Karen’s Update:

It truly is a Blessing to be able to make this journey to Africa a second time!

Pastor Reinke, Linda, Betty Jo, and I met at O’Hare Airport, went through the long ticket agent line and watched our action packers get taped closed after inspection – we’re on our way!!

We arrived in London and made our way through a verry lonng line through customs before going to our connecting flight. We were concerned, after going through this very long line, if Sandy would make it from her Arizona flight to our connecting flight because she had a very small transfer window. Pastor went looking for Sandy when it was getting close to boarding time; he returned with no Sandy! We were hoping that maybe –just maybe- she was already on the plane, so we boarded only to find no Sandy!! Pastor talked with a steward and explained our dilemma; he was assured that Sandy would make it to our flight. We sat for a while when, suddenly, there was Sandy making her way to her seat. We were so happy to see her!!

As we went to collect our luggage in Accra, we discovered that we were missing five bags – 3 from Chicago and 2 from Arizona!! The Devil is really trying to sabotage our work here, in Ghana. – I did say “trying!!”

Because we arrived late; because the immigration lines were long; and because paper work had to be filled out for the missing luggage, we didn’t leave the airport until around midnight. Keep in mind we are not in the good-ole-U S of A- cuz no restaurants were open! We headed back to the Linguistics Retreat House and ate trail mix and pistachios for our dinner!! Yum!!

I want to, again, thank all of you for your support and encouragement in making my dream to Reach the Deaf in Ghana become a reality – a second time!

Betty Jo’s Update:

Hi everyone! Miss me yet?

I am doing real good despite the hot, humid, and hazy weather. It has been a long trip to accra. Pastor reinke, karen, and linda met me at o’hare on tuesday. The plane was delayed so we killed time doing streches and excersises because the plane ride is an 8 hour trip. I just got bored and started to dance the ballroom dances. Yes, lisa i did that! It was fun doing it! Smile.

We got to london at 6:30am. (12:30am chicago time) boy, it was hard to sleep on the plane! I got a few hours of sleep though. Food on plane was good! We had a six hour layover in london.we made use of our time just to read, eat, go to stores, and took showers! The heathrow airport is an interesting place. We saw all kinds of people with different cultures or styles. It is just different from usa airports. The time change really mixed up our bodies! We finally took naps. Sandy joined us from arizona when we got on the plane. She was the last person getting in! Thank goodness.

We got to accra at 9:30pm. The weather was hot and humid and hazy. We were missing 3 of our crates plus sandy’s suitcase and box. Sigh… we had to file a report and hope to get them the next day. We were not able to eat out bec it was 12am when we were out of the airport. We ended up eating our emergency snacks of trail mix, beef jerky, lots of nuts and candy! We all were able to sleep well through the night except karen, the fan was real loud!

Today is pastor reinke’s birthday. The person in charge of our retreat had her worker to bake him a cake for us. It was a nice surprise.

We will have a busy day tomorrow, so i best stop for now and put my feet up. They are real swollen. It is probably from the humidity and the heat. I look forward to tomorrow and will get back to you all about my adventures and mission.

Good night!
Love,
Betty jo

From Sandy

9th, Tuesday – Britain Airline 747 is really huge plane with full of people. While I was on the waiting line and met a deaf elder lady doesn’t speak English but speak French sign language with her hearing son who lives in Arizona . She spend Christmas holiday with her son and his family. She is really very sweet lady. Up the air, I start want to play games but NO LUCK as two stewardess tried to figure it out – only looking the map! The dinner foods was very good as I ate chicken, vegetable with rice, plain cheese cake with yogurt and cup of tea. It was very nice the stewardess told me to go up to the front to play game as I was very excited but realized there is no game, only movie! After the movie, I went back to my own seat to read the Bible and where it was more comfortable but the lights went out. It was a long struggle to go to sleep. I finally went to sleep when the young woman opened the window shade and woke me with the bright outside light!

For breakfast, I had orange juice, banana-strawberry yogurt, tropical fruit, banana muffin and cup of tea. Before I forgot to “add”, the woman sat next to me, she is also very nice elder lady lives in England and it is very hard understand because of her accent. She went to Arizona for vacation with her daughter and her husband. Thanks my Lord to arrive safe in London and the flight was smooth but wow!, long ride as I left Arizona from 7:40 PM to around 12:30 PM (Wednesday).

Finally, I met my groups, Karen, Linda and Pastor Reinke as they were waiting for me for 8 hours till the plane leave 2:30 pm. I was the LAST person to walk onto the plane with my straw cowboy hat! Thank God, their plane didn’t leave without me! I was very happy to see them and they were more happier to see me! While we in the plane, I really enjoyed conversation with Pastor Reinke because both of us were talking about “Noah the Ark ” is my favorite story. Both of us watched a good movie “The Guardian” but it is sad, there is no closed-caption. For dinner, I had a penne with meat sauce, salad, apple pie with vanilla custard and cup of tea. We arrived to Accra Airport around 9:30 PM. Unfortunately, Pastor Reinke’s 3 boxes and Sandy ’s large suitcase and brown box did not arrive yet! Again, thanks my Lord for our safe trip!

We arrived a Guest House – very cute and very different – Guess what, I forgot to bring my own COMB! What a experience for me to travel alone with longest ride but it is great to learn! I really thank my Lord to guide me to save!

Linda's Update

Jan. 9th, "first" day-

Happy New Year!
Happy New Beginnings! With the holidays and a successful fundraiser behind me, I now put my focus on the Ghana journey ahead. Began the day with last minute packing. I will NEVER enjoy that chore! I feel so unorganized and yet laid-back this time around. Not sure why, maybe in part it's no longer the "unknown." I will be familiar to the places that will be traveled to, what to "expect," but we all know that each day holds a new experience. Ghana will be no exception! Or maybe this packing will just become easier the longer I put it off! NOT!

My husband took me and Pastor to the airport to meet up with Karen and Betty Jo. The "hardest" part of the journey is saying goodbyes. I don't like that either. Packing and saying goodbyes! Three weeks is a long time away from my
husband and family!

As if the lines aren't long enough at airports, then our flight was delayed. Flight time to London, 8 hours, and guess what?? I didn't sleep. Duh! Anyone that knows me or read my updates last year knows I don't sleep in moving planes OR during the day! I'm always afraid I'll miss out on "the happenings," even though everyone else is sleeping! Watched a couple of movies that I know that will not be rented at home. Ate 2 meals aboard this flight. We arrived in rainy and foggy London around 7:30 AM (their time). Yes, we ate breakfast before arriving. We just finished dinner!! I'm still working on WI time and my body is telling me it's only 1:30 AM! I'm tired and feeling nausea. Now after disembarking, more lines to wait in. Our
motto so far is "hurry up and wait." Heathrow Airport is an interesting place. It's better than a Mall!

The layover was tough. Sandy's plane from AZ wasn't scheduled to arrive until noon. It's a shame that time doesn't allow us time to meander around London and visit a few places. I enjoy "people watching" especially at an International Airport. The adventures these people are on. Tried to sleep, can't! Zeroing in on a screaming toddler didn't help. And this child was flying to India. YiKES! That will be a long 10 hours for anyone on that flight!

Sandy was the last one to board for our 2:30 flight to Ghana. Not a lot of rest for her weary butt! But she made it! Another long flight (7 hours) and arrived in Accra at 9:30 PM. We arrive to hot and humid and dust! I'm now working on 34 hours with no sleep. I'm a machine with a second wind! It'll still be a few more hours before I can lay my head down. We have 3 missing Action Packers as well as Sandy's luggage. More lines to wait in to fill out the paperwork. It's wonderful to meet up with Amadu, Enoch and Akorful again. (Jean, they send their greetings!). In search of food at midnight proved futile. The streets are empty. The daylight will change all that. Arrived at the retreat center, the place we'll call home for 2 days before we head off Kumasi. Tomorrow another full day! Now I lay me down to sleep..