Dear friends,

 

Since my last update from Dubai, we completed the final leg of our journey and are – finally – on the ground in Afghanistan.  No issues with the taxi ride to Terminal 2, nor with customers or ticketing for our Kabul flight nor upon our arrival in Kabul!  Even the normally tense customs and baggage claim experience at the Kabul airport was a breeze in the new international terminal.

 

We were picked up at the terminal (in glorious 80+ degree weather… sorry Denver!) and whisked to the guest house where Naim had prepared a fantastic “welcome” lunch of Qabli Pilau, lamb meatballs, spinach, and naan.  After lunch, in a desperate attempt to stay awake and move toward getting on Kabul time, our hosts took Team Running-Out-Of-Adrenaline on a city-wide tour.

 

This is my 5^th trip to Kabul and this city tour was the best I’ve ever been on.  So interesting, in fact, I had NO trouble staying awake!   We headed out through the hustle and bustle of the Microryan neighborhood (featured in The Bookseller of Kabul) to the Olympic Stadium where the Taliban used to hold public executions and stonings.  From there we headed up to “King’s Hill” where the Afghan people erected shrines to King Zahir Shah and his wife.  The shrines were severely damaged during the civil war and are being restored to their former glory, but the most memorable part of the day was watching a large number of Afghans at play on the grounds… riding horses, playing soccer, and flying large colorful kites in an artful competitive display.

 

Then it was off down the chaos-filled Lions Gate Road, past the Kabul Zoo, and on to the Darul Aman Palace, a truly magnificent structure built in the 1920’s, gutted by fire in the 1960’s, restored but severely damaged again during the Soviet occupation, and finally destroyed during the Afghan civil war of the 1980’s.  The bombed out structure is a highly visible reminder of the strife Afghans have lived with throughout their history.

 

Then it was on to the Intercontinental Hotel were we took a break from the dusty, bumpy roads and were treated to a relaxing cup of coffee or tea by our hosts.  Then one more stop at “Prayer Hill,” a hilltop cemetery near the guest house with a magnificent 360-degree view of Kabul and the surrounding mountains and back to the guest house just in time to call and join in the Friday Morning Afghanistan Prayer Meeting at Flatirons.

 

One thing that we all came away with was that wherever we went across the city, people were building or repairing something, selling or buying other things, and driving, riding, hauling, or carrying even more things.  No one was just standing around… everyone was busy DOing something.  Kabul – a city devastated for decades by war from both outside and within – is quite apparently a city doing everything in its power to rebuild itself and reestablish its former glory.  It’s inspiring to see and empowering to be a small part of.

 

After 48+ hours of traveling and touring, we’re totally exhausted… and headed to bed.  But we’re also excited to get to work tomorrow and share in a small way in Afghanistan’s rebirth.

 

I’ll close for the night with the Quote Of The Day, by Robb Paolasso:  “This has been the best two days I’ve ever spent in the same clothes.”

 

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

 

--Bob