On Monday, May 12th I left Herat and returned to Kabul leaving Suraya, her wonderful family that I lived with for the last 10 days and other friends but taking with me many experiences.  So much happened in a short time but so much is always happening in life. We only more fully experience it when we remain open and become involved when it presents itself especially in our relationships with others.

I arrived in Kabul and met up with my dear friends Qaiss and the engineer Nassim.  Brotherhood remains alive when we have shared life’s experiences and the time spent apart is meaningless for love and respect fills all great distances.  I explained my ideas about going up into the Panjsher Valley to visit our old friends, villages, past water projects and to gaze upon the beautiful Hindu Kush Mountains.  I further explained that something inside me for months has been encouraging me to build 25 more water systems in Afghanistan. 

Since I have completed one major water system just recently in Herat, which actually supplied water to 4 communities in two districts and also planned 5 more systems the balance would be in the Panjsher Valley.  I could not explain this voice inside and why the echo kept sounding … 25 water projects.   It was kind of funny in a way as it reminded me of an old movie when Moses heard this large deep voice speaking as I guess even God sometimes makes movie appearances by light and sound, announcing to Moses the future and setting him in a direction for the good of others.  I also thought that maybe the great old Father D’Agostino was continuing to encourage me to do more and that we should let faith lead our actions.

The three of us left in the engineer’s four wheel drive car with his driver as this pleased me because the engineer’s sometime use of hashish increased as the elevation of mountains we would be ascending.  Anyway it’s never really a problem just part of the experience with each individual.

We laid out a plan on a map and picked the most likely villages to visit and survey the probabilities of installing water systems.  It seemed like the villages were expecting us.  Rumor of my return and potential work moves with the wind and echoes the voice through the valley.  On and on for days we visited villages, spoke with the community leaders and people and they told stories of the hardships trying to climb up to the springs and bucket water several times a day.

It is very difficult for the women and children, especially in the very cold winter months.  We visited each water source, clean mountain spring water, measured distances and then someone from the village made the most basic but accurate drawings of their community and planned water systems.  The drawings are so beautiful as if one draws with a pencil attached to their hearts because it is so important, basic simplicity of the communities need for clean water.  At the end of several days we completed 16 village and 2 school water system plans with drawings, measurements, material lists and the full support of the people.  These water projects would include more than 1,200 students and approximately 1,800 families and more than 20,000 people.  

We arrived and visited the past projects and found that of the five water systems, three are in great shape and two have some problems.  This past year was extremely cold and there was a huge amount of snow.  We spent time learning how we could do things better and made suggestions for improvements.  Some of the pipes were a bit too shallow in the ground and they will be reinstalled correctly.

We also learned that the village using a pump from the Panjsher River has experienced problems because the water is so cold and difficult to keep from freezing.  This is also being resolved by making the source of the water intake more protected and also by supplementing this village’s water system by directing new water from an upper spring using gravity.

As we have often learned each problem has it’s own solution and in the Panjsher Valley we learned that the gravity fed water systems work the best and are most possible to build.  The villages are built at the base of the mountains and they are all walking up to the springs.  Also, the least amount of western technology and parts that break down and need to be repaired the more likely that the system will work better.

We should remember that if we bring in western technology we bring in western problems.   In these areas are simple folks, living very hard independent lives so lets improve what they have and simply help them get some clean water into the villages.  Really this is all they need and it’s only what they ask for from us.

My heart received it’s greatest joy, which was the gift of being with my friends in their villages where I had spent so much time in about 2 ½ years ago.  We had not forgotten one another and we told many stories of how often we remained in each others hearts and minds.  In the village of Kaljon, the water system is working very well and the village people told many stories of how life has improved, as others did in other villages.  Here they said the children are not getting as sick as they once were before the clean water arrived.  There was a deep sense of happiness, relief and joy in their words.

Also, here in Kaljon a district school was built by the Provincial Reconstruction Team, an agency of the international community.  It is a beautiful school for 1,000 students serving this region and it includes bathrooms and a medical clinic.  They said the site was chosen because of their water system and it was important that there was a source of clean water for the students.  They were so pleased and expressed their appreciation that because of clean water they now have a new school.  My time in the other villages was also heartwarming with stories of life made easier for everyone even the watering of animals has been improved. 

The time with my friends in Kwalakoo, the village I first visited and spent the most time in, was most special to me as those relationships opened the door to my intimate relationship with Afghan people.  Since the last time I was here things seem more stressed, harder and it shows on the worn people.  The winter weather has been so challenging on them and their faces tell the stories of their struggles.  There still is no employment, people have less money and the price of food has increased dramatically.  They persevere and I noticed that when we ate together this time that there were only a few basic food items, mostly bread, rice and yogurt.  I told them stories of the photo shows, stories shared with friends and how so many of them are known in our own community and that their humanity is respected and honored.

They were deeply touched and immediately responded with smiles, prayers and best wishes for our good health and peace.  Their struggles are immense, their courage unbreakable and their love of life is so simple, that is; to care for their children, their community, their land and to remain grateful to God for the gifts they receive especially the caring human beings in the world.  In the end, as they always say to me before I leave, tell your family and friends we are grateful and we pray that they may have peace and happiness in their lives!  God be with you.