We're 13 hours ahead of you on this side of the world, so it's 4.25pm here.Hopefully,all your little ones are sound asleep and you, too, before the big day. It's summer here, supposedly but the rain is P---ing down. I was feeling sorry for myself, then I opened the newspaper
We've had a lot of fun over the last year because of (mythical) events in a place called Helmand Province. This is some of what I read about that place in the NZ Herald, courtesy of the Washington post this Christmas Eve.
"Hellish scenes were reported inside police headquarters, where about 200 soldiers and police are holding out against the insurgents after two days of fighting. Dead and wounded were strewn around the building, which is under constant mortar and rocket attack by Taliban fighters.
The police chief told relatives that food was gone and ammunition was running low.Without the strength to break out, he has said that his men would rather die than surrender.
He phoned Mirza Khan, the governor of Helmand Province yesterday to castigate him for failing to send help, and told him to prepare 200 graves."
My thoughts are with the families who lost their sons and doughters in Helmand and who must be wondering what on earth meaning can be made from their sacrifice, I guess the Candy Smiths of the world.
Our NZ soldiers were in a different province but same result. Me, I'm thinking really hard about the wonderful characters who were created by Tony Grounds and the BBC, not in this instance the stars of Our Girl. I'm thinking about the Afghanis who can be seen to represent real life people fighting to survive in their home province. I'm thinking of Qaseem and Rolex Boy and Captain Azizi, for instance.
Let's all think about the Afghanis over the next few days and, if we believe in ANY god,pray for them.