Behind the Veil:: It's Still a Privilege 1994

Living Behind the Veil

I'm often asked what I wear in Afghanistan and what it's like to wear a veil. It's freedom. Freedom to have a bad hair day, freedom to arrange my chadar to conceal the curve of my breasts and backside, freedom to not be an expatriate for a little while. It means freedom to hide even on the street from the Afghan men's eyes which seem to strip me naked.

When I relax my shoulders and walk less purposefully, less confidently, my eyes downcast and covered by sunglasses, I pass for an Afghan woman. I hear the men whisper in Dari, "Is she a foreigner or local woman?" I chuckle but am silent. On the street, I'm also a free target....freely exposed to groping, sexual innuendos whispered to me as a man bicycles by, free to have stones thrown at me, freely seen as no one's wife, daughter, sister, mother, friend, or boss. I step inside my gate, and remove my chapan and chadar. Now I'm someone's boss, motherhood returns to me as little steps run to greet me, and I receive a kiss from my adoring husband. Now I'm free to his loving and gentle eyes which know and enjoy my curves, free to once again be under the protective umbrella of being a wife, mother, friend, colleague, boss, niece, sister, daughter, woman.

Saturday, September 17, 2016

It's Still a Privilege 1994 - 2016

We didn't yet know each other, but at the same time began raising support for full-time ministry work. He was heading to Albania to fly airplanes, and I was heading to work with teenagers, leading trips all over the world. It was September, 1994 when we met at the same speaking event.

In the years that followed, we had a courtship that spanned three continents and resulted in marriage in March, 1999.

We had to evacuate Peshawar, Pakistan two days after 9/11, and ended up back in the States. While there, I gave birth to our second child, our beautiful daughter. We waited to see if we would be able to return to our home in Peshawar, with the hopes that one day we'd be able to move back to Kabul.

During that waiting, we wrote the following on Dec 10, 2001, to our supporters:

However, Neal and I want our personal world view of the work we do and our own life choices and calling to be one characterized with the mindset that it is an honor to serve Him as His children. The joy of having the opportunity to see Him work on the front lines of the "battle field for souls" far outweighs any personal sacrifices we make.

So few people get the opportunity to do what we do, as well as the honor to be able to live in one of the most religiously strict and needy countries of the world today. We agree with our overseas colleagues that it IS a privilege to serve the people in Central Asia, and we ask Him often that the way will be smooth for us to return in early April.

We were so thankful to arrive back in Peshawar in early May of 2002, and then return to Kabul June 1, 2002.

Our vision hasn't changed - it is still a privilege to live and serve in the Middle East.