Hubby Is Now Safe! (But Shangri-La Has Fallen.)
Thanking the Lord! Finally my husband got out of Mingora, Swat, the center of Taliban fighting right now. It is the most famous and most dangerous city/Valley on earth right now. We see hourly TV live news from there. With 1 million people leaving in a few days, it looks like doomsday. My husband left with a small backpack and his laptop. He is working online with me from a motel room in a different city. We'll have to re-buy him everything he needs when he gets here. He is still over there but in a safer area. He should get to Canada in a few months.
Finally its over!!...the stress of having to listen to bombs and machine guns in the background while we work on our computer business each day on webcam! SUCH a relief!
Swat is the real "Shangri-La/Shambala " of myths, songs, stories and movies. It is where Buddha was born and raised. Buddhist pilgrimages are made there to see the many amazing sculptures done by Buddhist monks, and the tree Buddha sat under as he meditated and taught, and his footsteps saved in concrete.
Until 2 years ago, it was referred to as "The Switzerland of Asia". Not too long ago, it was an independent country with different culture, foods, rules, habits, and more freedoms and more open mindedness than the areas just surrounding them at the bottom of the mountain. It was called a restive, peaceful paradise, with an educated population; and they had not known violence for hundreds (at least) of years. Not since Alexander the Great or Ghengis (sp?) Khan, so 2 years ago when the Taliban started attacking them, they were very naive and innocent, and had never experienced such things. They had not even become desensitized to violence like the rest of the world has; (because we watch violence on TV or movies all the time), so it was especially hard for these trusting, non-violent people. Of all people to be terrorized, these people don't deserve it, but "bullies" look for the meekest people who have no one to oppose them. 
The Taliban wants that valley for their headquarters because its so beautiful and is hidden in the Himalayan Mountains, so there are many places to hide.
My husband got sciatica, a very painful damaged nerve that goes down the back of the leg, and the local doctors could not help. He was rolling in pain for days and decided to go to a bigger city to see another Dr.
While he was on the bus, he saw the extremists putting mines in the road that he was riding on, so he was not sure if he would go back to where he was again or not! The Dr. was not in the next day, so he had to stay an extra night. That extra night was the night that half a million people were living in Mingora were leaving with 1 hour's notice. This includes the people living in the same house he lived in, so it would be all locked up. He couldn't go back. Thank goodness he had enough money to stay in a motel for a while because they are so cheap there.
People left only with a little food and a change of clothing, not knowing what they would find if they ever got back, after the terrorists loot the banks, shops and homes left behind. The sciatica went away without seeing a Dr.! That tells me that he was given that severe pain to finally give him the incentive to get out of there, and the Dr. was not in that day, because if he had seen the Dr. he would have been on the bus back to Mingora just as 1 million others were trying to leave all at once on one narrow road. God works in mysterious ways! The pain saved his life and his business. The Dr. not showing up kept him from going back.
OK So that's my RANT, getting the 2 years of constant stress out of my system. Here in my bedroom I felt like I was living in the war due to hearing it through the computer each day and proofreading war documents for UK gov't and worrying about my husband. NOW HE IS SAFE...and so are all who fled that city, so TONS of stress has been lifted!
THANK YOU LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER!! I also thank Him for sending all my Internet friends into my life to teach me and lift and strengthen me. Thank you all!
(my mood-contented)
Yes, I read your post, and I wrote comment, but suddendly your post and my comm disappeared.
Thank you for sharing this great news.
Praise the Lord!
May your hubby come to you very soon!
What a great job you did!
God bless you and your hubby!
krystyna said... Mon May 11, 07:26:00 pm GMT-6
Sheila, I am so happy for this news about your husband--but what a heartbreaking story about what is happening in that sacred place!
It brings to mind the terrible suffering in Tibet...
My your husband come back safe, and soon--what will they have him doing in the meantime? I am so glad the sciatica did not continue!
Yes said... Mon May 11, 09:53:00 pm GMT-6
Hi Krystyna and Firebird! I think of you often and miss you. Seems like life gets so busy trying to just keep up and prepare for another person to move into the house. So Krystyna, I guess my post and comments disappeared when I was editing. that's good to know!
Firebird, Hubby and I will continue to do translations and proofreading, which can be done from anywhere that has electricity and internet...and if we buy the satellite internet gadget we could literally work from anywhere on earth. Now he will have electricity for more hours per day, so we can earn enough for airfare and honeymoon. Then we hope to take a couple of months off for him to re-adapt to "real life" and for me to adapt to married life again. Thanks both for your kind-hearted wishes!
Blessings,
Sheila
Bluebirdy said... Mon May 11, 10:26:00 pm GMT-6
sheila, that's super good news! thank God your hubby's safe.
Pia said... Tue May 12, 12:21:00 am GMT-6
Sheila,
I have been watching the news and reading your blog. Things were looking very bleak, but this is a miracle. The Lord so obviously works in your lives. I am so happy for you!
Sheila
lrolf@kc.rr.com said... Tue May 12, 11:46:00 am GMT-6
Hi Shiela,
First of all, we praise the Lord for the wonderful things He has done to your husband. Praise the Lord that your husband is safe and will soon be reunited with you in Canada. God really works in mysterious ways and He saved your husband from the Talibans. A painful experience turned out to be an actual deliverance. Your treatise on Shamballa is very informative. Peace loving people are often victimized by evil forces just like what Communist China did to peace loving Tibet. I pray to the Lord that all your troubles will one day disappear and you will be reunited in perfect health and love to further serve the Lord. Thanks for the very wonderful post. God bless you all always.
Mel Avila Alarilla said... Tue May 12, 05:12:00 pm GMT-6
Gosh
Sheila
give your hubby a hugg
for me
No
not kiss
I am shy
Jimmy said... Tue May 12, 05:34:00 pm GMT-6
Haha Jimmy you are funny. Thanks for visiting my blog. I like to make new friends. I now have many friends in India, thanks to blogging. I think you have more blogs than I ever saw from 1 person. How do you take care of all of them? Are you on the computer 24 hours a day? lol.
Best wishes,
Sheila
Bluebirdy said... Tue May 12, 05:58:00 pm GMT-6
No
not 24
27
Jimmy said... Tue May 12, 06:03:00 pm GMT-6
glad that things are working out and your hubby is safe and can come back soon. it has been a long long road. you can even write a book on it.
mistipurple said... Tue May 12, 10:06:00 pm GMT-6
Bluebirdy said... Tue May 12, 10:44:00 pm GMT-6
Hi Misti! I've missed you! Yes I have always wanted to write a book about this adventure. It has so much drama in it, no one would believe it could be true. It's kind of like a James Bond movie with natural disasters, wars, politics, espionage, overcoming many dangers, love, romance, secrets, I really want this story written. I am not good enough of a writer to write a whole book, so maybe I'll hire a professional writer to help with it. That's one of our goals though!
Mel and Linda;
Thank you for recognizing the miracle of all of this, the mysterious ways that God works, and that God is guiding us every step in this relationship. I think there must be something great we will be doing for the Lord in our life together.
Pia I hope you are ok. Thanks for your kind comments. You are a dear lady.
Blessings,
Sheila
Bluebirdy said... Tue May 12, 11:10:00 pm GMT-6
I pray to the Lord that all your troubles will one day disappear ??
No way Mel
u have no problems, when u r dead
Take that wish back
Jimmy said... Tue May 12, 11:19:00 pm GMT-6
Heyyy Sheila
my main web page is FRIENDS ARE FOREVER, MY LOVE
ignore the WARNING
step in
it is not a PORN Blog
some ppl flagged my blog
Jimmy said... Wed May 13, 04:27:00 am GMT-6
Hi Sheila,
Wow, what a suspense filled story.
I was on the edge of my seat reading it. It was heart-wrenching when you described this horrific invasion on peace-loving people.
Come Lord Jesus and end this madness!
But I'm so glad to hear your husband is safe and you will be soon reunited.
God bless you both,
Fred
FCB said... Wed May 13, 07:56:00 pm GMT-6
Hi Sheila:)
I'm glad to hear the good news. Thank God. He is merciful.
It was interesting to read about Swat. It is always the simple, honest, good, innocent people who are terrorized just like our beautiful Kashmir. But Indian Govt. and Indian Army are too good for Taliban and other terrorists. Yet there is always tension in that place.
Obama is trying hard to get rid of Taliban from the Swat. Pakistan has realized the seriousness of the situation. I hope and pray that the terrorists will be wiped out and people will be able to come back to their homeland.
Your photos are lovely.
Prayers and best wishes:)
Joseph
Joseph Pulikotil said... Tue May 19, 07:45:00 pm GMT-6
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