Day Five – A “joyful” day!
By team member Stacia Slaughter
 
Breakfast this morning was filled with laughter. The joy from both the Kentucky and Colorado teams was spilling over onto each other and filling the room with a light hearted childlike giddiness.  I think most would agree that we woke up today feeling refreshed and somewhat acclimated to Afghan time.
 
Today was a marathon so I will only touch on the highlights of all that the team got to experience because it would take all night to share it all. 
 
After a hearty breakfast we all gathered in the living room.  We were so lucky to have a very respected friend of our host visit us.  He shared an emotional and heartfelt history of Istalif and the Shomali Plain.  As he spoke, his words sunk into each of our hearts.  He spoke with such eloquence and grace about the village he loves so much.  Istalif was known for its fruit trees, almond trees, lush gardens, and breathtaking views.  Istalif is like the Estes Park of Denver, a beautiful getaway in the mountains outside the city.  The Soviets occupied Istalif and eventually the Taliban took control with heavy weapons and mercenaries.  The Taliban destroyed everything used for daily life in Istalif.  They forced the men to bring their tractors and anihilate the irrigation systems as well as their own vineyards and farms.  They burned 95% of all of the houses, cut all irrigation, and brought devastation to the Shomali Plain making it unlivable.  Our friend recounted a time he was driving into the area and he saw a woman carrying cloth on her head, a baby on her back and another child holding her hand.  She was walking away from Istalif shouting, “Istalif is burning, Istalif is burning.”  To imagine how painful it was to see this beautiful haven rising in flames is unimaginable to me. 
 
But his story was not with out hope.  Eventually in December of 2001 the Northern Alliance defeated the Taliban and came to the Shomali Plain.  It was at this point that our friends in Afghanistan began to work in this area to bring restoration.  They found only one family trying to rehab their home, but they started there.  They encouraged others to return and provided food and clothing to sustain them.  They partnered with many organizations to bring relief, build a clinic, and school.  They developed deep and lasting relationships with the people from the area. 
 
I am constantly struck by how thankful the Afghans are.  Our friend said, “We did some, but you did a lot.  We are so thankful for all you have done.  With out those clothes we could not have lived, with out that food we could not have survived.”  The Afghan people that we have met are hard working, proud, and yet humble.  Istalif is being restored and sharing its reclaimed resources with the communities around it.  
 
This afternoon we drove into the mountains on the “highway” (a rutted dirt road) to Istalif.  The air was cool, there was water running in the river and children playing and bathing in it was we drove by.  Vineyards heavy with grapes were thriving.  Mud brick homes were rebuilt and as we drove higher the forest grew more and more lush.  Istalif truly is the beauty that has come from ashes.  It sits on slopes of the Zar Chak (Gold Top) Mountains at 5,600 ft. above sea level.
 
Once in Istalif we were greeted with warmth by the clinic staff.  The doctors have done a remarkable job in educating the community and have been recognized as the best clinic of more than 300 evaluated across Afghanistan!  We toured their comprehensive health clinic and were amazed by the effectiveness of their programs.  They have partnered with community health workers to educate the community and conduct outreach programs.  They serve both men and women and even have dental facilities. 
 
One of the main doctors from the clinic spoke to us about the impact of our partnership with Afghanistan and how it has impacted his community.  His genuine thanks were humbling to hear.  He was overwhelmed with gratitude.  And has already begun to “pay it forward.” 
 
We were treated to a fantastic lunch under the trees.  Fresh lamb kabobs, naan, soda, and green tea were on the menu and it was DELICIOUS!  After lunch we toured the remains of the International hotel.  It was eerie to still see the marble floors in the midst of the collapsed structure.  It must have been an amazing hotel at one point with the best views in town.  Now it serves as a reminder of even more devastation and loss to the people of Istalif.             
 
We returned home after our touring to quite a treat!  Our host had planned for all the ladies to get henna on our hands and feet (for Patty).  It was so much fun to experience true girl-bonding time Afghan style!  The ladies who painted our hands were full of smiles and kindness.   
 
After all those festivities had wrapped up it was arranged for us to go to Camp Eggers and attend a worship service.  As we walked through multiple security points, were escorted through the camp and brought to the makeshift tent chapel.  I was reminded of what a sacrifice our troops are making and how valuable that sacrifice truly is.  It was a rare gift to share in singing and fellowship with our American brothers and sisters.  But I have never seen so many guns in church before!  I am so thankful for the openness to our team, the smiles, and friendly moments that we shared in the chapel with our fellow Americans.
 
We returned home to Skype with many of you partying over at the WAlbertson’s.  Although we battled through some technical difficulties it didn’t stop us from having a great time of sharing and even doing the wave for some of our friends back home who were leaving the 10:30 service.  (Thank you LaNae and Jordan for helping set that up on your end!)
 
This entire day can be wrapped up by something our dear friend said today.  “When you are doing something with people that you care about, serving, and sharing things with them it fills you up.”  We were filled up today by the Afghans who took time to share their lives with us.  Our gracious host was a bright light and a joy to share today with.  I can only hope that we did the same for each of the Afghans we came in contact with.
 
Our love for Afghanistan is inescapable, indescribable, and we are awestruck by these wonderful people and the hope that dares to exist amongst the rubble that was left behind.
 
--Stacia
 
 
Homes continue to spring up among the rubble of the “old” Istalif.  The district is now beginning to thrive with as many as 25,000 people living in the area served by the clinic.
 
 
Emergencies don’t stop when visitors arrive. This young boy arrived needing – and receiving – emergency medical aid as we were touring the clinic this morning.  It was a sobering reminder of the urgent need to staff and maintain these Basic and Comprehensive Health Clinics.  Without the Istalif CHC, this boy would most likely have gone without medical care and had an uncertain prognosis.
 
 
Team members tour what little remains of the International hotel in Istalif, which was demolished by the Taliban as they fled the area in 2001. In a final act of cowardess, they lit the fuse only after inviting more than 300 community leaders to a “jirga” or “town meeting” inside the hotel, killing them all.