amid darkness, we will light our candles

The security situation had been relatively quiet since I arrived in Kabul; then this morning there were three attacks in the city, all north of where I live and work. Our security director sent a text message, an email, and then told all the expat staff in person that "all non mission essential travel" is suspended until further notice. Which is a bit of bummer since I'd been looking forward to Dari class this afternoon, and going out for dinner this evening.

Instead we ate rice and beans and really good chocolate chip cookies at home, spent several hours baking, smashing, and straining apples into the base for a batch of happy apple juice (now starting to ferment in an igloo jug beside the bukhari), and played rummy. I might not have gone to Dari, but I was able to tell my chaokidar to go buy me five kilos of apples...

While this is not a terribly safe place, and I am grieved by the ongoing violence in this country, I don't feel terribly unsafe. In most ways, amid violence, life continues. Must continue. Tomorrow I'll give a lecture, revise a draft of our new charts, spend time on the ward with mamas and midwives, and meet a friend at the sauna after work.