Happy New Year

Well hopefully my first and last New Year out of the way here in Afghanistan. This was even easier than Christmas however not being able to kiss my wife at midnight is something that was missed for the first time in eighteen years. I wll have to kiss her twice next year.

Yesterday was a pretty nice day as we set up for the feast that we would have at supper. The Management had bought two goats to be cooked, one by the Phillipinos and one by the Indians. Also were steaks and chicken for the Americans. I enjoyed watching the preperations of each throughout the day each having a distinct difference based on the culture.

The Americans actually started on Thursday. David and Chief filled two garbage cans up, one with chicken and the second with steaks. To this was added A1 Sauce, Italian dressing and near beer. They allowed this all to marinate overnight to be cooked over a real wood BBQ.

The Indians had all of their ingrediants brought in from Harat. They have the unique andvantage of having a Regionally similar culture so they have resource available to them that the other cultures don't. They started their preparations early in the day, making sauces of mint and galic, cutting vegitables, and rubbing the goat down with all sorts of spices. Their goat would be roasted over the BBQ and cut up afterwards. By far they spent the most time creating several traditional dishes.

The Phillipinos, started late and finished first. No messing around here. They were preparing one goat for the camp and a second for themselves at another camp. I guess they wanted to get out early from where the rest of us were. Anyway, they chopped this goat into bite size pieces taking the fat out as the went. Bone and all into a big pot. This stewed a bit, pepper was added. Then pineapple, tomatoes, tomatoe paste, crackers, six cans of sprite and chillies. This stewed until served. The phillipinos left shortly after the last can of sprite was added.

As I had worked late on Thursday, sleeping in my clothes on top of my bed I had my shower and changed clothes at lunch. I figured that I would be refreshed for the meal and the preperations. The afternoon slowed down and it became more social, the cooks coking and people watching. The Americans played some dominos. The Indians began to gather a bit and the Philipinos, well they left the cook alone. I spent several occaison just sitting and watching, taking in the differences I saw, thanking God for it as I went along.

I noticed as the day wnet along that the groups remained very seperated. American, Middle Eastern and Phillipino. This is the reality here, that as much as you try to gather people together race differences keep them apart and keep each group closely together. It is not like America, the melting pot, each group has a distiction that they do not want to give up. It runs through each, they work together but do not play together. Social activity seperates them.

I stay mostly with the Indians, Singh the cook is one of my men and I have enjoyed his cooking on several occasions. I am most comfortable with these men, but more so their cooking was more diverse and I was interested in the mixtures and ingrediants. Singh also allows me to check often for the amount of salt in the dishes. No matter what I tell him he never adds to the dish. As the night worn on this group also became more socially involved in the cooking.

At one point when the preperations to cook the heart, liver and kidneys came. Their was some excitement. This is the choice meat and it get spiced heavily. In went several chilies and then to an uproar of hurahs a bag of chilli powder. This then was allowed to reduce. At the opportune time Singh offered me the first taste, a nice hunk of liver. Warning me of the heat I proceeded to take a bite. Oh what wonderful taste, the heat not overwhelming, eyes fixated on me to se if it would be too much. MMMMaaaa! "Singh, that is wonderful"

Just as the rice was cooking, Boooom! A very large explosion to the south. Like normal the cooking continued. The rice got stirred then BOOOM! Second explosion, now the bunker call went out and we all ran, leaving the food in place on the fire.

Within five minutes or so the radio call came out that the Italians had expoloded some large flares or something and it was "All Clear". Back to the cooking, the bottom of the rice a little crisp from the lack of sturring but overall not so bad.

At this time all was ready to eat. The food was moved around to the Operations conference room in the front and the lined formed up to get their take. There was a tremendous number of middleastern men as they don't often get traditiona Indian cooking here. Most meals are geared for the American Soldier. We moved slowly in through the door until entering the room to get your food. Steak, goat, rice and beans all was delicious.

I was reflecting on what I saw yesterday. I thanked God fo rthe opportunity to share the New YEar with all of these people from all over the world. I was able to see differences in tradition and in interaction. I wittnessed the social aspects of each culture and the unsocial aspects of each. It is all part of the experience that God is bringing me through. It is all part of something He wants me to see. How that will fit together one day into His plan, I shall see.

I also thought, of course about home, about my family and their day. What I was missing and what I would be doing if I were there. I turned this though this morning as the sun rose again, that He has me here, right where he wants me. That He is providing for me and that I am in His keep. I prayed that I could set this in my heart for the New Year. That I could just remember one thing each day to surrender to Him and let Him continue to guide my path. He has done alright so far.

Happy New Year all.

Lord, may this year, and every year of my life be given up to you. That I may surrender fully to your will and allow myself to enjoy the life and things that you have in store for me.