Day 7: The Mud

I don't think I'll ever look at a mound of dirt quite the same again since our trek to the village of Khowjagher about eight miles northeast of "home base." Prior to the mission, the planner briefed us of intelligence reports that a VBED (vehicle born explosive devise) was used along a main roadway we use quite often earlier that morning.

He said we should be watchful of roadside IEDs too. Though I'm not quite sure what that entails given the nature of the rubble strewn throughout the country.

In any case, we weren't going to take that road this particular morning he said, then adding calmly, "But you never know when it's coordinated attack day."

The trip to Khowjagher took us over potted, deep rutted roads -- and at one time through a mud village with high reaching walls and narrow allies that would have been perfect for an Indiana Jones movie set. Like an opening segment to a Tarantino special, our Afghan driver popped in his personal cassette and 2Live Crew erupted from the speakers of the vehicle as we bounced along the road.

Even so, I couldn't help but focus in on every mound of dirt, every mud structure that seemed out of place ... I watched the body language of everyone we passed. Some waved, some just stared. Everything, to me, seemed out of place -- especially me.

Once at the village we quickly met with the Malik or elder statesman, Khan Mohamed; he said they were in dire need of a school house, a well and a medical clinic. Dozens of children ran around acting like children do, they grabbed at my pens and tried to talk me out of my camera set in broken English.

After determining the makeup of the village (some 700 plus children and 200 families), our contingent determined it would be appropriate to try funding both the school and new well.

The Malik seemed happy, as were the rest who looked on, but showed some reservations as -- like we Americans -- he'll believe it when he sees it.

The proposal, if approved, should ensure he'll "see it" this October or November at the latest. At which time we will have made another believer, but until then any promises will be met with a healthy dose of skepticism.