Jordan Update

I had every intention of making this not only a blog about Abigail, but also using it as a way to keep everyone updated about Jordan. I received an email from him yesterday and had to share parts of it...

  You know, it really scares me how much I am beginning to believe in what we are doing here. Beside the obvious things we are here to avenge and prevent, there are all the small details. Imagine living in a world were books and radios are illegal. Where illustrations are banned from all publications and classrooms. Where girls aren't allowed in schools and where uncovering your face is a capital offense. The more I learn about the Taliban, the more I see what evil people they really are, and not just hated by us but all other Muslims as well.
  Then you have everyone else here, decent people trying to make a living in a country so tattered with war that basic survival is all they can comprehend. What we are trying to do is introduce them to some basic practices and methods we take for granted every day. Even the veterinarians here are book vets only. The most basic skills like tying a halter, or working cattle are new experiences to most. They are by no means stupid, quite the opposite really, the are quick learners and hungry for knowledge. What is lacking here is the availability of practical hands-on experience.
    I was able to work the other day and build a little fence and work some cows. We preg checked, gave oral dewormer, and did physical exams on about 300 sheep and goats. Of course we would find out later that where we were driving post is a former mine field but, so is all of Afghanistan. You think its tough to drive post back home! Some of the best cattle we worked would body score about a 6 back in the states. As for the sheep, well, I don't really know anything about sheep. Additionally after doing some kilo per hectre conversion it turns out that a lot of the winter wheat fields are producing 50-100 bushel an acre, not bad for the desert.

 

 

(this isn't the norm for him, but I think he was happy to be in this seat)

Today was Jordan's birthday and we were not able to talk for more than a few seconds. We were going to Skype, but he was having internet connectivity issues there (go figure?!), so he heard Abigail's voice for a few minutes. We're both looking forward to March. I can't begin to explain how much I ache to just have his arms around me again. It's probably going to make it that much harder for us to be separated again, but we'll get back into our routine and before we know it he'll be home, right?