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.
2 comments:
Thank you so much for the update....and for your descriptions of what you are doing....it is all good....and the Lord is right there with you. You are so right about the need for America to be aware of the work that is being done and the need for us to be there...sadly, if they watch the news at all, they will never know. Mainstream media will never tell them. It is reports like yours that open eyes...but your audience is limited...a shame....but God is pleased....and that is good....
thanks so much for the updates.. It means so much to us to have this kind of connection with our Marines.... God bless...
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