A Few More Pictures

Just thought I would throw together a few pictures today as I was not able to put them into the Blog the other days. I also am sleeping in due to a long day yesterday so consider this a little break for me from my usual writing.

This is the plate of food that I recieved while have ing lunch with Chandel and the other men in the transient tents in Kandahar. Top left is Curried potatoes and white beans. Below that a pork chop slightly overcooked on top of egg noodles. Along side is a few soggy potatoe wedges and above is some kind of flavorless chicked beef with gravy. That was it, no choices other than not eating. The ironic thing is that not 300 yards away is a DFAC that has more food then you could imagine but these men can not go there as they do not have ID's for KAF.

This is Chandel and another man who just happened to have lived in Shimla, the same town in which Chandel is from. We ate together at the picinic table where all the transient workes come to eat.

This is the "Outside Dining" here in South Park for the transient workers. Unlike back home being outside eating is not something special as the insect population is quiet considerable and you don't get your own private table.

It was nice eating with Chandel as I had not seen him in a few weeks. It was also nice meeting a man that Chandel knew growing up in his town. I thought about the Lord possibly working through Chandel one day and bringing this man to Saving Faith in Him and others back in their town. We never know what His plans are we just have to keep making ourselves available to Him.

Have a wonderful day.

The Good Side of Things

It always feels good to leave Kandahar. For some reason I just don't like being here. I have said in the past that it just has an evil feeling about it, a business that is just consuming of those that are here. An ant hill of paople that never stops working.

I think that is why things like the transient tent happen, people just left alone in conditions that are not as good as the others. There is just too much other stuff going on for those that could do something. The peopel that should be able to do something can't or won't take the time to see what is really happenening in some places.

I spoke to a freind who came through Texas with me. She is actually a Jehovahs Wittness and often we speak about our faith. I was telling her about being in the transient tent for lunch and the conditions there and she had no clue herself. It is not that she could do anything about it but she had been here for three months, in Kandahar, and didn't know of the conditions in those tents.

Kandahar seems very much a place of "haves" and "have nots". There is a definate class structure and culture within each. You can meet people and they will ask where you are staying as that will tell alot about your position. Some have cars to use to get around others do not. Even the positions of power create in people attitudes that are sometimes very rough to deal with. It is in a large way, and I have said it before, a slice of the worst of the rest of the world.

Maybe it is as if when you make a reduction while cooking. All the things of the world were put in one pot and bboiled down here in Kandahar. What you were left with was the concentrated parts of evrywhere else. Some good and some bad.

It will be nice to leave here. Even in Shindand there is this trouble however not as bad it still exists. I guess the saying that war brings out the best in people and it can bring out the worst in people is true. I will continue to do my part and try to always be on the good side of things. It should be the same for everyone, for you also. Try to always find the good side of things. Don't become part of the problems.

Keep your eyes and ears open as you go though life today and see how many times you can be that something special in someone life. See if you can remain calm in the hecticness or lift someone who does not have what you have up a bit. Look for opportunities to show charity to someone, to remove a burdon, to make them smile and change their day.

God Bless.

Staying Safe

Last night while enjoying a movie ofver at the MWR, Mental Welfair and Recreation, building there were three seperate rocket attacks about ten minutes apart from each other. Doesn't make for a good movie experience to saythe least. Anyway, each time there is a rocket attack the proceedure should be to lay on the ground, as low as you can get. Feet and legs together, head down and hands over your head. You should stay there for one minute and then get up and move to the nearest bunker.

Ok, that's what should happen. What really happens is that most people stand up when the alarm goes off and begin walking to the bunker. Some, sit for a minute before doing anything. Others like me, when the conditions are not exactly right for laying on the ground, squat down for a little while and then move to the bunker. Then there are those that do get on the ground and lay in the appropriate lifesaving position that they should be in.

As you exit the buildings the bunkers are usually pretty close to wherever you may be. Geberally most of them are precast concrete rectangles about twenty five feet long. They have what they call T walls on each end to protect stuff from coming in from there. Here again, some do as they are instructed and move into the bunkers as far as possible and get as low as possible. Others stand in the ends of the bunkers, not quiet committing to go inside but in enough to say the were. Yet others, stay outside as if hanging out with friends on a nice evening. Smoking cigerettes and talking about various subjects as if nothing were going on.

It occurred to me last night on the third time around that the actions of these people here parralel that of Christians. We don't all react in the same ways. we each do what we feel the best for the situation at hand. Some committ fully to the instructions given and others only partially.

The procedures that are in place to save us during Rocket attacks are not lies. They are the best way to survive the danger. Isn't also the Bible, Gods Word and the example of Jesus Christ the Christians procedures for saving their lives, by coming through the danger unharmed? But like here, each chooses the parts of the procedures we want to follow and when we want to follow them. We don't put all of our faith and all of our actions into practice. as we should.

Now the closest rocket that I have experienced was about 300 yards away. Actually heard the explosion as I was still getting out of my bed. By the time I got to the bunker all you could see was smoke at the impact point. I wonder however if last night the rocket had been closer, if the explosion was near, how many people would have done what they should have done. Gotten face down and then moved into the bunkers. How many would not and been in danger of death still as the danger was around them.

As Christians death is always around us, we live in a world that is dead to its sin. We also waiver back and forth in the war that is waged against this sin, our sin. We know the procedures that we must follow to help survive the attacks. We know that we must also lay face down in humility and worship to God each day, and evertime there is danger. We also know that we must move to the center of the bunker which is His word and the Truth of our Saviour. We must stay in the bunker and let it suround us always for as we move out of it, or linger by its entrance we remain in danger.

Trust God, trust His Word and trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Anything less and you remain in danger of your death.

Luke 9:23

Then Jesus said to them all:"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

A.W. Tozer in his book The Puruit of God makes this statement. "The cross is rough and it is deadly, but it is effective. It does not keep its victims hanging there forever. There comes a moment when its work is finished and the suffering victim dies."

Christ says in Luke 9:23, to take up the cross daily and follow Him. We must begin each day with a concious effort to place our lives on the cross and let ourselves die to this world. We must determine to feel the roughness of its wood dig into our backs as we shed the feelings and emotions that this world would have us hold onto. Maybe it is an unresolved issue with our spouse. I greivance against a co worker or boss. The wood of the cross must scower these things away from our souls.

We must be nailed into a position that we can not move a way from. The Cross is deadly and it is effective. Arms open and bodies hanging in anticipation of our death for this day. Awaiting the moment that we give ourselves fully over to the mercy of our Lord. How many are willing to nail themselves to it each morning. How many times have I run from this death, so I can remain in my own. Even if the death is quick we are still afraid to go through it.

In moments that we have no alternative but the cross, we glady step to it. When our lives are full of things that we can not escape from we look up and accept the trial, we beg for its death. In those times we see the light in the darkness that comes from above this momentary death. We reach out and ask the Lord to move quickly and bring us to Him.

Tozer follows the above with " There comes a moment when the suffering victim dies. After that is resurrection glory and power, and the pain is forgotten for the joy that the veil is taken and we entered in actual spiritual experience the presence of the living God"

We see the glory of God each time we endure this suffering. We are resurrected in Him in a new body a body freed from the turmoil and death of this world. Our Lord again states "Must take up his cross daily and follow me. Once is not a permenant solution for us. We can not stay in the presence of God with only a temporary death. We must perform this ritual daily.

Each day to endure the daeth of the cross. Each day feel the sting of the wood on our bare skin. The pressure on our open arms, wide open, waiting for our death to occur. We must not run but welcome this death daily or we will not be freed from the eternal pain of this life. We must be willing to feel the sweetness of His presence after we have endured the pain.

We have a choice each day, death of ourselves, death on the cross or misery within ourselves as we walk at the base of the cross. Which will you choose today.

A Simple Song.

You are Lord and Savior to me, Oh Lord
You are Lord and Savior to me, Oh Lord
You are Lord and Savior to me
Lord and Savior to me
You are Lord and Savior to me
Oh Lord.

You are Merciful to me Oh Lord
You are Merciful to Me Oh Lord
You are Merciful to me
Merciful to me
You are merciful to me
Oh Lord

You are Lovely to me Oh Lord
You are Lovely to me Oh Lord
You are Lovely to me
Lovely to me
You are Lovely to me
Oh Lord

You are Evrything to me Oh Lord
You are Everything to me Oh Lord
You are Everything to me
Everything to me
You are everything to me
Oh Lord

This is a Song that my Kenyan Brothers sing before our prayer on Monday and Thursday Nights in Shindand. The song repeats like that over and over again many times, just changing the key word. It is also highlighted by one man, Killian, repeating in harmony as the rest of us sing. It is so simple yet uplifting to us all. I have been singing this song in my head all morning and several times each day as I have been here.

This is worship. Not fancy, or overly complex, just simply uplifting. We only need a simple song to give to Him as we walk. A reminder of who and what He is in our lives, what He did on the Cross. How He has changed us. A simple song from the heart is all that is necessary.

Walk with a song in your heart as a constant reminder for Him of your Love. Try this one if you haven't got another.

Be Glad For What You Have

Ok, I don't no where this one is going but if you could start out by clicking on the photo so it will enlarge for you that may help. Once you have done that just look at the photo for a while and take in what ever you can from it. Let it sink in a bit. I know the quality is not that good but it will due.

This is a transient tent at KAF. I was there looking for Chandel after church as he is still down here a week after a training class we sent him to ended. He is staying in the top bunk on the left. This tent can hold up to forty people if it were full.

Chandel was not there so I stood and spoke to the Tent Manager a bit. He is the Tent Manager because he has been there the longest, seven weeks. Now I have been in Afghanistan for three months and have been in two different Camps thus far. He has been waiting for an assignment so he can be sent to his permenant location. All of the men that stay here are waiting also.

If you couldn't tell from the conditions, it is bad. Each bed has an old mattress on it, most with broken springs and tares in the fabric. None have sheets so the matresses have been used by hundereds of people and never been cleaned. The top bunks have no ladders to get up and down and are within inches of the ceiling. Those mattresses are generally worse then the lower ones.

The floors are dirty, really dirty as they also have not been cleaned. Each man has a little area in which they keep their belongings, maybe a suitcase or bag of some sort. Wet towels and clothes hang from strings or wires so they can dry. The smell is strange as it is a mix of many things but the uncleanliness is the most noticible.

The tent is dark and depressing. Men sleeping all day long as they are not allowed to leave this compound. There is a picinic area outside which is the social area and also where they are given their food. They do not have ID's you see so they can not travel freely around the Camp. They are not alowed into the DFACs for dinner so all food is brought to them there and placed out in pans buffet style for them and the flies.

The outside is dirty also from the food and from the hundreds kivibng in a small area. Trash and bottles overflow the garbage cans creating more filth. the dust is everywhere and shade is at a minimum unless you are back in the tent. Not a nce place at all. In essence this is the slum of the Camp and this is where many of the men first come when they arrive in Kandahar. It is so crowded now that anyone below a Manager comes to these tents when they stay in KAF.

I had you look at the photo so you would not pass it by. I wanted you to think about what men will go through for work and survival. I also wanted you to imagine yourself, coming here for a job, thinking that your prayers were answered and finding this as you place to live for a month or more. I wanted you to have a feeling in your stomach of dusgust at the thought of this for others.

These are the conditions for which many are put here. Life has different meaning here I think then other places. It becomes expendable and not as valuable to those in authority. Men become bodies that need to be delt with. No emotion in the decisions that keep them in these places. Just move them in and move them out, feed them because you have to.

Anywhere else and we would want to help and improve their lives. We would come and assist them in bettering their situations. Here it is ok. Here it is war and human life doesn't matter as much.

I know I have said it before, but be glad for what you have. Be glad that this place was what you needed to look forward to to better your life.

Ephesians 6:13-17

Put on the whole armor of God! Every piece of it. Don't leave any aside or you will be vulnerable to the enemy. Every soldier knows that each piece of equipment is meaningful for battle. Each piece serves a purpose and without each the soldier is incomplete.

I was thinking about this as I walked around Kandahar this morning. It is easy to do when you are in a NATO base surounded be soldiers and equipment from around the world. I thought about the differences in each countries equipment, in each soldiers camo and gear. I also thought of how some countries soldiers are not as well equipped as others. The United States by far has the most well equipped of them all. But some just have the basics. The bare minimum for what they need to go out and fight.

I wondered about Ephesians, and if I put on the full Armor of God each day. If I was prepared for the battle at hand or if I was just being complacient and putting on only what I needed at the time. See here, in Afghanistan, depending on where you are and what you are doing that determines your level of preparedness. In Kandahar, weapons have no clips in them. In Shindand everyone is loaded and carried at all times. Some bases are under constatnt fire and others are not and this deternmines the level of readiness. So where do I stand?

As I pondered this I realized that I too in my walk only prepare to the level of threat in which a precieve will be there. In the world, I only wear my Battle Raddle when I travel of open territory or when the Camp threat level changes. Do I always wear my Breast Plate of Righteousness? No, sometimes I leave it in the corner as with my Kevlar Vest. Sometimes I only think of my own needs and do things that are selfish and unrighteous.

The helmets that they give us here make me look like a mushroom head. I have a big head to start with and add the XL Green helmet and look out. Again, I don't put this on unless I have to. I don't use my head I guess! But the Helmet of Salvation, fits me differently, but none the less, how many times do I forget to wear it. How often do I not rest in the assurance of Gods Salvation through Jesus Christ. Often I forget that I am saved from this world, that death has no grip on me. How many times do I just fear the things of man, of men walking in death. They can't touch me Spiritually however I fear them, not my Lord, and not walk in His Salvation. I leave the Helmet next to my Kevlar.

Oh and how easy it is here in Kandahar not to trust others. To fear that something will go wrong. Many times you are placed in a position to check and double check with others until you know that something has been done. How about our Shield of Faith? How many times do we not fully allow ourselves to be assured of our Faith in Him. When have we prayed for our Faith to be strengthened because we know we have let it slide a bit? Faith is being assured of the what you can not see. Assured! Are we always assured of this. Do we always carry our Shields with us or does it get too heavey so we put it down abit or leave it aside altogether? In history, when a Soldier gave up in battle and ran, he would drop his shield first for it was heavy and only used in defense. If we are to face or days, we must have shield in hand.

I have a bad waist and I wear nmy pants too low because of my belly. It has always been the case. Therefore my belt is necessary. For the Soldiers here their belts carry necessities for battle, their wepons and ammo. They are again necessary for them. Ephesians speaks of the Belt of Truth. What Truth? Gods truth, the truth of the Gospel. Place the truth of the Gospel around you waist. Tie it tight and it will carry all the necessary equipment you need. Use the truth as you walk to lighten the load. Trust the truth to always be with you, close. Do you ever forget to speak the truth? I do, I have those moments when I could have spoken Gods word to another but I didn't. I just didn't think it was the right time. I might as well let my pants fall down.

My boots are wore out and dusty. They have not held up like they should have. The soldiers all have nice boots, expensive but nice. I noticed also now that they don't all wear the same boots. Each soldier can choose the ones that are best for them. Is this not how we view piece also? Each uses their own stabndard and comfort level to determine their peace. We place our own ideas of what that is until somebody does something to upset us. God wants us to be peace makers. To use His standards, from the Gospel to bring about peace around us. He wants us to Love each other so that we will not hate and have disruptions and kaos, unsettledness and peacelessness (don't know if that is a word, but it works). We must wear the sandels of the Gospel of Peace. We must all have the same boots on and not let them get worn out and dusty. They must be made fresh daily.

Finally to the weapon, I have none, no gun nothing to protect myself here. I have thought about this often, what would I do if confronted with death at the hand of another. My heart is not fully set on not fighting back as a Christian (this is another subject) but I wondered, as in a war zone you do, what would I do? For us as Christians, in Spiritual battle, we have Gods Word as our sword. We have the ultimate weapon to use against the enemy. It must be sharp and light, not burdonsome to carry, but why do I even leave it aside at times. I go out without the Word of God in my heart. I put my sword down when I am not threatened like some Soldiers not have clips in their weopons, We are not threatened so we are not armed.

I spoke to my father last night about how you get used to things around here. Rocket attacks, as we had another last night, people just continue to walk around like nothing. We had a mortor the other day at Shindand and it only made me stop for a second as I walked to the DFAC. I thought, on a daily basis, in one form or another, someone is actually trying to kill me. Maybe not personally but certainly by shooting in my direction. If this were anywhere else I would run to the authorities, do what I had to do to protect myself, but here it is what happens. Is't that in a way the same thing that we do as Christians?

We just allow ourselves to become used to certain things. Like me here, we only duck if we think we are in danger. As Christians we don't prepare fully with the Armor of God, we only put on what we need to at the time. Be it what is comfortable for the day ahead. If it is hot well maybe I will leave the helmet off or not carry the shield. We dress only in the equipment that we feel is necessary. No wonder so many of us, including me, have so many up and down days.

Here people get killed because the don't follow instructions. they get killed because they get complacient. They get killed because they don't wear the PPE that was given thenm when they need it, I am guilty of this also. For Christians we can't walk in His assurance because we are unproteced when we go out. We put ourselves at risk and then wonder why we got attacked and wounded form it. We look up at God and pray for His help, but we don't wear the Armor that He has given us. We go to the battle field but we remain unprepared for battle.

Follow the instructions of God. Begin to everyday to place the Full Aromr fo God on before you begin your day. Don't chose what you will wear and what you will leave in the corner. And remeber, if you chose not to be prepared, and not to trian yourself to rely on the weapons and armor you have, don't blame God for the beating you will take. He has prepared each of us, He continues to strengthen you so we may be stronger. He has fully equpped you, now stand in the battle prepared.