Notes from Afghanistan Part 3

This past week was another busy chapter in our lives out here in Afghanistan. We spent most of the week at one of the remote company positions visiting with the Marines out there. While remote, they have some pretty good amenities and it was nice to spend a long block of time in one place. We then went to a shura (a meeting of local leaders) where they talked about religious tolerance and how to live as a more religiously tolerant country. I didn't have a translator near me, so I didn't understand much but at one point a local mullah (basically a preacher) got up and delivered a fire and brimstone style talk to the shura. I didn't get what he was saying, but that he was fired up and angry about something. You can recognize that style of preaching no matter what culture you are in. Apparently, he was giving a tongue lashing to the need to keep Pakistan out of the business of Afghanistan according to what I was told by those who had a translator nearby.

We then went to the main camp in the area, Camp Dwyer, where I am now for another shura this time between the chaplains in the area and our counterparts in the Afghan National Army. It has been a good time so far, but I am looking forward to when we leave and I get back with my Marines. I'm not a fan of doing things as a chaplain away from them. Though I am not looking forward to the drive back. The roads out here are horrible and it will be a long time before I complain about roads back in the US. The drives out here are mind jarring with no break in the rough terrain.

I am continually struck by the people as we drive around the countryside out here. They are for the most part friendly and want to talk with us and engage with the Marines as they patrol. RP and I got out to a medical outreach in one village this past week and it was nice to talk with the kids and a local doctor and learn about how they do medicine, etc. I think that if more people were to actually see Afghanistan on a day to day basis, we would pump more humanitarian aid into the country and the people back home would have a better understanding of what we are accomplishing out here and why it is important for us to still be in here large numbers. When given the space to live out their lives, Afghans are courageous and will do what it takes to make their country better for them and their families, not much different than the US.

Notes From Afghanistan Part 2

Last week was a busy week for the RP and myself. We held our first service as the Religious Ministry team on Sunday the 5th and haven't really let off the gas since. I did the invocation for the Turnover of Authority ceremony on Tuesday and we immediately went out to visit one of the companies for a few nights. We got back on Thursday and then on Friday headed back out to visit another company coming back in on Saturday night, just in time to get ready for the meetings and services on Sunday. And now we are back out with another company for a few nights. Right now I am doing part of my duty as chaplain and posting photos on Facebook for the families to see their Marines and give them a small glimpse into what is going on out here.

We got our first batch of mail and care packages last Sunday, though I know there are many more still at Camp Dwyer. We are supposed to get another batch on Thursday so that means a bit of work for RP and I to get them all sorted this weekend so we can get the stuff organized and ready to ship out to the companies as soon as we get room on a convoy. And it seems that all we do is ride around on convoys from one place to another. I am keeping track of the number of convoys and am curious to see how many I will end up riding in by the end of our deployment.

Yesterday afternoon I got to see my first ever USO show. Four deployments later I finally get to see one. This is definitely one positive change from being on a submarine for deployments previously. It was a group of three female comedians who flew out to our FOB to do a show and then flew right back out to another location. They were pretty good and it was nice to have a bit of a live comedy routine to liven up the day.

Care Package Requests for June 2011

I now have a better idea of what we have from the previous unit and what we need for not only the Marines but also for the Afghan people we are here to serve. Any of the regular readers who want to drop some stuff in the mail or pass this list and address along would be greatly appreciated.

Care Package Needs June 2011

The ones in bold are especially needed right now


Afghan Children: School starts here in September, so we're trying to get the supplies early
Coloring Books—Culturally appropriate-Animals, etc
Text Books (English and Math)
Any kind of study aids
Shoes
Socks
Crayons
Colored Pencils(Solid Wood kind)
Pencils(Solid Wood kind)
Notebooks and Paper
Backpacks
Soccer Balls (Deflated)
Kick balls (Deflated)

Marines:

Socks (Brown, Green, Black)
Foot Powder
Razors (We are especially low on these)
Shampoo
Body Wash
Candy (Jolly Ranchers, Starburst, Werther’s, Twizzlers, BlowPops) This gets to the kids as well
Beef Jerky
Drink Mix (Single packets of Propel, Propel Zero, Gatorade, Kool Aid, Coffee, Tea, etc)
Baby Wipes
Gum
Chex Mix, Trail Mix
Granola Bars
Sunscreen
Hand Lotion
Food spices, flavorings and condiments
Tuna Packages

Chapel and Chaplain:

Letters from children to decorate the chapel and dining halls
Pancake Mix (Just add water kind only)—Will try to do pancake dinners in the field
Syrup
Chex Mix-Turtle and Honey Nut Flavors

Anything you want to send from the above lists. If I don’t use it, it will get put in the general pot

I thank you ahead of time for anything you send.

Mail Any packages to:

Chaplain Russ Ferguson
1/9 H Co S-1
Unit 74095
FPO AE 09510-4095

If someone wants to send something bigger (like a small fridge :))contact me at bubbleheadchaps@gmail.com and I’ll give you a list of things that would make help my ministry in a big way.

Notes from Afghanistan

We are safely in our new home for the next seven months. We got here a few weeks ago and are in the final stages of taking over from another unit that has started their journey home. They did some great things out here making this place better for the locals and we are looking to make it that much safer before we finally leave.

Based on my first impressions of the place, I wasn't too sure there was anything but open space and dirt (what they affectionately call moon dust out here because it is like baby powder). However, I got to get out with a convoy the other day and was surprised at how green this place can get near the major river that runs through our area. It was also nice to get near the district center and see what the hub of activity looks like in Afghanistan. One good thing about my job is I get to travel around frequently to see my Marines. This also allows me to see the area and meet some of the locals, both of which I am looking forward to doing.

My RP and I have assumed the duties of ministry in this area so tomorrow is the first day of preaching on the FOB and we are getting settled in. We are also expecting mail tomorrow and with that the first batch of care packages specifically for 1/9. We have been sorting the ones from the previous unit this last week and getting those out to the companies to make room for all the love people are sending specifically to 1/9. The next post after this one will be an updated request list. The American people are extremely generous to those deployed out here and we are very appreciative, even if most of the service members fail to tell people that back home. The care package items are quite the draw that gets people to stop by the chapel and we have plenty to give them thanks to all of you who send stuff our way.

It looks like there will be few if any photos to post on the blog over the next few months. The computer rules around here are pretty strict due to recent security leaks, etc. I am still trying to find a way to get them posted here and will do so as soon as I can figure a reliable method that stays within the rules.