Flatirons Men's Afghanistan Trip Day Six - Friday, April 27, 2012
TGIF. For real. Friday in Afghanistan (and for Muslims) is the sabbath. Afghans take the day off to spend time with family and go to the mosque. So, since this is their holy day, the rest of the ex pats on our mission partners staff have church on Friday too. It's their Sunday-Go-To-Meetin' Day. There was talk of going to a fellowship hall to join some of the other Christian ex pats (They call it Big Church), but our host thought it best to stay put. It was Victory Day here (The day Afghans celebrate their overthrow of the Soviets) and the streets were going to be packed with celebrants. So, we were going to have the privilege of doing church at the guest house (They call that Little Church).
We began the day like we have each morning here at the guest house with that day's devotional through Nehemiah. Peter, Jase, John, Kyle and I were already up and in deep in conversation by the time the other guys came into the living room at 6:30 AM. This has been the trend since we've been here. The attendance changes each morning, but the result is the same: a group of us sits in the living room, drinking strong coffee (or tea) delving into some deep (and some not-so-deep) topics. It's been a great way to connect with each other and learn what makes each other tick. Topics have varied from 5 Point Calvinism, the interpretation of end times scripture, and the challenges of being a believer in this country...to Best Guy Movies, favorite beers, and funniest Family Guy episodes ("Fabulous!"). It really depends on how many cups of coffee we've consumed. The devotion time today was different though. John Waters said it first, and Steve Yeager echoed his sentiment: The Friday's scripture and devotion was extra heavy. It was from Nehemiah 4, where the Israelites deal with oppression and are attacked at every turn. It created a lot of discussion and we had been at it for 45 min. when the staff cook waved us in for breakfast. We really weren't done yet, but we had to end the devotional time...or so I thought.
We quickly ate breakfast and before long, we were deep into another devotional time -- this one completely unplanned. I really can't detail what went on around the breakfast table without breaking confidences, but it was powerful! It was the most honest, vulnerable time we have had as a team. An hour into it...I just silently thanked God for what was happening...for orchestrating everything...for picking our team...for His perfect timing...and the powerful work He was doing in the hearts and lives of each of us...each broken, faulted children of God. There was great laughter and a few tears in the arc of our time together and we ended it in prayer. Oh man! It was already a heart-wrencher...and we hadn't even started Little Church yet!
The new director for our mission partner led Little Church. We held it right around the breakfast table. I have to admit, it felt more than a little awkward when we first started. No one there could play guitar, so we sang along to some praise music played through an iPod stereo system. Weird at first...but slowly...it seemed like the most natural thing to do. People took turns sharing scriptures or prayers in between the songs and it was amazing the way each verse or prayer was the perfect word or sentiment for the moment.
We can read in the Bible, in the book of Acts, about what it was like for the early church; meeting in secrecy, under great suspicion and oppression. The first church consisted of followers holding up in secret all over the region in various towns and cities where Christianity first started to spread. These early believers...these followers of Jesus...were like little lights scattered all over the known world...like stars in the night sky. Today, sitting around that table, awkwardly singing praise songs to a portable stereo, sharing the power of God's word, and feeling His presence in our prayer time as if He was sitting their with us...filling the room. It was what it must have been like for Peter, John, Philip and the rest of those early believers. And it was equally moving to think that there might be other believers doing the same thing...praising the same God...chasing after the same Jesus...other stars...other lights in the night sky of Afghanistan. All hanging by faith to the hope that one day... morning will come...and the sun will rise.
"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars." (Persian Proverb)
-- Dan
Friday, April 27, 2012
Day 5: Steps Ahead
Flatirons Men's Afghanistan Trip Day Five - Thursday, April 26, 2012
Why am I constantly selling God short? Why am I forever doubting that He has things completely under control...and is 10...20...3,000,000 steps ahead of me?
When our team met, very early on in the process, I told our fearless leader, Bob Tunnell, that I would take care of the devotional piece of our trip to Afghanistan. I remembered leading our adult Bible study class through the book of Nehemiah back in Texas -- while we were in the middle of a serious church mess and trying to rebuild after a split.
And God was way ahead of me.
The story of Nehemiah seemed fitting for our mission trip -- a great epic tale centered around restoration and renewal. But even though this happened more than 6 months before we made it over here...the "tyranny of the urgent" kept me from actually putting this devotional together. And I have to admit here, as our trip neared, and my schedule got even crazier, I seriously thought of opting out of preparing the Nehemiah devotions. I kept thinking, "Would it REALLY matter if we don't do it?" But as Monday, April 26th rolled around (5 days before departure), I felt God really urging me to prepare the devotions...so I chucked my Monday schedule out the window and wrote devotionals, printed out 9 copies and put them in binders -- one for each guy on the team. And some more honesty...doing this was nothing more than checking something off my to-do list.
Still...God was way ahead of me.
Fast forward to Thursday, April 26th. As the team gathered for our morning devotions, there was universal agreement that the Nehemiah story was perfect for what we've been experiencing in Kabul. The parallels between Nehemiah's story and what we were seeing in Afghanistan was stark: One, a displaced Jewish exile rebuilding from the ruins of Jerusalem. The other... countless Afghans trying to rise up from the ruins of their country. And I thought, "This is cool! I'm glad we were going through Nehemiah...for our sakes."
But God was still way ahead of me.
One of our main goals in coming here was to speak, as leaders, to the staff of our missions partner here in Afghanistan -- all of whom are Afghans. We knew they wanted to speak to what it's like to be leaders in America. As we prepped and prepared (as much as we could), I was fully planning to talk about being a servant leader -- which we can see in the Bible.
And there was God...way ahead of me.
We were late for the meeting, due to a delay at one of our off-site excursions and we tip-toed into the conference room...trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Shortly after settling in, the staff member who had been taking the meeting notes on a flip chart turned to us and said, "Well, the men are here. I'm done!" and she left. Bart Lillie leaned and whispered, "You need to go take the notes." I looked at him like, "Why me? Why don't you?" I looked at our team...I was closest to the marker and flip chart. It was enlistment by proximity. So I stood up and Bart whispered, "Talk about Nehemiah." That threw me off. Nehemiah? I quickly grabbed the marker and dumbly stood by the flip chart. I glanced at the notes already written on the chart. I saw "servant leader", "honesty"' "open communication" written in blue marker. And as I read this, I heard our host say, "This is Dan" followed by a bunch if stuff in Dari. All eyes turned to me and my heart started racing. I WASN'T READY! What was he doing? I had a brain fart.
And then...God backed up and stood beside me.
All I can say about what happened next was, it was all God...laying the ground work years and years in advance. My heart settled and I shared with the staff the story of Nehemiah and his role as a servant leader, his example of honesty and open communication...it was as if this moment had been preordained, way in advance...which of course it had been. After that, Bob, John, Bart, Jase and Mike all shared their stories on leadership -- each one sharing how God had orchestrated their lives to become the leaders they are today. And why? Because God was way ahead of them, too.
Please understand, this is not about me or about the guys on the team. This is all about God and His "advance team". I only share this because it was humbling and amazing for the whole team to experience this moment. We all recognized...the pieces that had fallen into place, including our devotional time...the focus on Nehemiah...the lessons we had been pulling from our time together. It all led to that meeting with this staff in Afghanistan. And we don't know what God is going to do with our time here. Our faith and trust is that something good will come out of it...and I know (now, more than ever) that it's not my job to figure it out.
God is already 10...20...3,000,000 steps ahead of us all.
-- Dan
Why am I constantly selling God short? Why am I forever doubting that He has things completely under control...and is 10...20...3,000,000 steps ahead of me?
When our team met, very early on in the process, I told our fearless leader, Bob Tunnell, that I would take care of the devotional piece of our trip to Afghanistan. I remembered leading our adult Bible study class through the book of Nehemiah back in Texas -- while we were in the middle of a serious church mess and trying to rebuild after a split.
And God was way ahead of me.
The story of Nehemiah seemed fitting for our mission trip -- a great epic tale centered around restoration and renewal. But even though this happened more than 6 months before we made it over here...the "tyranny of the urgent" kept me from actually putting this devotional together. And I have to admit here, as our trip neared, and my schedule got even crazier, I seriously thought of opting out of preparing the Nehemiah devotions. I kept thinking, "Would it REALLY matter if we don't do it?" But as Monday, April 26th rolled around (5 days before departure), I felt God really urging me to prepare the devotions...so I chucked my Monday schedule out the window and wrote devotionals, printed out 9 copies and put them in binders -- one for each guy on the team. And some more honesty...doing this was nothing more than checking something off my to-do list.
Still...God was way ahead of me.
Fast forward to Thursday, April 26th. As the team gathered for our morning devotions, there was universal agreement that the Nehemiah story was perfect for what we've been experiencing in Kabul. The parallels between Nehemiah's story and what we were seeing in Afghanistan was stark: One, a displaced Jewish exile rebuilding from the ruins of Jerusalem. The other... countless Afghans trying to rise up from the ruins of their country. And I thought, "This is cool! I'm glad we were going through Nehemiah...for our sakes."
But God was still way ahead of me.
One of our main goals in coming here was to speak, as leaders, to the staff of our missions partner here in Afghanistan -- all of whom are Afghans. We knew they wanted to speak to what it's like to be leaders in America. As we prepped and prepared (as much as we could), I was fully planning to talk about being a servant leader -- which we can see in the Bible.
And there was God...way ahead of me.
We were late for the meeting, due to a delay at one of our off-site excursions and we tip-toed into the conference room...trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Shortly after settling in, the staff member who had been taking the meeting notes on a flip chart turned to us and said, "Well, the men are here. I'm done!" and she left. Bart Lillie leaned and whispered, "You need to go take the notes." I looked at him like, "Why me? Why don't you?" I looked at our team...I was closest to the marker and flip chart. It was enlistment by proximity. So I stood up and Bart whispered, "Talk about Nehemiah." That threw me off. Nehemiah? I quickly grabbed the marker and dumbly stood by the flip chart. I glanced at the notes already written on the chart. I saw "servant leader", "honesty"' "open communication" written in blue marker. And as I read this, I heard our host say, "This is Dan" followed by a bunch if stuff in Dari. All eyes turned to me and my heart started racing. I WASN'T READY! What was he doing? I had a brain fart.
And then...God backed up and stood beside me.
All I can say about what happened next was, it was all God...laying the ground work years and years in advance. My heart settled and I shared with the staff the story of Nehemiah and his role as a servant leader, his example of honesty and open communication...it was as if this moment had been preordained, way in advance...which of course it had been. After that, Bob, John, Bart, Jase and Mike all shared their stories on leadership -- each one sharing how God had orchestrated their lives to become the leaders they are today. And why? Because God was way ahead of them, too.
Please understand, this is not about me or about the guys on the team. This is all about God and His "advance team". I only share this because it was humbling and amazing for the whole team to experience this moment. We all recognized...the pieces that had fallen into place, including our devotional time...the focus on Nehemiah...the lessons we had been pulling from our time together. It all led to that meeting with this staff in Afghanistan. And we don't know what God is going to do with our time here. Our faith and trust is that something good will come out of it...and I know (now, more than ever) that it's not my job to figure it out.
God is already 10...20...3,000,000 steps ahead of us all.
-- Dan
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Day 4: Nehemiah
Flatirons Men's Afghanistan Trip Day Four - Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Okay. So while we're here in Afghanistan we're sort of looking at and studying through the book of Nehemiah each morning before breakfast. It's a pretty cool story about a guy...a Jewish exile, actually...who goes home to fix a wall and rebuild a city. I don't know how many times I've read Nehemiah in the Bible...probably dozens, but for the first time...I think I'm finally getting it...finally seeing what that experience must have been like...and what Nehemiah had to go through to rally his people, organize his work crews, and rebuild Jerusalem. The Afghans are doing that every day here.
We saw a lot of the city today which made me think even more about Nehemiah. But the Jerusalem Nehemiah rebuilt had been destroyed thousands of years ago...and the destruction of Kabul is still a fresh wound with the scars and aftermath apparent at every turn.
The day started with a trip to the south end of Kabul to deliver over 200 blankets we had sorted the day before to a public school and ended with a tour of the city -- all of which required a lot of time in Kabul traffic. Now, I don't know how to describe this experience other than to say, "You don't know what it's like until you've been in it." First, there are no traffics signs or signals or directives whatsoever, and even if they had lane markers...I don't think it would matter. To the outsider, Kabul traffic appears to be one, big chaotic (and noisy) mess of cars randomly nosing in-and-out of the side streets, circling the roundabouts and forcing their way into the various thoroughfares...like a Los Angeles rush hour traffic jam...on crack! Instead, we all have come to see that it's more like those extreme close-ups you see on the Discovery Channel of corpuscles racing through the bloodstream -- with every particle working in tandem with the whole...bringing life to the body or city.
The extended tour of Kabul later in the day only reinforced my thoughts on Nehemiah. Kabul is a city in the midst of repairing itself. We are witnesses to the aggressive reconstruction going on...right alongside of the neglected wreckage...and war-torn skeletal structures that had once been places of glory and pride. The biggest example of this came when our host took our team to (what used to be) one of the presidential palaces used to house visiting dignitaries. It was bombed out and destroyed during the civil war back in '92 or '93. We drove up to the front entrance of this estate and were shocked to see the bullet-riddled shell of what had once been a magnificent guest house. There were still remnants of the marble staircases and ornate brick work.
As we walked through the rubble of the palace I couldn't help thinking of Nehemiah walking through the rubble of Jerusalem before he instigated a plan to rebuild it. It must have seemed as hopeless to him as it did to me -- standing in the remains of all that grandeur. But Nehemiah had great vision and passion and he forged ahead anyway...and finished what he started. Even though it seems hopeless to me, I hope and pray that the people of Afghanistan are equally successful in rebuilding their country...for their sake and for ours. The world would be a better place if this happens. But in the book of Nehemiah we can read that the Israelites were able to rebuild Jerusalem because of Nehemiah's clear vision and because of the unwavering cooperation with each other...and because of their unity in withstanding attack and oppression.
We need to keep praying for God to send another Nehemiah.
-- Dan
Okay. So while we're here in Afghanistan we're sort of looking at and studying through the book of Nehemiah each morning before breakfast. It's a pretty cool story about a guy...a Jewish exile, actually...who goes home to fix a wall and rebuild a city. I don't know how many times I've read Nehemiah in the Bible...probably dozens, but for the first time...I think I'm finally getting it...finally seeing what that experience must have been like...and what Nehemiah had to go through to rally his people, organize his work crews, and rebuild Jerusalem. The Afghans are doing that every day here.
We saw a lot of the city today which made me think even more about Nehemiah. But the Jerusalem Nehemiah rebuilt had been destroyed thousands of years ago...and the destruction of Kabul is still a fresh wound with the scars and aftermath apparent at every turn.
The day started with a trip to the south end of Kabul to deliver over 200 blankets we had sorted the day before to a public school and ended with a tour of the city -- all of which required a lot of time in Kabul traffic. Now, I don't know how to describe this experience other than to say, "You don't know what it's like until you've been in it." First, there are no traffics signs or signals or directives whatsoever, and even if they had lane markers...I don't think it would matter. To the outsider, Kabul traffic appears to be one, big chaotic (and noisy) mess of cars randomly nosing in-and-out of the side streets, circling the roundabouts and forcing their way into the various thoroughfares...like a Los Angeles rush hour traffic jam...on crack! Instead, we all have come to see that it's more like those extreme close-ups you see on the Discovery Channel of corpuscles racing through the bloodstream -- with every particle working in tandem with the whole...bringing life to the body or city.
The extended tour of Kabul later in the day only reinforced my thoughts on Nehemiah. Kabul is a city in the midst of repairing itself. We are witnesses to the aggressive reconstruction going on...right alongside of the neglected wreckage...and war-torn skeletal structures that had once been places of glory and pride. The biggest example of this came when our host took our team to (what used to be) one of the presidential palaces used to house visiting dignitaries. It was bombed out and destroyed during the civil war back in '92 or '93. We drove up to the front entrance of this estate and were shocked to see the bullet-riddled shell of what had once been a magnificent guest house. There were still remnants of the marble staircases and ornate brick work.
As we walked through the rubble of the palace I couldn't help thinking of Nehemiah walking through the rubble of Jerusalem before he instigated a plan to rebuild it. It must have seemed as hopeless to him as it did to me -- standing in the remains of all that grandeur. But Nehemiah had great vision and passion and he forged ahead anyway...and finished what he started. Even though it seems hopeless to me, I hope and pray that the people of Afghanistan are equally successful in rebuilding their country...for their sake and for ours. The world would be a better place if this happens. But in the book of Nehemiah we can read that the Israelites were able to rebuild Jerusalem because of Nehemiah's clear vision and because of the unwavering cooperation with each other...and because of their unity in withstanding attack and oppression.
We need to keep praying for God to send another Nehemiah.
-- Dan
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Day 3: Hope
Flatirons Men's Afghanistan Trip Day Three - Tuesday, April 24, 2012
We went to school today. There were all kinds of things we did throughout the day, but nothing compares to our trip to the school...and the hope we've seen. The morning started with a rousing call to prayer that echoed off the buildings on this end of Kabul. The mullah (I guess) hops on a PA system at the mosque down the street and chants or sings a call to prayer in Pashto...or Dari...or Farsi...Either way, it's like no other alarm clock I've ever had. The predawn hour and sing-song cadence of the mullah on the PA system is haunting.
We said our goodbyes to the Ladies team as they packed up and headed for home. It was wonderful, standing together in this little room of the house where we're staying, being prayed over by this great group of women. That being said...it's much quieter around here now that they're gone. No judgement there...just an observation.
And then we went to school. Teammate John Waters put it best: Hope. We experienced the hope that blankets these muddy streets. I mean, here we were...9 men from the U.S....on a mission trip to help (supposedly) the "least of these"...and we were the ones blessed. Our team was able to go into each classroom and talk to the grade school students...about 220 kids total...and ask questions or hear about what life is like for them here in Kabul.
And we heard hope.
We were all taken back by how well behaved and polite the kids were -- especially knowing that most don't have fathers and come from the poorest of conditions. The school is set up to bring the children "up to speed" with the other kids their age...so that they can enter one of the public schools. Without this school (funded and managed by our mission partner), these kids would be on the streets...and falling through the gaping cracks that exist in their world. But instead, they talk of being pilots and doctors and policemen. They talk of hope.
And we saw hope.
There are two sessions (morning and afternoon) at the school. As the morning session ends, the children are fed -- for some, their only meal of the day. Then, as the the AM kids are dismissed, the PM kids filter in. The looks on their faces took our breath away...multiple times. Like when we had the privilege of feeding them lunch...or when a couple of the guys asked the kids what they wanted to be when they grew up...or simply when they danced and pranced in the courtyard of the school before and after school. The way kids are supposed to dance and prance. Their eyes...their dark, soulful eyes...were filled with joy and hope.
We came back and worked on a project -- sorting through blankets and coats we plan to distribute at an IDP camp tomorrow, but all of us (as Kyle Hamlin said)...were "taking awhile to process" our day at the school.
I really wish everyone back home could experience a fraction of what we've seen and heard here in Kabul so far. I'm sure, like us, you too would be filled...with hope. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
-- Dan
We went to school today. There were all kinds of things we did throughout the day, but nothing compares to our trip to the school...and the hope we've seen. The morning started with a rousing call to prayer that echoed off the buildings on this end of Kabul. The mullah (I guess) hops on a PA system at the mosque down the street and chants or sings a call to prayer in Pashto...or Dari...or Farsi...Either way, it's like no other alarm clock I've ever had. The predawn hour and sing-song cadence of the mullah on the PA system is haunting.
We said our goodbyes to the Ladies team as they packed up and headed for home. It was wonderful, standing together in this little room of the house where we're staying, being prayed over by this great group of women. That being said...it's much quieter around here now that they're gone. No judgement there...just an observation.
And then we went to school. Teammate John Waters put it best: Hope. We experienced the hope that blankets these muddy streets. I mean, here we were...9 men from the U.S....on a mission trip to help (supposedly) the "least of these"...and we were the ones blessed. Our team was able to go into each classroom and talk to the grade school students...about 220 kids total...and ask questions or hear about what life is like for them here in Kabul.
And we heard hope.
We were all taken back by how well behaved and polite the kids were -- especially knowing that most don't have fathers and come from the poorest of conditions. The school is set up to bring the children "up to speed" with the other kids their age...so that they can enter one of the public schools. Without this school (funded and managed by our mission partner), these kids would be on the streets...and falling through the gaping cracks that exist in their world. But instead, they talk of being pilots and doctors and policemen. They talk of hope.
And we saw hope.
There are two sessions (morning and afternoon) at the school. As the morning session ends, the children are fed -- for some, their only meal of the day. Then, as the the AM kids are dismissed, the PM kids filter in. The looks on their faces took our breath away...multiple times. Like when we had the privilege of feeding them lunch...or when a couple of the guys asked the kids what they wanted to be when they grew up...or simply when they danced and pranced in the courtyard of the school before and after school. The way kids are supposed to dance and prance. Their eyes...their dark, soulful eyes...were filled with joy and hope.
We came back and worked on a project -- sorting through blankets and coats we plan to distribute at an IDP camp tomorrow, but all of us (as Kyle Hamlin said)...were "taking awhile to process" our day at the school.
I really wish everyone back home could experience a fraction of what we've seen and heard here in Kabul so far. I'm sure, like us, you too would be filled...with hope. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
-- Dan
Monday, April 23, 2012
Day 2: Kabul - "Floor to Ceiling"
Flatirons Men's Afghanistan Trip Day Two - Monday, April 23, 2012
So I fell asleep Sunday night glancing up, every now and then, at the arrowed decal on the hotel ceiling -- marking the direction toward Mecca for the Muslim devout. A nagging reminder that I'm not nearly as diligent or directed or interested in my prayer life to my Lord...Lord God Jehovah...as those praying to Allah. A sobering thought.
I was wide awake by 5:30AM Monday and met up with an even earlier riser: teammate Bart Lillie. Bart had only slept an hour and was waiting in the breakfast area for the rest of us. One by one, the rest of the team joined us. We ate breakfast together, then circled up in one of the rooms for a quick briefing on our trip from Dubai into Kabul. Bob Tunnell has gone above and beyond call as our team leader and patiently walked us through the customs entry papers. Then, we checked out and split for the airport.
Dubai was even more grand in the daylight with multiple gardens and fountains spread along the roadside on our way to the terminal. Still...and I know I wasn't alone in feeling this way...Dubai was already in my rear view mirror...and I was looking forward to (and anticipating) our arrival in Kabul. Again, the necessary safety stops at the airport went fine and after about a 90 minute wait we were standing at the gate waiting to board the plane. The varied collection of people boarding the Safi Airlines flight into Kabul was a bit of a surprise. First, their were more Westerners than I had expected...and lots of those were rough, chiseled-looking dudes who had the air of ex-military or "independent contractor" to them. It made me want to watch The Bourne Ultimatum...which I did.
I don't know who to thank, but I got the window seat on the Kabul flight. The view for most of the 2 1/2 hour flight was deeeessseeerrrt...desert and, what looked like, dry river beds. That was until we hit a nasty patch of turbulence (the near-roller coaster variety) and started to make our descent.
As we neared Kabul, the mountain ranges came into view -- massive, bright-white, snow capped peaks that resemble the Rockies...but are more like a rough-and-tumble second cousin. The closer we got to Kabul you could make out just how rugged these mountains are, but nestled in the valleys you can see lush, green pockets of trees and vegetation. I lucked out again and was the first to clear the first stage of customs at the Kabul International Airport where I was immediately met by our good friend and host. For obvious reasons I have to be discreet here, but lots of you know who I mean. It was so good to see our host's friendly face and great fun watching him "do his thing" -- getting us through the rest of customs and luggage retrieval without a single hitch.
The arrival in Kabul may have been smooth, but not the case for the ride to our accommodations for the week. Traffic in Kabul is CRAZY...but great fun! Our host is like the Dale Earnhart of Kabul traffic; negotiating the multi-laned, no signaled, chaotic frenzy called "The Daily Commute" like a NASCAR champ! I don't know how they do it. All I could think was, "What kind of Drivers' Ed must they have here?"
Once we arrived at our final destination, we were warmly greeted by the Ladies Flatirons team. I had to remind myself that I couldn't give my friends and co-workers Mary Plese and Karen Berge a hug. I hadn't seen them in two weeks, so a "fist bump" was going to have to suffice. The rest of the day and evening were spent exchanging stories between teams (which the ladies win by sheer volume alone) and hearing what God is doing here through our missions partner -- this tiny band of brave Jesus followers.
Needless to say, God is doing amazing things here and the guys and I are humbled and honored to hear...and look forward to seeing more of it...firsthand. The day was capped off with a traditional Afghan meal of flavored rice, seasoned meat balls, spinach, fresh salad and naan...and it was delicious!
Now, as I type this, laying on the floor, I can glance up at the ceiling of our home for the next week (sans Mecca marker), where the answered prayers of so many of you at Flatirons are evident in every corner...and where the unanswered prayers are held in God's hands...whose fingerprints we see everywhere. We all wait in anticipation for what God is going to reveal to us tomorrow. Until then.
-- Dan
So I fell asleep Sunday night glancing up, every now and then, at the arrowed decal on the hotel ceiling -- marking the direction toward Mecca for the Muslim devout. A nagging reminder that I'm not nearly as diligent or directed or interested in my prayer life to my Lord...Lord God Jehovah...as those praying to Allah. A sobering thought.
I was wide awake by 5:30AM Monday and met up with an even earlier riser: teammate Bart Lillie. Bart had only slept an hour and was waiting in the breakfast area for the rest of us. One by one, the rest of the team joined us. We ate breakfast together, then circled up in one of the rooms for a quick briefing on our trip from Dubai into Kabul. Bob Tunnell has gone above and beyond call as our team leader and patiently walked us through the customs entry papers. Then, we checked out and split for the airport.
Dubai was even more grand in the daylight with multiple gardens and fountains spread along the roadside on our way to the terminal. Still...and I know I wasn't alone in feeling this way...Dubai was already in my rear view mirror...and I was looking forward to (and anticipating) our arrival in Kabul. Again, the necessary safety stops at the airport went fine and after about a 90 minute wait we were standing at the gate waiting to board the plane. The varied collection of people boarding the Safi Airlines flight into Kabul was a bit of a surprise. First, their were more Westerners than I had expected...and lots of those were rough, chiseled-looking dudes who had the air of ex-military or "independent contractor" to them. It made me want to watch The Bourne Ultimatum...which I did.
I don't know who to thank, but I got the window seat on the Kabul flight. The view for most of the 2 1/2 hour flight was deeeessseeerrrt...desert and, what looked like, dry river beds. That was until we hit a nasty patch of turbulence (the near-roller coaster variety) and started to make our descent.
As we neared Kabul, the mountain ranges came into view -- massive, bright-white, snow capped peaks that resemble the Rockies...but are more like a rough-and-tumble second cousin. The closer we got to Kabul you could make out just how rugged these mountains are, but nestled in the valleys you can see lush, green pockets of trees and vegetation. I lucked out again and was the first to clear the first stage of customs at the Kabul International Airport where I was immediately met by our good friend and host. For obvious reasons I have to be discreet here, but lots of you know who I mean. It was so good to see our host's friendly face and great fun watching him "do his thing" -- getting us through the rest of customs and luggage retrieval without a single hitch.
The arrival in Kabul may have been smooth, but not the case for the ride to our accommodations for the week. Traffic in Kabul is CRAZY...but great fun! Our host is like the Dale Earnhart of Kabul traffic; negotiating the multi-laned, no signaled, chaotic frenzy called "The Daily Commute" like a NASCAR champ! I don't know how they do it. All I could think was, "What kind of Drivers' Ed must they have here?"
Once we arrived at our final destination, we were warmly greeted by the Ladies Flatirons team. I had to remind myself that I couldn't give my friends and co-workers Mary Plese and Karen Berge a hug. I hadn't seen them in two weeks, so a "fist bump" was going to have to suffice. The rest of the day and evening were spent exchanging stories between teams (which the ladies win by sheer volume alone) and hearing what God is doing here through our missions partner -- this tiny band of brave Jesus followers.
Needless to say, God is doing amazing things here and the guys and I are humbled and honored to hear...and look forward to seeing more of it...firsthand. The day was capped off with a traditional Afghan meal of flavored rice, seasoned meat balls, spinach, fresh salad and naan...and it was delicious!
Now, as I type this, laying on the floor, I can glance up at the ceiling of our home for the next week (sans Mecca marker), where the answered prayers of so many of you at Flatirons are evident in every corner...and where the unanswered prayers are held in God's hands...whose fingerprints we see everywhere. We all wait in anticipation for what God is going to reveal to us tomorrow. Until then.
-- Dan
Sunday, April 22, 2012
"Satur-unday"
Flatirons Men's Trip to Afghanistan Date: Saturday April 21-Sunday April 22 Denver to Washington, DC to Dubai, UAE
Saturday 4/21: It's been a long train coming. Our delayed launch from March 10 seems to have stretched on forever...and left a few of us (Guilty!) wondering whether we'd even get to go to Afghanistan. Needless to say, as we grouped up at the United Airlines counter, the entire team was in great spirits -- knowing we were mere minutes from our long-anticipated journey. Bob Tunnell gave a prayer, we said our goodbyes to our families...and we were finally off! Check in, boarding and departure was a breeze. The team took it as a good sign that the in-flight movie was the latest "Mission:Impossible". The Burj Khalif (the tallest building in the world) plays a large (pun intended) part in one of the action sequences in MI 4: Ghost Protocol, and we were (hopefully) within a few hours of standing at its base. After an early landing in DC, we hoofed it to our gate with time-to-spare before boarding for the long haul across the pond to Dubai.
Saturday 4/21 into Sunday 4/22: This was the part I was worried about the most: the prolonged flight...trying to sleep or rest or whatever you're supposed to do to throw your body clock into Dubai time. Some of us were more successful than others, but on-the-whole, the team faired well...and we landed an hour ahead of schedule. My first dose of reality came as we dropped below the low-hanging storm clouds to land in Dubai. It was like a scene from "Lawrence of Arabia" -- a desert expanse that stretched as far as I could make out. I looked...half expecting to see sheiks riding camels. What I DID see...off...way off...in the horizon was the Burj Khaliff, poking through the clouds like a needle through a dirty sheet.
Sunday 4/22: Is there anything worse than standing in line at customs? Okay...maybe the DMV, but that's about it. We all cleared without a hitch except for our last teammate through the line: John Waters. When he was pulled out of line and taken down another hallway, we all took a deep breath and waited. Within minutes John reappeared...with that ubiquitous wide grin on his face...without a care in the world. No problem. Just a glitch with the passport scanner.
After a quick trip to the hotel (in the nicest, cleanest cab I've ever been in), we were all on the streets of Dubai, heading off on our first excursion: Creek Dubai. Bob had heard good stuff about the riverboat cruises down Creek Dubai and the entire team was in for it! It was good to stand, to stretch, and to walk after the 13 hour flight. The streets around the hotel were quite an eye opener. This section of Dubai looked like a cross between Vegas and Houston...noly more humid. Lots of cement and neon signs and about every Western amenity you could ask for: McDonald's (or McDavid's, either one), Pizza Hut, KFC. We even passed a Cinnabon! And even though it was around 10PM Dubai time...my body was still on lunchtime in Colorado...and a Cinnabon was NOT out of the question.
We soon learned that almost everything shuts down in Dubai around 10PM. Still, we found a little party boat at a dock on Creek Dubai captained by a young Iranian man named Solomon. We knew this area of the world is known for its hospitality and Solomon was a shining example. After getting us off and headed down this...canal (more than a river)...he passed out ice cold Pepsis and gave us (in broken English) a complete guided tour of Creek Dubai, and its history. Even at night, the opulence of this region was glaring. Throughout the high rise office buildings and grand palaces that lined the shoreline there were minarets peppered in, and around, the city. Solomon was a wealth of information; knowing construction dates of buildings ("That building. American Embassy. New one. Built in 2008. President George Bush here. In 2008.") and which country owned which boat ("That boat. Pakistani. Costs 3...4 duram. One hour. No food.") and which sheik owned which expansive palace.
All of us had the same grateful look on our faces -- humbled and grateful and in awe of God...for His blessings...for His creation...and for His children, one of which was this young Iranian who gave us the tour we'll never forget. By the way, Pepsi on an empty stomach, after staying awake for 30 hours straight...will give you a sugar buzz. I'm just saying...
We split two cabs (4 in one, 5 in the other...a VERY tight fit. I now know more about Kyle Hamlin then I ever wanted to know!) and headed for the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalif. Men aren't supposed to want to go to malls, but this one was an exception...and we saw like men are supposed to: when it's closed. The Dubai Mall is HUGE (Surprise). Steve Yeager (who's in the mall biz) said it has over 1,200 stores. Park Meadows Mall has 120. Puts THAT into perspective. The place is monstrous...but more importantly, it had a food court...with a few places still open. We all ate and then made our way outside to the Burj Khalif. Amazing! That's all I can really say. Again, even at night, when everything was closed, this place oozes luxury and opulence...and the Burj is the proverbial icing on the cake. We all wished it was still open so that we could ride to the top, but it wasn't to be. That will have to wait for a later date -- if at all. We were all dragging as we made it back to the hotel. It never felt better to lay down in a bed. I might not have this much to write for the rest of the trip, but if Kabul is anything like the cultural and social overload Dubai has been...who knows.
--Dan
Saturday 4/21: It's been a long train coming. Our delayed launch from March 10 seems to have stretched on forever...and left a few of us (Guilty!) wondering whether we'd even get to go to Afghanistan. Needless to say, as we grouped up at the United Airlines counter, the entire team was in great spirits -- knowing we were mere minutes from our long-anticipated journey. Bob Tunnell gave a prayer, we said our goodbyes to our families...and we were finally off! Check in, boarding and departure was a breeze. The team took it as a good sign that the in-flight movie was the latest "Mission:Impossible". The Burj Khalif (the tallest building in the world) plays a large (pun intended) part in one of the action sequences in MI 4: Ghost Protocol, and we were (hopefully) within a few hours of standing at its base. After an early landing in DC, we hoofed it to our gate with time-to-spare before boarding for the long haul across the pond to Dubai.
Saturday 4/21 into Sunday 4/22: This was the part I was worried about the most: the prolonged flight...trying to sleep or rest or whatever you're supposed to do to throw your body clock into Dubai time. Some of us were more successful than others, but on-the-whole, the team faired well...and we landed an hour ahead of schedule. My first dose of reality came as we dropped below the low-hanging storm clouds to land in Dubai. It was like a scene from "Lawrence of Arabia" -- a desert expanse that stretched as far as I could make out. I looked...half expecting to see sheiks riding camels. What I DID see...off...way off...in the horizon was the Burj Khaliff, poking through the clouds like a needle through a dirty sheet.
Sunday 4/22: Is there anything worse than standing in line at customs? Okay...maybe the DMV, but that's about it. We all cleared without a hitch except for our last teammate through the line: John Waters. When he was pulled out of line and taken down another hallway, we all took a deep breath and waited. Within minutes John reappeared...with that ubiquitous wide grin on his face...without a care in the world. No problem. Just a glitch with the passport scanner.
After a quick trip to the hotel (in the nicest, cleanest cab I've ever been in), we were all on the streets of Dubai, heading off on our first excursion: Creek Dubai. Bob had heard good stuff about the riverboat cruises down Creek Dubai and the entire team was in for it! It was good to stand, to stretch, and to walk after the 13 hour flight. The streets around the hotel were quite an eye opener. This section of Dubai looked like a cross between Vegas and Houston...noly more humid. Lots of cement and neon signs and about every Western amenity you could ask for: McDonald's (or McDavid's, either one), Pizza Hut, KFC. We even passed a Cinnabon! And even though it was around 10PM Dubai time...my body was still on lunchtime in Colorado...and a Cinnabon was NOT out of the question.
We soon learned that almost everything shuts down in Dubai around 10PM. Still, we found a little party boat at a dock on Creek Dubai captained by a young Iranian man named Solomon. We knew this area of the world is known for its hospitality and Solomon was a shining example. After getting us off and headed down this...canal (more than a river)...he passed out ice cold Pepsis and gave us (in broken English) a complete guided tour of Creek Dubai, and its history. Even at night, the opulence of this region was glaring. Throughout the high rise office buildings and grand palaces that lined the shoreline there were minarets peppered in, and around, the city. Solomon was a wealth of information; knowing construction dates of buildings ("That building. American Embassy. New one. Built in 2008. President George Bush here. In 2008.") and which country owned which boat ("That boat. Pakistani. Costs 3...4 duram. One hour. No food.") and which sheik owned which expansive palace.
All of us had the same grateful look on our faces -- humbled and grateful and in awe of God...for His blessings...for His creation...and for His children, one of which was this young Iranian who gave us the tour we'll never forget. By the way, Pepsi on an empty stomach, after staying awake for 30 hours straight...will give you a sugar buzz. I'm just saying...
We split two cabs (4 in one, 5 in the other...a VERY tight fit. I now know more about Kyle Hamlin then I ever wanted to know!) and headed for the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalif. Men aren't supposed to want to go to malls, but this one was an exception...and we saw like men are supposed to: when it's closed. The Dubai Mall is HUGE (Surprise). Steve Yeager (who's in the mall biz) said it has over 1,200 stores. Park Meadows Mall has 120. Puts THAT into perspective. The place is monstrous...but more importantly, it had a food court...with a few places still open. We all ate and then made our way outside to the Burj Khalif. Amazing! That's all I can really say. Again, even at night, when everything was closed, this place oozes luxury and opulence...and the Burj is the proverbial icing on the cake. We all wished it was still open so that we could ride to the top, but it wasn't to be. That will have to wait for a later date -- if at all. We were all dragging as we made it back to the hotel. It never felt better to lay down in a bed. I might not have this much to write for the rest of the trip, but if Kabul is anything like the cultural and social overload Dubai has been...who knows.
--Dan
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
"I Want To Go To There"
I first learned about Flatirons’ mission partner in Afghanistan over 3 years ago while sitting in front of my office computer back in Texas—listening to a Jim Burgen podcast. I sat there in the comfort of my well-maintained, two-story home numbly listening to what Flatirons was doing for the “least of these” in this tiny community on the side of a mountain half-a-world away. When the podcast ended, I remember choking with emotion and thinking how much I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and (as Tina Fey says in NBCs 30 Rock) “Go to there.”
Fast forward 3 years and now here I sit in front of my office computer in Colorado going through my last minute to-do list...getting ready to “go to there.” We’ve got a great group of 9 Flatirons guys champing at the bit…rare and ready to visit our missions’ partner over there (See: picture).
Everyone says the same thing, “You can’t describe what it’s like. You have to experience it.” Okay…I’m ready…I’m more than ready…I’ve been ready for over 3 years. And there are a few guys on our team who have been ready for even longer. I’m always one up for a challenge, so even though people have said you can’t describe it…I’m going to try and give it a shot. I’m going to use this Men’s Blog to post daily (hopefully) activities, thoughts and insights. We’ll see.
So…until we return, I know you’ll be praying for us and for our missions’ partner. Who knows, maybe something you hear or read from one of us on the team will eventually dig deep into your heart and inspire you to step out and say, “I want to go to there.”
See you on the flip-side of Afghanistan.
—Dan
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