My days here are numbered. Its time to say... until next time. I will be leaving southern Afghanistan in three days, and will spend a little over a week traveling to Dubai and Oman, before I arrive back in the States on December 7th. I will post from the beautiful Arabian penninsula if I have a chance. But I may be too busy enjoying the unobstructed view.
Afghanistan I have loved, Afghanistan I have hated. There have been many hard things about living here and so many beautiful things. I have to say that I'm excited to go back to a country that is at peace. At least on their side of the ocean. And I am so excited to see all of you! But its hard to leave when there's so much left to do. Some of the friends I have here I don't feel ready to leave. I am comforting myself with the thought of coming back some day. (And the inexpressible joy that bubbles up at the thought of returning to modern life is a little hard to suppress, too.)
I think this is the definition of mixed feelings. So much to look forward to and so much to miss. Until next time...
Saturday, November 25, 2006
A Holiday to Remember
So we had an awesome Thanksgiving. It was so wonderful to eat authentic American food! And a lot of it! I'm so sad that the picture function isn't working and you can't see how awesome our turkey was. Due to two hard-working American women and some imported goods from Dubai, we had a true Thanksgiving meal with no substitutes or changes. We had green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole, stuffing, homemade rolls, deviled eggs, pumpkin pie, and chocolate pumpkin cake to compliment our freshly-killed turkey.
I ended up with the leg, which was the same size as those giant turkey legs you see people gnawing on as they walk around the fair. I was just starting to miss funnel cakes and cotton candy when the fun with Balderdash and Spoons began, and we ended the holiday in silly fun. Now the Christmas season has begun...
I ended up with the leg, which was the same size as those giant turkey legs you see people gnawing on as they walk around the fair. I was just starting to miss funnel cakes and cotton candy when the fun with Balderdash and Spoons began, and we ended the holiday in silly fun. Now the Christmas season has begun...
Friday, November 24, 2006
Easy to Find
Where do you live? Its a pretty simple question you can ask any three year old and get a pretty specific answer. In most places. But here in a city of 600,000 people and about four street names, its a little difficult to explain to anyone how to find your house.
Until recently, that is, for us. After the foundation was laid and the Hole was filled, the ensuing construction on top conveniently solved this problem for us. Now we just tell you the general area, and you look up.
We live underneath the Tower. Once my brother told me a story where the main object was called the Tower of Power. It stuck, I guess, because that is now what we call ours. Turn left at the Tower of Power and knock on the little red gate underneath. Be sure to wear some headgear though so you don't inadvertently get a brain tumor while chit-chatting over tea and cookies.
Until recently, that is, for us. After the foundation was laid and the Hole was filled, the ensuing construction on top conveniently solved this problem for us. Now we just tell you the general area, and you look up.
We live underneath the Tower. Once my brother told me a story where the main object was called the Tower of Power. It stuck, I guess, because that is now what we call ours. Turn left at the Tower of Power and knock on the little red gate underneath. Be sure to wear some headgear though so you don't inadvertently get a brain tumor while chit-chatting over tea and cookies.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Trade Off
Yesterday, some of us were sitting around talking about the projects and things that are going on here. One group of our friends has a hospital they run just a few minutes from where we are opening up the women's center. I have always had a great respect for this organization and the people who work there. They traded their normal lives and came here to live and give healthcare to Afghans. And they told us this story as we were all sitting there.
Most of them are doctors, and as they leave the hospital every day, they see a huge pile of trash, in which children are usually rummaging about in for whatever treasure they can find. When the children see them leaving, they run up to them and start to beg. This really bothered our friends and they didn't know what to do about it. It happened every day. So they got together to try and decide what they should do.
Then last Thursday, the first of hopefully many times, they made tons of chicken soup and bought dodey (bread). When they came out of the hospital and the dirty children ran up, they fed all of them. Then they got out soap and water and washed the lice out of their hair. Then one who cuts hair gave them all haircuts. Then they gave them tickets to come and be seen at the hospital.
God bless the humble of the world... the humble doctors and the humble children.
Most of them are doctors, and as they leave the hospital every day, they see a huge pile of trash, in which children are usually rummaging about in for whatever treasure they can find. When the children see them leaving, they run up to them and start to beg. This really bothered our friends and they didn't know what to do about it. It happened every day. So they got together to try and decide what they should do.
Then last Thursday, the first of hopefully many times, they made tons of chicken soup and bought dodey (bread). When they came out of the hospital and the dirty children ran up, they fed all of them. Then they got out soap and water and washed the lice out of their hair. Then one who cuts hair gave them all haircuts. Then they gave them tickets to come and be seen at the hospital.
God bless the humble of the world... the humble doctors and the humble children.
Well, it appears that it is time to Forget About Rememberus. If you have sent anything to my old email in the last three weeks, please just resend it to erintill@gmail.com. I for sure did not receive your email because that server crashed and deleted everything. Thanks!
Monday, November 13, 2006
Great Days
The last two weeks of my stay here have begun. These are great days. It is now in the 60's and 70's here, so with our attire the weather feels perfect. There's just something about knowing you are going home soon that makes everything beautiful. And to be going home for Christmas, my birthday, and New Year's... that is joy unspeakable.
So far, there is no update on PA school. I think the latest I would find out about an interview is around my birthday.
There are not really many interesting pictures from this last week. We have not had too much excitement. I have been observing at different hospitals and clinics but those stories I will save for later because mostly they are tragedies. The healthcare system just needs so much help. Sometimes I wonder if hospitals here are meant to save people's lives or to take them. Particularly the mothers and children. More on that later.
And Happy Thankgiving. I'd never thought about it before coming here, but you know, we are the only country that celebrates Thanksgiving. Duh, right? Except it is sad to be in a foreign country on one of your homeland's major holidays. They don't even have the day off from work, much less half the week. But the great thing about expat communities is their determination to keep their own traditions alive, despite being surrounded by a sea of other people who don't care. This is why there are still Amish people in Ohio and why Thanksgiving exists in any country where Americans live. So if you emailed me and asked what we are doing for Thanksgiving... the same thing as you. (Only our bird might have bird flu whereas yours probably will not.)
So far, there is no update on PA school. I think the latest I would find out about an interview is around my birthday.
There are not really many interesting pictures from this last week. We have not had too much excitement. I have been observing at different hospitals and clinics but those stories I will save for later because mostly they are tragedies. The healthcare system just needs so much help. Sometimes I wonder if hospitals here are meant to save people's lives or to take them. Particularly the mothers and children. More on that later.
And Happy Thankgiving. I'd never thought about it before coming here, but you know, we are the only country that celebrates Thanksgiving. Duh, right? Except it is sad to be in a foreign country on one of your homeland's major holidays. They don't even have the day off from work, much less half the week. But the great thing about expat communities is their determination to keep their own traditions alive, despite being surrounded by a sea of other people who don't care. This is why there are still Amish people in Ohio and why Thanksgiving exists in any country where Americans live. So if you emailed me and asked what we are doing for Thanksgiving... the same thing as you. (Only our bird might have bird flu whereas yours probably will not.)
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Cloak Mosque
This is the Cloak Mosque. Its said that the (a) cloak of the prophet Mohammad is inside. Its a very holy site here. We went on Thursday morning, which is the only time women are allowed. Hundreds of women come to buy verses from the Quran which they consider special blessings, to kiss the place the cloak is entombed, or to buy a lock to curse the womb of another woman. Many women here practice a more animistic form of Islam than what their religion really teaches.
Training
A few days ago, as we were doing some community development training with the female staff for the healthcare center, we asked the girls to do an exercise where they made two drawings. First, they were to draw a picture of the current situation of women in this city; then afterwards, a picture of their dream for this city.
Here is what they first drew.
When we asked the women to explain their drawings, the first thing the office manager said was, pointing to the binding around the enchained woman, “Do you know what this is called? Its very sharp, they often have it around the airports here.” I hadn’t looked closely and thought it was just a rope. But looking again, I realized, with an emotion I can’t describe, that she had drawn razor wire.
Her description of the woman with all the children provoked a similar emotion when she described how this woman lost her husband in a rocket attack (disturbing picture not included) and was left with no home and six children, in absolute destitution, and then stated simply, “Do you know, I know this woman.”
Here is the story she told to go along with the picture of the four people.
‘Do you know, [everything begins with that] I also know this girl. Her mother and father, they sold her. To an ooold, ooold man. But he was very rich! And they were so poor. They have other children. But he paid them so much money!! He gave them 20 lak afghani (approx. $4,000 USD). And so they sold her. She was very young, maybe thirteen, fourteen years old. And you know, he has already three wives. She is his fourth wife. Her mother allowed her to go. And with the money, they bought a house. Before that, they were too poor.’
Sometimes, a picture by itself says a thousand words. But sometimes when you know the story behind it, there are no words.
Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the drawings they did of their dreams for the future. But we cannot possibly stop there, NO! Because that is NOT the ending for Afghanistan.
Roads, trees, clinics, schools, food, orphanages. These were the things they drew. A woman doctor, crossing the street, with the freedom to leave her house and go to work. A clean water supply. All things that are so normal in our world. Things that are possible here, that we are working to implement. There is only a finite amount of effort required to progress from the first set of pictures to the second. That’s why if any of us contribute in even the slightest way to this effort, we will have been a part of something big, and beautiful, and important. We have the ability to improve life on this earth.
As I am getting ready to go home, and have just four weeks left here, there is one thing I look forward to more than any other. I don’t suppose it would be hard for any of you to guess: I cannot wait to be free again.
But the women here will still be waiting. They are just one slice of all the humanity across the world, waiting for someone to remember.
Here is what they first drew.
When we asked the women to explain their drawings, the first thing the office manager said was, pointing to the binding around the enchained woman, “Do you know what this is called? Its very sharp, they often have it around the airports here.” I hadn’t looked closely and thought it was just a rope. But looking again, I realized, with an emotion I can’t describe, that she had drawn razor wire.
Her description of the woman with all the children provoked a similar emotion when she described how this woman lost her husband in a rocket attack (disturbing picture not included) and was left with no home and six children, in absolute destitution, and then stated simply, “Do you know, I know this woman.”
Here is the story she told to go along with the picture of the four people.
‘Do you know, [everything begins with that] I also know this girl. Her mother and father, they sold her. To an ooold, ooold man. But he was very rich! And they were so poor. They have other children. But he paid them so much money!! He gave them 20 lak afghani (approx. $4,000 USD). And so they sold her. She was very young, maybe thirteen, fourteen years old. And you know, he has already three wives. She is his fourth wife. Her mother allowed her to go. And with the money, they bought a house. Before that, they were too poor.’
Sometimes, a picture by itself says a thousand words. But sometimes when you know the story behind it, there are no words.
Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the drawings they did of their dreams for the future. But we cannot possibly stop there, NO! Because that is NOT the ending for Afghanistan.
Roads, trees, clinics, schools, food, orphanages. These were the things they drew. A woman doctor, crossing the street, with the freedom to leave her house and go to work. A clean water supply. All things that are so normal in our world. Things that are possible here, that we are working to implement. There is only a finite amount of effort required to progress from the first set of pictures to the second. That’s why if any of us contribute in even the slightest way to this effort, we will have been a part of something big, and beautiful, and important. We have the ability to improve life on this earth.
As I am getting ready to go home, and have just four weeks left here, there is one thing I look forward to more than any other. I don’t suppose it would be hard for any of you to guess: I cannot wait to be free again.
But the women here will still be waiting. They are just one slice of all the humanity across the world, waiting for someone to remember.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Content
I am content here. I have learned here how to be content no matter what the situation is around me. This is not something I could possibly do on my own. No, there are many people praying and in truth, Jesus is really the one giving me contentment. But here are a few things he has showed me about how to do it.
*Enjoy life. There are way too many horribly sad things to dwell on. War, oppression, poverty. But there is also always something good to enjoy while you are working to improve the bad things. Like dancing and flowers and sweet pomegranites.
*Things change. I am working with Philippinos and Koreans here. And both cultures have told me that the situations in the Philippines and Korea were very similar to Afghanistan 50 years ago. Things will change if we continue working for change.
*Always be thankful. If you can't find anything good to be thankful for, be thankful for the bad things. I once read about two sisters who were imprisoned in a concentration camp during WWII. They had just about the worst lives imaginable. But one of the sisters decided to be thankful for the fleas that were in her bed. So she just spent some time focusing on those fleas and how thankful she was for them. The sisters had some very precious, illegal things hidden in their bunks that were never discovered. Later, they found out that the reason the Nazi's didn't discover their parephenalia was because the bunks were infested with fleas and the Nazis didn't want to touch them.
So sometimes even the things that you wish didn't exist turn out for your benefit.
*Enjoy life. There are way too many horribly sad things to dwell on. War, oppression, poverty. But there is also always something good to enjoy while you are working to improve the bad things. Like dancing and flowers and sweet pomegranites.
*Things change. I am working with Philippinos and Koreans here. And both cultures have told me that the situations in the Philippines and Korea were very similar to Afghanistan 50 years ago. Things will change if we continue working for change.
*Always be thankful. If you can't find anything good to be thankful for, be thankful for the bad things. I once read about two sisters who were imprisoned in a concentration camp during WWII. They had just about the worst lives imaginable. But one of the sisters decided to be thankful for the fleas that were in her bed. So she just spent some time focusing on those fleas and how thankful she was for them. The sisters had some very precious, illegal things hidden in their bunks that were never discovered. Later, they found out that the reason the Nazi's didn't discover their parephenalia was because the bunks were infested with fleas and the Nazis didn't want to touch them.
So sometimes even the things that you wish didn't exist turn out for your benefit.
Holiday
Last week was the "kochiney axter"- The Little Eid- the three days of feasting after a month of fasting. The first three days, men will visit relatives and other men friends. But for the whole month after that, it is the women's Eid. I have been to lots of new houses during this time. The picture isn't great but it is an example of what they lay out whenever you come to a house. Would you believe, all this was for just three people, me and two friends.
Everyone also has to wear new clothes and the sound of gunfire is heard for the whole Eid. This time its not the war- that's also how they like to party here. (Party, fight... any reason to fire a gun will do.) I have thought about going to the neighbor's house to ask if I can shoot their kashalnikov... but then, the shots often kill or injure people when the bullets come back down so I'm holding off for now.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Landscape
A friend asked for some pictures of the landscape and I have just now had the chance to take a few. We don't travel outside of our part of the city very much. But the other day I went to the American base again and here is a picture I would have shown you about the way this country seems.
Barren, dry, dusty, brown. Unforgiving. Those are the main adjectives that would stick in your mind if you visited here. And it doesn't even include the filth you usually see all over the regular streets. This is what I thought all the pictures of the landscape were going to look like.
But then, as we were driving home, we took a back road, and I saw a completely different southern Afghanistan. Before that day, I had never seen a field here, or anything that in the slightest way looked fresh and green. But then we saw this...
There were all these green fields. And clouds! There are rarely clouds here. And it was the biggest holiday of the year, so everyone was wearing brand new, fresh-looking clothes. And instead of everything being dirty and brown and depressing... for the first time, it seemed like the city had hope. It was just so beautiful. And I had to remind myself that it wasn't something we want for the future of Afghanistan... this was something we really saw! And so it was an encouraging day.
Here are the camels! Also, forgive me, all the pictures were taken while driving about forty mph.
Barren, dry, dusty, brown. Unforgiving. Those are the main adjectives that would stick in your mind if you visited here. And it doesn't even include the filth you usually see all over the regular streets. This is what I thought all the pictures of the landscape were going to look like.
But then, as we were driving home, we took a back road, and I saw a completely different southern Afghanistan. Before that day, I had never seen a field here, or anything that in the slightest way looked fresh and green. But then we saw this...
There were all these green fields. And clouds! There are rarely clouds here. And it was the biggest holiday of the year, so everyone was wearing brand new, fresh-looking clothes. And instead of everything being dirty and brown and depressing... for the first time, it seemed like the city had hope. It was just so beautiful. And I had to remind myself that it wasn't something we want for the future of Afghanistan... this was something we really saw! And so it was an encouraging day.
Here are the camels! Also, forgive me, all the pictures were taken while driving about forty mph.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Henna
They do the most beautiful henna here. This is my friend who had hers done just before returning to the States. Right now I also have henna on my hands. It takes about two or three weeks to wash off. When I come home I'm bringing a lot back, so if you want yours done just let me know!
The Hole
A few days ago, there was this giant hole in my front yard. This is the Hole.
Now the Hole is gone. After being partially filled with cement and gravel, along with four cement pillars, the hole is now well on its way to becoming the foundation for a 90 foot cellphone tower.
And why is a gigantic cellphone tower being built in our extremely tiny front yard? I'm still working on that one. But mostly because our landlord is being paid $500 USD per month to have it there, and just because this is Afghanistan. Why not?
Now the Hole is gone. After being partially filled with cement and gravel, along with four cement pillars, the hole is now well on its way to becoming the foundation for a 90 foot cellphone tower.
And why is a gigantic cellphone tower being built in our extremely tiny front yard? I'm still working on that one. But mostly because our landlord is being paid $500 USD per month to have it there, and just because this is Afghanistan. Why not?
The Test
I want to photograph the faces of my two English students so badly and put them on here. I love these girls so much. They are the daughter and daughter-in-law of my landlord, and I spend most nights of the week with them. But they won't let me take pictures of their faces. Here is one they did let me take...
This is a picture during their big exam. After a few weeks of classes, they practically begged me to give them an exam. The funny thing is, neither of them did very well, and I have no idea why they wanted one so badly. Except that after the test, their first question was, "Who was victorious?" They really wanted to know who won. Another insight into this culture and how important honor is to them. But then I tried to talk to them about how it doesn't matter who did better, what matters is that they both learn to speak English. They ended up shaking their heads; hopefully they agreed inside, too.
This is a picture during their big exam. After a few weeks of classes, they practically begged me to give them an exam. The funny thing is, neither of them did very well, and I have no idea why they wanted one so badly. Except that after the test, their first question was, "Who was victorious?" They really wanted to know who won. Another insight into this culture and how important honor is to them. But then I tried to talk to them about how it doesn't matter who did better, what matters is that they both learn to speak English. They ended up shaking their heads; hopefully they agreed inside, too.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Stress
So many things are stressful here. This is just a stressful place to live. Not only the war, but also working with another culture, having many technical problems communicating with home, not to mention all the differences in the way this country operates as opposed to the way we're used to our country operating. Please be praying for me. I am not invincible and this place is just plain hard sometimes.
What to Wear...
When one of my married friends moved here, she decided that she would forsake her life as a housewife and become a ninja. It seemed better than wearing a polyester tent with eyeholes. So she started wearing this. And when she began learning the language, she found other women asking her with shock, "Your husband lets you show your eyes??"
Sorry guys, there's may be little too much EYE showing in this picture.
My House
This is where we live. We share a house with an Afghan family. They live in most of it and we rent two rooms and a huge basement from them. Dr. H, her husband, and the J-man live downstairs, and I live in one of the side rooms upstairs. The window on the right is my room.
Many of the little streets and alleys here are really narrow, as you can see from our house.
The Center
So what have Dr. H and I been doing? We have been seeing patients in their homes and our home while the business we are working with finishes the process of starting a center SOLELY for Afghan women. Here in this city, there is no foreign organization that offers this type of care solely for women. However, that is a huge need here. Many women in this city are not allowed to see male doctors and so sometimes no care, or only very poor care, is available to them.
Above is a picture of the building rented for the center. We are in the process of getting the center ready for business and hiring and training the Afghan women who will staff the center, while continuing to see Dr. H's regular patients. The center should open for business before I return to the States and I am very excited to see it up and running. I will post more pictures when that happens.
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