Shocked at the sight of a photo of a doll in the rubble at the Musuem of the Regiments in Calgary, (photo is the cover of CD booklet) and curious at the little doll accompanying the picture in the museum display, the education director explained the story and said, "You have to meet the Isfelds".

A few months later I did meet them and our subsequent emails and conversations taught me a lot about our Canadian soldier and veteran. Their son Mark, peacekeeping in Croatia with 1 COMBAT ENGINEER REGIMENT Canadian Military Engineers, took that poignant photo and showed his parents. His mom responded to his concern that 'these children don't have a childhood'. She began crocheting little dolls that would fit in their soldier son's pocket for Mark to give out to children of war. These dolls would lift Mark’s spirits as well as bring smiles to the children he met daily.

When Mark was killed demining in Croatia in 1994, his troop asked Carol Isfeld if they could continue to gift these dolls as Mark had. More Canadians, mostly moms and grammas joined the league of hands that would create Izzy Dolls for soldiers.

Visit http://www.isfeldbc.com/ for Izzy Doll pattern

ICROSS Canada, begun by Billy Willbond (another story in itself), and widely supported by Veterans who had seen the suffering, asked if they could also give out these dolls to the 'poorest of the poor'. The Isfelds gladly agreed. The other agreement was that these dolls could not be bought or sold. They must be hand made. By the end of 2007, over 300,000 Izzy Dolls and Izzy Comfort Dolls had been made by Canadians and given out to the poorest of the poor and the children of war. The need continues and Canadian hands are busy filling that need.

Visit http://www.icross.ca for the Izzy Comfort Doll pattern

Billy Willbond sent me this email that illustrates the impact the dolls had when given to children in the Congo :

Good morning- received this note this morning from our Congo load

"They were children and orphans since they were born; they never touch a toy or receive a gift from their parents or anybody". One nurse told me that “some orphans were refusing to put down their toys even when they are eating, taking shower or sleeping… thinking that it will be stolen… You made our children who were fighting for one homemade toy all the time to be the happiest children… I can hear now birds singing because I was hearing only crying and fighting…Thank you Jesus for the good people that helped our people in Congo”

-Pastor Justin Byakweli