If anyone sees a silver Dodge Dakota on a truck going to Baltimore, it's ours!

Today I got word that the truck is en route to Baltimore. Tim Howell, our car dealer in Willard, Ohio, at Sharpnack Motors, was unable to get a photo of it being loaded up, though. Shoot. I'll post a photo of it when I get to Cameroon.

This is my first son's birthday. Happy Birthday, Josh.

We have a shipping date

I'm thrilled. Today I got the phone call from our shipping company, FID International of Florida, telling me that our truck for Cameroon will ship on Halloween, October 31! This is really happening. We actually bought a truck to help Women, Environment and Health, and it's almost on its way. I'm thrilled.

The truck is ready to ship!

My college roommate 40 years ago was Ruth Musunu. She graduated the year after I did, then got a master's degree in public health from Loma Linda University. She met and married a Cameroonian, and they made their lives there. They had four children and she taught high school science for a time. But she wanted to do more, so she founded a non-government organization called Women, Environment and Health (WEH).

A bunch of us who knew Ruth 40 years ago established the Friends of WEH. With some other friends who caught our vision, we spent a year and a half raising funds to buy and ship a 4X4 truck to Cameroon for the use of the folks in the NGO. They really need this truck to reach the villages where they see to the needs of over 500 orphans. A wonderful car dealer in Willard, Ohio, gave us a Dodge Dakota at cost. That was $12,265. And now we're raising another $3500 to get it shipped. We're waiting for a shipping date and the details from our customs broker in Cameroon. We pray that the cost of customs will not be the 30% of value of the truck + shipping which it would be for a commercial product! We also pray the truck will be in Cameroon by the time we get there on Dec 27, or at least by January 3 when a team of nursing students arrive from Linfield College for their 3rd world immersion experience.

My 2nd son's first day of college

Through all the years that my two sons were growing up, I often told them the story of my African roommate and how one day I would go to Africa.

I cherish a moment in the eventful day when my husband and I dropped our second son off at Grinnell College in Iowa for his freshman year of college. We all unpacked the van and then wandered the campus a bit. When it was time to go we hugged each other farewell.

As I tearfully crossed the street to get in the van, Seth said, "Hey Mom!" I looked back. He said, "Have a good time in Africa!"

That was about 15 years ago, but I will always remember it as his acknowledgment of my dream and his blessing of it. I think he was also saying, "I'm fine; you can get on with your other life goals."

A Dream coming true!

I've wanted to visit Africa since I was about 10. Having a college roommate from Congo reinforced this dream. Now, 43 years after I promised her that I would come and see her, I'm going to do it! I leave on December 26. It all became real for me when I got my travel shots last week: Tetanus, Diptheria, Measles, Polio booster, Hepatitis A and B, and of course Yellow Fever. And I'm all set with my anti-malarials. I was really prancing!