baby Orphanage to help feed and play with the babies.

People assigned to the camp volunteer to participate in the chapel-sponsored trips to the orphanage. The volunteers feed the children either bottled milk or solid food, and give them some tender-loving care. The staple food for the toddlers is mashed potatoes and fruit.

"(The children) don't ask for much," said Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Craig Fields, a Camp Lemonier chapel staff religious programmer deployed from the USS San Jacinto at Naval Operating Base Norfolk, Va. "All they want is for someone to feed them, hold them, touch them, and give them love."

The veranda is lined with white bassinettes covered with netting to keep the flies off the sleeping infants. The three playpens corral up to 10 babies who are not able to walk yet. There are also the ones learning to walk. Sitting in their walkers, they seem to race each other to see who can get to a volunteer first. Then, the toddlers seem as if they can't get enough attention. They walk with their arms held high, waiting for someone to pick them up. At one point during the visit, a servicemember already holding two children managed to make room for one more.

"Their faces light up when they see us," said Staff Sgt. Adrian Mask, an air traffic controller at Camp Lemonier deployed from the 49th Operations Support Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. "It is the best feeling in the world. (I like) making sure they are cared for properly, and see them grow and get healthier."

Giving back to the community is one thing Sergeant Mask, who has a 4-month-old daughter at home, does as often as his schedule allows. He said there are five nuns who care for about 40 children up to 2 years old.

"We come out just to lend a hand to feed, bring clothing and diapers or whatever we can donate. It means a lot to them," he said. "These babies love when we come out here to spend time with them."

Chaplain (Maj.) Steven O'Brien agreed and said it gives him more of a purpose.

"It feels like we're in touch with Djibouti and the surrounding area," said the Camp Lemonier chaplain deployed from 4th Air Force at March Air Reserve Base, Calif. "I think we walk away with more than we give. There's so few of us and all these babies, it just feels like we're receiving instead of giving."

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