Hi all, sorry for the delays. I have been attempting to get this combined with a picture from our Miss Epps. She sent out a few Christmas cards this year and I have a photograph of Traci with her dog Levi, next to their decorated tree this season. Below is a link to that photo on the web site and a link to her web page in case you wish to look at any back issues of this e-newsletter or older pictures.

http://www.possumranch.net/ica/tree.jpg

<One popular theory on the ICA campus is that Traci's dog Levi is part horse. It's a good thing he is friendly.>

http://www.possumranch.net/ica/

Thank you for your prayers and support for Traci as she works through her third year at ICA. Thanks for your patience with me and with my delays with this e-newsletter and the web page.

Peace and good health to you all this season, and all seasons.

charley.
Possum Ranch Publications

Issue #39
Dec. 20, 1999

*This message is really long. If you don't have time to read it right now, I completely understand.*

Dear Friends and Family,
Just a few more days until Christmas. I'm sure things are frantic for most you right now as you are taking care of the last minute gifts and preparations. I returned to Bouake yesterday from my trip to Guinea. It was a great trip. I'll tell you a little about it. If you remember from previous emails, Kelly and I were accompanying the kids back to Guinea. Kelly is a dorm assistant in one of the elementary dorms. She is a missionary with Christian and Missionary Alliance (CMA). Most of the kids we were accompanying were CMA. As we prepared for this trip, a lot of things were uncertain, especially the plane flights. Here is how things turned out.

Thursday, Dec. 2, 1999
Sixty-four of us loaded up on charter bus in the morning to go to Abidjan (about a 4-hour drive.) Most people on the bus had a plane to catch on Friday or Saturday going to Liberia, Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Malawi, or the USA. There were also some that live in Abidjan. Kelly and I, and the 23 kids arrived at the CMA Guesthouse in Abidjan where we were spending the night. We spent the afternoon at the guesthouse. We had to figure out how to get the kids supper. We weren't sure what to do because we didn't have vehicles to transport that many kids and there weren't enough older kids to send them in taxis. Kelly and Brenda (another staff member staying at the guesthouse who was flying to see her parents in Malawi the next day) took the middle school high school kids and walked to a local hamburger place to eat. Well, that is where they ended up at. It wasn't their intended destination. They got a bit turned around and that is the first place the found. The Simon's, who run the guesthouse, and I took the younger kids in the van to another place to eat. We got them back and ready for bed. The next morning was coming fast.

Friday, Dec. 3
The morning came early! I got the kids up between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m. We had them packed and loaded on a bus by 5:30 a.m. and headed for the airport. Ray Simon (CMA) was there to help us. He got us all checked in. He was even able to get a girl who missed her flight to Liberia on Friday on our flight. We were on the plane just about 30 minutes late. Two of the little boys did have to share seats because the plane was full. We arrived in Guinea almost before some of the parents could get in the airport. We were able to whisk right through customs. Thank you for your prayers. The trip couldn't have worked better or been easier.

That evening, Kelly and I had supper at the Gardner's house. Andy and Janice Gardner are CMA missionaries in Conakry. The have three sons. Two are at ICA. Their oldest son was in my class my first year and is in my Sunday school class this year. They were our hosts for this trip. We then went to a guesthouse ran by Pioneer Bible Translators were we would be staying for a few days.

Saturday, Dec. 4
There was a big fair going on in Conakry, basically it was a big sale. We went with the Gardners to this and were able to pick up a few souvenirs. We didn't last very long because it was hot! We spent the rest of the day with the Gardners.

Sunday, Dec. 5
Kelly and I went to a French service with the Dirks family (also CMA missionaries. They have three children. Oldest son at ICA) and had lunch with them afterwards. That evening we went with the Ibsens (Dan is the Field Director for CMA Guinea. They have 4 children. Two have already graduated from ICA, and two are there now. Kyle was in my class my first year and Kerrianne is in my class this year.) to the International Service. There were lots of nationalities at this service, but it was in English. There were a couple of US Congressman who showed up at the service with some reporters with them. They were traveling in into Sierre Leone the next day to check out the hunger problem there.

After the service, we went out to eat with the Ibsens and the Walkers (Stan is the Business Manager for CMA Guinea. He went to ICA as a student.)

Monday, Dec. 6
This was my day to work. I met with the three home school students and their parents at different times during the day. I checked each student's progress, listened to them read, and answered any questions the parents might have. I had lunch with the Ritchey family. They are also CMA, and their daughter is a second grade home schooler. That night Kelly and I watched most of the CMA kids at the Ibsen's house while the parents had a meeting with a director that was out from Canada.

Tuesday, Dec. 7
We visited with different families on this day. We had lunch with the Dirks and then spent the rest of the day with the Nuss's. They are CMA and have 3 children. One is at ICA. One is a third grade home schooler.

Wednesday, Dec. 8 - Monday, Dec. 13
Kelly and I loaded up with Ibsen's in the morning to head to Dalaba. It was a nice drive if you don't get carsick. It took about five hours to get there over winding roads, but at least they were paved. The CMA has some property in Dalaba with a few houses on it. It is up in the mountains. This has been a vacation spot for missionaries of Guinea and West Africa for a long time. Andy Gardner vacationed there with his parents when he was growing up in Africa. There was a cement slab with Andy's footprints in it when he was three. It was beautiful here and cool. It was great to wear long sleeves, sleep with blankets at night, and light a fire in the fireplace. These are things you don't get to do very often in Africa.

Kelly and I shared a house with the Ibsen's, and the Ibsen's and Gardners took turns feeding us. It was great to hear all of the missions history that was located just around this area.

We got to do lots of neat things while we were there. We went to a place called "The Bridge of God." It was natural bridge of rock that went over this stream. There were little waterfalls. We also hiked way down the hill so the kids could see a bat cave. It was too muddy to go in when we got there, but it was quite a hike. We also visited a big waterfall. It was really cool, almost cold here, because of the mist coming off the water. The guys went hunting one day. The gals went to the dam and walked around the lake. I was wading in the water when a snake decided to show up. It didn't take me long to move. We also went to a vine bridge. I did walk across it, but it was very scary. We went to the market in Dalaba. It was a fun experience. A little boy did try to rip me off, but I caught on to what he was doing.

There was also another family staying with us at Dalaba, the Moulds. They are missionaries with Christian Reformed World Mission in Labe. They have 4 children. Two are at ICA. One is in my Sunday school class. A couple of days before we left, the Nuss's also came to Dalaba. They stayed in a tent until we left. Monday we loaded up and headed back to Conakry.

Tuesday, Dec. 14
We were now staying at the CMA guesthouse in Conakry. It was very nice. A church from Salem, Oregon came out a couple of years ago and decorated it. On this day, we went to the Islands with a bunch of people, the Cobbs (They are CMA. They have 4 children. All of them are at ICA. One was in my class my first year and in my Sunday school class this year.), the Blackwells (CMA, 4 kids, all at ICA, one in my class), the Dirks, the Gardners, the Irwins (CMA), the Campbells (CMA, 3 children, all at ICA, one in my class last year). We drove out to a small port and got on the boats. I don't think they were much more than dug out canoes with motors.

There are three islands off the coast. We went to the farthest one. It took about an hour on the boat. There were two boats full of all of us. We kept having water fights back and forth. I can't say I was too excited about the rocking of the boat during these fights, but we made it. Some of the kids went fishing. One caught an eel and another caught a swordfish. We had a great day on the island and then rode the boats back.

Wednesday, Dec. 15 and Thursday, Dec. 16
Kelly and I mostly took these days easy. We were getting kind of tired from going, going, going. On Thursday night, we did go to the Cobb's for supper. Caitlin, one of their kids that was in my class my first year, prepared supper for us. It was a lot of fun.

Friday, Dec. 17.
Kelly and I traveled back to Abidjan. Other than our plane being 2 hours and 15 minutes late, it was an easy trip. We had to wait in Abidjan until Sunday to get a ride back up to Bouake.

It was a great trip. I really enjoyed learning about the work and the history of the work in Guinea. The work there is very difficult because it is a strong Muslim country. They are just now beginning to see converts after a couple of generations of missionaries being there. Most of the missionaries were thrown out of the country for awhile. I also enjoyed getting to see where the kids I teach come from and to see them with their families. One comment, if you ever go to Guinea, you will definitely need a 4-wheel drive, and a chiropractor could probably find lots of work. The roads there are mostly horrible, even in the capital city of Conakry. Any time you turn off of one of the major paved roads it is onto a dirt road that goes up and down, over and under. You definitely hang on the handles above the doors to keep from banging your head into the sides of the car.

I'm now back in Bouake. I'm going to take it easy for a few days. We are now in the midst of ICA Christmas traditions. Last night was a Christmas Song Service around the nativity scene at the Evan's. Tonight is "It's a Wonderful Life" night at the Trosen's. Everyone brings their favorite popcorn, and we watch the movie. Wednesday is the Lady's Luncheon. On Thursday, we are packaging Christmas presents for the African workers. Friday at noon is a Christmas lunch with the workers. Friday evening we will have a Christmas Eve service, and then a big party with "White Elephant" gifts. Christmas morning is time for families, and singles join different families. I am going to the Trosens house. One of their kids, Emily, is in my class. Christmas afternoon we have a big potluck and gift exchange. Christmas is fun around here, and it helps make it not be quite so bad not to be with friends and family at home.

Prayer and Praise:
Praise that the Guinea trip went so well. The plane flew safely both ways, and there were no complications.
Pray for the family of Helene'. She is one of the African workers on campus. She worked for the Trosens. She was in the hospital last Tuesday to have her baby. She and the baby died. Pray for her husband and the rest of the family during this difficult time. If you remember the worker who died at ICA last year, they are the same extended family. In a little over a year, this family has had 6 family members to die.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
In Christ,
Traci Epps