Video

Check out a nice VIDEO from one of our team members this week.

Afghan Meal

Goat kebabs, naan and pakistani style chai

Home!

We apparently picked a good time to leave. President Obama arrived shortly after our departure and the first thing Wednesday morning there was a suicide bomb attack, which would have placed us in lock down. Thankful for God's timing and our team is back in the states. Smooth flights all around. Feels good.

I will miss my new Afghan friends. Lord willing, I will return to Afghanistan in the very near future. I will post an update on some overall trip take aways soon. Stay tuned.

Day 8

We traveled to Istalif today to visit the medical clinic and meet with the leadership to discuss challenges and needs of the community. Very much like the Barek Aub clinic, they are getting by on just the essentials and yet very hopeful.

We had kebabs at the creek in the village with the Governor and continued the dialogue on how our partner organization can continue to provide developmental leadership and resources. Let me just say this was one of the coolest meals I have ever enjoyed. Lamb, naan, sixty degrees, sitting under cherry blossom trees next to the creek and getting business done. Perfect.

While most of the team took a half hour shopping the bazaar in the village, I enjoyed tea while reclined on a toshak at a local vendor with our host and our chokidor Kushal (my new favorite guy on the planet).

Packing meeting tonight with the team and final prep for our return. Excited to greet my family in Colorado and enjoy a few days of rest. God is good.

Day 7

Must have Dari phrase for this Coloradoan...tashwish nako. More on that later.

Today we helped with laying foundation on a house in the Barek Aub village. The interesting piece of this project was our goal to have the Afghans teach us their methods for building them. They have a method that has been used since dirt was invented and we wanted more insight. We helped haul rock mostly and it was great to get our hands a bit dirty. I also enjoyed the rounds of Apache helicopters dropping test bombs on the hillside just a mile away. That'll perk you right up any day.

We took time afterwards to sit with the elders of the village to discuss their current struggles and to brainstorm ideas for development. As you might recall from my post in February, we hope to transition our supported communities out of relief mode and into development mode. This is both a long process and also very complex. Generating productive economies in a village so isolated and without infrastructure takes a ton of planning and cooperation. And while the residents of the village are incredibly thankful, we honestly are sensing some frustration begin to take root. We desperately want to begin to develop more ideas which are sustainable for the community to thrive.

We also toured the west end of the village to investigate the massive failure in the water diversion project led by a different organization which resulted in two homes washed away in this year's end of drought and very wet winter/spring. Repairing this issue is going to require significant capital and expert planning and engineering.

The weather today was a lot like Colorado, sunny, calm and 60 degrees all morning and 40 mph winds and a dust storm in the afternoon. Will be cleaning Afghanistan sand from my ears and nose for probably the next two days. Tashwish Nako...no worries.

Barek Aub Day 6

"We bring greetings from the village of..."

Today was another day filled with hope for the Afghans. We visited Barek Aub, a former IDP camp turned strong community of people determined to become a thriving village. I was a bit surprised at the size of the village, which busted the seams of my interpretation and expectations coming up in our vehicle. It's set in a valley surrounded by stunning viewscape, including the Hindu Cush mountains. Just off a newly paved road, we drove on rocky sand paths to the newly constructed school. Our host made introductions with our team and the village elders and Mullah and we unloaded clothes for distribution to the children.

Our team lead greeted the children and let them know they are deeply loved and prayed over every day to live a long and happy life. Seeing these children in school knowing just a few years ago they were shipped out of Kabul to this desert with the "sky as their tent and rocks for their bed" (village elder) filled me with great hope. My favorite part was shaking hands and exchanging fists bumps with the boys as their faces lit up with huge smiles. Several times I had to fight back tears while standing in front of these classrooms. We toured the school library and supplies room, as well to get an understanding of their current needs, which remain great. Much is still needed to provide a good education, so this generation of children can one day make a positive difference in Afghanistan and the world.

We then toured the clinic, the only one provided for over 11,000 area residents in the valley. The lead physician explained how the clinic works, its current needs and introduced us to his staff. The clinic sees 30-40 patients per day, quite a load for a building housing an emergency room that resembles a waiting area. The pharmacy had only a dozen medications. This was discouraging but once again a huge step of progress when one's expectations are reset to reality out here.

And then there is the well. In 2010 we dug a 150M well which tapped pure, sand filtered water. This is a life saving water supply to a once drought ridden place and it gives ongoing hope to the residents. While there, our host gave his testimony of how he discovered the IDP camp and launched his effort to rescue them. This was a very powerful reminder to me how one transaction or decision can change the course of history. Instead of an unknown scene of the death of several families in the desert, Barek Aub will one day show up on the map as a thriving, self governed village with a strong economy and a place of production.

Rest

Muslim holy day, as well as national holiday (anniversary of the end of the Russian occupation), which means a very quiet Kabul. Our team began the day as we have every day...in the Word and in prayer.

We spent four hours in worship - singing, praying, sharing insight with one another through various readings. We also had some spontaneous moments rallying around those hurting through some serious emotional battles. Shared tears, laughs and quiet moments in reflection all included. Let me say this very simply - I am part of a truly great team of men. All gifted uniquely and all passionate about serving. It's an honor.

We ventured out with our host leaders to the Intercontinental Hotel for tea and coffee. It's situated in a great spot and although the clouds interfered, we did get to see some of the peaks of the Hindu Kush Range. 24,000 ft mountains are something to behold. The Afghans are working hard to remodel portions of the hotel after last years' attacks. Yet another sign of hope and determination.

On a personal note, I am working hard to process what I've been exposed to thus far. It's not easy for a guy who processes routine, daily matters a bit obsessively. These complex dynamics of social, physical, spiritual and emotional dichotomies in Afghanistan have my brain in overdrive, resulting in limited sleep. I often feel sadness, joy, anger and peace all at the same time. I'm exhausted and have only been here one week. How deeply the Afghans deal with this on a  permanent basis, I will never know.

Just for fun...

Day 4

Today was one of the driving elements for the composition of this particular team. Our team is made up of men, all of whom are experienced leaders. Today, we participated in training the leadership of our host organization's key leaders. These are the rooted leaders who are truly empowered to bring sustainable change in Afghanistan. They are leading the future leaders of this country and are critically important in keeping the country on the right path. In America, we might say "this is where the rubber meets the road." The approach was open ended and designed to engage in conversation between our two teams and it was effective.

Discussion focused on servant leadership and the components that drive its success. We exchanged practical examples in our work environments through the lens of these components, including honesty, integrity, consistency. Topics such as conflict resolution were particularly insightful and the need for translation in all the dialogue was not a roadblock whatsoever. I was encouraged when heads were nodding in agreement from both the Afghan and American teams.

After training, we broke bread over a massive lunch which is likely to ensure skipping dinner.  I'm not used to eating this much food but I sure enjoy the community it creates with the Afghans. I am so very challenged by the hospitality of the Afghan people. Sorry friends, but we din the west don't even come close to the level of community created here. It washes away any sense of being in a war zone. Now I understand why my team leader has often expressed how he never feels unsafe here.

A couple of us revisited our cultural training as a team before coming here and the point made that what we experience here and how we process it is just the tip of the iceberg. In other words, we will return and over time continue learn more deeply what we experienced and how we can provide support to the Afghans and how we can apply that gained knowledge to our own lives. My prayer and hope is that Afghans will share that goal.

Day 3

As I am posting from my phone all week on possibly the world record holder for slowest internet, I am keeping photos on the blog to a minimum. My apologies if you're looking for more.

Today we visited a girls high school for a distribution assignment. We took blankets mostly and, after unloading the truck, spent a great deal of time with the head of school discussing the hope, accomplishments and needs of the students. I was floored by the stats - 12,000 students taught by 200 teachers over three shifts per day. No water, no heat, no air, no fans. The government brings water in twice per week, otherwise the children have no water supply. Outside tents are needed to accommodate those numbers. Desks and chairs are in short supply. And, of course, they could use a ton of school supplies. The redemption is the absolute joy from these children. Just a decade ago, girls couldn't set foot in a school. Now this one school has 12,000 of them, all eager to get an education and enter a world of competitive workforce. I also had the opportunity to demonstrate how the camera on my phone worked to a couple siblings of a student. They were fascinated to see their own faces on this tiny piece of technology. Definitely a little slice of heaven for me.

The head of school was very grateful that the challenges being faced in Afghanistan are being shared in the U.S.  Part of what our short term teams accomplish is raising awareness to those easily capable of helping. We go inside the borders to see and experience those needs so as to better reveal the ways they can be redeemed. It's an eye opening ordeal, and I am excited to return with this perspective and opportunity to share more deeply.

I want to take the opportunity mid trip to once again thank you for supporting all this. None of it gets done without that support. I wish you could be here in such a great country full of history and hope!

Day 2

I have pretty much pocketed my phone so little to no photos. Our resident photographer snapped 800+ shots today so no need for duplication. When the trip concludes, better photos will emerge.

We began the day with group worship on the lawn around 6am reading and discussing Nehemiah from the Bible.  Enjoyed a breakfast of mini fried pancakes, naan and tea. We then took to the streets of Kabul for a quick stop at Chicken Street for chadors (scarves) and some errands before heading off for the Kabul school. This was a real treat spending time with 220 children ages 7-14. The goal of the school is to raise their level to acceptability for public schooling. These children were full of joy and were all smiles, despite most having their one and only meal of the day (rice, beans and naan). One of our team members is an illustrator and won the children over with white board creativity. Laughs and smiles all around. You would not believe the level of respect these children demonstrate d to us and the excitement for school was contagious.

This afternoon we sorted blankets for one of our IDP camps in preparation for a visit later this week. We also got measured for our traditional Afghan outfits, the Shalwar Kameez, which we will wear extensively the rest of the trip.

I am completely off my sleep schedule and by that I mean five hours in the last four days. Apologies for any lack of structure to this post. Maybe tomorrow. Oh by the way...everyone tells me they see those Flatirons stickers everywhere.  Well, the pic below is proof they are, indeed, everywhere, including Afghanistan!

Day 1

We got here safely. What a stunning diversity of scenery. The Afghans are the most hospitable people I have ever encountered. I am humbled. Our hosts met us right outside passport control and basically made our transition a breeze. Travel through the city weighed heavy on my heart (I intentionally kept my camera in my pocket so that I could see it with my own lens). I experienced excitement, nervousness, joy, and pain. Our team lead and I rode in a separate vehicle from the rest of the team and it was great to hear all his delighted commentary on so many changes for the better even since just last summer. There are a lot of positive developments in this city as of late. Examples include sidewalks, cover grates for sewer drains, street lights, newly planted trees. Bear in mind, the degree to which these improvements are in place is limited; however, it's very promising.

I sat in quiet amazement at the stories from our Afghan hosts, who survived incredible challenges in recent years, often not knowing what the next day might bring. They are filled with joy about their country and are grateful for the support of so many teams. It's an honor to serve with them.

Relief vs Development

I struggle to put together the right words when asked "what will you be doing in Afghanistan?" by so many people. It's not a quick and easy answer like rebuilding a school or water well. While those things are happening in the community we'll be serving, it goes much deeper. Our team is focused on development. It's a process of ongoing change that extends to the physical, emotional and spiritual health of both the helped and the helpers. It empowers people to establish a long-term healthy life in all three aspects.

It would be foolish for my team to think we'll walk in and change the environment of the community in one trip. It takes time and tangible evidence may not surface for years. And it's more of a holistic approach and it takes place in iterations.

Our team is simply one piece of a much larger puzzle currently being built. And we don't yet even know what piece that is but are certain it's an important one.

Pic of the Week

Coldest winter in Kabul in 15 years matched with significant snowfall.

February Team

Update on the current team...http://www.flatironschurch.com/international/

Humbled

One word...wow. I am at 75% funded for the trip. The support is incredible. One of my contributors was exactly right this week when he said "I feel like I am going with you to Afghanistan now." Yep. He is. And so is everyone supporting it financially, prayerfully and practically. You are all going with me to Afghanistan.

28 days from now I step on a plane for a 9,000 mile journey. Can't wait!

Picture of the Week

Kabul, Afghanistan

Source: The Guardian News, U.K.

40 Days

And just like that, I'm forty days away from packing my bag for Afghanistan. And yes, I meant one bag. Traveling light. I spoke with a team member this morning bound for the same location in seven days on another team from Flatirons. Her joy at returning for another trip was evident and told me I am joining a small group of people who have experienced a truly life changing trip. When she asked if I was excited, I told her I'd jump on her team's plane in a heartbeat if I could.

I was reading this morning about when helping hurts. We westerners tend to think of poverty differently than those in the midst of it. Our motives need to be driven by enabling true change and empowerment in the people we serve well beyond any thought of what we gain from it. In fact, if I am driven by what I gain from this trip, I should just keep my butt at home. No room for that - supporting the Afghans in their desire to rebuild and redefine their country is what matters.

I have purposefully avoided much talk of the financial piece of this trip to date. Not much for asking for money and, quite frankly, it makes me down right uncomfortable. But I've learned over the years if it isn't communicated, people often do not have the opportunity to be informed and be involved. I would like to put this out there for consideration, for those interested in contributing financially. And this will likely be the last time until I give a final report on the fund raising efforts. I am calling on my network to consider a $30 contribution. I am looking for fifty individuals to give this amount. I would like to hit this number by February 14, Valentine's Day. And since I've been asked a few times just in the past week, I am currently at 21% of needed contributions.

Contributions can be directed to:
FCC
355 W South Boulder Road
Lafayette, CO 80026
Memo: Afghanistan - Peter Tighe


I also want to say thank you to everyone who has been encouraging and interested in this trip. I've been blessed to talk over details with dozens of people who share a vision for seeing those in poverty brought hope and resources to change their lives.

Team Project

Team project last weekend. It was great to spend several hours getting to know the team better through working together, breaking bread and spending time afterwards discussing our upcoming trip and all the challenges that comes with it. I feel good about the dynamic of the team, the various skill sets and personalities. It is clear we all can and should learn from one another. My hope is that we are used in a powerful way to impact the lives of the Afghans in Kabul.

Picture of the Week

Have you thought about your water source today? A simple pull on the lever and we have clean, cold or hot water. Not necessarily that easy in Afghanistan. Strategic water supply and treatment can solve many problems.

Bamyan Province, Afghanistan

Pic of the Week

Football - Kabul, Afghanistan


source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gut Check

Vulnerability alert. I must admit over the holidays I had a few moments of doubt and discouragement over the trip. I began to doubt my resolve, doubt my personal ability to endure the unknown and doubt my personal safety. These moments have been brief, but I would be lying if I didn't admit they existed. I read a great reminder this week from an ancient text "let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything". There really is no doubt at my core regarding my assignment to this team. My doubts come in momentary weakness, and I have been truly encouraged by God's faithfulness and a peace that transcends.

As I typed an email update tonight, it hit me that just 67 days remain before our team steps on a plane and takes a 35 hour ride to the other side of the planet. We have a team project in January, serving the community of Lafayette. We will complete a culture training class in February. Then it's time for last minute preparation for travel. Much more to come in the meantime, including photos, stories and insight to our trip.