Tribute to Master Corporal Mark Isfeld (circa 1994)

On the 21st of June, 1994 Master Corporal Mark Isfeld, Canadian Field Engineer, was killed during a de-mining operation in the former Yugoslavia. Mark was a Peacekeeper from Canada, and this was his third mission, the second in Yugoslavia. Mark's father, Brian Isfeld, has collected his son's and other's writings - poems and letters - and is preparing a book. Until the book is published, he has given us permission to share this story.

Why is this important? Today, especially in the US, Peacekeeping itself - the very concept - is under fire. Literally in Bosnia, and figuratively in the capitals (Washington, London, and Paris). I believe that Mark's outlook, not always favorable to the way this work is planned and has stood up, deserves to be heard. It is the story of a man's walk through Peacekeeping - the children, the old men and women, the destruction, and the loss. In the whole, this collection of thoughts, letters, and poetry deserves to be read.

I'll leave it to each reader to synthesize the meaning in it all. To me, it supports my concern that Peacekeeping must not be thrown out because our governments and the United Nations don't seem to have it right yet. We all, out of respect for Mark and the thousands of others who have given up their lives, must do what we can to help get it right.

-- Dave Davis (circa 1994)