Humanitarian Assistance

This past week has truly been great. I am assigned to an awesome staff with great leadership, so I am happy. I want to let you all know that we truly do a great deal for this country. Not only are we fighting the Taliban, but we are trying out very best to show the people of Afghanistan that we truly are here to help them. In saying that we conducted a Humanitarian Mission to one of the local villages called "Alizay Kulay Village" This village housed nearly 40 families consisting of approximately 20 persons per family. Our mission was to take medical supplies and other humanitarian items to the villagers. Many of Afghanistan's villages are a great distance from medical attention, so many of them perish from common diseases or problems. Prior to being accepted into the village, we had to gain approval of the village elders that run the village. Below is a picture of the two elders that our team met with to gain access to their village.

We were able to deliver not only much needed medical supplies, but other nice to have items like toys for the kids and food, as well as school supplies. You could really see the joy on the faces of the children.

In the picture above is a few of the children in their home. These homes are Kalats, made of mud primarily, but they live very meager lives. Very little have changed about their culture since hundreds of years ago. Much of the way they live is they way they have always lived. The girls when they become young ladies must cover their face when in the presence of strangers.

The primary objective of the VMO mission was to unite the Afghan National Army with the local Afghan populace, thereby enhancing their significance with their own people. Having Afghans taking care of Afghans is really where the U.S is trying to get. Conducting these types of operations is vital to success in this country.

These people are very proud, they are also very poor. This particular room have multiple uses, for prayer, for meeting, etc. We were not able to converse with them without the aide of valuable Interpreters. Being here in Afghanistan has truly been a great experience.

The picture above is of a group of Afghan women with a little boy. It is their custom to completely cover themselves with no skin visible. They truly live rough lives, being here clearly helps all of us to stay grounded, knowing that we all are Blessed to be Americans. You can see a book lying behind one of the females, I don't know if they were reading it or looking at the pictures. But in this region of Afghanistan women are forbidden from being educated, but that culture is slowly changing. We have to remember that change does not come overnight. Especially in this area which have a high Taliban influence on the people.

I am very proud of ALL of our servicemen and Coalition partners, whom has shared this great burden. We all are working together to fight this global war. I ask your continued prayers for our soldiers and the Afghan people. Until next week, I ask you to continue to PUSH. "Pray Until Something Happens". Thanks to Lt Cdr Steven Parks for these wonderful pictures.......