From day to day....

I think back a week ago.....Micah Levi (pronounced Le-VEE) was born to Corey and Natalie.  We have waited for this baby it seems like forever.  Finally he was told to 'exit!'  Then it had to be a C-section.  Most foreigners go to their home country to have babies, but Corey and Natalie chose to have an Afghan birth at our sister, CURE Hospital.   Everyone is grateful he arrived safely!
After a few weeks here in the city, they will return to their city of service to resume their leadership development training.  One happy family!

The next day, Friday (or as we call it, Funday) our "small group" of 60 met at our house!  Jan and I baked coffee cake and cookies  and tried to keep up with the call for hot water, ice water, coffee.  We had a visiting team of ten or so from the US as well as a brother from Tajikistan.   Everyone takes off their shoes in the front hall;  I should have waited for the photo until after the final prayer as there were over twice as many shoes by then.

The foyer was full of shoes....ready to walk out into the work of the coming week.

SKYPING friends and family is a pure delight!  Once we've gotten the 'hang' of it, we are surprised by others dropping in on us for a visit, or, more likely, us dropping in on others....because of the change of time, it usually involves bathrobes and a quick hairbrush here or there.

Power outages are another SURPRISE factor in our daily lives.   Here I'm stir-frying by solar power.  Thank you Chauvins for your appropro gifts!  We're thankful for the gas range.  I hear that winter will be worse for outages, so we're practicing now.

Monday began with my early morning english class (Jon walks me over at 6 am).  There are 11 men and 1 woman registered, but only half show up most days....a different half, even.  We are working on singular, plural, tenses, etc.   I know I don't know how hard it is for them.    I was pleasantly surprised by the driver from ISK at the door to whisk me to the next school!  I could get used to this.

Upon arriving at the library for cleaning books, etc. I learned we were waiting for  Lt. General Caldwell of the US Army/NATO Base to show up to read to Kindergartners!  

An infantryman went through to 'seal' the area, then posted himself outside, rifle and all.  WE heard later that the  team who preps places was impressed with ISK's security and they didn't have to bring as many soldiers.  Of course the next day, Tuesday, all the children were sequestered in the basement/safe rooms of the respective
buildings when the US Embassy  and other areas were attacked with rockets and bombs.  Here at home I heard the first bomb and felt the second....the windows shook, but didn't break.   We immediately received phone alerts of danger, and the US Embassy sent out e-mail notices of what was happening and what to do.....always it means staying home, not going where foreigners gather particularly.....and to alter our routes when we do have to.  So, today, Wednesday, ISK stayed closed, and I was told not to go to the english class.  Notifying my students was impossible that late, so some showed up and others took them in.   Three of the teachers are seasoned veterans and nothing stops them.

Dr. Bill presenting in what was clearly the nicest room in the hospital

Yesterday morning, before the attacks started, Jon and 3 other doctors from Afshar attended a meeting at the Maiwand Pediatric Hospital where reports were given on the progress of achieving goals for children's health.   Dr. Bill gave a short summary of the effectiveness of a similar program in Kenya.   At Maiwan there were several malnourished children;  a situation that we do not see often at Afshar.


It was after Jon went back to Afshar Hospital that the trouble broke out in the square they had passed through about a half hour before;  they found an alternative way home without incident. It was good when we all were gathered in. We even fed Steve, our other housemate who rarely eats here; his dinner out was canceled.

     Our "mystery" housemate returned from Ontario, Canada this morning.  She is the one we all rent this house from, although she is just the primary leasee.  So, we were quick to get her house in order...furniture back in place and hook up her frig in the kitchen, move the others around.  We will now have six of us using the large kitchen.  This will take even more communication and grace...to clean up after ourselves, etc.  She will be here for 3 months before wintering in Ontario.   She asked if I'd like to go with her sometime to her rose garden.  I guess the one here is what the owner planted.  Hers is "out somewhere"....3,000 plants, collecting one ton of rose peddles!   She has been training Afghans to produce Rose Oil....as well as hiring a tailor to teach sewing.  Amazing people here.  Of course,  she's been coming and going for 17 years!

So, we leave you with visions from our yard, thanks to our landLord: