I know.....I know......it has been a while since I updated.  I told you last time that I would be updating more in "a couple of days".  Well, I should never promise anything like that.  I can not depend on the internet to be working when I have the time to get on-line.  Go figure.  Anyway,  here I am again.

First, for all of those who have been following my vehicle from the US.  I have been told it has arrived in Tema, Ghana!!!!  Finally.....the vehicle left Oklahoma April 15th and arrived here Sept. 4th.  I am praying to be able to bring it to Takoradi the first of next week.  The hold up now is my ability to come up with the import taxes.  I have the funds, I just have to get them here.  Should happen tomorrow. 

I am truly excited to have the vehicle in the forseeable future.  It is a ford escape.  Much more durable and appropriate for these HORRIBLE roads I drive every day.  I have been so blessed with the use of Dan's car, but I am constantly worrying about damaging it.....NOT that I won't worry about that with this car as well....but you understand.  It's just different when the car is not yours and something happens.

I am trying to learn more of the local language.  Yes, a lot of people in the bigger areas speak English, but in a small village or talking to an older person who doesn't know English it will be really helpful for me to be able to speak and understand them.  However, I am finding this is a little problematic for me.  I am finding that what I HEAR and what they SAY are often very different.  When they are talking, some of the words run together....kinda like when we say "whatsup?"  or "Gooday".

Every Sunday, the sermon is in Chi which is the local dialect.  I have learned to understand some of what is being said, but I usually have someone who is interpreting for me.  I noticed that Bro. Dan said "see-saw" quite frequently in his sermons.  From the interpretation, I gathered that he was saying something like "upon the earth" or "in all the earth".  So I started asking what "see-saw" meant.  No one knew.  They told me that they had never heard Bro. Dan saying that.  I kept asking and asking.  Finally one Sunday when he said it I poked my interpreter and said "he just said it!"  Of course, he didn't hear it.  Then he said it again!....
After, the sermon was over, the interpreter informed me that I was right in that he was saying "on all the earth", but what he was actually saying was "asase yi so" (pronouced "aw so see sue").  Therefore, I was hearing "see-saw".

Another example is "please".  I hear "paucho", but they are saying "mepa wo kyew" (pronounced "me pa wo cho").    I can't quite understand how they can hear each other just as I am hearing them, but yet they say something totally different and can't figure out what I am saying when I say the same thing back.  I know, what I just said doesn't make any sense and I think this is what my whole point is......either that or I am just to old!  (Which could be.....but you better not agree with me!!).

A couple of weeks ago as I was going into a convenience store, there were two white men coming out.  This is significant since we are so few.  However, with the oil getting bigger here, I have begun to see one or two here and there, so I did not think anything about it.  Then as I came out of the store, one of my Christian Brothers from church called out to me.  He stated that he had a couple of Americans here who had been preaching in the small villages around the area.  I walked over and introduced myself to them.  I, unfortunately, cannot recall their names but they were from a Church of Christ in Sherman, TX.  It was nice to visit with them, but it was only for a few minutes.

This week, we are hosting the second Literacy Workshop at the school.  This English Literacy Program is associated with a group from Tulsa, OK.  We have 8 facilitators here to provide this training to the area church leaders.  There is a man from California, a couple of ladies from Canada and then some others from Ivory Coast and Ghana.  It is very interesting training.  Of course, I don't get to hear much of it because I am helping with the 3 meals and cleaning up.  AND, of course, being the campus nurse. 

I have also started writing my class curriculm for the next school term.  I learned from this first term that I really have to teach more than health.  Even tho the students have completed secondary school, some of them can not read, write or understand much English.  Sometimes, they may have completed their secondary school 4 or 5 years earlier.  And as we all know, if you don't use it.....you lose it.  Well, they have lost a lot.  So I am going to try and take this back to about the 2nd-3rd grade level instead of 5th grade.  I am hoping to figure out a way to keep it interesting and help them to truly learn.  There are so many basic preventive things they can do to stay well.

No pictures this time, but I will send some again soon....no promises on when.  Just soon.  Thank you for all your prayers and notes of encouragement.  It helps to hear from my friends and family.

I would like to quote Paul as I close.

I Corinthians 16:23-24  The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.  My love to all of you in Christ Jesus.  Amen.