TIPTOEING THROUGH THE TERRORISTS
Why am I in Kabul? In part I was inspired by a Taliban leader who was recently quoted as saying "Americans have the watches but we have the time". Thirty three travel hours later, here I am, inside a dwelling that shall remain nameless, delivering supplies to Afghans on the frontline. I'm the last man in the bucket brigade bringing the "buck, buck, bucket down." Have I lost my senses? Nah! I have a round trip ticket.
So what's in  the bucket this trip? All of the blankets, clothing, school supplies, and donations gathered and packed in June are on their way to Kabul, courtesy of the Denton program. A distribution plan is currently being developed, that includes "security issues".
Fertilizer is in the bucket. Eighteen maliks (village leaders) have selected 10 to 15 farmers who will split the cost with TIE of over 200 bags of fertilizer . For you newcomers , better seeds, fertilizer, and training, will dramatically increase yields and income. Enabling Afghans to achieve self -sufficiency is our exit strategy.
The annual teacher's bonus of one month's salary is also in the bucket, thanks to American teachers who contribute monthly toward teacher salaries. TIE employs 18 teachers, educating over 500 children, most of which are girls.
There are 300 pair of reading glasses thanks to Joy Sarver, the Berkeley Lion's club and Partners In Restoring Vision and Improving Lives, www.restoringvision.org.
There are Frisbees and a Disc Golf game provided by Discovery, A Recreational Gateway to Wellness", www.discoverydiscgolf.com. We discovered three years ago how important playgrounds and games are in the schools. Enrollment and attendance improved dramatically when  fun was introduced into the curriculum.
There are solar powered flashlights developed by Sunnightsolar. They provide light for 750 to 1000 nights, eight hours per night , before the rechargeable batteries need replacement, wwwsunnightsolar.com. These are prizes for an art contest currently underway among TIE's students.
Most importantly there is a large 330 piece plastic jar of Red Vine licorice, and 864 "Tropical Starburst fruit chews", minus the nine chews I consumed while typing this report. The Red Vines have purposely been stored beyond my reach.
So Mr. Taliban man, you have underestimated the depth of the bucket brigade and it's resolve. Moreover, the will to be free is on our side. It's eternal.
Stay tuned for more news from Kabul,
Budd
- - - two minutes ago I received this email from Mike McAvoy, a "traffic manager" extraordinaire with the Denton program: "Good News everyone the cargo for Trust in Education (4) 463L pallets has departed Ramstein and is expected to arrive Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan at 0245 local time".
Mike makes the time!
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