DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti – Nestled in a remote and unassuming part of the city, a local Djibouti City orphanage awaits the arrival of members from Camp Lemonier. The children who live at the orphanage are in need of supplies, donations, and most important of all…love and affection.
Prior to the group’s departure from the base chapel, the seven volunteers made up of U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Marines, made last-minute preparations for their trip to the orphanage by loading up supplies. The supplies were donated by both camp members and from a Marine master sergeant’s hometown friends who organized a donation drive to provide the children with gifts of goodwill and compassion.
U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Barry “Bart” Bartasavich is one of many Camp Lemonier inhabitants who ask family and friends at home to help generate donations for the local orphanages.
“My friend Anne Hanner from back home in Dubois, Pennsylvania helped me organize the donations for toys, bottles, baby items and cash. The orphanage cannot accept cash, so I had to visit a local store and purchase supplies with the money they gave me,” said Bartasavich.
As the bus departed Camp Lemonier, the seven volunteers carried on different conversations amongst themselves. In time, the multiple conversations became about answering the obvious one of “what can I expect?” for those who had never visited the orphanage.
Some in the group were “veterans” and explained to the “rookies” what to expect. Bartasavich, being the senior veteran of the group, explained to the others the order of operations.
“We only have 90 minutes, so the priority is to give the babies their bottles first and then move on to feed the toddlers,” he said.
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