Peter Lorber:  

Life I think often about friends I moved away from, about how they are and what they are doing. Tom x 2, Phil, Michelle, Sue, Karen, Joe, George, Tim, Herb, Milt, Steve, Danny, Cindy, Bill, Lisa, Mike, and more I don't list. I lived in Houston from 84 to 96, working in the oil business (geologist), and firefighting (captain). While there I had the good fortune (and good sense) to reconnect with a wonderful best friend, and even explore possibilities. Wasn't to be. Left Texas to do volunteer work with a humanitarian agency that does medical work in 3rd world war zones. Was with them for six years. I specialized as a manager of emergency programs in unstable Islamic areas, and on Sept 11, 2001 I was in Somalia, in a town north of Mogadishu. My liaison in Nairobi Kenya told me to watch the news asap, so via sattv I watched the towers go down. The team I managed consisted of various Europeans and Africans so I felt no immediate risk and we continued work. The locals thought I was Canadian. Lots of Osama posters and firing into the air, and life went on for a few days. Rumors in the town about Somalis in Europe being beaten on the streets led me to evacuate everyone. My knowledge of how to run charity missions in Islamic areas instantly became irrelevant-- I'm American. I returne...Expand for more