update:
it rained last night.
the dust is almost gone - the heat is back.
it was up to 95 by noon today.
we sweated a little more today.
Satureday the deaf did not want the fans on because it was too cold - today they liked it.

you think it is cheap here - NOT!
cheap maybe - but not less expensive
there is 200,000 for food here, 125,000 for water, 1,000,000 for electric, today it was 600,000 for a seal on the truck, and the money goes - smile.

our classes grew again today.  it takes forever for people to know we are back.  no phones no tty no video phone  no text pagers or email no ogo's
so people can only get news by word of mouth - when they see people.  sometimes that can take a long time.
we are planning the dates for next time on june 22 so people can plan for our return.  trying to improve our scheduling.

hopefully ted and denise are having a good time at the school.  this will be a little more rustic and eating ghanaian meals.  i hope and pray God will bless their time and keep them safe.

please pray for the young leaders - they are thinking and planning to add a saturday worship and fellowship time to reach out to the younger deaf.

also the evangelists are talking about making 3 or 4 of the young leaders evangelists - maybe on easter sunday.  again we would like to be there - we would like to say "no" do it when we are here!  but it is much much better they set a time and do it themselves!!!!!!   it is fantastic and i pray God will guide them in these decisions.

we went to see a shop owner today - one of her workers is deaf and wanted to come to class.  but the owner is not christian and did not want to let her off.  but after meeting we us for half hour and talking about what we do, she was willing.   we will also be sending some books for her to read too.

we found some great "stuff" at the store - it is a nut shell paste - but it is chocolate - ohhhhh.  tastes so good it is almost sinful smile.

we have a new student from the north.  he came all the way down to study with us. he has been telling us stories about the idol worship and the abuse that happens to christians and to some of the church building.  it is a very heavy muslim area and sounds like there are groups making it very hard for Christians.


john
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We left GIL (Ghana Institute of Linguistics) the place where we were staying in Accra, the capitol of Ghana, West Africa, and it was in dry fog. Yes! That’s correct a DRY fog. The dry fog is called harmatton. Harmatton happens when the winds sweep over the ocean of white wavy sand dunes of the Sahara and then picks up the light dusty silt off the sand and takes it skyward later falling covering everything with a light talcum powder substance. The dusty silt nearly blocks the noon day Sun and you feel like you are in a fog all day…a DRY fog! You get it in your mouth, clothes, hair, nose, and lungs. You cough and sneeze and get more in the mouth and lungs. It covers everything like a marauding army that is silent and deadly coming in the night and taking over everything before you can even see it. Its presence is there and there is nothing you can do about except live under its rule…cover and seal everything you want to be clean. Yucky!
The 5 hour drive to Kumasi wasn’t bad this time because they had improved the roads and there were no 2 hour detours (diversions as they call them here) like last time. I wonder what Ted and Denise Pulfer thought as we drove along and they saw Ghana for the first time. It was good to be here again and feel the repressive heat, smell the strangeness of Ghanaian life, and watch people marketing their wares and gazing at the endless hustling that goes on the streets and roads of Ghana. Everyone is trying to make a cedis (a “buck”). The people are industrious and hard working. They are always on the move with hands out saying, “Sir, ya want this!” I wish I could help them all but there are too many and never enough cedis to go around.
When we arrived at the compound the people were happy to see us as always. The servants know we mean money for their families and food for their bellies. We don’t mind so much either because they make our stay pleasant. There is a 14 year old servant girl here who is very beautiful. It is hard to say her Africa name but she has named herself with a Christian name that she picked. She calls herself Elsie. I also call her Candace because in the Bible Candace was the Queen of the Ethiopian people. Surely, Elsie is like a queen because she serves so well. Amadu her uncle is a very special man. Amadu is a very talented man. He is an artist and knows many other things. I don’t think our stay in Kumasi would be nearly as wonderful without him to get everything arranged.
The deaf are doing great and we are happy with the turn out. We get anywhere from 15 to 30 deaf people every night for Bible class. Many of the younger deaf are in school and Ted and Denise are training them in God’s Word. We plan to have our big “blow out” party this Thursday night with goat and fufu (a soup). The deaf will come and bring gifts and we will have a big celebration and drink lots of minerals or sodas as we call them in America.
I want to again thank all of you for your prayers and the many things you have done to support our trips here. God has really blessed us through you. We could not have accomplished the things that we have if not for your help. Please consider giving more and as often as you can. We also invite you to consider giving to the Lutheran deaf school fund that we want to start. There is only one deaf high school in Ghana. We think there is a great opportunity to win many deaf people to Jesus and teach them what it means to be a Lutheran Christian. We think the best way to do this is through a school setting. There would be nothing like it in the whole country. Remember in America when we had the Detroit Lutheran School for the deaf. Many deaf people became strong Lutheran Christians from that school.   I would like to see that happen in Ghana and also maybe even start a University for the Deaf or a seminary for the deaf. So, please add this to your prayer list and see if it is something God is asking you to give towards. May our Gracious God continue to bless you and keep you!

In Christ, Pastor Bud Palmer (Kwame)