We began the day by driving to Istalef, a community that used to have 43,000 inhabitants, but was completely destroyed by the Taliban by 2000. Our partner organization began working in Istalef in 2002 and has reestablished a permanent medical clinic that serves the entire district which is now home to about 23,000 people.
The clinic is particularly effective in the areas of vaccinations, childbirth, emergency first aid, community health training, and the treatment of Leishmaniasis, a horribly disfiguring disease that is completely curable with a regimen of medicine that costs only about $25. After touring the clinic we made a quick stop at the bazaar to pick up a few souvenirs of world famous Istalef pottery.
After returning from Istalef we were joined for lunch at the guest house by Captain Eric Whitmore, the departing Chaplain for ISAF Headquarters in Kabul, and his driver Matt. Cpt. Whitmore wanted to thank [our host and his staff] for their help to ISAF and presented them with commemorative coins from his home base in Okinawa. He was also kind enough to present BobT, as team leader, with a commemorative coin thanking our team for their service to the people of Barek Aub. It was quite an honor to be included as an integral part of the aid organization family.
It was then time for some fun… Dan and BobT headed off to the Kabul Golf Course with [our host and his assistant] to play a couple holes on the only golf course in Afghanistan (which had been used by the Russians for landmine training) while Patty, LaNae, Hope, and Tracee got some exotic henna decorations on their hands and feet from Latifah and Dr. Asya. (OK, I admit it… I got some henna, too.)
We all got together to join a conference call of our host organization’s International Team. Aside from enjoying getting to chat with [everyone] back in the states, it was an honor to be included in the “big picture” planning process for Barek Aub and Afghanistan.
Following the conference call, our host took the team out for dinner at an amazing Bosnian/Italian/Thai restaurant in Wazir Akbar Khan that blew us away – a new favorite! And on the way back to the guest house we stopped at our host’s favorite market for ice cream treats that capped off a wonderful farewell evening together.
Alas… we fly out tomorrow so this will be my last update till we arrive back home Thursday afternoon. This has been an amazing week… getting to visit Barek Aub several times… gaining familiarity and developing friendships with a number of people there… bonding further with our host and his amazing staff... meeting and sharing with other aid workers here in Afghanistan from all around the world... and on and on.
We’re very happy to see the clinic and school completed in Barek Aub and the sewing project off the ground, but we also know the camp is far from self sustaining and there is a lot more work to do there. The lives of the people there are still at serious risk and they will need help from the outside for a long time to come. Please continue to pray for their health and safety and for our wisdom in discerning how best to help them.
I would also ask that you pray for us as we begin our travel home tomorrow. Everyone here sends their thanks for your support of the team while we’ve been here and we look forward to seeing you soon and sharing all our stories when we see you again.
Zinda bAashan,
--Bob
Just a few of the “shiny” girls and boys from the new Barek Aub school who touched our souls and stole our hearts.
