Afghanistan

Hey, Cottonwood Family!

Per Matthew Lutz request, here is another letter. My journey back was brutal; once more being stuck in a black hole at Bahgram, then finally getting to my Forward Operating Base, 5 days journey in all. It then took me about 3 days to get my sleep cycle back here at Camp Mike Spann.

During my absence huge changes were made up north. We got a new Colonel, a great guy, very approachable! 3 Police Mentor Teams have been disbanded and made into 1; Yours Truly is their new Team Chief. (In case I didn’t get the word out, I got promoted to the rank of Major while home on leave). We’ll there is certainly no rest for short timers and my newly formed Team and I only have about 3 and ½ weeks together before I train my replacement and do a “battle handover”.

I didn’t think it would happen to me, but time has S L O W E D drastically! It seems that with such a short time left, time drags by. We are trapped like Bill Murray, in the movie, Ground Hog Day. Hopefully we’ll get it right and get out of here soon.

From a mission’s perspective, I have two reports to give you. Serajudeen is a 40 year old “chai boy” or some one who serves tea and waits on the guests of our Provincial Headquarters Logistic Officer. Very long story short, I befriended him and began to ask him about his life through my interpreter whenever the opportunity presented itself. Now, you have to understand, Afghanistan is a lot about tribal factions and hierarchy. As a chai boy, Serajudeen is at the bottom of the ladder of success. He makes $56.00 a month supporting his 5 children and wife. That’s about enough to buy a bag of flour and 2 bags of manure with which to cook.

Serajudeen was pressed into service by the puppet government of the Soviets, called the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan in the 1980s. With just one month left in his service obligation (1986), he was shot twice in his left hand during an ambush by the Mujahadeen. The Soviets did a terrible job on his hand and the massive damage has left him with limited abilities for employment. While at home I was able to speak briefly to my brother Clay, at Cotton Wood, and told him about this man that I have befriended up in Shiberghan. Here in Afghanistan everyone wants to try to “save the children”. The problem is so many adults have fallen through the cracks. I was hoping that a hospital in Albuquerque could sponsor Serajudeen’s reconstructive surgery at a private hospital in Kabul. Clay contacted a hospital that was willing to do this. This hospital worked with Dawn, the New Mexico National Guard, and I to provide the fees.

Even though we are forbidden by very strict DOD regulations concerning proselytizing or witnessing, I took a risk and shared with him. You see, initially, when I had him examined at the Afghan National Army Hospital (Yes, some Navy Doc and I snuck him in), the doctor asked us,” Where have you brought in this dog from”. My interpreter replied, “We did not bring in a dog, we brought in a patient for your consultation”. The statement by the doctor (again you see the class hierarchy), greatly bothered Serajudeen, He made mention of it 3 times that day. At one point he said to me that on this day he had learned that even though people are separated by speech and religion we all can relate to each other. I assaulted this opportunity and through my Muslim interpreter I told Serajudeen that I was a Christian and that Christ taught that GOD is no respecter of persons. I told him how Jesus spent time with the common folk; the tax collectors, fishermen, and the prostitutes; Christ had little time for the self righteous. I told him that my rank meant nothing in the kingdom of GOD and that he was my equal. I have the hope that these words will echo in his soul and that he will pursue Jesus. This will take a huge miracle, but isn’t that what our faith is all about?

Serajudeen’s surgery was on the 8th of August. He arrived back in Shiberghan on the 10th where he will rest and recover. His cast will come off in 14 days and the work examined and stitches removed. Another cast will be put on and he will be out of work for 3-4 months. Please pray for Serajudeen’s hand, that it will heal properly and that he will have a better life. General Amin Zada, the Jowzjan Provincial Chief of Police has agreed, as a personal favor to me, to hire Serajudeen as a Policeman. This will double his pay to $100.00 a month!

Next, on the 11th of August, I took 4 gun trucks and 18 men to Khuvaja Do Ku about 22 Km north of Shiberghan. We took all the flip flops that YOU provided along with some used shoes from Rio Grande elementary school in Belen. While conducting a site assessment for future operations we gave a few of them out to local children in this remote village. The next day was an adventure and a hard lesson in crowd control. We went to Serajudeen’s village called Arab Khana, in the North side of Shiberghan. We pulled up to the Mosque, pretty much their village center. There we organized the children. This is really like herding cats! Things were a little pressed but for the most part peaceful. We had borrowed a trailer from the Croatians and had all the shoes in the back along with boxes of gum and candy and a lot of school supplies. Word travels fast! Suddenly the crowd multiplied like an ameba on steroids. We had to press the people back while surrounding our borrowed trailer. The women in their burkas (Full attire that covers head face and body) got real aggressive and demanding. I covered the trailer with its tarp and Shafi and Jawid, my 2 interpreters, told everyone to step back and then we would continue.

Well that lasted for about two minutes. I finally had to take about 20 pair of sandals in a box and throw them across an irrigation ditch. It worked for a few minutes as part of the crowd swarmed and ran through the ditch to the other side and the mad scramble was on. We handed out more until the crowd got out of hand. I started launching used shoes, from the elementary school,over the wall of the mosque and down the street. We finally were able to close up the trailer and perform a retrograde operation out of the village.

Now, I certainly don’t understand all the mysteries of GOD. And I have no clue how GOD will use YOUR sacrifice to minister to Muslim children trapped in an ideology where women are abused, children are treated like livestock and the very practitioners of this ideal lie, cheat, steal and fornicate. But GOD has a plan. This little seed of YOUR gifts of sandals will be blessed and GOD will be glorified.

Believe me when I say that I learned much here and lived a lifetime these past 9 months, but I can hardly wait to get home. Home is where I don’t have to listen to Muslim prayers over a loud speaker as they begin their echo through the town at 0400 hrs in the morning. Home is where I can drink clean, fresh water from my tap, shower without flip flops on, and walk 15 or so feet to a toilet. I can lie down in my own bed and feel the warmth of my beautiful bride next to me. I can share my experiences and time with my 5 children who have it better than they could possibly ever imagine!

I have filled my journal that you gave me at my send off party, and I am on my second one. I will need some time to rest and collect my thoughts but I will have stories to share of triumphs, hurts, victories, losses, and my sustainment through the prayers of GOD’s people.

I love each of you and am humbled by your support of me and my immediate family. I know that GOD has a plan for Cottonwood 2.0; we just have to keep the faith and put one step in front of the next.

Troy (The real “Major Dad”)

II Tim 2:3, 4

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Haiti

Amanda, Sophia and I taught English camp yesterday...All the children come through the gate at 9:00 and greet all the teachers and adults with a kiss on the cheek. I got 60 kisses to start my day, I started thinking how much nicer corporate America would be if we would all walk in and greet each other with a "Bonjour" and a kiss. We danced, sang and then had a Bible lesson from another teenage girl missionary who talked about how life isn't fair. Wow, the tears started in me and I had a hard time stopping them. Life isn't fair here, their mom's have died, their dad's aren't around and they often are hungry. How do you speak about a loving God to them when life just seems so hard?

After lunch, we went to the women's clinic and helped to administer to pregnant women. I loved that!!! There were 18 women who came, we had them in line, someone did blood pressure, another did weight, another pulse, and I took their temperatures...Then we took them to the clinic, and heard their baby's heartbeats. Funny how we moms all over the world are the same, we all smile and tear up at the sound of our baby. Then we pray over the women, their birth, the health of their baby...There is also a sewing room for the women who have had their babies, and Beth is trying to teach them a skill so they can KEEP their babies and have a skill. She said ultimately, it would be nice if the women's clinic would put the orphanage out of business!

Last night we went to Bible study. It was our first adventure in the back of John's truck across town. Sophia started out on the bed, up to the wheel well, sitting on the edge, then on the way home she stood up with Amanda and Desta and laughed all the way back. I can't begin to describe the sights and smells as we drove. People honking, chickens, goats and cattle hurrying out of the way, people staring at us...Then back home in the dark, but the streets are candle lit with lots of loud music and people still out and about...Dan and Jothum have been busy hanging our wall system, fixing a sewer and are already gone today hanging ceiling fans.

Yesterday was a big day for all of us. Five of the seven of us had Compassion children to meet... They drove 2 1/2 hours to see us that day... At about noon, we took 18 people out to lunch!! I had chicken, so did Sophia. Dan was the brave one and ate goat...The meal portions were huge and I could not begin to eat all of mine. Roseline [our Compassion child] and her mother ate EVERYTHING which just amazed me. They get every scrap of meat off the bone, they suck on the bones until they are basically sticks. There is no waste in Haiti...There are many things they can do with $32 a month that they would do without otherwise. Her mother also had every letter, every picture we'd ever sent to Roseline in her purse and says she looks at our pictures often and prays for us. (Prays for me, imagine that!!).

We had a great day yesterday at a beach that was a two-hour drive from the house we are staying. We took two vehicles and had over 20 people (get a visual on that)... We played in the ocean water which was very clean and very clear, we were able to snorkel and see some colorful fish. After lunch we roamed the resort, went swimming in a fresh water pool and back to the ocean. Sophia and I got in the ocean together and she was on my back. We went out about 50 yards or so and I was almost chest deep. All of the sudden Sophia started saying, "mom, there is something down there in the water". She then proceeded to SCREAM as I've never heard her that there was a shark. I looked down and sure enough, there was a rather large, dark shark. Sophia proceeded to completely lose it, and was trying to climb on my head, on my shoulders, anything but in the water. I was scared, but remained calm, trying to calm her...I didn't have the time or the tenacity to look, I just kept walking as fast as I could. Luckily we were at the end of our day as there was no way she was getting back in the water. She must have told me 10 times, "mom, that was the scariest thing that ever happened to me in my entire life!"

Today we've been to John's church in Haiti which is similar, but has many differences to Cottonwood Church. It lasted longer than we are used to, but the people there are so hungry for God's word. I had a young man sitting next to me who asked me to explain something in Creole that was said in the Bible. Needless to say I couldn't do it, but I tried nonetheless as I just appreciated his hunger and desire to know what he's being taught. It's moving to see Haitians worship and be so faithful as they have so little.

Our morning started out early as John took us all to market at 8:00 so we could be back to teach English camp at 9:00...There are many things to see at the market from clothing to toiletries, fresh produce and meat. The produce looks different here and everything is covered in flies...John says no one will buy the meat if there are no flies on it. In other words, if the flies think the meat is bad, it must be REALLY bad, so any good meat has a bunch of flies. Sophia thought this was a very good point.

Back to English camp which starts with singing, announcements and a Bible lesson. Dan Cooley did our lesson today from his book, "Bizarre Bible Stories". He did a very good job and connected with the kids. Then Sophia and I had a junior high aged class to ourselves (plus an interpreter). I was pretty much left to my own lesson plan which was basic as I have basic teaching skills. We did numbers, letters, simple sentences and then we learned colors which they had not learned yet...I taught them to play "Simon Says" which was Sophia's idea and they loved the game. I also read to them from some academic book about different houses from around the world. They really were interested in igloos as we were all dripping sweat without a breeze, igloos sound like a very GOOD idea. I was proud of "Faustina" who is 14 when she offered what she had learned for the day to the entire group of 56 kids. She recited every color I taught her, and pointed out the colors. Then she looked at me and beamed.

Bonnie

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