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NRL News
Rescued
from Near-Euthanasia, Iraqi Orphans Need Loving Homes Euthanasia, regardless of where it rears its ugly head, is a vicious killer that preys on the weak and vulnerable, seeking to destroy anyone and everyone in its path. Recently, that path wound across the globe to an orphanage in Baghdad where 24 disabled boys ages 6 to 23 were found literally starving and dehydrating to death. The children were lying naked in pools of their own filth, covered with biting flies, “guilty” only of being orphaned and unable to care for themselves. Some have cerebral palsy, others were born with Down syndrome, while still others suffer from disabilities not yet diagnosed due to a lack of resources in a country struggling desperately to achieve democracy. No one knows what circumstances brought them to that place. We know only what we have learned since they were discovered by American soldiers on a routine patrol and rescued by those soldiers in concert with local Iraqi officials who were horrified that such a thing could happen in their backyard. These boys were maltreated children, desperately in need of compassionate care. But unscrupulous workers at an orphanage had watched with no emotion as these children wasted away, just doors down the hall from storage rooms filled with donated food and clothing. Their rescue, literally at the 11th hour, has given them a second chance at life. They have been moved to another government-run orphanage where they are being fed and cared for. Twenty-three of them are regaining their strength. Tragically, one little boy died as a result of the neglect he suffered. The others continue to recover—their shy smiles and laughter when the soldiers visit them are testimony to the resilience of the human spirit and evidence that all these boys need is love and attention in order to thrive. But the story doesn’t end there. Watching the news the night the story broke was a man who knows all too well the dangers faced by Iraqi orphans with disabilities. Scott Southworth, a major in the U.S. Army National Guard, served in Iraq in 2003, where he met Ala’a, who is now his son. Southworth commanded a unit of military police and during his off-duty hours volunteered at a Baghdad orphanage run by Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Charity. There he met a young boy with cerebral palsy and a disarming grin. The two bonded and Southworth realized that Ala’a’s future was bleak, at best. A doctor at the orphanage confirmed that when Ala’a was too old to remain in the sisters’ orphanage he would likely die of neglect. So Southworth set about getting permission to bring the boy to the U.S. for medical treatment. He succeeded and four years later has adopted Ala’a, who is thriving under the care of the man he calls “Baba”—Arabic for “daddy”—while receiving state-of-the-art medical care. Southworth watched the news report with horror. He recognized several of the boys in the video as being friends of Ala’a’s who had been with him at the Mother Teresa orphanage in 2003. He realized that had Ala’a stayed in Iraq, he would have very likely been among those dying children. The thought sickened him. “That’s unspeakable. I have a difficult time even thinking of that possibility. But it is what I believe would have happened to Ala’a,” he said in an interview with CBS News in July. After viewing the story, Southworth immediately contacted military colleagues and both the U.S. and Iraqi governments to seek permission to bring the boys to the U.S. for medical treatment—no small feat, to say the least. But he had done it once to save Ala’a’s life, and he is convinced it can be done again to save these boys. With the full cooperation of both governments, he has received permission to do just that. However, loving homes need to be found for each of the boys—and Southworth believes the pro-life community can be of help. “I am so impressed by the dedication of pro-life individuals and families,” he said. “These are exactly the kind of people I would love to see take in these children. I know they value life and they won’t quit if times get tough. I’ve seen that.” And Southworth knows what he’s talking about—he has a close relationship with Wisconsin Right to Life, the NRLC affiliate in his home state. In fact, one of the families already lined up to take in two of the Iraqi boys—six-year-old twins—are local chapter chairs for WRTL. “What we need are more people like this,” Southworth said. “Imagine it ... these children will go from unspeakable horror to unconditional love.” Southworth makes it very clear that the task will not always be easy. “Families who consider this should realize that they are likely in this for the long haul,” he said. “There will be frustrations, but I want to find families who will view these children as a blessing ... never as a burden. I want people who, even during the toughest times, will remember that these children are a gift from God.” If you, or someone you know, might consider providing a home for one or more of these precious children, please contact us at jlittle@wrtl.org or call (715) 378-4302 for more information. You could change the life of a child forever and enrich your own in ways that can only be imagined. Joleigh Little works full time for Wisconsin Right to Life as a region coordinator and Wisconsin Teens for Life director. |