Friday, March 25, 2011
Took the kids to Pre-school this morning.
Our transport bus was broken so I rented a mini van to take them. There are lot's of activities planned for them for the day. It was good to see the teachers and therapists. Many Blessings. The school is supported by Fundabien and the Teleton.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Time to go Home. Leaving shortly Tel Aviv to Guatemala
After three weeks of excellent travel in the middle east, I thought I would post some observations and document this journey. Since this was a mixture of family, work, ministry and
pleasure, I find it difficult to include all the people or all the aspects of interest. I will post an outline bullet pointed and then follow up with more description.
1) Kabul Afghanistan: Worked with First Rate on some software and business development.
2) Other Afghanistan: visited with my son near his base.
3) Spent a week with my daughter touring Israel.
This has been a seven country and 11 airport odyssey. Slept in a different place almost every night except for the first week. The time with my adult children was enormously rewarding and it was truly "quality time."
Afghanistan:
As a Christian missionary, Afghanistan was complex and perplexing for me on many levels. The people are wonderful and the country extraordinarily beautiful. One can't help but try to diagnose and appreciate the mess that we are in. The people of that wonderful country deserve some peace and opportunity. The recent uprisings all over the middle east will shape future opinion in a dramatic and unpredictable way. My own opinions and thoughts have so evolved in the past month that I hesitate to write too much because it may be obsolete by sunset. Also, please remember that I was in the World Trade Center of 9/11 (bldg. 7 42nd floor). That has colored my point of view for many years.
Perhaps an annecdote that is not meant to be conclusive or complete can illuminate some of my thoughts. We had lunch with a group of young local Afghani people. They had recently graduated from University and were quite bright. We met near the University at a quiet restaurant. We posited the theoretical question about how they really felt about Americans and Americas presence in their country. They articulated their general appreciation and receptivity with significant qualifications. For one thing, they are all afraid of the Taliban's and other fundamentalist return to power. They believe if we leave precipitously that is what will happen. They also point to the great regional differences in politics and lifestyle. Most were from regions that are not strong supporters of the former regimes. Basically, they were alluding to a silent majority of non-militant folks who prefer some secular governance and fear radical Islam expression in governing. They indicate that a majority of their friends and family think similarly, but were unable to point to any strong political movement that represent their views.
Karzai's second and third terms have been a horrific disappointment to all but his closest friends and cronies.
The tougher part of my anecdote comes when they speculated on why were in Afghanistan or "still" in Afghanistan. The opinions were not universal, but there was a strong sense or perhaps a waiting that the two most weighted reasons were a: That the country was geographically strategic to US interests and b: that the natural resources and potential petroleum and other minerals were the economic reason for our occupation. They were spot in with the strategic importance and location, but frighteningly wrong on the economic weighting.
Fortunately, I was with a University professor and we were able to somewhat impact their opinion about their economic desirability, but unable to articulate or convince them of our sense of moral obligation to help them get back on their feet (or more appropriately emerge from their extreme poverty and corrupt government). Though there may be an abundance of natural resources in Afghanistan it will be years if not decades before foreigners will make the investment in projects to help the Afghan people harvest those resources. If their natural resources were really a big part of why we are there, there is no doubt that the USA would universally be clamoring for a swift and immediate departure. The economic opportunity is very small and remote; nobody wants to lose American lives for that. Our desire for people to experience freedom and a reasonable quality of life is the reason that we are still there. Our care and concern for humanity and civility has kept us engaged in this country far longer than anyone wished. We will need to win some hearts and minds in this regard soon or depart accepting our win in punishing the bad guys, but our inability to effect a long term civil and just country like German or Japan post WWII.
Israel:
pleasure, I find it difficult to include all the people or all the aspects of interest. I will post an outline bullet pointed and then follow up with more description.
1) Kabul Afghanistan: Worked with First Rate on some software and business development.
2) Other Afghanistan: visited with my son near his base.
3) Spent a week with my daughter touring Israel.
This has been a seven country and 11 airport odyssey. Slept in a different place almost every night except for the first week. The time with my adult children was enormously rewarding and it was truly "quality time."
Afghanistan:
As a Christian missionary, Afghanistan was complex and perplexing for me on many levels. The people are wonderful and the country extraordinarily beautiful. One can't help but try to diagnose and appreciate the mess that we are in. The people of that wonderful country deserve some peace and opportunity. The recent uprisings all over the middle east will shape future opinion in a dramatic and unpredictable way. My own opinions and thoughts have so evolved in the past month that I hesitate to write too much because it may be obsolete by sunset. Also, please remember that I was in the World Trade Center of 9/11 (bldg. 7 42nd floor). That has colored my point of view for many years.
Perhaps an annecdote that is not meant to be conclusive or complete can illuminate some of my thoughts. We had lunch with a group of young local Afghani people. They had recently graduated from University and were quite bright. We met near the University at a quiet restaurant. We posited the theoretical question about how they really felt about Americans and Americas presence in their country. They articulated their general appreciation and receptivity with significant qualifications. For one thing, they are all afraid of the Taliban's and other fundamentalist return to power. They believe if we leave precipitously that is what will happen. They also point to the great regional differences in politics and lifestyle. Most were from regions that are not strong supporters of the former regimes. Basically, they were alluding to a silent majority of non-militant folks who prefer some secular governance and fear radical Islam expression in governing. They indicate that a majority of their friends and family think similarly, but were unable to point to any strong political movement that represent their views.
Karzai's second and third terms have been a horrific disappointment to all but his closest friends and cronies.
The tougher part of my anecdote comes when they speculated on why were in Afghanistan or "still" in Afghanistan. The opinions were not universal, but there was a strong sense or perhaps a waiting that the two most weighted reasons were a: That the country was geographically strategic to US interests and b: that the natural resources and potential petroleum and other minerals were the economic reason for our occupation. They were spot in with the strategic importance and location, but frighteningly wrong on the economic weighting.
Fortunately, I was with a University professor and we were able to somewhat impact their opinion about their economic desirability, but unable to articulate or convince them of our sense of moral obligation to help them get back on their feet (or more appropriately emerge from their extreme poverty and corrupt government). Though there may be an abundance of natural resources in Afghanistan it will be years if not decades before foreigners will make the investment in projects to help the Afghan people harvest those resources. If their natural resources were really a big part of why we are there, there is no doubt that the USA would universally be clamoring for a swift and immediate departure. The economic opportunity is very small and remote; nobody wants to lose American lives for that. Our desire for people to experience freedom and a reasonable quality of life is the reason that we are still there. Our care and concern for humanity and civility has kept us engaged in this country far longer than anyone wished. We will need to win some hearts and minds in this regard soon or depart accepting our win in punishing the bad guys, but our inability to effect a long term civil and just country like German or Japan post WWII.
Israel:
Monday, March 7, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Day Five in Kabul
Terrific visit here. So many wonderful and kind people. The views of the mountains are fantastic and I am thrilled to be her. It is still winter here and below freezing at night and just a bit above that during the day. The city roads are a disaster and muddy with huge puddles. The traffic patterns and rules for the road are nearly non-existent. Somehow everybody gets around and it all works out.
We are heading out to visit an orphanage shortly.
We are heading out to visit an orphanage shortly.
Friday, March 4, 2011
pics from trip..
Trying to keep it simple. Wonderful people and beautiful country. Beyond that I encourage you to read the news. Very sad and challenging place.
Some pics from Kabul
Trying to keep it simple. Wonderful people and beautiful country. Beyond that I encourage you to read the news. Very sad and challenging place.
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