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‘Wake up, it's snowing!’

Posted: Friday, January 11, 2008 12:53 PM
Filed Under:

"Wake up, it's snowing! Don't miss the view!" Those were my 13-year-old niece's words when she called me early this morning.

I felt pleasure and joy in her words, jumped out of my bed and ran to the window. It was much more beautiful than can be described; a scene I have not seen before in my lifetime in Baghdad.

My family used to call my niece Snow White because she has pale skin, very blue eyes, and dark hair – plus she was a fan of the cartoon. So today she was especially pleased, because for the first time she felt what the taste of snow was really like.

Image: An Iraqi man and his child enjoy a light snow fall in eastern Baghdad, Iraq.
AP
An Iraqi man and his child enjoy light snow fall in Baghdad on Friday. 

Then one of my colleagues called and said, "It's snowing, dear." I answered, "Yes, it’s awesome." 

We started our day at work on the balcony holding a hot cup of tea in one hand and stretching the other hand into the air to catch snowflakes. My colleagues and I were breathing in the cold air while chatting. In Baghdad, it rains, it hails, it storms, but it almost never snows.

I thanked God for granting Iraqis the chance to watch the snow falling and I prayed that God will bring peace, happiness, success, and love in each white pure piece of snow.

* The names of local journalists are not used to protect their identity.

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We all need to stop all the evil ays and see how one pure thing can make us so full of joy and hope
.....and He will wash you white as snow. This is most assuredly a sign from God who is still on the throne and still in control. I will continue to pray for not only all our troops but, for all the people of Iraq for a peace that only comes from God.
Dear Friends:
The beautiful and magical snowflakes each different and a surprise.  At any age the joy the gift to share the innocense and laughter!
In some places angles in the snow as the lovely children of this nation experience a surprise.
My heart felt your emotion and laughter!  Enjoy the good things of life.  We pray God Bless the children of the world. Amen  
I woke up to go to the bathroom and was wowed. For a moment I thought I was back home. I'm so glad my Iraqi friends could have experienced what we see every winter. They were elated.
BTW, please stop including God in this. I haven't been hearing you religous fanatics saying anything about God being involved when we are getting hurt over here. Nor do I hear you say that it's God's followers raping and murdering kids and their families.
For the religous right(America's Taliban):
Kindly let the Iraqi's enjoy this moment without you having to mention your God.
Everyone has to do whatever they said they wouldn't do until Hell freezes over because it has snowed in baghdad!!
There was a tornado in Vancouver Washington, NW America, yesterday. What is going on??? Are these incidents related? Someone is trying to tell us something? Hmm, or is it global warming???
Let it snow, let it snow... let it snow!
Thank God !! I have always felt that snow is very peaceful and comforting. It is so quite and makes you feel at peace. I pray that this will bring lots of peace.  
I'm reading all these blogs and all I can tell you is that it is really muddy out here in Baghdad. I'm just happy that the people here finaly get to see what snow is like during the winter seasons. All you people who refers Iraq as hell, Well I'd like to think of it as misunderstood.
you don't believe in global warming? hell is freezing over and the artic is melting. heh. i just hope that no one there dares to drive in such a mess. when you've NEVER driven in snow before, your first time out ain't ever fun! be careful out there kids! :)
I think that hell is finally freezing over.
My prayers for our troops, for the Iraqis, and for Peace fell on Iraq today in the form of snow.  If this is all it takes to put smiles on the faces of Iraqi children and adults alike, and if it helped them feel "peace", then I have only one thing to say...  "Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!"
Yes a message from GOD, he is there and all things are possible. Im so happy for them over there. This brought tears to my eyes. I hope all of them feel some peace after today, and hope.
GLOBAL WARMING MY BUTT!! God is alive!!
God does create miracles and He did so in the form of the peaceful pure white falling snow. Seeing and reading the reactions of the people are just heartwarming. Each snowflake does represent peace, love and happiness for the people of the region. Everyone no matter what tribe they belong or neighborhood they reside can feel God's love in every snowflake. Peace to all!
I pray to God that many years in the future, Iraqi school children will learn about this day as the day that everything changed.  Nearly five years into the war, I pray that today is the turning point.  May God bring peace, strength, and endurance to all Iraqis as they press on to live free and God-fearing lives. God bless Iraq tonight.
The peacefulness falling snow brings is like no other
As I sit at my desk at work, reading the news on my break. My co-worker walks in just as I pull up this story. My son has been in Iraq for three months now. As I pulled up this picture of the father smiling with his young child in his arms tears where flowing. This was truly a wonderful day for so many people. I hope my boy got to see that beautiful snow and just for a few moments forget he is where he is. Thank you Jesus!
this is one for global warming. come on people its snow. its kinda hard to call it a miricale. or a gift from god. in the midwest we look forward to it every year.
I do not know what to think about this,Except my son will be home from Baghdad, Iraq tomorrow For a short leave, will have to head back in a couple of weeks i will ask him how he felt about this first hand. Thank you Lord for allowing us to be together. Lord please be with all of our soldiers and families. Thank you to all the soldiers that are serving and that have served to protect our country.
Hell hath frozen over...
I've read all the comments here, and as an Iraqi may I say god bless you all for the kind, heart warming sentiments you have expressed and your good willed intentions towards us....Im sure this is the norm for americans.

The optimism you show is shared by the millions of Iraqis in Iraq who are only now starting to breath, along with the gulps of ice cool air, the breaths of freedom. Indeed many of us feel that it is a sign and an omen.  God bless :-)
Oh my lanta! it hasn't snowed there in 100 yrs! :)
Snow for the Iraqi's is an allusion to starting anew and with that I hope it will bring them peace!  
Snow for the Iraqi's is an allusion to starting anew and with that I hope it will bring them peace!  
I just want to say thank you God letting us see this moment in Baghdad and in our whole life,All we need Peace . Maybe it's a message from God to bring peace to our selves and to the whole world especially for our friend's ( American troop's in Iraq )
Amazing how such a simple act of God can allow a moment of delight to infect all Iraqis and put their differences aside--even if for just a brief time. If table tennis can be the catalyst that brings the U.S. and China to their senses, why can't an unusual snowfall in Baghdad be the catalyst that ultimately brings reconciliation among all Iraqis?
It's called "global warming."  Get used to the weather.
nostradamus once said if it snows in baghdad the world is about 2 END...........
My son too is in Irag ,and we had'nt heard from him in awile. because of the snow there he called us.
To tell us that it was snowing.we now know that he's OK .God Bless Him & the snow. it's not to late to send our troops hand & foot warmers
What's up with all this praise Jesus crap.  God and Jesus have nothing to do with something that is obviously an abnormal weather pattern being generated by a changing global climate.  Wake up!
it's not a sign from above it's a sign of climate out of equilibrium, what brings joy now will bring pain later,snow falling in Iraq is a bad thing not good ,and global warming doesn't mean it's going to get warm everywhere (for those that don't know) mother earth is trying to tell you something PAY ATTENTION
Thank you so much for this beautiful article, I liked what you wrote, stay safe and warm greatings to you and to your family.
Too bad. No snow tires on vehicles.
A miricale.  So small a thing could bring PEACE!  Even if it is a short time, this could be a lesson to us all.  PEACE can be found!  Let us find it together!
thanks to allah and god for so beautiful
snowing on iraq people's faces with smiles and happy spirits. bless pres. bush  
Our God is an AWESOME God. He can do GREAT things.
The snow took, for a while, thoughts of fear, home sickness,and the not knowing of when this crazy war with finally be over! God bless all soldiers and their families. Karen, KY



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