On 25 July 2011, 20 volunteers from the 429th Expeditionary Operations Squadron located at the U.S. Forward Operating Location (USFOL) visited the SILOAM Village to clear debris and weeds. Volunteers donned work gloves, weed eaters and rakes to help spruce up the village property.
The main goal of the visit was to reduce fire danger, enhance the property appearance and remove overgrown weeds from the garden. SILOAM administrators expressed their utmost appreciation.
"What you men and women have done in two hours would take me two months!" said Brother Herman Gijsbers, SILOAM owner/operator. A USFOL volunteer observed, "Anytime you go to any deployment it’s a good opportunity to interact with locals that have been welcoming us to their country. It’s especially humbling to come to an orphanage and help out kids who haven’t had the same opportunities that we enjoy in the United States."