Jul 5, 2007 By Patty Yauger 4 min read

A Teddy bear, a few elephants and rabbits, donated by a local congregation, are helping a U.S. Army unit accomplish its mission in Iraq. “Its remarkable how one small act of kindness can impact missions,” said Sgt. Brandon Goldsberry.

In April, Goldsberry e-mailed his parents asking if the Calvary Assembly of God congregation could send a few stuffed animals that would be distributed to the children his unit daily encountered.

His father, the Rev. Matthew Goldsberry, pastor of the local church, garnered the support of the congregation and gathered a significant number of the furry creatures to send to the battlefield.

There, said Matthew Goldsberry, the plush toys were distributed to children encountered by the squad as they patrolled Baghdad streets and the local hospital.

“When we walk down the streets we are walking in a group of children and civilians,” he said. “That tells me that they trust us and want us to help them succeed (in achieving peace in the region).

“We treat (the Iraqis) with kindness, dignity and respect. We may not be of the same religion or from the same country, but we are in their country to help them, and they know it.”

The Army unit is working alongside the Iraqi Police and the partnership is working well, said Brandon Goldsberry.

The trained Iraqi police force works with the U.S.-led coalition to learn sustainment and reinforcement tactics so that the local members can eventually assume all duties in the neighborhood.

“I have talked to a lot of Iraqis about the political situation and for the most part they just want peace and freedom,” said Brandon Goldsberry. “They love the freedoms that they have now, yet hate that it continues to be dangerous.

“I believe they are as sick and tired of the sectarian violence as we are; they are always working on ending that violence through town hall meetings and working with us and our leadership.”

The area where the unit is located is comprised of Sunnis, Shiites and Christians, and while most of the Iraqi police force do not have a college degree, all have received formal education for their work as officers.

When the police force was initially established, said Brandon Goldsberry, the civil servants were looked upon with disdain.

However, time and success has changed the attitude of those that serve and those they serve.

“When we first arrived, it was a taboo thing to be in the civil service ranks due to the threat to them,” he said. “Now it is a source of pride.”

The change, speculates Brandon Goldsberry, was due to the need for survival.

“I believe they came to an impasse and realized that if they didn’t fight back they wouldn’t survive, that they needed to share some of the workload combating the violence.”

The violence, he added, is being undertaken by a small number of individuals that have come from other countries that do not want peace in the region.

“There is still sectarian violence among the sects, but for the most part the killing of civilians is being done by foreigners from Iran and Syria who are infiltrating the border and trying to sabotage this country.”

The recent distribution of stuffed animals, meanwhile, has brought praise from Iraqi civilians and officers.

“The Iraqi Police colonels were so grateful for what we did; all they could talk about was all the phone calls that they received expressing the gratitude from the parents and locals that saw what we did,” said Brandon Goldsberry.

The effort has also drawn support from the Goin’ Postal office located in Connellsville where a $100 discount was given the church to defray shipping costs.

Brandon Goldsberry, meanwhile, said that despite the smallness of the animals, the campaign initiated by the Calvary Assembly of God was significant.

“We very much appreciate what the church did,” he said. “It had a positive impact in building a relationship with the Iraqis.

“Unlike what many news outlets are saying, the story here is the Iraqi people want and need us to stay for the time being and we, as soldiers, know that.

“We take our mission seriously and without the civilians on our side working with us, we will never accomplish that mission.”