View from my position in the Village
Part of a growing crowd. They are sitting on the roof of a mud hut that is situated right next to the road. You can see my commander and our medic below in the village talking to the elders before going into a house for a meeting and tea.
A guy from my team and I at the HA site survey
Just another ANA dude getting his picture taken. This was his third pose.
Really dull week.
The highlight of my week was going out last Saturday for a humanitarian assistance site survey. We do the survey to get the lay of the land and see what the people need. We order the stuff and make a plan to go back and hand out things and administer minor medical care. The site is a small village (about 300 families) on a river. The village is perched on a flat piece of land at the base of the mountains overlooking the river. It is neat little place and the people were glad to have us.
My job for the mission was to provide security for my commander while he went into a meeting with the village elder to discuss some of the problems the village has and what the ANA/Americans can do to help. Throughout this and all of our trips (other than weekly mail runs), the ANA is right next to us providing security as well. They had an officer in the meeting doing the talking, we are there as advisers. The children would flock around us and just stare. These kids are young enough that they don’t know an Afghanistan without faceless American men with fancy sunglasses and big black guns. I brought along a bag of candy and gave it to my interpreter to pass out to the kids. When the crowd of kids around me would get too big, I didn’t have to worry about it, an ANA soldier would be along shortly to shoo them away like a stray animals. The kids would run a few meters and laugh and slowly creep back to a sitting position close enough to be shooed away minutes later…sounds like a fun game, right?The meeting lasted for about 45min and we left the area without incident.
While I was there, I did get to enjoy an Afghan Capri Sun (although, it probably was made in Pakistan). While we were there, a man approached me and asked if I could help his daughter…he was grabbing his hand. Our medic was in the meeting, so I said that I would take a look. He said that she had burned her hand and there was a problem with the healing. As he walked away to get her, I asked how long ago (I figured days), he responded “2 years.” Well about that time, I knew that Neosporin wasn’t going to help. He brought her out, and this is what we saw:
The highlight of my week was going out last Saturday for a humanitarian assistance site survey. We do the survey to get the lay of the land and see what the people need. We order the stuff and make a plan to go back and hand out things and administer minor medical care. The site is a small village (about 300 families) on a river. The village is perched on a flat piece of land at the base of the mountains overlooking the river. It is neat little place and the people were glad to have us.
My job for the mission was to provide security for my commander while he went into a meeting with the village elder to discuss some of the problems the village has and what the ANA/Americans can do to help. Throughout this and all of our trips (other than weekly mail runs), the ANA is right next to us providing security as well. They had an officer in the meeting doing the talking, we are there as advisers. The children would flock around us and just stare. These kids are young enough that they don’t know an Afghanistan without faceless American men with fancy sunglasses and big black guns. I brought along a bag of candy and gave it to my interpreter to pass out to the kids. When the crowd of kids around me would get too big, I didn’t have to worry about it, an ANA soldier would be along shortly to shoo them away like a stray animals. The kids would run a few meters and laugh and slowly creep back to a sitting position close enough to be shooed away minutes later…sounds like a fun game, right?The meeting lasted for about 45min and we left the area without incident.
While I was there, I did get to enjoy an Afghan Capri Sun (although, it probably was made in Pakistan). While we were there, a man approached me and asked if I could help his daughter…he was grabbing his hand. Our medic was in the meeting, so I said that I would take a look. He said that she had burned her hand and there was a problem with the healing. As he walked away to get her, I asked how long ago (I figured days), he responded “2 years.” Well about that time, I knew that Neosporin wasn’t going to help. He brought her out, and this is what we saw:
(her last three fingers on her right hand are pretty much webbed together. Her fingers healed in a curled position, so she'll need some physical therapy to straighten that out)
I don’t have any follow up on her. I forwarded the pictures to our lead medic and he did some research. Her father can bring her to an Egyptian run hospital about 3hrs away, and she can get the surgery done there. We are going to advise them on how to do this and make the arrangements for them. I will try to keep up with this and let y’all know anything that I find out. The best I can figure is that she spilled a pot or kettle on her hand and it was wrapped in a cloth to heal.The rest of the week has been really slow.
I have done a ton of office work and little mentoring. My main mentee was gone most of the week. We met Monday and Thursday. I had lunch in his office off of the vinyl table cloth both days. I had lady fingers (smothered okra cut in about 2” pieces) for the first time here. It is one of my favorites back home, and they did an excellent job on it. They bring so much food, and as most of you know I’ll sit and eat for a while. I have to make them take it away. Both days this week, they brought watermelon for dessert. Thursday, I had somewhere to be, so I tried to excuse myself after only a few pieces, and my mentee told me, “No, you have to eat.” So, I ate. He was probably joking, but he doesn’t laugh when he jokes. He laughs at other times, mainly when I joke or try to speak Pashtun.
He is a very interesting man. I have been reading a lot since I got to this mysterious land. I have read two books about Afghanistan. One was from Alexander the Great to present times, with very little about the country since 2001. The other talked very little about before 2001, and focused mainly on Sept 2001 to Jan 2002. Both went into great detail about their respective time periods and both heavily praised a man known as “The Lion.” Massoud was his last name and he was killed on 9 Sept 2001. Bin Laden had him killed, because he knew that the Americans would be coming and Massoud and his men would help the U.S. Well, obviously we did fine without him, but he was a great man for the country and people of Afghanistan. People bow their heads at the sound of his name. People have his face plastered to the front windshield of cars or in the common room of their homes. Well, I decided to ask about the military history of my mentee. He fought next to the Lion against the Russians and the Taliban. He helped the U.S. beat the Taliban in the winter months of 2001. He has seen a lot. He walks with a limp; his right ankle looks like it is permanently rolled. He has huge scars up and down his arms. He stands about 5’5” tall but thinks he is as big as his afternoon shadow. It is unique to have had hours and hours of conversation with this man, but the only words we have exchanged between the two of us directly are “How are you , God be upon you.”
I hope you are all enjoying my tales. I write so you know that I am enjoying my time here. I write so you can try to understand how someone could enjoy this. I especially write so you know that there is a lot more good going on in this country than bad.
Take care and God Bless.
BMP
I don’t have any follow up on her. I forwarded the pictures to our lead medic and he did some research. Her father can bring her to an Egyptian run hospital about 3hrs away, and she can get the surgery done there. We are going to advise them on how to do this and make the arrangements for them. I will try to keep up with this and let y’all know anything that I find out. The best I can figure is that she spilled a pot or kettle on her hand and it was wrapped in a cloth to heal.The rest of the week has been really slow.
I have done a ton of office work and little mentoring. My main mentee was gone most of the week. We met Monday and Thursday. I had lunch in his office off of the vinyl table cloth both days. I had lady fingers (smothered okra cut in about 2” pieces) for the first time here. It is one of my favorites back home, and they did an excellent job on it. They bring so much food, and as most of you know I’ll sit and eat for a while. I have to make them take it away. Both days this week, they brought watermelon for dessert. Thursday, I had somewhere to be, so I tried to excuse myself after only a few pieces, and my mentee told me, “No, you have to eat.” So, I ate. He was probably joking, but he doesn’t laugh when he jokes. He laughs at other times, mainly when I joke or try to speak Pashtun.
He is a very interesting man. I have been reading a lot since I got to this mysterious land. I have read two books about Afghanistan. One was from Alexander the Great to present times, with very little about the country since 2001. The other talked very little about before 2001, and focused mainly on Sept 2001 to Jan 2002. Both went into great detail about their respective time periods and both heavily praised a man known as “The Lion.” Massoud was his last name and he was killed on 9 Sept 2001. Bin Laden had him killed, because he knew that the Americans would be coming and Massoud and his men would help the U.S. Well, obviously we did fine without him, but he was a great man for the country and people of Afghanistan. People bow their heads at the sound of his name. People have his face plastered to the front windshield of cars or in the common room of their homes. Well, I decided to ask about the military history of my mentee. He fought next to the Lion against the Russians and the Taliban. He helped the U.S. beat the Taliban in the winter months of 2001. He has seen a lot. He walks with a limp; his right ankle looks like it is permanently rolled. He has huge scars up and down his arms. He stands about 5’5” tall but thinks he is as big as his afternoon shadow. It is unique to have had hours and hours of conversation with this man, but the only words we have exchanged between the two of us directly are “How are you , God be upon you.”
I hope you are all enjoying my tales. I write so you know that I am enjoying my time here. I write so you can try to understand how someone could enjoy this. I especially write so you know that there is a lot more good going on in this country than bad.
Take care and God Bless.
BMP
Hey Bryson,
ReplyDeleteHappy 4th! In regards to the little girl with the hand burn, what she has is called a burn contracture. It's a permanent shortening of the post burn scar tissue. The shortening can actually pull the joints out of alignment. It's particularly a problem with burns around the chest because it can restrict breathing. Unfortunately, it can only be fixed with reconstructive surgery with skin grafts and then therapy. Sorry this post is a little late, I got behind on my blog reading.
Adrienne and I are going home for labor day and Mom is going to host a big shindig for the August/Septemeber birthdays! We'll certainly raise a glass (or three) to you! Thanks for all you do and we miss you.
Vanessa