Afghanistan Connection

My pastor is in the Naval Reserve and recently returned from a nine-month deployment with a Marine unit in northern Afghanistan. He's been home since the end of March, but the church elders gave him a month to reconnect with his family before he returned to the pulpit.

Two weeks ago, he shared his experience with the crowd that gathered at a carry-in dinner to officially welcome him home. Pastor M's presentation was accompanied with photos of Afghanistan. It was his photos of the children that tugged at my heart - children whose surroundings are harsh and whose lives have been touched in numerous ways through the kindness of strangers. He had photos of mothers and their children receiving hand-knit socks, hats, sweaters as well as soccer balls, food, and blankets. The children's smiles in those photographs were priceless.

Those photos inspired me to get busy and knit more items for the afghans for Afghans (a4A) project. The deadline for this campaign is May 19th, not a lot of time to make more than a few hats, but knit I did.

I had knit for a4A before, but now I had a direct connection to Afghanistan, a connection created though digital images on a projector screen and through the words of a man that I know and trust. Through his photos, I saw the harsh conditions the Afghan people face every day, I saw the beauty of their country, and I saw the gratitude for the hand-knit items as they are given to the mothers and children.

Seeing Pastor M's photos and hearing his experiences has rekindled my desire to make an impact on my world. A single hat or pair of socks can make a big difference in the life of another. Will you join me in knitting for the next a4A campaign?