Bah Humbug!!! Most people would say that if they were stationed in a third world country with limited luxuries, away from their family over Christmas. This is not the case for me.I am not saying it isn't bad over here. In fact, I will get into more of that later. But I love my job and I love being in the Army and having the opportunity to help people the way I do! I am so blessed to be an American. We truly have more freedoms, luxuries, and liberties than any country in the world at any time ever in the history of the world. I have been stationed here in Afghanistan for four months and I have five more to go. I work and live just north of Kabul, with local leaders of five provinces on national and provincial issues. It is so inspiring to see the impact we can make every day. I am well aware of the great influence my job has as the civil affairs leader for the capitol region.I assess the area and nominate projects like new schools, wells, and hospital clinics. Then we hire local contractors to do the work to stimulate economic growth in a downtrodden area. We return periodically and oversee the project to completion. This employs men who have been out of work for years and trains and educates them for a skill they can use for a lifetime. I have also directed doctors and veterinarians for a weeklong 'cooperative medical assistance' visit. We visited a different village every day and people would walk up to four hours to come see the doctors and vets. In one day we can treat up to 800 animals and 600 patients. It is amazing the short and long-term effect this has on the community. (I sent some pictures of this.)My team and I reconnoiter uncharted villages, some which have not had foreign visitors since 1898. We bring Humanitarian Assistance like: school supplies, mittens, boots, toys and food. Most of these charitable items have been mailed to me from my friends, Camden neighbors, family and church members. The people are so impoverished and so appreciative. I feel a little like Santa Claus.The people here have to learn to believe in a different way of life here. They have been at war for 23 years with the Russians and the Taliban and have been left with nothing. Twenty-three years! I think about how fortunate I was to be born in America. (Sounds like a song coming on.) I wonder what it would have been like if I had been born in Afghanistan instead of in the United States of America. I would be living under a shroud of a bhirka, afraid to voice my opinion or talk to strangers, uneducated with a pessimistic view of the world. I would have a world of doubt of any hope for the future, or the future of my children and family. Reports say that the infant mortality rate is five out of 10 in Afghanistan.In America, we are also easily distraught at minor inconveniences in our everyday life. Rush hour for instance, our average waiting is about 20-25 minutes. I see trucks waiting in line in Kabul for eight hours to get supplies. We have the luxury of spaciousness in land, homes, and cars. Here, they pack 11 people in to a Corolla taxi. The driver sits on the right. Two people sit on the left side. Four people sit in the back seat. Another four people are loaded in the little cargo area. A whole family can sleep in a one-room mud adobe. Definitely different than what we are accustom to in America.The things in America I miss could be long if I thought of it long enough. I miss good food. Due to transportation problems we don't get green salads. By the time we get them some of the edges are already brown. Forget about good cheeses and chocolate, they have too many preservatives. The veggies are usually over cooked, but they are already frost bitten so it doesn't really matter. Finally, though we are able to get soda pop. The writing is in Dari, but the cans look like Coke and Pepsi.The colder it gets, the more and more I miss indoor plumbing and the treacherous three-city-block walk to the port-a-john seems to get longer. As scorching hot as it was this summer, I can hardly believe how cold it is now. It is more like Minnesota everyday. It rained constantly for the past three days. Now there is a nice layer of ice everywhere. We are at a 5,000 feet elevation so we feel the extremes of the weather. At least lately there is toilet paper in the johns. We used to have to bring our own. See, things are getting better every day.This past year I have experienced sorrow, fear, exhaustion and disappointment. The frailty of mortality looks me in the eye everyday. But we as soldiers have gone beyond the 'have a nice day' mentality. We experience life, knowing that it is fragile. So have a wondrous day, a passionate day, a dangerous day, and a blessed day. I hope you experience your days to the fullest and take nothing for granted.Everyday I make a point to say, "salaam alaikem" ("hi") and shake hands with a dozen folks. They tell their friends and family, and just by that small gesture I may have changed someone's mind or perception of America. I believe we can make those changes one step at a time. Over time, we can instill hope in people. That is my wish this Christmas ? hope. It is all about the season of giving and many have given and sacrificed a great deal for the freedoms we currently have. But everyone has the opportunity to give something everyday, no matter where you are. That something may be as small as a mustard seed, but it will have a great outcome. Hope must endure. Great things are happening here in Afghanistan. Thanks to all your prayers and continued hopefulness. As Tiny Tim would say, "God bless us all, everyone!"Joyfully serving America in Afghanistan.MAJ Carman OldreCarman?s Army Reserve Unit was activated in July. She is the granddaughter of the late Kenneth native Albert and Myrtle Oldre, who farmed near Magnolia where they raised six sons ? all of whom served in some branch of the military. Carman?s father, Virgil, is the youngest of the six boys, and lives in Minneapolis where Carman grew up.
