SEOUL, Korea (3rd ARS)-Christmas
presents for orphans are old stories, but when the request for this
one came in, even Santa Claus shook his head and said, "I've heard everything
now!" The shocker came when the 2157th Air Rescue Sq. asked
Santa's help in arranging 42 baths for members of the Myong Shin Orphanage.
By baths they meant individual scrubbings for each child. It was pointed
out that the children live in a tent without bathing facilities.
In the summer, they troop to the Han
River to wash, but the weather now makes that impossible. Santa didn't
dent that baths are proper and necessary, but to give them a s Christmas
presents--! The kindly old boy had a horrified vision of what would
happen to his reputation if children around the world ever heard of
such a thing. It was only after the rescue men divulged their other
plans for the party that Santa agreed to lend his help and moral support
for such an unusual undertaking.
It took two hours of coaxing reluctant
little boys and shy little girls to complete the "Operation Scrub,"
part of the party. But things brightened up when the children were
re-outfitted with new clothing furnished by the Trinity Presbyterian
Church, San Anselmo, Cal. After this, the party turned traditional
with a gaily lighted tree bearing presents for all age groups, a Christmas
dinner and bags of fruits and nuts for the children to take home. The
festivities closed with song, dances and carols by the youngsters.
In spite of the doubtful-but necessary-beginning, the children admitted
it was a swell day-bath and all.
SSA-748
