ROGER AND NORENE RUSS GHANA, WEST AFRICA April 16, 2018 Dear Friends, We left Lawra just 12 days ago. It took us two days to get down to Accra... two 9-hour days of travel! What with the shock absorbers on the right side completely shot it was an adventure, to say the least. The first day was a white knuckle trip, but the 2 nd day went much better. Yet still, we were VERY THANKFUL to drive into our guest house driveway late on the 5 th of April to be met by our faithful watchman, Idrisu! I m still smiling here, because this is a day or so BEFORE we left for the airport. I wrote the following to our colleague up in Lawra Stephen Naab a couple of days ago after our arrival here in Grand Rapids: We did actually arrive home here in Grand Rapids, on Tuesday evening, the 10th... about 8:45 p.m... (12:45 a.m... Wednesday.. Ghana time). Of the four different airports.. we went through... we had the most problems at Kotoka... in Accra. Our airline... KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines)... did NOT have us going through Amsterdam... on our way to the US... and Detroit... but had us... on paper... RATHER arriving in Amsterdam... as our final destination! Thus, after waiting in line at the airport to check in our bags.. for over an hour... we were told at the desk to go back to the KLM office in the airport to work out this problem.
What a joke... The office... one office... and one woman... served not only KLM, but also Delta airlines.. and Air France. The place was a mad house... because Air France had just cancelled all their flights.. for the next two days! We found out later... that there was a strike in France... of all Air France employees! THUS we stood again in another line... for over another hour...but this line was NOT moving because all the people that were to fly to Paris... were turned back at the desk as well and told to go to the office. Ha! We were just about ready to give up and go back to the guest house and try to rebook our tickets online... when the woman finally helped Rog... (who was the only one NOT going through Paris.. with Air France). She made some calls... and then printed out new papers for us. We rushed back to the bag check-in line... and were allowed to 'cut line'... and get to the front.. THUS we had just enough time to rush back to Osu... park our car... pack up our things to leave in Accra... change our clothes.. get a taxi.. and rush back to the airport. We had from 8 to 8:30... at the guest house... and then left there... getting back to the airport by 9 p.m. Again... we were allowed to cut in front of the LONG lines of people going through customs and immigration... and security... to get to the gate where we were to board the plane. The plane was already boarding, but we made it! All of this... because KLM did not process our papers correctly. We found it strange because they had already confirmed our tickets... Ha! This was the worst case scenario we've had with KLM over all these years. We couldn t believe that in spite of all this, we DID make it out on that flight!! Everything went well from then on. We arrived in Amsterdam... on time... and did some shopping in the airport... stopped for some coffee... at a café... and then went to our 'gate'.. to board our Delta flight for Detroit. That flight... tho' over 8 hours... was a good flight... We both felt well.. We landed in Detroit... and had to again go through customs... immigration... and security... but still were 2 hours ahead of time... before the time of departure for G.R. HOWEVER,... the plane we were to board... had a mechanical problem... and we ended up waiting another hour or so longer... for them to take that plane out... and wait for another plane to come and fly us to Grand Rapids. We called my sisters... to inform them that we were NOT going to fly in on time. We finally did board that last smaller plane... and got to Grand Rapids about an hour later than planned. We are thankful because we were met by those two sisters Ellen and Loretta and their husbands Harold & Ed! They helped us get our luggage and then took us to The Olive Garden on 28 th Street for supper before getting to our house on 1921 Union, S.E. about 8:45 p.m. (12:45 a.m. to us).
So good to see them! HUGS and then they took off again for Kalamazoo, where they live (my home town). We were so tired. But all the more reason then to be thankful that our house was clean and welcoming the fridge on the heat turned up for us, groceries on our kitchen counter and in the fridge AND a card and note on the breakfast nook table.. welcoming us home. from our friends, Larry and Dolly Bair!! That was the evening of April 10 th. I think then that it took me three days to unpack my two big suitcases! I kept falling asleep!! It was wonderful to not have any interruptions and just get adjusted and rested up at our own pace! Somewhere between then and now we had a winter or should I say, Spring storm move into our area. Wow a real ice storm! Thus, we missed church yesterday (with all the churches closed because of the weather) yet were THANKFUL for our nice warm house, the groceries, and that we did not lose power! The roads are finally clear and safe today however, it s starting to snow again even as I write! Brrr!! Welcome to Michigan in April!! Let me share some pictures with you. of the whirlwind of activities and special blessings we encountered the days before we left Lawra. With Margaret, Apollos, and Divine in Wa just a week or so before we left!! How excited we were to be able to see them before we left!
Then there was Easter Sunday and Tanchara Baptist Church s first baptismal service. The joy we felt was palpable!! This is Patrick now attending Teacher Training College in Wa. Three other young men followed suit Isaac also a student at the Teacher Training College in Wa. Then there was James in Nurses Training in Jirapa, and David a senior at the Lawra Senior High School. All four are from Tanchara. These were all young boys when we started the ministry out in Tanchara! Look at our group church people and others from Lawra who volunteer to teach and preach out in Tanchara etc etc.. Then this is NOT all of them because we left a number of people back at the church when we went to the riverside a few miles away from the church!
David, James, Roger, Norene, Isaac and Patrick! From left to right: I have a Lang Engagement Planner Bountiful Blessings and this month s picture shows Spring Flowers.. with a sign that says: Daisy Fields Herb Garden.. Potting Shed.. and Green House. There s a watering can hooked onto the sign and there s a bird sitting on the opposite side of the sign. Up in the corner of the picture, it reads, It s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What s important is that God makes the seed grow. 1 Corinthians 3:7 How appropriate for the new church in Tanchara! Just an hour or so later here we are at Lawra Baptist Church just catching the close of their service! What a glorious day! Our friends children and grandchildren in the Lord are there but everyone moved back to stay out of the picture!
Some of you also gave to help with the clinic s vehicle repair that had been in an accident. Let me include the before and after pictures! Oh dear! We thought it was totaled! Looks like new! David and his family drove up to Lawra with the truck just a few days before we left to thank us and you all for your help!! From left to right: Jason, myself, Julie, David, Rog, and Andrew. (Their two sons flank us!!) These are very good friends we ve known for years! We are thankful for them! I think the feeling is mutual. Again you can see our joy!
Our goodbyes were not easy. We did take our Dagaare daughters Martha and Joanne with us as far as Wa as we left Lawra on the 4 th! That was easier but we still had to say goodbye to them in Wa later! We did say goodbye to our Dan Dery and the girls kids. It was easier leaving this time just knowing that Joanne, Martha, Mieri and their brother, Dan would watch over our home.. and the mission station! They are our family there!! Saying goodbye.. to our Dan D. and our grandkids from left to right: Christopher, Samantha, Maxwell, Eugene, Patrick and Peter! Last Kids4Truth meeting for me! This is Joe!
Goodbye to Stephen Naab, Kids4Truth, Director and one of our teachers, dear Anna!! Edith, and their little one Stacey! Saying goodbye.. to Stephen s wife, HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS! As we were leaving, we promised Stephen and our youth leaders that we would be praying for them as they prepared for the Easter break Students Seminar. This year s theme was to be Unity in the Midst of Diversity. Stephen wrote this reply to the letter I wrote him about our trip: Thanks be to God for a safe trip. We will be having the balloon game at RBY today as our last meeting. We have registered 150 participants for the seminar tomorrow. Thank you for the support and prayers. We re hoping to see God touch lives after this Seminar. We continue to pray for you. Stacey and Edith send their regards.
We talked to Stephen last night on the phone. They had over 200 students attend the seminar on Saturday. Fifteen young people accepted Christ after the seminar four of which were from Tanchara! Four fellowships/young churches were represented plus our kids from Lawra Baptist Church. When Stephen wrote WE RE HOPING TO SEE GOD TOUCH LIVES AFTER THIS SEMINAR, in the above letter, I knew he spoke from his heart and truly shares with us a passion for souls who are lost. Praise God with us for this response!! The Old Testament Translation goes on Pray as we get settled and get back into full swing on this! We are over half-way! Please keep praying!! Kids4Truth is on Spring break right now but we follow their needs. As of this date we have recorded 72 children and young teens who have accepted Christ as a result of this program over the past 14 months! Stephen and the seven other young adults that work in the club will be concentrating on more follow-up classes during this school break! Pray too for the building of the church building for Tanchara Baptist Church! These are truly exciting days! We have seen 17 more teens and young adults from Tanchara come to know Christ since the latter part of February! AND pray for the BMM clinic in Baayiri and the staff there! We so appreciate the gifts that have come in to keep this medical help available.. in this remote area! A busy day at the clinic for medical help for her baby. A very worried young mother waits
I nearly changed my mind and went back to omit some of these pictures. But those images are still in our minds as we return to Michigan. We carry these dear ones in our hearts as we return. Thank you so much for your prayers for safe travels, good health, etc. God has answered your prayers. We sense now that we graduate to an even higher level as do our Ghanaian counterparts there in Ghana. They are pushing full steam ahead taking on the ministry there with a dedication that amazes us! While we now try to shift gears getting the youth programs more self-sustaining getting our new young churches/fellowships independent as with Tanchara and gearing down to get back to the work of translating the rest of the Old Testament into Dagaare! You all have had an amazing effect on the ministries in Ghana because of your prayers and your encouragement! Thus we know that God himself is in this. Praise God with us! What a joy to be part of what is going on in Ghana! In His Strength and Hope, Norene and Roger