Birding Babylon and message of Hope...

Jonathan Trouern-Trend's Birding Babylon was the first birding blog I became aware of when hearing about it on NPR well over a year ago. In fact, it was partly the reason I started my own birding blog. Now Jonathan's on-line journal has been published in a hardcopy version and I received a complimentary copy of it from one of my colleagues. Though edited for publication, it is roughly 80 pages and highlights many of Jonathan's birding observations and experiences in Iraq.

Becky has a couple of friends and relatives presently serving in Iraq and my cousin Kevin fought in Desert Storm. We all know the situation over there is chaotic...Becky and I worry for them as well as the overall outcome, whatever that may be. It's not always easy to be hopeful.

One day at work I got a phone call from a distressed Mom whose son is serving in Iraq. We've all heard stories about the under-equipped and under-armored, and she was looking for something to help her son scan ahead of his team's vehicles for IED's (improvised explosive devices). Unfortunately, her concerns and requests went unanswered when seeking optical gear through "logical" channels, so she was forced to take matters into her own hands and called us.

I listened...

A few weeks later Tim and I received the following email from her:

Dear Mike and Tim,

Hi, this is Mary Carol Sander. You two wonderful people helped out my son on Labor Day weekend. I called asking for information and purchasing prices on your spotting scopes. When you found out this scope was being purchased by my son who is deployed in Iraq, you went beyond what most people would do. Your kindness and generosity are overwhelming.

My son, Lt Craig Sander, Jr. said to send you both a very big THANK YOU!

He too was overwhelmed by your generosity. He started using the scope immediately upon receiving it. It has made a difference. Before receiving the scope his platoon lost two humvees to IEDs (but none of his men were lost). Now he said that there is a little less stress when they go out hunting for those pesky IEDs. The scope is being used daily and its spotting capabilities are outstanding. Your company's product is great.

Craig would have liked to email the two of you personally, but things are really busy over there. He is working 18-hour days, so he told me to write this for him. He said when he gets home next June, he hopes to stop by and thank you two personally. He might do that because he will be visiting his sister and her family in Madison. They live about 8.5 miles from your company.

Well, thanks again!

Mary Carol Sander and Lt Craig B Sander, Jr

Jonathan closes the preface of Birding Babylon will the following sentiment of hope, looking to a future we all would like to see come to fruition:

"I hope to return to Iraq one day armed only with binoculars and camera. Perhaps an Iraqi friend and I will drive around searching the deserts, the river valleys, the marshes and the mountains for the birds I missed. We will talk about how wonderful it is to be free of the fences and able to go where the birds are instead of hoping they'll fly into our compound. No matter how long it takes to get to that future, I know the birds will be waiting."