Helping in a dangerous land

When I saw the street banner for the Balkans, I stood up on my hind legs to get a really good look. I had heard about what Canadian peacekeepers did there and was curious to learn more. Peacekeepers are special soldiers who go to war-torn places to try to help prevent fighting—but what happens when there’s no real “peace” to “keep?”

People in the Balkans region of southeastern Europe went through some terrible times 30 years ago. Different groups were violently fighting each other. Soon other countries came to help and Canada sent a large group of United Nations peacekeepers there in 1992. Our soldiers would do their best to stop the fighting, deliver humanitarian aid, clear landmines and help rebuild the society. It was dangerous work and 23 Canadians would die in the Balkans in the years that followed.

One of them was Master Corporal Mark Isfeld. He was a combat engineer who lost his life in a landmine explosion in Croatia in 1994. He had served in other peacekeeping missions and saw how children in war-torn countries had few toys to help make their lives a little brighter. His mother, Carol, began making little dolls for him to hand out overseas. They were very special to the kids and, after Mark’s death, the tradition continued— except they came to be called “Izzy Dolls.”

I find this story especially touching as dogs like me were sometimes used in the Balkans to look for landmines that are hidden in the ground—the same job Mark had. Thinking of him and his Izzy Dolls makes me both sad and proud.