Hot Air » Blog Archive » American soldier adopts Iraqi boy

American soldier adopts Iraqi boy

posted at 12:01 pm on December 24, 2007 by Bryan
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Ala’a was 9 years old, strong of will but weak of body — he suffered from cerebral palsy and weighed just 55 pounds. He lived among about 20 kids with physical or mental disabilities at the Mother Teresa orphanage, under the care of nuns who preserved this small oasis in a dangerous place.

On Sept. 6, 2003, halfway through his 13-month deployment, Southworth and his military police unit paid a visit to the orphanage. They played and chatted with the children; Southworth was talking with one little girl when Ala’a dragged his body to the soldier’s side.

Black haired and brown eyed, Ala’a spoke to the 31-year-old American in the limited English he had learned from the sisters. He recalled the bombs that struck government buildings across the Tigris River.

“Bomb-Bing! Bomb-Bing!” Ala’a said, raising and lowering his fist.

“I’m here now. You’re fine,” the captain said.

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A beautiful story. God bless them both.

To all at Hot Air…Merry Christmas!

KelliD on December 24, 2007 at 12:17 PM

Just beautiful.

Editor on December 24, 2007 at 12:27 PM

Beautiful.

BillINDC on December 24, 2007 at 12:30 PM

Thanks for the wonderful post Bryan. Major Scott Southworth has demonstrated a love that’s inspiring in its level of sacrifice and commitment. I read the article thinking about how this boy must feel to be chosen by this man to be his son – to be taken out of a bad place and given a home and a family and hope. It reminds me of the way I felt when I was a brand-new Christian.
Thanks again Bryan!
Merry Christmas to you and to Allah and Michelle.

Dork B. on December 24, 2007 at 12:33 PM

According to Jules Crittenden there are more kids who need help. Read this. Anyone interested in participating in the effort to care for these children can contact Scott Southworth at shsouth@mwt.net

bnelson44 on December 24, 2007 at 12:49 PM

Murtha’s not gonna like this if the word gets out.

There are probably hundreds of stories like this one that go unreported by the world press. U.S. soldiers demonstrating they are good samaritans as well as defenders of freedom. America the Beautiful rings true.

Merry Christmas to our brave troops abroad.

Merry Christmas to my friends at HotAir.

And I would like to share the most wonderful gift I am receiving this year. My son is home from Iraq!

fogw on December 24, 2007 at 12:57 PM

Everything happens for a reason. 13 years of hardship has wrought a life full of love and hope.

Best Christmas story I’ve heard in a long while.

God Bless and Merry Christmas.

-Pig Dog.

Swinehound on December 24, 2007 at 12:59 PM

Feel-good story of the day.

ReubenJCogburn on December 24, 2007 at 1:25 PM

God bless that wonderful man and his family.

Merry Christmas.

ctmom on December 24, 2007 at 1:30 PM

This story was reported in July and it’s obvious from the photos that the boy Ala’a has been getting much better nutrition. God bless Major Southworth.

baldilocks on December 24, 2007 at 1:56 PM

I am thrilled to see an update to this story. It still brings tears to my eyes….and that’s a good thing.

TBinSTL on December 24, 2007 at 2:33 PM

I remember this story,thanks Baldilocks for the link,
this is nice,especially this time of year.

To all my Hot Air friends,from north of the border.

Have a very Merry Christmas.

canopfor on December 24, 2007 at 2:51 PM

This is just one more example of why America has the best military in the world. Ever.

fred5678 on December 24, 2007 at 3:26 PM

Seems where ever we have faught wars, even after we bombed the heck out of the place we actually helped the population at the end of it all, don’t think we ever lined the population against a wall and shot them in a firing squad as some societies have or perhaps some left wing groups might want to invent. Our fighting men have brought back positives to this country, if it wasn’t adoption, perhaps wives and even brought back a little bit of other people’s culture to enhance ours by bringing in new ideas we can use or the people bring with them.

StuLongIsland on December 24, 2007 at 3:35 PM

Aw, that just made my day. Thanks!

tikvah on December 24, 2007 at 3:47 PM

You are the man, Bryan. Thank you once again.

This is what real heroism looks like. And for what it’s worth, its what real Christianity looks like, too.

I’m not even worthy to polish Southworth’s boots. But I’m honored to have read about him.

Thank you for the Christmas present, HotAir.

Merry Christmas to all you knuckleheads.

Professor Blather on December 24, 2007 at 3:56 PM

He’s a better man than me, and my guess is that he is a better person than most …

Paul

pbary on December 24, 2007 at 3:58 PM

What the Professor said.

fogw, so happy for you. You know what to say to your son from here. Thanks for sharing,

Entelechy on December 24, 2007 at 4:01 PM

Entelechy,

I’m all ))))))))))))))))))))))))s.

fogw on December 24, 2007 at 4:16 PM

Dang it Bryan!!!

Drtuddle on December 24, 2007 at 5:09 PM

Incredible story. Fogw, it’s great your son’s back, safe and sound.

Merry Christmas to everyone from south Texas!

pullingmyhairout on December 24, 2007 at 5:42 PM

fogw, I’m so glad for you! Enjoy him (although you don’t need me to tell you that. My own boy is over in the sandbox this Christmas (second time) and we’re missing him terribly.

What a man. What better way to bring peace than, after all the necessary fighting, to bring love.

Mommynator on December 24, 2007 at 6:14 PM

A beautiful story for Christmas.

slp on December 24, 2007 at 7:25 PM

Thank you so much Bryan. More than one tear of joy here.

oakpack on December 24, 2007 at 7:28 PM

Merry Christmas Bryan and the rest of the HotAir family. To really appreciate this story, you should see Capt. Southwith with Ala’a. I try to stay away from Montel because he… well, crap, it’s the Christmas Season.

AAaaaanyway, Ala’a and “Baba” were on that show the day before Thanksgiving, and the video is really touching. Bryan, if you don’t mind, I’d like to give folks here the opportunity to see this precious child on my site.

God bless folks like Capt. Southworth and his family.

MsUnderestimated on December 25, 2007 at 1:20 AM

…opportunity to see this precious child on my site.

I mean on my blog post…. ;-)

MsUnderestimated on December 25, 2007 at 1:22 AM

MsUnderestimated, thank you for your comment. I just went and watched the video. This whole story has made my Christmas. So thank you, too, Bryan.

sondiehl on December 25, 2007 at 5:21 PM

My pleasure, sondiehl…

MsUnderestimated on December 25, 2007 at 7:35 PM

You might also like to know that Southworth has a fine history of conservatism. He was the lead plaintiff in Southworth v. Regents (SCOTUS, 2000) to get the student fee system at U of Wisconsin declared unconstitutional. Sadly, the effort was unsuccessful, but it was a valiant battle.

alflauren on December 25, 2007 at 11:50 PM

Feel-good story of the ~~day~~. year

ReubenJCogburn on December 24, 2007 at 1:25 PM

So why are there more comments posted about Allah’s new phone than this heartwarming tale?

I’m just sayin’…

Captain Scarlet on December 26, 2007 at 9:27 AM

A message from Glenn Beck:

Merry Christmas

Merry CHRISTmas! I hope you are reading this email on some brand new fancy electronic gadget gift you received. I also hope your Christmas day has brought you nothing but joyful memories filled with smiles, laughs, gifts, and of course lots and lots of cookies.

Last but certainly not least, I hope that the true meaning of Christmas hasn’t escaped you this year. Believe me I know it’s easy to lose sight of the real Christmas message amidst all the worldly ’stuff’ we surround ourselves with.

While I definitely know that some stuff is cool—hey, I enjoy watching Jack Bauer kick butt on a big plasma HDTV as much as the next guy—I also know that all of the ’stuff’ in the world can’t fill that void in our hearts…only one thing can: God.

During the Christmas season we concentrate so much on the birth of the baby that sometimes we lose sight of the true message of Christmas. It’s not that He was born that makes Him remarkable. What’s remarkable—and the most powerful thing that you could possibly imagine—is that He died… and He died for you. If the end of that baby’s life didn’t end the way it did we would not know anything about this baby.

My mother committed suicide when I was 13 and for so many years I tried to fill that empty space in me in all of the wrong ways. My mom was an alcoholic and she filled the void with booze and drugs. I followed in her footsteps and tried to do the same thing—I became addicted to drugs, booze, and topped that off with seeking fame and money. Worst of all, I was just a miserable human being to be around—I wasn’t a good person.

I hadn’t learned the lesson that stuff is never going to fill you up. Fame is never going to fill you up. Money is never going to fill you up. Work, accomplishment, booze, drugs, sex, you name it—will never fill you up. You will never find eternal happiness there. Sure, you will find fleeting happiness but then you need more. You become addicted to it and that doesn’t last. Everything that the world can provide is like crack cocaine — no matter how much you have you will always crave more and the emptiness will remain.

Believe me, I tried just about every way to fill that emptiness before I found God and none of it worked. There’s only one thing that can fill the void and it’s the Christmas message. Not the Christmas message of ‘be nice to people’ or the presents or even the manger. The true Christmas message is that He existed so He could die for our sins. His journey, from manger to cross, gives us a path to salvation. He died so you could fill the void—with Him.

I really, truly believe it because I’ve seen it work in my own life. And for as much as we want to make it about Frosty the Snowman and Santa, and stuff—that’s the real meaning of Christmas: Redemption.

I pray this Christmas that you find what I have found—and finally, once and for all—fill the void.

Merry Christmas,
glenn