The note below is from Pastor SungJun Cho, whom some of you may know through LPTD. Pastor Cho is now a US Army Chaplain serving in Afghanistan, and he needs our help.

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Dear Friends in Jesus Christ

        On behalf of the soldiers of Logistic Task Force 325 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, I thank you for your interest in supporting our country in the war on terror. As you know, the country of Afghanistan has endured 25 years of anarchy and warfare. It was out of this chaos that Al Qaeda was able to find a home under the brutal Taliban regime and grow into the threat we now face.

        Presently the Taliban has been routed and Al Qaeda is on the run; but that is only half the battle. The other factor in winning the war on terror is to create an environment in Afghanistan that will never allow groups like Al Qaeda to exist again. This is where you can help.

        To foster relations and trust with local Afghans, our military is reaching out in many ways to help local communities. One of the ways we reach out is by determining the basic needs of local communities and providing assistance to them. This support fulfills our obligation to be a good neighbor, and inspires the Afghan people to rebuild their country into a democratic and peaceful nation.

Enclosed is a list with information about how you can best contribute to the rebuilding effort. I hope that you will join us in this endeavor to make a crucial difference in the lives of our Afghan friends. You can contact me at sung.jun.cho@us.army.mil  or cho325fsb@yahoo.com if you have any questions.


Sincerely,

Chaplain Martin Cho


Humanitarian Assistance Information Sheet

Basic needs are in demand throughout Afghanistan, and that is what we would like to provide. Presently we are focusing on providing this aid to three different locations in our region. They are:

1)      A Woman’s Center and School.
2)      An Orphanage.
3)      A local village.

Appropriate items that you can send for any of theses sites are:

        Toys, Kites, stuffed animals (no playing cards)
        Children’s shoes/clothing
        Adult and children’s coats
        Blankets
        Toothbrushes/toothpaste
        Canned goods w/self contained openers
        School supplies (children are unable to read English books)
        Non-perishable foods; i.e. pasta, rice, beans, etc.

Inappropriate items:

        Magazines/publications
        Letters
        Toiletries except as described above
        Photos
        Religious material


Shipping Info

Packages can be sent to us at:

Chaplain Martin Cho
HQ&A 325 FSB
APO AE 09355

*If shipping regular mail, be advised to research the cost. The cost to ship just an average size package may be greater than you think.

If you live near a, military base and have a large quantity of goods, you may be able to ship it free through the military. More information can be found at:

Http://www.usaid.gov/hum_response/pvc/denton.html

The space A Military Authorization code is (TAC) AEP9