BACK IN THE STATES, I spent the last half of 1999 serving in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina at Mount Bethel Church, a fellowship that has supported me for years. The followers of Christ in this area have provided shelter, guidance, and a connecting point for my faith each time I returned to the States. While ministering there in familiar territory I waited for Afghanistan to call and, like the Macedonians, say, “Come over and help us.”
THAILAND—In February 2000, I was invited to the Central Asian Conference in Thailand, which included many of the people, ministries, and agencies serving in that region. As I planned for this event, I also discovered a school in Thailand that offers a certificate course called Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). How convenient and ironic, I thought: My best opportunity to serve the people of Afghanistan may depend on my willingness simply to teach my own native language.The Thailand trip now had two important purposes: to sharpen my skills as a teacher and to meet with others who were exploring options for service in Central Asia.
The first stop on my itinerary was Ban Phe, Thailand, a beautiful island area south of Bangkok. I attended Trinity University,Thailand, an extension of a larger institution based in London, England. The school offers courses for people to earn English-teaching certificates around the world. I enjoyed the setting as well as the course, and my teaching skills received some helpful polishing. The experience also reminded me of how much I enjoy teaching.
THE DOOR BEGINS TO OPEN
Next, I flew up to Chiang Mai, Thailand, for the Central Asia Conference. I tried not to think too hopefully about the doors that might open for me during the conference. After all, my previous efforts to get into Afghanistan had failed, and this might be just another dead end. At the same time, I wanted to, in the words of my Muslim friends, “Trust God’s wisdom and timing.”
One morning during the conference, I had breakfast with Norm Leatherwood, executive director of Shelter Now International, based in the United States, and Randall Olson, then regional director for SNI/Central Asia. They introduced me to the vision and work of their agency, SNI/Shelter for Life. They also filled me in on the details of their activities in northern Afghanistan.
During 1998 and 1999, programs focused primarily on dealing with the emergency relief and immediate shelter needs of people left homeless by the civil war and severe earthquakes. Norm and Rand also described other long-term needs that were crying for attention. For instance, SNI/SFL hoped to expand into areas of education and community development.
While talking to Norm and Rand, I remembered that I had heard about SNI’s response to the 1998 earthquakes in northern Afghanistan. I recalled meetings in Uzbekistan to pray for the victims and those launching the relief efforts. A friend of mine had even said, “John, this may be your chance.” I considered approaching SNI about being involved then, but I didn’t pursue it, because I still had a commitment in Termiz that I thought might lead to contacts in Afghanistan.
As it turned out, Norm and Rand knew about my situation in Termiz and had even made some preliminary contacts to recruit some of our team for their emergency relief response in Afghanistan. They reminded me of a general e-mail they sent from Tajikistan to ask if anyone would be willing to “come over and help us.” Though it had been a good idea, the timing had been wrong for me then. However, a lot had changed since then.
Talking to them was almost like being there. How sweet it was to listen to the stories of those who had actually lived and worked inside Afghanistan. Rand finally asked me if I still wanted to serve in Afghanistan. I told him I was ready to leave the next day.
He responded, “Well, we need someone immediately in Feyzabad to teach English at the medical school. You actually could go tomorrow. We already have an office there, but you would be responsible to start the program.”
I could hardly believe my ears! The door to Afghanistan was finally opening. I didn’t know whether to shout or cry. I quickly told them I was definitely interested but would need to talk with my family and get clearance from DARE and the green light from my support team. I assured them they would hear back from me shortly.
BLESSINGS FROM HOME
NORTH CAROLINA—I was so excited I hardly needed an airplane to fly back to the States. My home church gave their enthusiastic blessing. Other friends, mentors, and counselors chuckled and said such things as, “Well, it’s about time.” My family, though concerned, was not too surprised, and they eagerly gave their support. DARE, which was providing my financial structure and accountability, also agreed that this was a good match for me and gladly assigned me for service with SNI/Shelter for Life. I checked with people who had experience with SNI/SFL and got the thumbs up from them.
I contacted the SNI/SFL international office in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to complete the application process. Within days, I was accepted. As promised, they scheduled me to fly to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, since it was the home of their regional office for all of Central Asia. I expected to receive some field training and orientation when I reached Tajikistan.
I ticked off my short to-do list. One application for a visa for Tajikistan (permission to enter the country) filled out and mailed. Flights arranged; tickets purchased. Contact friends for visits along the way. All the tasks ran smoothly. I packed and repacked. I was as antsy to get started as a racehorse at the starting gate. But weeks passed, and no Tajik visa appeared. Veterans at Shelter for Life assured me that snags often happen and not to get discouraged. So I followed their normal procedure—go ahead and start the trip, and check on the visa along the way.
REJECTED!
BERLIN—I made stops in London, Amsterdam, and Berlin. At each place I phoned home to check on my Tajik visa. I had reapplied twice while I was waiting, thinking my paperwork might have gotten lost. By the time I reached Berlin, the visa rejection slips had begun arriving at home—three of them. They came without explanations. I have never known the reason behind those rejections.
Fortunately,Tajikistan has a local embassy in Berlin. The friends I stayed with gave me directions and sent me off alone on the subway to submit my fourth application for a Tajik visa. A trip on a subway is normally an enjoyable adventure for me, but I dreaded that one. I tried not to think of those three rejection notices in baseball terms— I hoped I hadn’t struck out. I approached the embassy half expecting to find wanted posters with my face on them hanging in the building. I couldn’t imagine why they would deny me permission to enter the country when all I wanted to do was help.
Even though Tajikistan is no longer under the rule of Communism, it remains a difficult country to access. I entered the embassy, introduced myself, and asked for a visa application. The woman at the counter was courteous and friendly. She readily gave me the forms, which I filled out there in the office. She didn’t even raise an eyebrow when I handed in the application and told her I was willing to pay for express service, because I was scheduled on the next flight out of Munich in a few days. She nodded. She knew about that flight. When only one weekly international flight enters your country, you might conclude that few people want to visit. She told me to return in an hour.
I spent that eternal hour nervously scribbling thank-you notes to people who had been so supportive in recent weeks. In addition to being a way to stay connected with family and friends, writing has always been therapeutic for me. I returned to the embassy an hour later, and to my surprise and thrill, the visa was approved and ready. No questions, no hassles. They gave me an invoice for one hundred fifty dollars. As the official handed me the approved visa, my mind’s eye watched another barrier between Afghanistan and me collapse.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
MUNICH TO DUSHANBE—Two days later I took the same subway to the airport for my flight south to Munich. I relaxed. The hiss of the doors and the rumble of the wheels announced the beginning of my Afghanistan adventure. I was finally on my way to a land without subways or the electricity to run them. My flight from Berlin to Munich covered three hundred miles of beautiful German landscape. And my flight from Munich to Dushanbe would carry me almost two thousand miles and two thousand years into a land anchored in the past. I knew the next few weeks would be filled with culture shock, change, and personal adjustment. I couldn’t wait!
Boarding the Russian-made Tupalov jet in Munich for the flight from Europe to Central Asia, I noticed that the contrasts between my flightmates were multimedia.The closer I came to my ultimate destination, the less people looked, sounded, and acted as I do. From every direction, I could hear snatches of exotic languages. Official announcements by the pilot and crew made it clear that I was now in that part of the world still bearing the indelible stamp of the Soviet Union. Russian remains the trade language. The pilot also made announcements in Tajik and a very unusual version of English. As I said a few words in Russian to my seatmate to be polite and respectful, a cloud of Turkish tobacco smoke filled the cabin. We buckled in for the trip, and I thought with a grin, Well, Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore.
Throughout the flight, I noticed people going by my seat in groups. Hissing noises occasionally reached my ears. Curious, I walked to the rear of the plane. In an open space behind the seats, I found people gathered around a roaring, butane stove, brewing tea. This was apparently a serve-yourself arrangement, and they welcomed me into their circle. I was about to ask if the captain was aware of the open flame in the back of his aircraft when the pilot himself joined us for a cup of tea. My feeling of safety began to wane.
The first leg of our journey took us from Munich, Germany, to Istanbul, Turkey. There I exchanged one set of interesting traveling companions for another. Ten hours after departure from Munich, we landed safely in Dushanbe. I noted the date in my journal: August 5, 2000.
MY HOME AWAY FROM HOME
DUSHANBE, TAJIKISTAN—A city with five million inhabitants, Dushanbe is the capital of Tajikistan. Isolated, surrounded, and even invaded by mountains, Dushanbe illustrates the uniqueness of the country. It may contain more mountains per square mile than any place on earth. And the resulting valleys provide meager opportunities for farming.
Under the Soviet system, most of Tajikistan’s arable land was assigned to cotton production. Those responsible for raising cotton paid little attention to soil conservation. Consequently, Tajikistan ranks among the poorest nations on earth. It shares many of the challenges of its southern neighbor. Our regional office oversees relief and development projects in northern Afghanistan from this base of operations in addition to addressing the enormous humanitarian needs inside Tajikistan itself.
I located a little apartment that was almost identical to my place in Termiz. The Soviets had built thousands of utilitarian concrete buildings, most of them seemingly built from the same blueprints. Ugly blocks of man-made stone enclose many rows and multi-leveled identical cubicles. Somehow they are made livable by the determined residents, who insist on adding touches of color, warmth, and personality to stone gray structures that appear designed to deny individuality and creativity. Personally, I was content with the shelter.
I soon met many refugees from Afghanistan. One I remember in particular. because his English was excellent. So I pumped him for enlightening information about his country. His story of how he fled from the Taliban was not only heartbreaking but also a good reminder of what millions of Afghans have suffered.
He was a medical student in Kabul when the civil war in Afghanistan broke out. Between the dangers of the war and the Taliban’s hatred for education, my friend had fled for his life. Not long after that, his life took another turn: One of his sisters was being forced to marry a powerful man against her wishes. So he helped his mother, brother, and sisters escape, but then he lost contact with them. When I met him, he hadn’t seen his family for years, though he had recently discovered their whereabouts and had talked with them by phone. I was happy for him. And there was another thing about him that forged an instant bond between us: My first Afghan friend was a passionate follower of Jesus, the Messiah.
A CRASH COURSE
DUSHANBE—I met the rest of the SNI staff in Dushanbe and began a crash course on the structure, history, and scope of the organization’s involvement in Central Asia. I counted down the days, impatiently awaiting my first excursion into northern Afghanistan, but I had to wait a few weeks before boarding the UN plane headed south. I knew I needed the field orientation. Besides, I had to get over my first bout with the stomach bug we affectionately call the “central Asian weight loss program.” I also needed an Afghan visa.
SNI was trying to extend my Tajik visa to a one-year, multiple-entry permit, so that I could travel in and out of Afghanistan. I had good reasons to stay put.
Meanwhile, I met with two language helpers. One, a Tajik woman, helped me learn some basic Tajik and Uzbek. Tajikistan is full of Uzbeks, thanks to Stalin and the Russians, who divided up Central Asia without considering ethnic territories. My other language instructor, a man from Kabul, helped me learn some simple Dari phrases. He insisted that I learn the alphabet, which was frustrating to me.
I kept saying, “Babies don’t learn the alphabet first. They learn to say ‘goo goo’ and ‘gaa gaa’ before anything else.”
Unfortunately, my classes were less than ideal and only lasted a couple of weeks. They abruptly ended when the regional director of SNI announced our first trip south. There were problems with one of the projects we had in place, and the director needed to intervene. He asked me to come along for a quick look at the country. At last! I was going to Afghanistan.
As I prepared for my arrival in Afghanistan, I mentally reviewed the difficult history of these people. Afghanistan has tasted some unspeakable trials during the past decade.
A COLORFUL AND TRAGIC HISTORY
AFGHANISTAN—A cruel civil war that broke out in 1996 ravaged the country. And years of drought conditions showed no signs of ending. Herds of cattle died, and farmers were driven away by their parched lands. Cities swelled as desperate refugees with their children fled the ruthless fighting and starvation. Millions of Afghans escaped across the borders into Pakistan and Iran.
Then, devastating earthquakes hit northern Afghanistan in 1998, causing thousands of roofs to collapse onto innocent, sleeping victims. More than seven thousand Afghans lost their lives, and over fifty thousand homes were destroyed or left unlivable.
The people of Afghanistan have, in my opinion, experienced more than their share of suffering and violent death. Land mines continually maim and kill innocent victims with their deadly, unannounced explosions. Reports indicate there are still multitudes of them scattered around the countryside. Thousands of Afghans are now lame or handicapped because of them. It seems that wherever two or three are gathered in Afghanistan, at least one of them uses crutches.
In areas where famine relentlessly stalks its sunken-faced victims, and drought chokes the life out of dehydrating people, destitute widows and orphans survive only by begging in the streets. Millions of the homeless and hungry have spent frigid winters in barely inhabitable refugee camps. In truth, most animals in America live in better conditions than these stricken people.
Statistics show that one in four children in Afghanistan dies before the age of five. Those who somehow manage to grow up receive little or no education, because school buildings have become convenient headquarters and barracks for soldiers and military personnel.
Meanwhile, the average life expectancy of Afghan adults is about forty-six years, compared to seventy-six in America. The whole human psyche and dignity of thousands of Afghans has been damaged or nearly destroyed. Over two million people have been killed in the war or died of malnutrition, disease, or exposure to the elements since the Russian Invasion of 1979.
AT THE CROSSROADS
Afghanistan’s string of problems, though, goes even further back than 1979. When speaking of the length of conflicts, wars, and invasions, Afghanistan’s troubles are measured in centuries, not in decades. Since it is situated between the Middle East and Asia, Afghanistan is the natural crossroads of ancient trade and invasion routes.
Alexander the Great traveled Afghanistan’s rugged mountains in the fourth century B.C. The Book of Ezra in the Bible speaks of Cyrus and the Persian Empire of the sixth century B.C. After the time of Christ, Arab and Mongol conquerors fought over this area. Marco Polo passed through Afghanistan in the late 1200s on his way to China and recorded the disastrous ruin and bleak beauty of the land. He even visited Feyzabad, where I live.
In 1747, the modern State of Afghanistan was created when Ahmad Shah Durrani united rival Afghan tribes. The first of three Anglo-Afghan wars occurred from 1838 through 1842.This British invasion was designed to counteract Russian expansion.
Other wars followed. The struggle for power and geography between Russia and Britain became known as the Great Game. It continued until 1878. Afghanistan and Britain finally signed a treaty in 1879, but England retained control of international policy.
Modern history also shows that many others have expressed curious interest in this country that borders six others. In fact, on the map it appears to be the very heart of Central Asia.
SNAPSHOTS OF AFGHANISTAN
Other characteristics help to draw a clearer picture of this nation known as the Land of the Afghans. Similar in size to the state of Texas and home to more than twenty million people, Afghanistan features remarkable ethnic diversity. The population is made up of four sizable people groups—Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, and Uzbek—and some eight other significant minority groups. The Durand Line, or eastern border dividing Afghanistan and British India, was established in 1895. That border splits the Pashtun ethnic group, leaving half of them in what is now Pakistan. The northern border divides lands traditionally held by Uzbeks and Tajiks. Sadly, the nation’s ethnic diversity has historically sparked more violence than strength.
Afghanistan finally became an independent state in 1919, after Britain signed a treaty giving up all interest. However, just ten years later, in 1929, a civil war broke out when conservative Islamic forces reacted against Amir Amanullah Khan’s modern social reforms.
Then, for about forty years, Afghanistan experienced at least a taste of peace under the reign of King Mohammad Zahir Shah (1933-1973). However, border disputes with Pakistan aroused bitter strife in the 1960s, which ultimately led to Mohammed Daoud’s seizing power in a coup in 1973. But he was assassinated in 1978 under Mohammad Taraki’s pro-Soviet coup. Then, in 1979, Taraki was assassinated by Amin, who soon lost his life in yet another Communist-led coup.
MEET THE MUJAHIDIN
The invasion by Russia birthed the rebel movement that became known as the Mujahidin. These guerrilla forces launched a war and soon received arms and support from the U.S., Pakistan, China, Egypt, Iran, and Saudi Arabia for their struggle against the Soviet Union. Uncounted thousands of Afghan civilians died in that struggle. During this war, which raged until 1985, millions of Afghans were driven from their homes and their beloved country.
Najibullah came to power in 1986. By then, the U.S. had armed the Mujahidin with Stinger missiles, so they could shoot down Soviet helicopter gunships. General Massoud became famous during those days as he led the resistance movement in the Panjshir and other areas of Afghanistan. It’s even possible that Osama bin Laden entered the country at this time.
Finally, in 1988, the United States, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the USSR signed a peace treaty that led to the withdrawal of Soviet troops.The last Soviet forces left Afghanistan sometime in 1989, the same year that the U.S. Embassy closed in Kabul.
Unfortunately, external peace treaties did little to heal the deep divisions within the country. The Pashtuns actually have a pessimistic saying that describes their own character: “We are at peace when we are at war.” The Mujahidin, many of them Pashtuns, continued fighting Najibullah, the Soviet puppet. They took Kabul in 1992.This allowed Burhanuddin Rabbani, an ethnic Tajik, to rise to the position of president. But various factions within the country continued to fight.
Kabul reeled under an awful blow in 1994 when civil broke out over control of the city. It resulted from a power struggle between Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and President Rabbani. Rocket, mortar, and artillery fire from the surrounding hills left many areas of the capital city in ruins. So many homes and businesses had their roofs destroyed that the overhead view of parts of the city looked like miniature mud canyons, devoid of life. Regretably, thousands more died.
OSAMA BIN LADEN AND TALIBAN TERROR
The Taliban emerged during this time. Most of them were young, fanatical Muslims trained in a version of Islam that condones almost unlimited violence to establish control. The Taliban proved to be fearless, ruthless fighters. They set up operations after capturing Kandahar, the largest southeastern city near the border of Pakistan.The Taliban leader was Mullah Omar, their official interpreter of what they purport to be the correct teachings of Islam.
In 1996, the Taliban seized control of Kabul by driving out Rabbani and killing Najibullah. At this time they began to enforce their strict Islamic code on the entire population. Women were deprived of most of their rights and required to wear the traditional head-to-toe covering when in public. Girls lost the opportunity for education, and most schools were closed, because the Taliban believe that nothing but the Koran needs to be studied. Punishment for even minor infractions was severe. Public beatings, hangings, and gun executions became common.
Osama bin Laden was definitely now in Afghanistan. His plans for worldwide terrorism and the Taliban’s view of life formed a deadly alliance. The Taliban, aided by outsiders, threatened to overrun the country. Rabbani, the internationally recognized president, was now limited to his capital in Feyzabad. The two most northern provinces of the country, Takhar and Badakhshan, gradually became the only stronghold of the Northern Alliance. Their military leadership rested in the hands and abilities of Ahmad Shah Massoud. So the war dragged on.
In 1998, northern Afghanistan made worldwide news when it was rocked by a series of devastating earthquakes. Until that time, the world had basically ignored the political turmoil in the country, but the natural disaster begged for humanitarian response. This devastating earthquake rousted many outside the country to awareness of the critical needs in the region.
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
Some help was close by. SNI/Shelter for Life International had been working in neighboring Tajikistan since 1994. The post-Soviet government had welcomed relief groups that were willing to respect the Islamic traditions in the country while providing much needed help at little cost. Several staff members were living and serving in the country. Building projects were up and running, providing emergency housing. Shelter for Life was one of the first agencies contacted to help respond to the emergency in mountainous areas of northeast Afghanistan.
Harry Van Burik and Joe Settle of SNI flew from Tajikistan into northern Afghanistan to assess the situation on behalf of a number of relief agencies anxious to help. Sometime during the trip, it occurred to them that they were flying into a war zone in a Russian helicopter. They were never fired upon, but they faced a host of AK-47s as soldiers of the Northern Alliance greeted them. But since they had come to help, they were welcomed with gladness and gratitude.They were among the first outsiders to witness and survey the extensive earthquake damage and were also instrumental in setting into motion an effective international relief effort.
As large an area as Central Asia is, the population of outsiders tends to be an obvious minority. Groups involved in relief and development work, for example, all know each other. They regularly coordinate their efforts. Because resources tend to be limited, groups have to decide whether they are going to compete or cooperate. In order to meet the desperate needs in the area, cooperation is the only workable policy. Often, there’s really no other choice.
SNI/Shelter for Life has worked hard to gain the respect of other agencies by its practices, programs, and willingness to serve others.We have often been able to place trained staff in areas where other agencies have only been able to transport significant amounts of relief materials. Agencies like USAID and the UN relief units often have massive quantities of emergency supplies and huge international delivery systems, but they rely on locally based distribution agencies that are familiar with a region. This assures that the relief materials actually get to the people who really need it. In 1998, SNI/Shelter for Life was the only international Christianbased relief and development organization serving in northeastern Afghanistan.
For many reasons, U.S.-based SNI began to use the name Shelter for Life to identify its work in Afghanistan. Years of experience in emergency relief work caused the leadership in SNI to reconsider the importance of community development in responding to crises. The name “Shelter Now” was chosen originally to emphasize the urgency of the needs the organization was created to address. It was a descriptive name. When a crisis occurs somewhere in the world, those affected need help now. They need food now. They need medical assistance, blankets, and clothing now. They need shelter now.
As SNI actually became involved in responding to affected areas in the world, the organization learned that, once critical needs have been met after a disaster or war, a whole new set of needs arises for the displaced:
• Should they return home?
• Should they settle permanently in a new location?
• If their homes have been damaged or destroyed by the elements or the fighting, what can be done to provide permanent housing for them?
• What should be done about disrupted schools, local government, bombed buildings, ongoing drought, destroyed or nonexistent water supplies, waste management, roads, and medical facilities?
Bottom line: Those who have survived need sustained help to reestablish the cherished place they call home. Refugees need ongoing assistance in rebuilding their lives, hopes, and dreams.They need help in creating a means to provide food for themselves and their families. They need established clinics, jobs, security, and help with various facets of community development.
The fact is, they need shelter for life. The new name, Shelter for Life, seems to more accurately describe the total vision of the founders, who began Shelter Now International back in the 1980s. The original team dreamed of an effective Christian relief organization that could offer both immediate assistance and help for the long road of recovery and development in the most needy places.
Afghanistan is exactly the kind of place Shelter for Life was born to serve. The more I understood the history of the need in this country and the response SNI/Shelter for Life had already given, the more I was excited to participate with them. So, with visas stamped in my passport, a UN plane ticket in my pocket, and a passion in my heart, I eagerly anticipated finally standing inside Afghanistan.