A thousand splendid suns

“Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye

Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass

One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs

Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls”

Saib-e-Tabriza  17^th Century Iran poet

I’m writing this tonight from Afghanistan, where I’ve spent the last week visiting staff and projects in Kabul and Herat.  Afghanistan is a confronting place to visit, a so-called ‘failed state’ in every sense of the word.  The  statistics tell a very hard story:

• 60% of the population lives on less than $2 per day
• The second highest infant mortality rate in the world (including mothers)
• One child in every five born in Afghanistan dies before reaching the age of 5
• Six in every ten Afghan children are stunted
• Less than one in two Afghan girls enrol in primary school

 The first experience of Afghanistan comes in the rapid circling aircraft descent into Kabul (aircraft approach this way due to the mountainous topography surrounding the city).  At first glimpse the city below looks like some sort of alien landscape.  Ancient mud houses and walled compounds, dust and towering mountains everywhere. The airport is highly militarized, UN aircraft and helicopters come and go, along with the constant movement of coalition forces aircraft.  Security around Kabul airport is something to behold, and the experience of clearing customs, collecting bags and heading to the domestic terminal for the one hour flight to Herat is not for the faint hearted. The sight of many women in full burkas in the arrivals area is also somewhat confronting.  Welcome to Afghanistan…..

 World Vision has been operating in Afghanistan for the past 10 years.  The main operations are based out of Herat, with other offices located in Ghor and Badghis Provinces.  There are currently about 200 national staff in country, and 5 expatriates.  In the past the program was significantly larger, but the conclusion of several large food aid grants has resulted in recent downsizing.  Key program areas focus on maternal and child health, education and agricultural livelihoods.   The program staff includes a range of qualified doctors and other professionals, along with a full cross section of disciplines and skills.  They are a great team who work under conditions that are at best challenging and often extreme at times.  An short clip outlining some of the issues in Afghanistan and some of the work World Vision is engaged with can be viewed here.

The staff house in Herat.  Sand bags for blast protection.

The problems in Afghanistan are complex and seem at times to be intractable.  In recent history, the country has had some sort of active conflict present since the late 1970’s with the Soviet invasion.  Security within the country has deteriorated significantly over the past few years, and this continues to present a major challenge to NGO’s and UN agencies operating within the country.  Operating safely and effectively in Afghanistan is complex, and the World Vision program has to implement a range of extraordinary security measures to manage risks effectively.    

A drive down any street in Herat or Kabul is a sensory overload, with the maelstrom of people, families on motorbikes, old Afghan tribal men, small children on bikes or on foot crossing busy roads, women in burkas, street sellers.  A week ago in Herat there were two suicide bombings in the city centre, but as in many of these places, commerce and trade quickly resume and people are soon back on the streets.  Difficult to fathom from a western mindset and perspective, but unfortunately all too common in Afghanistan.   

Entry to the team house.  Thick walls for blast protection.

It’s hard to come to a place like Afghanistan and not be challenged about issues of suffering, poverty, conflict and injustice.   Many of the staff, community members and children I’ve met this week have known nothing but conflict since they were born 5, 10, 20 or 30 years ago. And yet in the midst of this there is hope.  It seems that people in places like Afghanistan often have a remarkable resilience, and that the darker the situation seems, the brighter the light when someone shows love, compassion and hope.  I’ve seen this in many of the people I’ve met this week, and been humbled by it. 

  

I was running this morning on a treadmill within the WV staff compound (definitely no option to run on the streets), and the U2 song “Yahweh” came onto the ipod. It’s a song that has always challenged me in my faith.  Anyway, listening to it this morning, I was struck by how apt the chorus is for a place like Afghanistan, where the injustice and despair can seem to overwhelm, but perhaps a better future awaits.  The chorus of the song says:

“Yahweh, Yahweh, always pain before a child is born

Yahweh, Yahweh, why the dark before the dawn?

What no man can own, no man can take

Take this heart, take this heart and make it break”.

Someone once said ‘let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God’, and this is a good description of my feelings after visiting Afghanistan this week.  Much to process as I head back towards Dubai and Cyprus over the coming days.

World Vision community
project area

The main mosque in Herat.  5000 years old

Main street of Herat

Midwife training program

Inside the staff compound

Herat fort

UN aircraft on the ground in Kabul

Mosque miniarets in Herat