Time for 2008 Trip to Afghanistan

Tomorrow we leave for our sixth humanitarian trip to Afghanistan. We had planned to fly from Dubai to Peshawar and drive over khyber pass to Jalalabad, but some of our associates in Jalalabad recommeneded against going through Pakistan this year, due to security concerns.

So we have rebooked tickets flying directly from Dubai to Kabul and will fly on a domestic flight to Jalalabad.

We have a number of projects and activities planned for the trip which I will share as we go along. Highlights include a Women's Community Health Seminar, Art and Computer Workshop at a girls school, delivery of a number of high quality textbooks and general subject reading books to six reading rooms at schools in Jalalabad and Kabul, delivery of sewing machines and supplies to the Nangarhar Women's Prison, and a children's reading and play corner, ongoing support for the rural school field health worker, and participation with several Rotary clubs in Afghanistan.

We have been lucky to have made some wonderful contacts in the communities we serve and it is a joy to be invited to visit with them and learn more about the culture and everyday family life.

My Rotary club has collaborated with another Rotary club in east Mesa, Arizona and we have completed construction and implementation of four women's poultry farms in the Jalalabad/Surkh Rud/Behsood area. On this trip we will have the opportunity to tour the four farms for the first time and visit with the women and their families.

In Afghan Pashtun Muslim culture, women are not allowed to be seen or looked upon by a man who is not a close family relative. For this reason, when we visit with the families of the four households where the women's poultry farms are located, it will be impossible for the male members of our travel team to meet or even see the women. The female members of our group will however be able to go into the back women's area and enjoy a visit participate in discussions with them. The ladies are always very sweet and shy, and have questions for us, as we do for them.

I always feel lucky to have these more intimate insights into the lives of the women in this part of the world. They are a mystery to us in the West because they are so cloistered and secluded. We don't always get invited to meet the women, it usually seems to depend upon the man of the house, whether he likes us or not, or perhaps has to decide if it is worth the complications it may cause by introducing the strange western females to his wives and daughters, versus their interest and excitement at being able to visit with foreigners.

If we behave ourselves and keep our headscarves on our heads and try to behave in a 'demure' and non aggresive, polite manner, we are generally invited to meet the females, and I am always delighted when permission is given.