When Mrs. Esther Deeb was asked if letters from Syrian boys in service could be perused, the idea was that a good bit of interesting items about their Anny experiences might be gleaned. Looking over thank you letters for the #25 bond the St. George’s Church people have purchased for every boy, not bo much news is forthcoming, but the letters are a good lesson in the art of appreciation.
They show what it means to the boys in service to have the folks back home rooting for them, not silently and not apathetically without doing anything about it, but actively the way the Syrian folk in Norwood have been rooting for their boys.
For instance, one boy writes: “You can’t realize how much an unselfish favor such as the bond and the lovely box of cookies and jam the Ladies Society sent me a short while back, helps to keep us striving to become good soldiers so that we may help protect our loved ones back home who are depending on us.
“But sometimes I wonder if we are not in a better position than you are. Because here we receive the best of food and medical care. While back home, everything is being rationed. And you are all working so hard to see that we get everything we need.”
“After this war is over and won by us, The United States of America, we shall have to thank people such as you who have been giving their time and energy unselfishly to send us these precious and priceless gifts which come from your hearts.”
From New York, a boy writes. “For the first several minutes after I received it (the bond) I was speechless. I just sat down and began thinking—thinking of how swell you people are to worry about us and send us the gifts you did. I hope it won’t be long before this will all be over and everyone will be home again.”
Boys write “I want to thank you sincerely and offer my services to the church of Norwood in any way possible may it be cooking a meal or anything else within my power.” Or: “I know how hard our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters have worked in order to make this gift possible.”
One boy writes just this: “Normally I write too much but now I’m wordless. Thanks loads.” Another says: “I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart and honest it makes me feel swell and proud of the Syrians at home who are doing their share in helping the boys in service.” And again: “If you ever want anything or want me for any kind of way I can help, you just let me know and 111 do the best I can.”
Another boy says: “It sure was swell of you and all the rest of the club members to run all these affairs just-for the benefit of the boys in service. We sure do appreciate it and will do our utmost to keep on pluggiog to win this war and with people like you and the rest behind us I don’t see how we can lose.” Or in the same vein. “It feels good to know and feel that back home there is someone ready to back and help you out”
One boy says the bond sent him is his second since he had just completed his first bond, saved from Ms monthly pay. He continues.
“I am most certain that our Syrian boys as well as others in our armed services appreciate what folks back home are doing to help us along in these hard present times when we all must work together and sacrifice many things that we have been accustomed to in order to bring this terrible war to | sudden close.”
And so it goes, letter after letter, from boys who have had it proved to them that the folks back home are right behind them. “My hats off to the Syrian people of Norwood,” writes one.
It might well be—bonds for the boys and to help support the effort, a devoted and large Red Cross Surgical Dressings unit blood donors, money for the Red Cross, boxes to the boys—done all they can for the home front!
(All articles originally published in the Norwood Messenger)