Darwin's Paw "Life is a Matter of Perspective"

Darwin’s Paw

Life is a Matter of Perspective

by

Vern A. Westfall

Published by

Brighton Publishing LLC

501 W. Ray Rd.

Suite 4

Chandler, AZ 85225

www.BrightonPublishing.com

Copyright 2012

ISBN 978-1-936587-84-1

Smashwords Edition

Cover Design by: Tom Rodriquez

Author Photo by: Natalie Harding

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Chapter One

Ahmad returned home on his seventeenth birthday and was now one of the most educated individuals in his village. His studies extended his education beyond the limited teachings of the village clerics and he had done well. He could now speak English and had an understanding of world history, mathematics, and science, but his education didn’t make him a hero; instead it made him feel out of place. He felt unwelcome among his friends and was treated differently by his family. His education had raised questions the Quran couldn’t answer. His mind had been opened to ideas he couldn’t reconcile with his religion, and now he had been summoned again.

***

The high school principal handed Mary her diploma and shook her hand. She swung the tassel on her graduation cap to the other side and waved and smiled at her family. The auditorium was full and the applause was continuous as her classmates crossed the stage to receive their certificates. Mary had her career well planned. Her parents had petitioned the church for a partial scholarship and she would soon begin nursing school. Her future looked bright.

Mary’s relatives and some of her neighbors would soon arrive for a backyard barbeque and she was looking forward to the party. The ride home was short, and as they turned into the driveway Mary’s father stopped the car and stepped out to retrieve the mail. As he got back in, he handed Mary an envelope.

This one is for you sweetheart. It looks official.

***

Colonel David Maelstrom was enjoying a quiet solitary life after a long career as an army intelligence officer. His dog was his constant companion, and other than food and affection Darwin demanded little. Having time to explore his intellectual interests was a luxury David had long anticipated. He enjoyed having time to think and used Darwin’s morning walks to organize and plan his day. Today he planned to finish work on his latest book, but as he let Darwin in through the front door his plans were interrupted by the telephone. The caller ID showed unknown and David normally ignored unknown calls, but this time he was tempted. He had to make a seemingly unimportant choice: answer the phone or let it ring.

***

Separated by geography, age and experience, three lives were about to be joined by circumstances they couldn’t control and directed by agendas they didn’t understand. Religious zealots, government bureaucrats, and international politics were about to take control and twist their futures around conflicting world views and new perspectives.

***

Ahmad stood in the back of the dusty classroom listening to the boys repeat short passages from the Quran. The village imam directed their recitations with a waving hand and Ahmad mouthed the words, recalling his years on the same hard wooden benches. Ahmad’s village was just a few kilometers north of Peshawar, close to the Afghan border, and he often fell asleep listening to the sound of distant gunfire as rival religious factions fought their mini-wars. Ahmad’s clan was poor and the local government was weak and ineffectual. A small group of Muslim clerics provided limited social services and controlled the local population by enforcing a moderate version of Islamic law. Ahmad knew the village imam well. He had given Ahmad the opportunity to study in Islamabad and now the imam had called for Ahmad again. Ahmad waited silently, wondering why he had been summoned.

As he waited Ahmad thought about his education. How had he been able to attend a secular school? How had his family had been able to afford the tuition and board? He knew the clerics had something to do with his opportunity, but why would they expose him to an education and a lifestyle they preached against?

Eventually the chanting stopped and the students were dismissed. Ahmad bowed his head, put his hands together in a gesture of respect, and approached his imam.

Welcome home, Ahmad. The cleric put his hand on Ahmad’s shoulder and kissed his cheeks. Allah be praised. The cleric spoke in a low voice and got directly to the point.

You have done very well. We are proud of you and would like your education to continue. Would like you to study in America?

Ahmad was shocked. In his conservative village, association with anything Western was discouraged. Why would his teacher offer such a thing? Maybe it was a test? How should he respond? His mind raced and his long silence became noticeable. He had to speak.

Teacher, I am confused.

Ahmad stood silent and waited for a reply. Eventually he looked away. He had questioned his extended education before, but now he was afraid. There had to be a price for such an opportunity. What did his imam want? Was he to become a suicide bomber? He looked back at his spiritual leader and forced himself to speak.

I am honored, but why such a journey? The United States is an evil place. You have told me this yourself.

The cleric looked back at him with dark eyes.

You can serve Allah by learning how others think, and from this knowledge how to use their own beliefs to show them the true path to enlightenment. Allah will protect you and guide you in your journey and while you are gone we will protect your family.

The cleric put an emphasis on the words about protecting Ahmad’s family that made the hair on Ahmad’s neck stand up. The cleric looked stern and commanding.

Will you serve your village and your religion by accepting our edict?

Ahmad called upon a passage from the Quran he had repeated hundreds of times.

I will serve Allah and Allah will provide.

The cleric smiled, kissed Ahmad’s cheeks, and turned away. Ahmad stood still for a long time trying to comprehend what had just happened. When he finally regained a sense of his surroundings he hurried home. He needed to discuss this with his father.

After evening prayers he presented himself formally to his father by indicating he had something important to discuss.

Sit beside me here. His father indicated a pillow on the floor next to him. Ahmad sat down and crossed his legs, being careful not to point his toes in disrespect.

Father, he began, the clerics have told me I am to go to America. I do not understand. I have only been home a few days. The two years I spent in Islamabad separated us in a way that keeps us apart even when I am with you. Why are they asking me to go away from my family again?

His father looked sad and put his hands on his knees with palms upward as a sign of submission.

Your teacher is a part of the Taliban. The mosque and the village have been under their protection for years. The Taliban conducts operations in many countries and rules our village with an iron hand. There is no escape. You must do as they ask or you will put your mother and sisters in danger. We can only hope the Taliban’s days are numbered and we will survive. Do you understand?

His father turned his hands over and interlocked his fingers to indicate the conversation was over.

Ahmad bowed his head. He was trapped. He and his family had been trapped for many years but he had been too naïve and too caught up in himself to notice. He was suddenly filled with a terrible guilt. How could he have been so blind?

Ahmad remained at home waiting for instructions from the mosque. His mother tried not to let her fear show, but she was much too attentive. Ahmad thought about nothing else. He did not want to go away again, but what could he do? Fear now had a firm grip on his future as well as the future of his family, and his destiny was in the hands of others.

After a long and difficult month a packet was delivered. Inside was a passport, an application for a U.S. student visa, and a bus ticket to Islamabad.

***

Mary relaxed in the car as they continued their drive toward the house. She opened the letter her father had handed her and quickly scanned the contents without reading all the details.

I don’t believe it! she shouted.

What’s wrong? Her mother turned around and looked at her daughter in the back seat. Mary handed her the letter.

Some group in the church named the New Findings Institute wants me to go to college in Ohio. They cancelled my funding for nursing school! Can they do that?

Mary was in tears.

Mary’s mother tried to comfort her. Calm down. There has to be a good explanation.

As soon as they were inside the house Mary hurried to the telephone and called her minister.

Reverend Parks, this is Mary from the youth group at church. Did you know my nursing school scholarship has been canceled?

Mary’s minister was shocked. He had worked hard to help Mary gain admittance to nursing school and to get the church funding she needed. He couldn’t imagine why the funding had been cancelled.

No, Mary, I did not know. When did you find out?

Mary read the important parts of the letter over the phone. The reverend was quiet for a moment, and then put things together. He had received a call a few weeks earlier from the New Findings Institute asking for recommendations for outstanding youth from his church whose faith was strong and whose leadership qualities made them special. Mary was the obvious choice. She was a leader in the church’s youth group, had participated in the youth missionary trips to Central America, and organized and led the Students for Christ Fellowship at her high school. Reverend Parks had given Mary high praise thinking the Institute would be presenting some sort of an award or recognition, but the college scholarship was unexpected and a bit over the top. They certainly had the right to offer a scholarship to deserving youth within the church but had no right to intervene in their choice of a school or career path. Canceling Mary’s funding to nursing school had to be some sort of administrative mix up.

Mary, I am sorry, replied Reverend Parks. I may have played an unwitting part in this when I gave your name to the New Findings Institute as an outstanding youth leader, but I had no idea what they were planning. I will call the director of the local church council and try to find out what happened. In the meantime, sit tight and don’t give up hope.

Mary’s graduation barbeque was not the celebration she had hoped for. She couldn’t stop thinking about the letter.

The next day Reverend Parks called.

Mary, the Council of Church Elders would like to meet with you, your parents, and me tomorrow. Can you make it?

Mary’s parents agreed to the trip and early the next morning they left for their meeting in Ames. The meeting was being held in the anteroom of a large church and the furnishings were opulent. As they waited for the church elders and the representative to arrive, Mary’s parents commented on how different the furnishings were from their own small suburban church and how rich the large church must be to afford such fine things.

When the Institute’s representative arrived, introductions were made and the representative began the meeting. The representative was a tall man with gray hair. His right eye remained partially closed and his right arm hung limply at his side. He had obviously suffered a debilitating stroke.

I understand you have questions about the scholarship offering. We would like to clear up any misunderstandings.

Mary. The representative directed his stern gaze directly at her. The church can offer only one scholarship at a time to any of its members. We thought you would be pleased with a full four year scholarship opportunity or we would not have extended it. You exemplify the qualities all of us in the church want to develop. You have ministered at home and abroad and have shown a dedication to Christ’s teachings that sets an example for all youth. Your leadership has brought many to the acceptance of Christ as their savior and by doing so you have led them to salvation and eternal life.

He hesitated for a moment as if waiting for a response, but everyone remained silent so he continued.

Nursing the sick and injured is a noble cause and we applaud your interest in helping the unfortunate, but there is another immediate need the church must meet and we can use your help.

Mary and her parents sat very still. Her father’s face was showing concern as he silently questioned the real motives behind the offer. He didn’t want his daughter to be used as a pawn no matter what the cause, and his instinctive response was one of protective caution.

Mary’s mother was showing the same serene passive smile that often overtook her during an exceptionally stirring part of a Sunday sermon, and she was obviously enthralled by the man’s authority and constant reference to Jesus Christ.

Mary’s minister sat almost at attention with his hands folded in his lap. He was aware of his place within the church hierarchy and acted as though he was being given orders rather than explanations.

Mary was attentive but skeptical. This was her life and she was not about to abdicate to authority unless it was her choice. The choice to serve Christ had been hers alone and the choice as to how she would serve the church would be hers also. She leaned back in her chair, away from the speaker, in an unconscious effort to withdraw from what she perceived as a threat.

The representative continued.

"By obtaining a four year degree you will open doors to other opportunities that nursing school cannot offer. You can go on to medical school and become a doctor, for example, or develop the management skills to become an essential part of large benevolent organizations like the Red Cross. While you are pursuing your own goals you can continue to serve the church by using the leadership and organizational skills you have already demonstrated. The New Findings Institute is seeking young people with your experience and commitment to further the goals of Christianity on college and university campuses across the country. Religion is being eroded by secular teachings, and through the efforts of youth committed to