These picture are courtesy of my brother Jeff. The picture on the bottom right is the one that most resembles this place. I have not been through any dust storms as of yet.

The picture ion the top right is close to what it is like at dusk. Especially with a little wind.

Regardless of the pictures, you do not know dirty until you have spent a day here. It is like talcum powder dust and you are just sweating so it stick all over you.

A little about the job.

I am, or will be the Transportation Manager for and FOB here in Afghanistan. Forward Operating Base. Basically responsible for outbound shipments of materials to the smaller FOBs and I believe the buses that run around the base and their maintenance. They move everything by local trucking, Jingle Trucks as they are called due to all of the decorations. Anything from a box of pens to 60k cranes. It can be very busy and it has to work hand in hand with the Materials side of the site. They control the Material Orders and packing. There will be lots of opportunity for improvment as you can imagine with the amount of equipment and the uptake at the bases.

I am seeing the opportunities that exist for improvements. Many hands are supposed to make light work... I will put my skin in the game and do what I can, and what I think should be done to improve the support to our customer, the Troops. God willing I can make a difference.

Blessings from God.

Monday God blessed me with several Christians to help me make it through the day. This after Sunday evening when I really felt as if I wasn't going to make it. Catherine had preyed for me in the middle of Macy's and then the Prayer Team was called in for the assist.

Anyway, Monday morning the man who is training me spoke to me about he and his wife's renewed faith in Christ after some tough times. The story was a great testimony to the Lord in his life and made me cry.

Later in the morning one of the Kenyans saw my 3:16 bracelet and commented on how much he liked it. I explained that it was the day I was baptized. This was John, and then the older man Robert began to ask if I were a christian. He is an Evangelist in his country and the other two young men are new Christians.

I explained my struggles of the night before and Robert began to Preach to me of Gods Blessing even in the time of greatest struggle. We had several minutes of great conversation and Robert ended this with a laying on of his hand and a prayer for me and our families. They explained that they had never had an opportunity to speak the Gospel or pray like this before while in Afghanistan. John explained that in the mornings he likes to walk the yard and pray for all of the equipment and for the safety of the men.

Later they taught me how to say you are blessed by God, I will attempt to spell it here. Umbarekiwa na mungo. To say be blessed by God you would drop the Um at the front of the sentence.

By the end of the day I was feeling much better. I had started to see what the job would entail and what would need done at the FOB I am going to. The word of God, prayer and the companionship of others is so important here. This is so very similar to the Christian walk. If you try to stand alone you will be lost and in the through of Satan's domain. Only through the help of Jon,Robert, John and the third Kenyan Moses (Musa)along with the intercession of Catherine and the prayer Team was I able to move into the glory of God. Not alone but as a community!

And for the icing on the cake that evening I read 2 Timothy 4, which had two verses stand out 4:5 and 4:18, both very directed at the situation I was in that day Dad, you may need to grab your bible to look up the verses, please do!

With that I will end with this. I awoke at 3:30 in the morning and called my men's group, they were meeting at 7:00 at Steve's Bubs house. We were able to speak and I shared the blessing's of the day. They are very supportive and even 7,000 miles away we are finding a way to fellowship and Disciple. No excuses now!

I just reiterate that God will always provide those who believe in Him and His son Jesus Christ refuge and solice. He will never leave or forsake us.

God Bless You all.

I have arrived!

Well made it into Kandahar on Saturday afternoon. Wow, this is something. Being a NATO base there are soldiers from everywhere. Equipment everywhere, yes all of the stuff you would imagine seeing.

As far as the dust, it is worse than I even imagined. Everything is tan, everything. Even the sky as the dust hangs in the air. The sun sets and moon are strange to say the least. You become dirty within a few minutes of being outside. Dust in your eyes and in your nose. I had to buy a camel neck, kind of a tight scarf thing that you can pull up in dust storms and while driving.

I have been struggling with sleep. Onlty about eight hours over the last four days. Didn't sleep on the flight over from US. No sleep in Kuwait even the the accomodations were neat to say the least. First night here my roomate snored and then last night I was finally able to get five hours. Cathy engauged the prayer team for me and it definately helped as God brought several people immediately into my life to help. Satan was and has been messing with my mind, mostly from the sleep but none the less it very trying on me. The gaurd I spoke to at 01:00 said she found her strength in the Lord and knew she would be ok. This was followed by a late dinner with two other people that really helped me move past some issues. Then this morning, Jon, theguy who is training me began to speak about his faith in Jesus. He told me a tremendous story of he and his wifes new faith in Christ. As I write we are having lunch listening to Christian music. The Lord does provde refuge to those who seek Him. Last night was that occasion for me. Oh yeh, and Ethan answered His phone even when he didn't recognize the number. Thank you brother.

Please continue to pray against these attacks on me as I must be able to move past these hurdles so that I can glorify Him.

I never thought I would be tested so strongly so quickly. It only goes to let me know that perseverance will be my challange but ultimately will bring me closer to Him.

I love you all and am glad that I have not only Jesus Christ but also Christs children, you all, behind me.

I will be here for a week and then move out to my next destination. I will post when I can.

With all my love and now in His Grace,

Michael

PS - Please share these with the mens group and anyone else who may be interested. Thanks for the post Don, and Gary is MTBman you?

DAY THREE AND STILL IN TEXAS. I AM MEETING PEOPLE OF ALL TYPES AND ALL REASONS FOR GOING OVER TO AFGHANISTAN. I AM LEARNING ALOT ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT OVER IN COUNTRY. IT WILL BE AS MOST WOULD EXPECT IT TO BE AND YOU MUST KEEP YOUR HEAD AND KEEP SAFE. OUR TRAING TODAY FOCUSED ON FIRST AIDE AND WHAT TO DO IN THE FIRST TWO MINUTES OF A TRAUMA TO SAVE SOMEONE AND YOURSELF IF NEEED. YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO CARRY YOUR OWN MEDICAL KIT TO BE USED BY SOMONE ON YOU IF SOMETHING HAPPENS. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH A FIREFIGHTER WHO IS A CHRISTIAN. IT IS PRETTY COOL AS WE SEE THINGS THROUGH THE SAME LENS. IN SPEAKING OF TRAUMA WE KNOW THAT GOD WILL SEE US THROUGH. HE HAS BEEN OVER SEVERAL TIMESAMD HAS EXPLAINED THE DIFFICULTIES WITH IT. ON ANOTHER ASPECT OF THIS I PRAYED FOR A GRUFF MAN WHO HAD SOME DIFFICULTIES AND WHEN I TOLD HIM HE REACTED BY THANKING ME TWICE FOR IT. IT OPENED A GOOD DIALAUGE ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOD. NOTHING HEAVY BUT ENOUGH TO SWITCH HIS MIND FROM CURSEING AND WOMAN TO HIS PLACE WITH GOD. I THANK THE LORD FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY. ENOUGH FOR NOW.

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