On Kurdish children and the Feast of the Holy Innocents

Yesterday I was honoured to have my friend Chris Sabas nominate me for CPT's, "Twelve Days of Christmas" peacemakers. It was published on "Christian Peacemaker Teams" Facebook page  on the 4th day of Christmas which is known as the Feast of the Holy Innocents. [the day that the Bible tells of King Herod killing many children in his search for the child Christ]. This is because some of the writing I have done while on team in Iraqi Kurdistan has been about the impact on children of violence (especially the bombing and shelling). The link to the site is.
https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/photo.php?fbid=529570520396174&set=pb.119985174688046.-2207520000.1356798464&type=3&theater
I hope that those of you without FB can still open this. If not please send a comment.

As I remember so many of the little ones I have met while in Iraqi Kurdistan or some of the ones I have seen just for a minute, I want to post some of the photos I have taken. It is strange to walk the streets here in Winnipeg and to have children look down as I walk by. I am so used to being greeted and spoken to by the Kurdish children. Of course, I realize that I am an unique sight there. They can tell just by looking at me that I am a foreigner and they are curious about me.  I really enjoy taking the moment to talk to them. Usually they try to speak English and I try out my Kurdish. This is a bit complicated sometimes but fun.

This is a child that I did not meet. It is a statue in the town of Chamchamal in memory of 11 year old Germian. He was shot by security forces during the early days of the 2011 demonstrations in Sulaimani province.