Afghanistan (MNN) — Last week's bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan didn't directly affect the work of one ministry, but everyone seems to be more on edge. That's the message from CURE International's Dale Brantner, who just returned from the region.
According to Brantner, "Our people are fine in Kabul. Obviously they have to be very wise in how they handle themselves living in Kabul. It's unlike any place I've ever been. Living abroad as an expatriate, one has to be street-wise and sensitive culturally."
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon vehemently condemned recent deadly attacks in Afghanistan which saw more than 30 Afghans killed and dozens more injured in a bomb attack against an Afghan Police Academy bus in Kabul on Sunday.
Brantner says, "We take every situation that happens in Afghanistan very seriously. Certainly we're concerned with the increased violence that we're seeing in Kabul. There is an increasing sense of danger and instability in regard to terrorist activity."
CURE International is concerned about maternal and infant mortality in Afghanistan. That's why they operate the CURE Kabul International Hospital. Despite the increasing tension, Brantner says their work has not been impacted. "Our work in Kabul just continues to increase. In fact, we had targeted this year to do 250 cleft lips and palates, and I think it was just last week they had already met that. An, so CURE just continues to increase, actually."
According to Brantner, their personnel needs require sacrifice. "While we do appreciate people that can come across for three weeks or six months, what Afghanistan really needs are medical professionals that end up sensing a call to that region and make a commitment of years."
That investment allows each person to become a trusted and valued member of society, which gives them unique opportunities to talk with the Afghan people in life-changing ways.
However, on their website Brantner tells us there are ways non-medical personal can help. "There are ways to actually support surgeries. The average cost for a surgery is $1,000 a surgery, which is quite remarkable when you think of the cost in the United States and in Europe."
