shakadara!

it is so good to be back.

new sights today, fun to get back into the "first time" experiences. our team was also joined today by another small team from kentucky, also here with the same NGO. together, we all went into the district of shakadara (which, by the way, is really fun to say). there are two (medical) clinics sponsored by the NGO we're working with in this district, both of which were about to be shut down in just a few days. the team from kentucky shared the story of their near-closing and God's provision. the KY team is well connected with the clinics and became aware that prior funding for these clinics had expired. the group had been praying for provision to keep these clinics open and decided to send one last letter out into the community, giving God one more opportunity to provide. (their leader likened it to gideon laying out the fleece.) within one week, the needed $60,000 poured in. what joy!

we visited the clinics with the head doctor of the NGO and other staff, listening to the local clinic staff discuss their work. these clinics provide free healthcare to over 100,000 people who live more than 60km from kabul and would otherwise be very unlikely to get seen by a doctor. vaccinations, ob-gyn, nutrition, yearly check ups, contraceptives, public health education, emergency services, minor surgery ...the small staff fulfills all these needs for the community. the two clinics also serve the nomadic kuchi people, who rarely obtain healthcare. wow. puts the "issues" with healthcare in america into a different perspective.

we kept talking about how one weekend at flatirons could easily raise the needed money to keep these clinics up and running for years to come. ...the perspective shifts continue...

back to the guest house for a late lunch, a big debrief meeting with the two teams, and some welcomed rest time (siesta, anyone?). now it's after dinner and all of us are sitting in the living room, playing games, chatting, and updating family and friends members via email.

this afternoon has been a great time to reflect and give praise to the One who deserves it. one of the KY team members gave us a good reminder: even though we do not talk about our faith, we are here because of Christ. He is the reason behind it all. His love, His charge to care for the poor, to share his love.