Merry Xmas from Kabul...

Our Christmas began on the 24th and ended on the 25th...and it was a satisfying and loving time,particularly from the staff at PARSA. For those who are checking in and don't know Norm and I live at the NGO, PARSA-started by Mary Macmakin in 1996 and the last eight months have been a difficult transition as Mary who is 76 years old and a remarkable woman started turning over the organization to me. She is one of the only Americans who lived here during Taliban and has an amazing life story. Her family was here at the same time as mine in the '60's and she has spent a significant part of her life here creating programs for the disabled and poor women. During Taliban she ran secret schools and economic programs. She was arrested by Taliban with her staff-and I am hoping as the pressure of running this NGO is taken off of her shoulders that she will write her book about her time here.

The core of her staff has been working with me to transition into a strong and viable NGO but it hasn't been easy on any of us. Norm and I wake about 6:30 and try to prepare ourselves for the demands of living here.

Saturday, Gulam Ali, one of the most efficient human beings on the planet showed up unannounced with decorations in hand to set up for Christmas. He is delightful and always available to us-telling us to just "zang" or ring if we need him. Again, however, a bit of a culture shock. We had planned to have friends over Christmas day and I was attempting an American meal and decorations but by Saturday night we had lost the aethetics battle with our staff loving any holiday and their enthusiasm for acknowledging our holiday. Our home looked like something between a Mexican Xmas and a wedding party.

Gulam Ali took us shopping for our Xmas dinner. Norm was determined that we have turkey and convinced me that he would handle the whole scenario including butchering and preparation. We went to the bird bazaar which is absolutely amazing...we have found birds from all over the world including endangered species...I was emphatic, however, that if he put a live turkey in the car-the turkey would join our other rescued animals and enjoy the good life at PARSA until it died of old age or lost the battle with the dogs.

We found turkey's and Norm was appalled to discover that they are alive, skinny and nothing like what we buy in the grocery store at home. He attempted to demonstrate that he wanted a fat turkey with a breast but after spending some quality time examing the potential I heard him say "Oh...how beautiful they are!...and I knew we weren't going home with one.
Dinner was stuffed chickens from Iran with delightful friends and our staff loved being a part of it all. And Xmas cards were exchanged including a great wedding card from the staff that opened up to a Bach fugue...
Happy day for all...and on to work the next day.