See Inside Quote of the Week 2. Personal Essays 6. Star Related “The mind that is not baffled 3. Community 7. Literary is not employed. The impeded 4-5. News 8. Interview stream is the one that sings" ― Wendell Berry Saturday, November 26, 2016 Vol. 2, No. 58 Star Educational Society Weekly Interstellar (adjective): situated or occurring between the stars; conducted, or existing between two or more stars Uncle what is your job here? A Message from Mustafa Hussaini, the Executive Director of Star Educational Society replied, "Oh, I remember you. At that time we were just small girls and attended elementary classes. Now we have just fin- ished our bachelor’s degrees in sociology and plan to study English again." The el- der added. "It is very nice to see you after a decade." The two left to see the cashier and before leaving the elder girl asked, "By the way uncle, what is your job here?" t has been over a decade that I have "My job now? I am the Executive Direc- been emotionally connected to Star. tor of Star’s five branches and Star High During these eleven years, I have in- School." They scoffed and silently left vested both emotionally and physi- the office with very surprised faces. They cally in making Star a great place for approached the cashier and asked him, Ianyone who passes through the doors of “Excuse me sir, eleven years ago when our various branches. At Star, our com- my sister and I studied in B Branch Mr. munity is a family of shrewd and gifted Changiz used to be the director, could Starians who are committed, tolerant to- you please tell us who is responsible for ward differences, and value strength and the execution of Star programs now?" The quality service. cashier said, "The guy who you were just During these long years of hard work, talking to is our Director." I have faced both good and bad times, The girls came back embarrassed and but there has always been one steady in a very apologetic tone asked me to give thing that has given me strength when I them a speaking test. I evaluated them have felt weakened by the load of work or and told them to join their classes. Since pressure of deadlines - the goal of making then, they are my best students and we Star an ideal educational environment. have established a great rapport. Sometimes the rewards are not tangible An experience such as this one is a ones, but are rewards much richer than gift that illuminates my soul. I reflect on money or material things. The value of a the path that has led me to my esteemed simple “Thank You,” a smile, or witness- position at Star now and the paths that ing the pride, pleasure and satisfaction many Starians have taken to advance and in the eyes of either students or teachers improve in their lives, including these two who work for you is greater than anything recent university graduates. As a watch- money can buy. man many years ago, Star gave me the It was just last month when I stepped recognition and self-confidence that no into the office and saw two girls busy tak- other organization could have given me. ing the entrance exam in the corner of the And I, on the occasion of Thanksgiving room. I instantly recognized one of them week, take this opportunity to extend my and remembered that I had seen her in most cordial gratitude to everyone who Star many years earlier. I kept looking at has passed through these doors with me, both girls when one of them glanced back including students, teachers, support at me and asked, "Uncle, what is your job staff, volunteers and everyone who has here?" Without answering them, I asked, been instrumental in making Star a great "Were you two sisters Star students be- and memorable place for generations to fore?" The elder replied, "Yes, nearly 11 come. years ago in B branch." I smiled and approached the seat near them, "I knew I recognized the two of you and remembered you both from many years ago in B Branch in Barchi." The two left to see the cashier and before leaving the elder girl asked, The younger one asked me, "How do you "By the way uncle, what is your job here?" "My job now? I am the Ex- know us and what were you doing at that ecutive Director of Star’s five branches and Star High School." They time?" I answered, "I was the watchman scoffed and silently left the office with very surprised faces. at B Branch at that time." The same girl Lessons from my Christians of Kabul Zahir Qadir Warns Rising “Be the Change that mother, a veteran Rula Ghani, the first lady of Khurasan Province by you Wish to See in the Afghanistan, is a Christian. It was Islamic State Afghan nurse World” beyond people’s imagination. She is the Haji Zahir Qadir warns against forming My mother is a nurse. Growing up, she first Christian who became the wife of a “Be the change that you wish to see would tell me stories about her work Khurasan province by Islamic State leader in Afghanistan. in some parts of in the world” is a quote by Mahatma and the women she met at the hos- President Ashraf Ghani Gandhi that many of us have heard pitals and homes where she worked. Afghanistan. He says faced many challenges that Islamic State and been moved by. But even as we These stories were about fear, bravery, during his presidential have quoted, cited, coached it and deep cultural flaws, and triumph. They militants are trying campaign, one of to...Page 4 counseled with it, we don’t often hear gave me a deep sense... Page 2 which was...Page 3 the story behind it..... Page 6 Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Kabul Mosque... Page 5 Vol.2, No. 58 Personal Essays Lessons from my mother, a veteran Afghan nurse Written by: Maryam Laly hard for both of us to say. for the girls in our family to go to school. Republished from: http://www.freewomenwriters.org/927-2/ “Yes, I remember,” I interrupted. My I want them to get an education, which is father passed away suddenly when we re- of course crucial, but I also wanted them My mother is a nurse. Growing up, at Mastoraad Hospital (now Maiwand turned from Pakistan to Kabul. When he to study beyond high school and to have she would tell me stories about her work Hospital) and I will make sure you go to died so unexpectedly, we didn’t know how a profession. Because, as life has taught and the women she met at the hospitals nursing school,” she said. we would survive. us, there are so many hurdles and unex- and homes where she worked. These sto- I was in ninth grade then. When the My mother’s courage and tenacity pected problems. If you are economically ries were about fear, bravery, deep cul- time came, I took the Kankor exam (the landed her a job with a private clinic in dependent, you will have an even hard- tural flaws, and triumph. They gave me a national entrance exam for university) Kabul. She became the sole breadwinner er time. But with a profession, you can deep sense of solidarity with the women of and I was accepted to nursing school. I of the family. She had the insurance to change that. You will not be economi- my country. went to study at Mastoraad Hospital’s stay economically independent from our cally dependent on anyone, even if you Recently I sat to interview my mother school. Raheela helped pay for my edu- extended family. She worked hard day lose a husband or a father. You will have with the intention of writing one of her cational costs for the three years that and night so that her three children could an insurance in their hand that can save stories. I started by asking her about how I was there. I graduated top of my class go to school and receive an education. you and your community. she ended up going to school and became and I received my diploma from King Towards the end of our conversation In many ways, my mother’s degree a nurse. Here is a part of her story in her Mohmmad Zahir Shah himself. my mother shared an important lesson for was her life insurance. But it didn’t just own words: After graduation, I was assigned to her daughters: help her, it helped her entire family, her I was born to poor illiterate parents. the Operations Ward in Ali Abad Hospi- You know that I always advocated community, and her country. I was the eldest of seven children. It was tal. I worked there for 16 years. For more hard for my parents to make ends meet. than 12 of those years, I was the head From a very young age, I wanted to be ed- nurse. ucated. I was lucky because my parents Unfortunately, the civil war hap- also knew the value of education so they pened and the turmoil in the country in- were supportive. However, due to my creased. Many people were either escap- family’s financial situation, as a young ing the country or disappearing. That is girl I started working at a public bath- when I lost touch with Raheela. house alongside my mother.