Ahhh! It is a great feeling to have slept in a bed last night! I think it is safe to say that all of the team woke up this morning extremely refreshed and looking forward to a day where the primary struggle would not be the fight to keep our eyes open! Today felt like the true beginning of our great adventure – especially since it began with a drive in the so-called “party bus”! I decided that there is no better way to drive the absolutely chaotic, over-crowded, ridiculous, and rule-free streets of Kabul than in a huge bus. No need to worry about stop signs or pedestrians when you are bigger than everyone else on the road!  Anyway, the party bus is not the focus of this post, rather where the party bus took us, and today that was visit two health clinics in the district of Shaka Dara.

 

It was great to have some old friends (and new for us “first-timers”) join us for the trip today.  The warmth and friendliness of staff here has been amazing to me since the moment I arrived.  Thanks to all the previous teams showing the gentleness and love that lays the foundations for relationships like these to be built! 

 

The drive itself began to outline the incredible story of the clinics in the villages of Qal-e Marudbek and Behzadi.  As we began climbing the dirt road into the more mountainous terrain of this district, I noticed the increasing green color, and even more surprising was the appearance of water and mini-waterfalls falling out of the sides of rock walls.  The water really was beautiful, as were the smiles on the faces of children splashing in the welcome refreshment it brings.

 

As I mentioned, the story of these clinics is really quite amazing.  It is enough to bring life to the barren and brown land that surrounds them.  And just listening to it reminded me of the perfect timing of a sovereign God.  Just a couple of weeks ago, the organization that funds these clinics sent out one last email to raise sufficient funds to support the clinics for another year.  They had already informed the doctors and staff at these clinics that they would no longer have jobs, but within a week, money poured in – almost the amount needed to fund both clinics for another full year!  This news becomes even more hopeful in light of the fact that the doctors at these clinics serve more than 30,000 people in the surrounding area!! What an overload!  Less than 10 doctors between the two clinics are responsible for the medical care of 30,000 people, and this blows my mind! All of these doctors wear several hats, and both their incredible capability and their humility truly gripped our hearts.

 

It was just amazing to tour these concrete boxes that had housed the saving of lives through vaccinations, minor surgeries, community health education, and various other treatments that we consider so basic and trivial here in the states. This, and the fact that many healthy lives have been safely birthed in these humble buildings started to really open my eyes to the severely painful loss it would have been had these clinics been forced to close.  The doctors, who serve 60-70 patients a day, still took time to give us a tour and answer our questions.  Their sincere gratitude and overflowing thankfulness were so genuine.  The Afghans are such thankful people.  Even the chief elder of the entire Shaka Dara district came to thank our group, and this was extremely humbling to me considering I had absolutely no direct hand in the sustenance of the continued medical care.

 

There were so many indescribable parts of today.  I could probably write a novel about just 6 hours spent in the true Afghan countryside, but one of the most memorable parts for me was meeting a doctor who had at least 4 different specialties and handled them with humor and grace that is uncommon in a person who carries so many responsibilities.  He smiled at everyone, laughed at everything, and gave each of us – men and women both – some flowers from the gardens surrounding the clinic as we left.  It was a beautiful demonstration of joy.

 

As we continue to venture into this country, I am reminded to wait on God’s perfect timing, and I am comforted that we can depend on a God who is more than capable of any act in all the world, and how wonderful it is to know that He is behind us, before us, surrounding us, and strengthening us.  Pray that we would continue to serve, love and seek Him well.  Thanks for your daily encouragement, support, and prayers. You are a blessing to us!  – Allison