DISPATCHES FROM AFGHANISTAN
Because of this mission, people here now stand a much better chance of surviving the frigid Afghan winter.
(KATEHKHIL, Afghanistan) - Oregon National Guard soldiers aided by members of other U.S. services banded together and traveled to a snow-covered mountain village to provide clothing, shoes, toys and other essentials to people that have very little. As Tim King reports, this is a place where items sent from the United States find their way directly into the hands of the people who need them more than words can describe.
This mission to deliver clothing, shoes and other essential goods to a remote village called KatehKhil in Afghanistan was a big boost for some very poor people.
The items were private donations from the United States, and delivered by the U.S. military. Because of this mission, people here now stand a much better chance of surviving the frigid Afghan winter.
1st Sgt Don Weber explained, "KatehKhil consists of four villages, this is the smallest of the four villages. This is the poorest of the four that are out here, and that is why we selected this village."
If you had to use one word to describe an Afghanistan humanitarian mission, that word just might be frustrating. Americans with the most basic sense of parenting might not approve of much here, but this frustration goes a long way in emphasizing the importance of educating people in this frequently cold and often isolated place.
These poverty stricken people of Asia also may have a few lessons they could teach western societies, their Islamic faith teaches them from an early age to maintain what could only be described as fundamental moral values.
But the poorest of poor people still try to maximize opportunities that benefit their families, and one man was caught by an Afghan soldier for taking repeated turns in line.
Emphasizing the magnitude of the danger in this war torn land, red and white rocks near the distribution site mark unexploded landmines. We were warned to stay on white side, others didn't seem to care.
They say God watches over drunks and fools, and here it is obvious that a higher power also watches over the innocent and uneducated, people that understand war and ammunition far more intimately than they perceive faraway cultures.
Watch the Video News Report below, direct from Kabul, Afghanistan by Tim King:
__________________________________ Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines.
Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Silver Spoke Award by the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (2011), Excellence in Journalism Award by the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs (2010), Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), First-place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Tim was a member of the National Press Photographer's Association for several years and is a current member of the Orange County Press Club.
Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. As News Editor, Tim among other things, is responsible for publishing the original content of 82 Salem-News.com writers. He reminds viewers that emails are easily missed and urges those trying to reach him, to please send a second email if the first goes unanswered. You can write to Tim at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com
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