Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Behind the Flag

It is a surreal experience celebrating the 4th in a place where freedom and independence are hardly evident and are not even understood by many. 
 
We had the honor of spending our 4th with the Marines.  Parker, Devon and Bennett played all day with the soldiers who are assigned here on the detail of protecting the Embassy.  The off duty Marines convoyed out to River Gardens and we had a festive cookout with friends.  They played in the pool, watched movies, and drove around the neighborhood in the tuk-tuk to watch the fireworks.  The Fireworks!!! The middle-of-the-street, "unofficial" 4th of July Celebration in River Gardens.  Management said that they had no permits to celebrate the 4th of July and that the government certainly wouldn't approve it. "But," she explained, "if you show up at the gate to the compound just after dark, there will probably be some fireworks to see - " wink wink.  The local guards only wanted beer in exchange for the show, and huddling over a large bundle of fireworks, they lit the fuse and got away, and as they ducked an ran from the explosions, ash rained down on top of all of us.  Bennett grabbed his ears looking wide-eyed, terrified; Joanne mama-screamed, "this is totally unsafe."  I cowered at the loudness of the first shots, and then as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could see the makeshift launching pad no more that 30 feet away.  We grabbed the boys and ran for it!! .  While the Marines hung in close, fingers in ears, the Koch's watched the rest of the fireworks from a much safer distance.  

That whole day, as these young servicemen tossed our boys around in the pool, and we ate, drank, and had a fun time together, I felt swelling pride in the unique freedoms we have as Americans. Freedom and Independence are true blessings and maybe it takes a view from the other side, one where freedom is non-existent, to know just how good we have it. God Bless America, and those who protect our freedom!


  
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Paul Koch (@pkoch9999)
+151 1692-2787

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