tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46395328355275279202011-11-28T01:15:02.063+02:00"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." -Alan Cohen-Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.comBlogger161100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-56996150222778136072009-01-08T20:37:00.007+02:002009-01-08T20:52:05.028+02:00

It troubled me to once again hear the US's unwavering support for violence. It troubles me that International Law means nothing to more and more countries. It seems that these laws can be disregarded if we are fighting the, "war on terror." If we do this we are no better than those that we are fighting against. I read a quote earlier tonight that said, "In 1776 the US was founded on the

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-33210368541244620152008-11-02T09:25:00.007+02:002008-11-02T09:48:43.385+02:00

We took a day trip to Bamyan a few weeks ago, where the largest Buddah statues used to be before they were distroyed by the Taleban. You're able to walk through a maze of caves in the cliffside and walk behind where the statues used to be as well as to many openings that give a great view of the valley below. Its a beautiful place only a short distance from Kabul, where the air is breathable,

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-91607752647099585762008-08-22T13:55:00.006+02:002008-08-22T14:12:46.110+02:00

Photos from our trip up to Salang Pass, apparently its one of the worldest highest tunnels at over 10,000 feet.

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-79045369022432790842008-07-25T14:15:00.004+02:002008-07-26T15:55:08.498+02:00

A few pictures from a recent trip to the nothern city of Mazar-E-Sharif, a rather famous mosque called the Blue Mosque is in the city. More pictures can be found by clicking on the afghanistan album on the right side of the page.

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-85792415000059392662008-07-05T16:54:00.004+02:002008-07-05T17:15:31.403+02:00

Just some shots I took of Kabul on our ride home from the airport.

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-76862309596150580152008-07-05T16:33:00.003+02:002008-07-05T16:41:06.571+02:00

They haven’t departed. They haven’t gone home.The trials haven’t started.No evidence shown.They don’t get no visits.They don’t get no calls,and nobody tells them nothing at all.The headphones and the blindfolds,the days and the weeks.The overalls of orange, the manacled feet.A Kafka-esque nightmare. A legal black hole.A corner of Cubanamed Guantanamo.The warmongers tell usthey gave up their

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-16556085990302054132008-06-03T15:35:00.004+02:002008-06-04T18:59:57.239+02:00

Last weekend we visited Lake Qargha, it's a short drive just outside of the city. It was my first time outside of the city and it felt good to get out of town even if it was for a few hours. We headed out with another NGO worker and started our hike around the lake. It required some maneuvering over some barbed wire and walking on some narrow rocky foot paths, but it was worth it. After our

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-26618130471824297392008-04-26T13:15:00.003+02:002008-04-26T13:18:40.833+02:00

Flags are flying everywhere. It is a joyful celebration of 60th year of the founding of the state of Israel. It marks an extraordinary accomplishment. The economy is thriving, the construction boom continues, the experiment in democracy in a Jewish state is working for some people.. It is admirable that such diverse people from far flung corners of the world have created a functioning,

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-15280149690503530192008-04-26T10:07:00.002+02:002008-04-26T10:12:34.823+02:00

Here was a very interesting article on aid in Afghanistan....Oxfam Press Release – 25 March 2008Major donors failing Afghanistan due to $10bn aid shortfallForty per cent of aid spending returns to rich countries in corporate profits and consultant costsThe prospects for peace in Afghanistan are being undermined because Western countries are failing to deliver on their promises of aid to the tune

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-33421172777393275792008-04-22T15:17:00.002+02:002008-04-22T18:20:45.940+02:00

"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it.Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth.Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate.So it goes.Returning violence

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-2880862136613588472008-04-21T19:37:00.002+02:002008-04-21T19:42:30.548+02:00

In Exodus we read of the Israelites miraculous deliverance out of Egypt. Away from bondage of kings, slavery, and oppression they were on their way to the promised land. God was with the people, as they wandered without a home, God protected them, fought for them, and was to be the only authority they trusted in. As time went on they saw other empires nearby growing, empires that had a king and

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-4528045885659033032008-04-05T00:59:00.004+02:002008-04-05T01:14:45.477+02:00

From Justice in the Burbs by Will & Lisa Samson.Meditation by Claudia Mair Burney"Jesus lives next door. He's an eight-year-old girl and her three-year-old brother. The Son of Man looks like those starving Ethiopian children. He only gets breakfast and lunch at school, when he makes it. He's mama is a crack whore. Nobody knows where his daddy is. I heard his mama lets her "Johns" do things to

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-61926587053949104562007-12-24T14:13:00.000+02:002007-12-24T14:19:06.898+02:00

I read the following story and wanted to share it. I find it interesting how we quit donating when it becomes inconvient for us, because of a car payment, expensive electronics, or other things that we say we need. Groups that help needy feeling pinch this seasonBy Judy Keen, USA TODAYShortfalls in holiday donations of gifts, food, clothing and cash for the needy are dimming Christmas spirit at

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-30500243598502394022007-12-21T11:01:00.000+02:002007-12-21T11:08:13.423+02:00

A little while ago I resigned from the best job I’ve had so far. In some ways it was a very difficult decision and in other ways it was very easy to make. The time I have spent overseas in the last two and half years have changed my life in so many ways. In the end I was being forced to do things that I felt were wrong. In one way it was a lot of fun to resign, I was taking a very strong stand

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-34368997460803025702007-12-19T08:26:00.000+02:002007-12-19T08:31:03.868+02:00

A few weeks ago I was going to post this and just forgot. I was having a bit or a moral dilemma so blogging went on the back burner.Over the past few weeks many things have been on my mind. I just finished a great book written by Shane Claiborne called the Irresistible Revolution which my good friend Bruce J Yoder had suggested. I think it may portray the best description of what Christianity

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4639532835527527920.post-16720639601460814382007-11-29T14:00:00.000+02:002007-11-29T14:14:40.472+02:00

Today while I waited in the compound of one our valued customers in Afghanistan, a few of them started to discuss how much they hated being in this country and only getting paid six thousand dollars a month to do security detail. The complaining went on for a bit and as they were commenting on finding other firms to work for that paid better, Blackwater was at the top of their list. They then

Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779834171472451829noreply@blogger.com0