Home Sweet Home

Three weeks from the day I penned my last blog, I flew home from Afghanistan. The tour was over, but it has last an everlasting impact on me. Over the next few days, I will try to capture a few of the last days I had in Kabul. For now, just a few pictures as I headed through Kuwait before crossing the pond to Virginia.

Kuwait. The current location for a "transition course" as Sailors leave the theater of operations. It's supposed to be a place of relaxation before heading home. Everyone's experience in Afghanistan is different. Many military members are truly out "in the s**t" as they say. Some spend more time doing staff work, living on a secure camp.

I would say that both extremes require some reprogramming in the cranium to prepare you for life back home in the USA.

A sobering thought. Before the military had such decompression courses to prep members for returning home, there were many ugly stories of military personnel returning home. An Army data point...In the summer of 2002, five soldiers at Fort Bragg murdered their wives after returning from Afghanistan. Two of the soldiers also committed suicide. At that time, soldiers returning from fierce combat in Afghanistan received the same decompression training as soldiers in peacekeeping missions in Kosovo and Bosnia. But after the Fort Bragg murders, the Army re-vamped its entire program. Read the website in the link above for more information.

I flew home commercial out of Kuwait City International, direct into Dulles. After a short trip down to Norfolk, I was in my wife's arms. That was nearly two weeks ago! More observations to follow about my last days in Afghanistan, but need to get moving today. Heading out in town with my wife -- no body armor, weapons or uparmored vehicles...not sure if I should have left them behind - it's crazy around here!

Suffer the Little Ones (Take 2)

I'm on my last few weeks here in Afghanistan. Never coming back (never say never) and want to do something with these kids. I do have plans to finally go visit a local orphanage soon...not sure if that is smart or not, but gonna do it. Not a security issue -- just can't take them home with me! I really just have to get outside the concrete prison I live in to be able to visit those kids. You'll see them in a future post...inshallah.

My friend wrote me the other day and reminded me of how fragile life is. We often take it for granted -- even our children. He said, "When I hear a baby crying, I think, "that kid is breathing and has got lungs that work." It's all a matter of perspective, I suppose. Sometimes they seem to only annoy us. The amount of energy expended on one child -- even a healthy one -- is enormous! God bless those parents who care for children who have physical and mental challenges.

So, I took a few pictures out in town while I was attending the opening ceremony of the girl's High School. As I saw the transformation from youngest to oldest, I thought if we can only have the vision of what could be, it would change our perspective (and actions) in the present. I snapped a few outside the school and then inside. What a change the investment made!

Here's an encouragement to have the long view and a different perspective as God puts children in your life. Oh, how He loves them.

Drop in a bucket

I don't know how many times I have thought (and said here in this blog) how good I have it! My kids go to wonderful schools one mile from my house back home in Virginia. In contrast, 2007 numbers show an estimated 60% of students in Afghanistan studied in tents or other unprotected structures. Some parents refused to let their daughters attend schools in such conditions, adding to the illiteracy of women in the country.

Went to a school grand opening a few days ago. It's a girls' high school down in south Kabul. Been there many times and know the contractor that the U.S. hired to build the addition that has ten classrooms. This guy is totally into helping others. Sure he makes money and supports his family from these efforts, but his heart is all about education. He realizes that his efforts are just a "drop in a bucket" that must be filled, but he's doing his part.

The minister of education spoke at the school opening. In spite of the beautiful structure as a backdrop to his speech, he declared it was far below the great need of the Afghan children.

Feeling more and more called into doing my part for the "little ones." Sometimes it is easier to rebuke them as the disciples tried to do, but look beyond the present frustration and see what God has placed inside those little ones. They are fearfully and wonderfully made. Suffer them today!

Nothing but a thing...

"There is no difficulty to him that Wills" -Haines Family Crest, Plymouth 1620

Jason Haines, a shipmate here in Afghanistan, shared an email with me that I thought appropriate for my friends and family as I sit here in Kabul in my cozy "dorm" room on my secure compound. It was about one of his family member's that epitomizes the word hero.

When you think you have it bad, Moses, take a look at the real generation that is leaving us at a rapid rate. According to a Cheshire Herald article, World War II ended almost 70 years ago, and veterans from what has become commonly called “the greatest generation” are dying off each year. An estimate produced by the Department of Veteran's Affairs in 2009 revealed that as many as 1,100 veterans may be dying per day. Jason's grandpa fought in the Pacific after he joined to Navy in December 1941. He was underway heading west by 11 January and would not finish his first cruise until 10 March...no, not two months...it was finished in 1943. Look at this picture of his ship to get a small sense of what he endured. This is the USS Minneapolis after the battle at Tassafaronga. Read about it here. After heading back to Hawaii, and six months pier side, he headed back out again for his 2nd cruise.

Oh to have men like that in this generation. I must say we are soft. I pray it is not because we do not value the freedoms they valued and determined to fight for...just that the good life God has given us has made us soft. We complain about 3 days of rain, the chicken was too dry in the chow hall, and the coffee was not fresh when we sat down for that piece of pecan pie.

The next time you are walking down the mall and you see one of those old guys with the blue hats that declares he is a veteran of a war gone by, stop and talk to him...tell him thank you. I guess all I am trying to say is, if you think you got it bad, think again.

It's all relative, my friends. As for me and my lot in life, this ain't "nothing but a thing!"

Groundhog Day

"When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn't imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter."

The days since my last post have drug by, day by day, just like the movie. But, spring hopes eternal! They say the furry guy didn't even see his shadow this year! Either way, I am tracking 49 days before I head home to see the clan.

Reflection from a career Sailor ~ When you are deployed, it seems like everyday is Monday. Even if you have a day that is your "sleep in" day, you still go through the same ritual and duties. What you need is a break in the action to help you count the weeks! Back in the Navy on the ship, we counted pizza nights. We had pizza every Friday night! It was 24 pizza nights to go when you first pulled out, 3 pizza nights to this or that port call, 2 pizza nights until Christmas. You get what I mean. We marked the time and had goals, and we got by.

I was thinking yesterday on Ground Hog Day, that the people of Afghanistan need a pizza night. Something to give them hope. I am not sure it is the U.S. or ISAF at this point. They are in a 30 year old Ground Hog Day of war and turmoil.

With a life expectancy of 44 in Afghanistan, there is a good chance an Afghan will never see it pass. (see the dated article linked here) I am grateful to know that "this too shall pass" can be said about anything I have ever endured in this temporal life on earth. I have had it easy. Count your "pizza days" and count your blessings wherever you are!

Suffer the little ones...

³⁶ He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

No doubt Jesus had a great love for children. Ar passage in Matthew describes the scene like this:

¹³ Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

Last week my friend, Sayeed Naseer, a Major in the Afghan National Army came to lunch. As a bonus, just for me, he brought his youngest daughter, an eleven year old princess named Satera (accent on the last "a"). It means "star" and fits her perfectly.

I am surrounded by kids in this city. They are out of school for the three months of winter instead of summer, but they desperately need to be there all year long. An entire generation of school-less Afghans are looking for a way to get by. They pick through garbage on the roadside in hopes to find something of value or even to eat. The sell trinkets and scarfs when mine are playing Xbox & PlayStation or enjoying a afternoon Blizzard from DQ.

Not sure what I can do. There is so much potential in them...so many future stars. Go find a "star" today...yours or someone else's. Hug them and pour into their lives just a little bit of wisdom and compassion. You never know what they will become.

Better Living Thru Chemicals

Think about the last time you had a headache, backache or any kind of small physical discomfort. Now many of you purists might go find a dark room, get into your favorite yoga position or start meditating on fields of dandelions. For others, it's quicker to dig through glove box, purse or even reaching out on the stand at the checkout at a local convenience store for the quick fix! Chemicals!!

There are not many families in America that do not have Vitamin M sitting at close proximity. I'm not talking about Folic Acid either. I'm talking about the real deal...Motrin! Check out the urban dictionary hyperlink above on this one. We all know the dangers of Motrin and Tylenol in great quantities, but oh the joys of the quick fix..."better living thru chemicals" as I have said for many years.

Last night I ran into an Afghan friend. A worker who makes a couple of hundred dollars a month...not a day or an hour...I said a month. "Cheery ye?" (where are you) he said with a smile, but I knew something was bothering him. He had been looking for me for a few days. He described in Pashto that he had a back ache that was really slowing him down and had nothing for it. As I walked back to my room and opened up my cabinet full of bags of medicine that I hope to never use here, I grabbed a bottle of Tylenol.

I thought about it long and hard, and read the warnings over and over that I give little thought to if I am consuming them myself. Now I am playing "over the counter" doctor in a strange land where this is not a common household product. I slowly recanted to him the dangers and told him exactly how many and how often to take the few pills I placed in his hand, wrapped up in a napkin. He knew what they were of course, and thanked me repeatedly.

As I laid down last night, I thought about how our lives are blessed in so many small ways. We have things that we no longer even recognize because we have never lived without them. We are truly blessed beyond measure and we don't stop to count. Our life expectancy is even affected by our rich blessings. This wiki source says we might live to be 78 here in the U.S.

Afghanistan has a staggering 43 year life expectancy! No, silly, it's not because of a lack of tylenol! It's a generation of war, lack of medical treatment, air quality and a whole host of things to discuss on another day. I'm just saying, we got it good, folks!

Now soak this in, and then go out and make it better for someone else today!

Afghan Hands

Lots of cool stuff going on in this country.

I have been blessed to be a small part of a group of incredibly talented folks in Afghanistan, working hard to make a difference and build relationships with the Afghans. Some background info can be found in a recent NY Times article.

The pictures depict a very small portion of the Hands in country today.

Sheer Yakh

A good day, indeed! SHEER stands for MILK and YAKH for COLD, so it is named simply ICE MILK. Everyone that knows me, knows that I can eat ice cream everyday...OK, I DO eat ice cream everyday, and now I know it Afghan style. Of course, it was vanilla.

There's nothing else to say. Ice cream makes me smile.

Skype me, baby!

Just spent about an hour on the phone / video with my beautiful wife and kids. Kay and the boys are all excited about Santa coming to town and I was able to see that live from my laptop here in Kabul.

After we hung up I reflected on the "snail mail" we used to wait on back in the day. This is just a Christmas shout out to developers of Skype and the amazing Internet. What a cool age we live in!

I am going to take advantage of it to keep in touch better in 2011. Ok, there I've already started...New Year's resolutions! Well, what's yours? Please let me hear from you.

Ok, I am still not a pashto ninja. My language skills are fading fast these past weeks. But I could not resist the Skype ninja photo I found.

Take care and have a Merry Christmas, wherever you are!

Christmas Eve in Kabul

For all of those that can't stand the hustle and bustle, I'll trade you straight up. You see, the picture on the left is Norfolk not Kabul. Take 10 minutes to go into that ole koot's neighborhood tonight to just stare at the lights and decorations he spent the last month putting up. They are awesome, aren't they? You'll probably see a manger scene or something to remind you of the true reason.

The decorations along the streets that went up right after Thanksgiving are courtesy of your hard earned tax dollars, but they are beautiful and make most smile. The cakes and cookies and chocolates are hard to escape...including the extra 5 lbs we all strap on...but we love it.

The visits from families that we love (and hate) to be around, but for some reason always end up together with during this time of year...enjoy them.

You see, none of that it is in Afghanistan, except the 5 extra lbs...thanks to all of you and the postman! But I have visions of Christmas past and those of Christmas future in my mind. I am even enjoying the tug and tussle in mall stores and trying to find that last parking spot at the mall, wedged between the suburban and the Winnebago parked out in the back 40! Why? Because I will be with you, celebrating the birth of Jesus!

Until then, I am going to sing some carols tonight during a candle light service, in a walled camp in the center of Kabul, then pop in my [all year long] favorite movie, Christmas Vacation. So, from me, cousin Eddie, and 100,000 others wishing they could trade places, please enjoy the season. Seek Him, wise men! And most of all, have a wonderful Christmas.

Blessed are the peacemakers

I spent a wonderful evening in Kabul with my friend last night. The hours flew by and was a welcome change to the busyness of the command back on the camp. Like so many other times, our conversations gravitated to the war and whether or not there was hope for his country. This man, now a quiet and well mannered professional business man, was once a blood thirsty killer. As a teenager, he fought with his father against the Soviets, and lived to inflict pain and death on the enemies of Afghanistan.

Now, in 2010, with Afghanistan again in a fight for survival, he says he cannot bear to see an animal mistreated nor hunt on the lands he used to roam as a young man. An interesting view of a warrior who has shed the blood of men and had his own blood spilled. The contrast is amazing.

I've seen the pictures of him...soldier of fortune stuff from the 80's. These here could easily be replaced with his, but I will keep them off this blog for his privacy. Shaggy beard gone now, AK-74 turned in for a laptop, hate replaced by a soft heart for the hurting people around him. He said, "I really believe that the peacemakers will be blessed."

Well, that was encouraging enough for me and a good reminder of Jesus' declaration. Like my warrior friend, I'm making peace today, here in the center of turmoil and chaos.

BITS flight complete

In my former life, returning from a lengthy time out of the aircraft would earn you a BITS flight, that is to say, Back In The Saddle. I've been back nearly a week now and I am caught up. A great friend and colleague sat in for me and kept things running smooth. Thanks, Mark!

Ok, it has been forever since my last blog and I have no excuse. Sounds like a catholic confession! But, I'm back in Kabul after a great vacation and Thanksgiving back to Virginia with Kay and the boys. I'm charged up and ready to re-attack this mission here...and do a better job about capturing some cool stuff in this fascinating land.

Ok, since I started off with the saddle reference, I'll use that as a transition to a goal I have for the new year. Before I leave this place, I want to see a Buzkashi match. I cut the following from the website on "Southern travels." From what I understand it is brutal (not just for the dead goat) and very physically demanding.

Buzkashi, which literally translated means "goat grabbing" is the national sport of Afghanistan. Many historians believe that Buzkashi began with the Turkic-Mongol people, and it is indigenously shared by the people of Northern Afghanistan. There are two main types of Buzkashi, Tudabarai and Qarajai. Tudabarai is relatively simple compared with Qarajai, even though they share similar objectives.

In Buzkashi, a headless carcass is placed in the center of a circle and surrounded by the players of two opposing teams. The object of the game, is to get control of the carcass and bring it to the scoring area. Although it seems like a simple task, it is not. Only the most masterful players, (called chapandaz) ever even get close to the carcass. The competition is fierce, and the winner of a match receives prizes that have been donated by a sponsor. These prizes range from money, to fine turbans and clothes. In order for someone to become a chapandaz, one must undergo a tremendous amount of difficult training. In fact, the best chapandaz, are usually over the age of forty. Buzkashi, is definitely not a game for the weak.

The players are not the only ones who undergo arduous training; the horses that participate in buzkashi must train for five years before ever making it to the playing field. Buzkashi, is indeed a dangerous sport, but intensive training and excellent communication between the horse and rider can help minimize the risk of injury.

The different types of Buzkashi: Tudabarai & Qarajai
In Tudabarai, in order to score, the rider must obtain possession of the carcass and then carry it away from the starting circle in any direction. The rider must stay free and clear of the other riders.

In Qarajai, the task is much more complex. The player must carry the calf around a marker, and then return the carcass to the team's designated scoring circle.

In each version of the game, points are awarded for successfully completing the task of getting control of the carcass, and getting it to the proper scoring area. The winner of each match receives prizes which have been put up by a sponsor. The top prizes are usually money, or fine clothes.

To many Afghans, Buzkashi is not just a game, it is a way of life; a way in which teamwork and communication are essential to being successful.

Well, all the matches are generally up North where I don't get to travel. Just to busy right now, but I hope to break out soon. Sounds like I am talking about a prison, doesn't it. : )

Gotta run...

99 and 44/100% Pure

The Quran says "For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean."



I see it played out here in Afghanistan. Reaching out to the omnipotent God, Allah, Muslims pray five times each day. One interesting ritual before the praying is the act of ablution. This act signifies the washing away of the impurities of life before they approach God. They wash everything, over and over. Check it out on the link above. We all long to make ourselves pure...we long to be pure like our Maker. Yet, it's not good enough, not even 99% is good enough. There is an easier way...through His love, His pure love, displayed in the birth of His Son.

I listened to Gateway's song "Pure" 10 times in a row today. I could not get it out of my head as I walked back to the office. The musical declaration that everything we need lies in His love...His pure love. I'm taking the easy way today.

Eat the seeds!

Exodus 28:33–34 directed that images of pomegranates be woven onto the borders of Hebrew priestly robes. 1 Kings 7:13–22 describes pomegranates depicted in the temple King Solomon built in Jerusalem. Jewish tradition teaches that the pomegranate is a symbol for righteousness, because it is said to have 613 seeds which corresponds with the 613 mitzvot or commandments of the Torah. Interestingly, there have been studies that seem to show the legitimacy of this claim.

This is the season for "anar" or pomegranates. The ones from Kandahar are famous...so large and juicy and so good for you. The Afghans have it with most meals during this season. If you figure out how to cut and peel it, you might agree. The novice ends up with a mess and stained clothes, but the rewards are worth it!

They're probably $3.00 back home...they're 50 afghanis here...about a quarter. Well worth the trouble. Still, I don't plan on counting the seeds to check the theory above.

Props for the blog where I found this info.."My Classroom Called Life" and of course wiki. Let me know if you try it and what you think! On to find my next hidden treasure in Afghanistan...

Simba

Nothing big about this post. Just a great moment when I went to a friend's house recently to share a meal. We had a few minutes before dinner to play with his puppy. This one loves me, of course. Simba jumped up in my lap, cleaned my face and made my night complete.

Ok Katie, I might be weakening. Simba is a German Shepherd...can you find one like him?

By the way, they are training him in "Pashto." Reminds me of the Far Side cartoon...blah, blah, blah, Ginger, blah, blah, blah...

Peace, peace, wonderful peace...

¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34

Eid Mubarak! Today is the last day of Eids. A celebration that comes at the end of Ramadan that breaks the 30 days of fasting. It's like Christmas in September...or August, or whenever it happens. You see, it follows the lunar cycle and will gradually move over the years. Check out the link attached here. Lots of food, new clothes and gift giving! Exciting time of the year for all Muslims.

I just thought I would share these colorful pictures that look not unlike our "season greetings" we will soon start seeing on the Hallmark shelves back home.

My take away is that, deep down, everyone wants it...peace that is. Even the Afghans. Hope there's some of that to come in the near future for them, but I'm not holding my breath here in Kabul.
-------

Wonderful Peace
Words by W. W. Cornell and Music by W. G. Cooper

Faraway in the depths of my spirit tonight,
Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;
In celestial like strains it unceasingly falls
O'er my soul like an infinite calm.

CHORUS
Peace! peace!. Wonderful peace,
Coming down from the Father above;
Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray,
In fathomless billows of love.

What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace,
Buried deep in the heart of my soul;
So secure that no power can mine it away,
While the years of eternity roll.;

Ah! soul, are you here without comfort or rest,
Marching down the rough pathway of time?
Make Jesus your friend ere the shadows grow dark:
Oh, accept this sweet peace so sublime.

Usual Suspects

Went outside the camp not too long ago. Saw the usual suspects. I thought it would be important to start capturing those images that are in my mind and share them with you all.

The crippled. Not a common sight in my town back in suburbia. Here it is all too common. Lots of it because of a generation of war. IEDs and the like do a lot of damage on their own. Here's a woman that lost her leg. She crawls (pulls herself) along the city street begging for money. I see her regularly. The next time you are grumbling about how tired you are, put this image in your mind.

Let's change the mood. Some really good guys patrolling the streets on my normal drive outside. In my mind this is the target of the whole "win the hearts and minds" strategy. Get to these guys, guys just like my own back home in suburbia and we win the war. We convince a new generation that there is a better life. These boys (and girls) are out working everyday. Most in the city actually go to school but only for 3 hours a day because they are so crowded that they run them in shifts. Girls in the morning and boys in the afternoon, depending on the grades. I often remark to friends here that mine are not even allowed to walk one mile to school through a safe neighborhood...even my new high-schooler. What a different mindset!

Ok, two more. Not sure why, but there are money changers on every corner. There they are carrying wads of Afghanis (name of the currency) just in case somebody is wanting to trade in some other currency. Not sure how they stay in the business since most of us can't go out enough to even spend any Afghanis. We eat, live and sleep back in our concrete camps and bring the vendors to us and we pay in dollars. Too weird. I'll have to get some more background and come back to you on this one.

Lastly, the cell phones are the bomb! No pun intended, I assure you. One thing we have done for this country over the last 9 years is give them a telecommunications network that was non-existent in the Taliban years. Now, on every corner you have guys selling the sim cards for whatever gadget you have, from Nokia to unlocked iPhones. Haven't seen an AT&T store and won't for many years. This guy doesn't need high overhead. He's out on the pavement with me.

More "suspects" to come...

Firm foundations

24-25"These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.

Last weekend I went with some guys I work with to the Ministry of Education. I posted a few of those pictures on Facebook, but I wanted to tell some of the background here. You see, I have been offered a great opportunity to help with the construction of an additional building at the Girl's school in Kabul. I'm no engineer, but I am trying to find my place as the senior military rep. The contractor is a local Afghan that is a good friend after only two visits to the property. He is trying to execute Matthew 6 by applying it to his work. He has taken a long time to build a foundation and finally the slow start is starting to produce visible results. Much better than rushing to completon and painting out a "house of cards."

As I mentioned, along with the visits to the school, I had the opportunity to visit the Ministry and meet with the had engineer. We are trying to get in sync with the Afghanistan plans for development instead of assuming what they need. It was eye-opening and I think was a beginning to a good relationship.

I hope this experience will result in more schools in and around Kabul before I get out of here; we'll use the same process of building strong foundations, slow and steady. Reading through the gospels this week, I came across the principle again. firm foundations...a good reminder to apply this to my life and family and we'll have a recipe for success.

Love your enemies

No, I'm not advocating that for the Taliban and the other enemies of the Afghan people! I was just meditating on God's word and thought I would share this cut from Mathew 5...

----------

^43-47"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

⁴⁸"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."

----------

Not sure if one of you few readers needed that today or if it was just for me. Take it or leave it, but we all probably have a Darth Maul in our lives and we all have a choice. I'm making mine today.