The Sozo/Flatirons Construction Trip - Day 4

If you received my daily email updates you've seen most of it, but not all. Since my return I've added a few notes and comments which I've put in blue italic type so those of you who don't want to read it all again can pick out the "new stuff." <g> I've also added a couple photos from each day of the trip, which weren't always in the daily updates.

If you'd like to see more photos from the trip, follow the link to the left.  I took many of them, but the rest were taken by other team members Levi Dockendorf, Jeff English, Dave Harrison, Jordan Kejr, Micah Kirkwood, Michal Kmita, and David Pesek. Ron Barnes was there, too, but usually too busy keeping track of the rest of us to take photos. <g> If you'd like hi-rez copies of any of them just let me know.

Thursday, June 26

What a truly amazing day.

Thank you for your specific prayers yesterday to no one's surprise they were all answered. Wakil and Mohammad Kahn were able to make all the necessary arrangements for us to travel to Barek Aub first thing this morning and the entire team approached the day with open hearts and willing hands.

The drive out to Barek Aub featured the usual on-road thrills but this time we had a little up-close-and-personal excitement! The team was in two Land Cruisers with Malek driving the first and Walide driving the second (the one I'm in). Malek went to pass a pickup stacked to the sky with empty wooden pallets when the pickup suddenly started to turn left, right into Malek's path. Both drivers stood on the brakes and skidded to a halt with no contact being made. However, all the pallets in the pickup spilled forward and over the cab of the truck blocking the road. I saw Malek jump out to head over to the other truck, then Walide did the same and finally Mohammad Kahn did as well. All of us in the second truck thought we should get out and "help" too until we realized Malek hadn't gone over to the other driver to "help" but rather to adjust his concept of reality. Had Mohammad Kahn not pulled him back, we're betting it wouldn't have been pretty. And if you know Malek, you also know he would not have lost. <g> So the passengers in the pickup soon got the pallets off the road and we continued on our way. (For those of you who are not familiar with traffic in Afghanistan, don't worry about us - this was NOT a dangerous situation. Minor traffic "incidents" like this happen all the time and are normal part of life over here. I would not have mentioned this if I thought you had reason to worry!)

When we arrived at Barek Aub all of us were amazed to see how much progress had been made... the pump house which was being built in April is now complete, more homes have been built, and we spotted a shop selling sundries for the residents along the dirt road into the camp Barek Aub's first micro-business!! They have been able to dig two new shallow wells to supply water for the construction sites, foundations for the school AND clinic are complete, and they've begun on the external and internal walls. Both buildings are much larger than any of us envisioned - the school will eventually have two floors with approx. 5,400 square feet on each floor!

We split up the team and pitched in wherever we could help - mixing mortar, moving granite blocks for the clinic boundary wall, ferrying bricks and mortar to the bricklayers on both building sites. Micah was even allowed to lay a couple bricks before it was politely suggested that perhaps his true value to the school children of Barek Aub was in hauling mortar <g>. Jeff got to review the blueprints for both buildings and Dave H. was able to do some initial soil evaluation dealing with water use and sanitation (all with good results). All of us were able to work one-on-one directly with the local craftsmen and a number of new friendships and bonds were forged.

Jeff and I spoke at length with Abdul Jalil, a 15 year-old living with and helping raise his 10 brothers and sisters, who brought tea out to the construction site for the entire team. We also met Mohammad who is in his final year of medical school in Kabul and hopes to be one of the first doctors hired to work at the clinic full time. We met Bashi, Shaka, and Mustafa, three of the many young boys who worked with us, all of whom quickly mastered the fist bump as taught by Dave P. the quaterback of the Colorado School of Mines varsity football team. In fact, many of the kids in Barek Aub LOVED learning the "fist bump and exoplosion" greeting and we can't wait till the next team arrives in November and is greeted by the children that way!

One thing interesting as we began to meet and chat with some of the English-speaking residents of Barek Aub was that once you told them your name they ALWAYS wanted to know what it meant. For example, when Jeff and I met Abdul Jalil, the 15-year old I mentioned above, he said his name meant "beautiful" in Persian and wanted to know what "Bob" means. I told him it was short for "Robert" but I didn't know what Robert meant either. When I got back to the guest house I looked it up and "Robert" is of Germanic origin and means "bright fame". Cool! I can't wait to see Abdul Jalil again and tell him!

Naieme, the main cook at the Sozo guest house, came to BA with us today and prepared a fantastic lunch of chicken, naan, and fruit which we shared in a small tent they'd erected (complete with an elegant Afghan rug and toshaks to sit on) just so we could get out of the sun. And speaking of the weather

Your prayers for relief from the heat were answered, too, as strong breezes made the mid-90 degree temps more tolerable. But maybe y'all prayed a bit too hard as the winds continued to build in the afternoon causing severe dust storms throughout the Shomali Plain and bringing work for the day to a halt. Not many complaints from the team though, as we were all exhausted anyway. We headed back to the guest house for some Chai tea, Uno, and naps before another marvelous Naieme-prepared dinner. Wakil was able to join us for dinner and shared more of the long term plans for construction in and around Barek Aub.

I apologize for the lengthy update, but today was truly historic and I'm still only hitting the high spots. Tomorrow, Friday, is the Muslim holy day so we won't be doing any work at Barek Aub. We're looking forward to seeing Chicken Street, Prayer Hill, and some of the other sights of Kabul.

Our prayer request for today is less specific than yesterday (y'all did too well!). Please pray that we will continue to enjoy good health and high energy, and for guidance in playing a part in God's plan for Afghanistan.

Thank you again for all your support.

--Bob Tunnell

The beginnings of the new school for boys AND girls in Barek Aub.
photo by Bob Tunnell

Dave and Levi inspecting (and approving of) the rebar for the first floor of the new school. Yes, it's eventually going to have two floors!
Photo by Bob Tunnell

The first walls of the new permanent clinic for Barek Aub.
photo by Bob Tunnell

Jeff reviewing the plans for the clinic with Abdul Jalil and Habibulah, the Project Manger... after sharing tea, of course.
photo by Bob Tunnell

Bob passing bricks to Mohommad Kahn.
Photo by Micah Kirkwood

Jordan hauling a load of bricks for the school. The bricklayers affectionately nicknamed him "The Mule".
Photo by Bob Tunnell

The pump house for the well in April and June.
photos by Ron Atchley and Micah Kirkwood

Dave teaching one of the kids to count to 10 in English... or maybe gang signs... we're really not sure.
Photo by Bob Tunnell