July is "veg out" in Montana month. First, vacations present an opportunity for my wife to monitor my consumption of meat. Fish and veggies are, according to medical science, "better for me". In theory, we can eat our way to a longer life. So, we embarked upon a meatless diet loaded with farmers' market produce. By the end of the month, cow sightings triggered a Pavlovian response, salivating involuntarily.
During my formative years in Idaho, I was raised on meat and potatoes. To date nothing comes even close to the family backyard barbequed T-bone steak with baked "spuds",butter, corn on the cob, fruit salad, and home made triple berry pie a la mode. How many of you are salivating now? Carnivores unite! We'll lead shorter, happier lives and leave the planet to other earthlings sooner.
Secondly, vegging out in Montana includes river rafting, kayaking, tubing, bike riding, hiking, and relaxing in one of the most spectacular areas I've known. Go to Montana. Visit Glacier National Park. Do not pass Go. You'll then understand why I haven't written sooner. I have plenty to share, more than there is time to report now. |
The Distribution and Redistribution of Water
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Distribution of water in Afghanistan is extremely important. Aqueduct and irrigation systems have been destroyed during the past 30 years. If you want to punish or threat en farmers for not doing your bidding, all you need to do is destroy water sources and plant landmines in their fields. Others are addressing the estimated 200 million landmines that were planted in Afghanistan. We are helping farmers solve their water problems.
TIE has financed three irrigation projects, totalling in excess of $27,000. Th e project shown here was completed a few months ago, in time to prevent the spring run off from flooding land owned by more than 80 farmers. This project had been on the villagers "wish list" for over 18 months.
This is another partnership project between villagers and TIE. We provided the materials. They did the work.
Total cost for materials: $4,990.
Total value of the labor: Look at the size of those rocks! It's 575 feet long!
Principle Donor: Los Altos rotary club (Thankyou!)
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WHERE IS THE RICE YOU PROMISED?
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The 18,000 rice packages provided by Stop Hunger Now, over 300 volunteers from Pine Forest Methodist Church, and Seymour Johnson Air Force base, in Goldsboro, North Carolina, are in our office in Kabul. Distribution to families living in internally displaced persons camps will begin during Ramadan.
It's a long story that began last November. Suffice it to say that everyone will be very happy when the rice reaches the families. The rice will provide over 100,000 meals. If you learn nothing else from working in Afghanistan, you learn how to be patient.
So, it's back to being patiently stressed out in California, and very pleased with our increasing ability to support so many Afghan famlies.
Thank you!!!
Budd
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