Video brings far away so close

Linton Corporal Sam Porteous wants to be there for his children this Christmas, even though he's more than 13,000 kilometres away in Afghanistan.

Corporal Porteous filmed a series of videos for his children, Trelise and Xanda, before he left on the six-month tour to Afghanistan's Bamiyan Province.

"They might not be able to talk to me so I filmed myself saying things like Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas and good night before they go to bed."

He also filmed a prayer video for Trelise, who prays for her dad every night. "It's hard being away but it's hard on them, too ... I miss being able to take a day off and hang out with my family."

Corporal Porteous has been commanding Humvee patrols, meeting locals and liaising with Bamiyan police since deploying to Afghanistan in October.

He said he was enjoying the deployment, which included a lot of mixing with Afghan people.

"They've actually got a really good sense of humour. Some places we go they don't like us and some parts they don't trust us."

Corporal Porteous has been eating a lot of rice and geep – a cross between a sheep and goat – so he was looking forward to something different on Christmas Day.

The deployment is expected to return in March.

DADDY CAN'T BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Maree Porteous doesn't like to think about her husband spending Christmas in Afghanistan.

The Linton housewife prefers to imagine him at Waiouru Army Base doing safe jobs like answering phones, rather than patrolling Afghanistan looking for al Qaeda insurgents.

"I can't afford to worry with all the things I have to do."

It is the second Christmas Mrs Porteous has spent away from husband Corporal Sam Porteous – the first was in 2006 when he was deployed to East Timor.

Being away from family over Christmas is part of army life, so Mrs Porteous said the couple's daughter Trelise, 3, and her son Xanda, 9, would be fine.

"It's just normal for me and I think it's normal for the kids too. They don't seem to be too upset because they are used to him being away. Sometimes [Trelise] asks me where Daddy is. I'll tell her he's at work."

Mrs Porteous will spend Christmas Day with family in Palmerston North but will stay in touch with her man by internet and phone.

He has sent Christmas presents, including a handmade scarf and a preserved scorpion for Xanda, but the most precious gift was a brass lamp, she said.

"I rubbed it three times just in case a genie pop[ped] out."

- © Fairfax NZ News