November 30, 2009

SpiritofAmerica, Evergreen Methodist Church, Sharon & Michael Hasley Donations. Thanks!!!

Yesterday, several big boxes were delivered. They were sent from “Spirit of America”, Evergreen Methodist Church, and Mr. Michael Hasley and Mrs. Sharon Hasley.

Spirit of the America
10 sets: Markers, Erasers & Cleaning Kits

Evergreen Methodist Church
38 School Backpacks

Michael and Sharon Hasley
1 sewing machine

These gifts are wonderful. You wouldn’t believe how happy the kids were while receiving these beautiful backpacks. These backpacks were a dream come true for these Afghan children. Dr. Rafi said this is something only rich kids can have. For most of the not-so-fortunate students normally these great looking backpacks are way out of their reach. Old and crinkled plastic bags or dirty cloth bags are how the majority of students carry their school books and supplies.

Evergreen Methodist Church has so far sent us 162 backpacks. We have distributed 70+ backpacks to Daman Elementary School with actor Gary Sinise and we are planning to distribute 75+ backpacks to Kharbandy Elementary School soon.

Chaplain Satterfield first showed me the Spirit of America website and contacted them for me. (Always thankful to CH. Satterfield and all our Chaplains who encouraged and inspired me to continue the work of helping the people of Afghanistan). Since then, the Spirit of the America set up two web pages strictly dedicated for our project purposes and supported us. Their first package arrived today. Thanks a bunch, Spirit of America!!!

Our first Sewing Machine!!! Thanks Mrs. and Mr. Sharon & Michael Hasley!!!!

Okay, this is exciting! We just received our first sewing machine. Our first sewing machine!!!
Dr. Rafi, Asad, and I are planning a vocation school Nationwide throughout Afghanistan, and we just received our first major piece of the puzzle. This is amazing. When I received an email telling me that somewhere in Afghanistan, a sewing machine from America had arrived in my name, I got very excited. I was thrilled. I could not find the right words to describe how happy I was.

We are targeting chronically poor women who are mostly widows and female headed families, which represent about 42% of the entire Afghanistan population. 42%! That is almost half of Afghanistan! Can you believe that? Almost half of Afghanistan’s population is chronically poor. Chronically poor means people that live with an income under $14 per month per person for more than 5 years. That’s what the recent study says, but Dr. Rafi says, the reality is even crueler than the statistics appear.

This could be a lifetime commitment, and I believe this is the vision God has put inside of my heart. I am 204% charged up to follow this commitment. I want to help these poor women and their families in any way I can.

We will start with three basic classes: literacy, basic hygiene, and sewing class.

With 76% illiteracy rate in Afghanistan, there is no doubt about the fact that teaching Afghans how to read and write their own language would greatly improve their situations, both personally and economically. This is the very first step to educate them. Without education, how can we expect Afghanistan to be stronger and independent again? With hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars spent every year to help Afghanistan, how can we expect a brighter future for this financially decrepit if they aren’t better educated? This is the basic and most important step to help Afghanistan in the long term, in my opinion.

The most critical and urgent health issue is personal hygiene and public sanitation. There is no doubt about this. We must teach them even the most basic skills, such as the importance of washing hands and brushing teeth. They must learn the importance of sanitation. Back in the beginning of modern medicine, doctors realized acts as simple as washing their hands before surgery saved their patients from many potential diseases and infections that had been caused by unclean conditions. If only we could reach out to these 42% of the Afghan population and teach them the importance of basic hygiene. Then, perhaps, Afghanistan could not only save millions of dollars of unnecessary medical treatment, but also save millions of people from avoidable pain and death.

Teaching these chronically poor families the skills they can use to earn immediate income is also critical. Because they can’t make $14 per month per person, they are malnourished and in constant pain. They are out on the streets, begging for food and money. Their children are on the streets trying to make money, not in the school where they could be building their futures. We have to help these females learn the necessary skills to support their families. We have to give these people a new hope that they rightly deserve as human beings. If they weren’t given the chances before now, I would like to step up and start providing those chances, if I can.

We need your support. This time, in a much bigger way.
This could be a $1million+ a year project. My heart is filled with a vision much bigger than myself. My heart pumps fast as I am writing this, filled with desperate prayers to achieve the dreams bigger than me.

On my door, I have a big sign posted, “Dream the Impossible.” I love this phrase!

My heart is at peace with love and compassion rushing through it.

Project Help Afghanistan started with ONE PAIR OF SHOES, and now I am again starting with ONE SEWING MACHINE. I am determined and committed. So help me God!!!