Havens in a Weary Land

Salom, salom alaikum! Peace, peace be upon thee!
Shumaa khub hasteen? Are you well?
Bale, khub asteem, tashakur. Yes, we are well, thank you.

With a moment's notice, we were whisked out of a haven of peace to be planted into a weary land, where peace is a far-off ideal for which they so desperately yearn.

For the coming two or so years, we will be calling this building our office, and the people who go in and out of these doors our colleagues and students. What we will be doing for them remains a bit unclear, and in this, we have some trepidation about being able to contribute meaningfully.

Because of our Maker's kindness, we find ourselves situated in the richest green spot in Kabul, the university campus. Through the years of turmoil, this area was not as heavily bombed, the trees not as clear cut, nor the vegetation as chewed down by wandering flocks of sheep, goats, and cattle.

Kabul University remains a sort of haven in center of Kabul's metropolis. Folks from the neighboring communities come to walk through the campus for a bit of fresh air and shade, not to mention the enjoyment of the more relaxed dress code and ensuing relaxation of one's "guards".

Adjacent to the Faculty of Agriculture lies extensive plots of arable land (a fraction of which is pictured here), technically referred to as the Faculty of Agriculture Farm. Our hope is to work with the faculty to make this farm operational.

To the north and east of the university are hills densely dotted with "squatter's" houses. For the most part, these houses on the hillsides are without running water. To get water, neighbors pool together to hire a water-carrier who treks up and down these slopes daily (talk about a work-out!).

Our living accommodations are very nice, indeed! One room with a desk, double bed, wardrobe and bathroom, is sufficient for most of our needs & purposes (for now :-) ). Actually, we have seen much more of the inside of our room than desired, as the food here has not agreed with us, resulting in fatigue and other unpleasantries. A saving grace is that our room looks out on this rose lined courtyard, from which we can see the mountains on the north and east. Another haven in which we partake!

Step outside, and one sees the real Kabul, hustling and bustling with cars, road-side kiosks selling things such as soda and snacks, to services, such as the repairing of tires of bikes or cars. Currently, we have concern about going out too much, as the city is in a state of heightened security. More next time about Kabul from our perspective!

If you are curious about what our employment is to be, a former colleague documented his stay in a blog http://zaraat.blogspot.com/