NOT HOME YET

Hello,

     I thought I would let you all know that I am back in the states now; I am in York PA and will travel to Morgantown tomorrow morning. I will be home soon but I am not telling when so I can hopefully surprise you . The trip was amazing and I cannot wait to tell you about it, I must tell you though that any attempt will fall so far short of the mark that it but I will try. I miss you all greatly and am so thankful for your help in getting me there  by supporting me financially and through prayer, this has been such an incredible learning experience that I doubt any number of thanks could suffice. So you probably hear “Thank You” a lot from now on. I should warn you that next year I expect a few of you to go with me as going yourself is the only way you can truly understand what it is like in Ghana.

    I will continue to post updates about my life and lessons learned on this blog and I think that many of my post which are to come soon will be related to my trip so I hope you will check back often, and let me know what you think about what I have to say.

Thank you (get used to hearing it)

  Ethan

So Close To The End

Hello all,

Today is our last day in Apam, Ghana tomorrow morning we take a 2 hr bus trip to the Cape Coast where we will visit a castle that once served as one of the main portals for slaves on their way to America, we are also going to walk across a rope brige that is pretty high if what I hear is right. Tonight the Cardinal is coming to thank us for what we are doing, there will also be a celebration and dinner. I really have no Idea what to expect. This morning the local schools held a celebration to honor us for the work that was done, and as a dedication of the school desks we donated and latrines we built. As I look back on the last week and a half that I have been here I see some amaizing experiences that I cannot wait to tell you about when I get home. Thank you for all of your prayers  and support. This has been an incredible experience that I could not have had without your help, and I know that it is not even over yet, I cannot wait to see what will happen in the next few days.

Thank you

Ethan

In Ghana 4

Hello

We are still in Apam at the hospital, it is the last day for surgeries and most medical work as we leave tomorrow for something somewhere else (I really do not have a clue). Yesterday we went to look at the building we are going to turn into a cold store next year, we also met with the chief fisherman and walked around the fishing village to get an idea of how many fish and what types we would be looking at putting in the cold store. After walking around the fishing village we concluded that we need to make the freezer bigger. When we got back to the hospital I helped Tan setup the first Internet cafe in Apam it is up and running now we are just updating the software right now. I also worked the the demonstration garden we set up to show the locals how to grow tomatoes with the minimal amount of water. so that is what I have been up to I do not know but I might “Scrub in” on a medical something today who knows.
EThan

In Ghana 3

Hello,

<!– @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>I am still in Apam, Ghana at the Catholic hospital/Methodist school, we will remain here until we leave Ghana on Sunday. after we arrived yesterday we were ushered off to have lunch with the Che if of Apam the lunch was part of a welcome celebration which also unbeknown to us included a several hour long celebration concluding in the establishment of Bob Davis (the medical team leader) and Steve Schellenberger (the construction team leader) as Che ifs in Apam. We went to lunch at about 1:00 and did not get back to the hotel until 7:00 (at which time it is already dark). Today we went to a methodist church service which lasted from 9:30 till 12:30 and included taking up 4 offerings and many other thinks that seemed to me to be pure religion and not so much relationship with God. After the service they had drinks waiting for us (coke and water) we then returned to the hotel and ate lunch and have been milling around the grounds getting to know each other as today is Sunday, and our day off. Tomorrow we will be working hard again putting up a fence to keep the goats out of the Demonstration Garden, and finishing the Latrines, as well as many other such job. I enjoyed talking with those of you at Perrow Church earlier this morning.

Thank you

Ethan

In Ghana Part 1

Hello everyone,

I am in Ghana and it is now Wed. morning our second day here is just begining. After leaving York PA at 2:30 on Friday we drove to Newark  airport and flew to Amsterdam an 8 hr flight that was absolutely grueling, and I just about went crazy because I was unable to sleep. after a 2 hr. layover in Amsterdam we took a 7hr flight to Accra Ghana on which I was able to sleep some and manged not to go crazy. after we collected our luggage and went through customs we went outside to board a bus that would take us to a hotel to stay the night. Outside there are people waiting to help you with your luggage, and who will help you even if you do not want it and then demnd a tip( I have a story to tell you later). we then went to the hotel and stayed the night. The next morning Grandpa and I saw the rest of the team off to Apam (where the hospital/school are), we are staying in accra untill Thurs. Morning to meet Kenny Woods( the well Driller). While we are here we are visiting local Resturants and mekets to discuss selling them food (fihs and veggies) from a co-op we are trying to set up for the locales in Apam, we are also visiting existing cold stores to see what kind of systems are in place already. That is all I have time for now but it is quick overview of my first few days in Ghana.

THANK YOU

Ethan

It’s Today

WOW here it is Sunday, September 14 2008 and I am flying to Ghana. I really can’t quite get my head around it, you all gave so much and I am so blessed God is so good. ok well so many things are going through my head but I would drive you crazy if I told all of them so I will Just say this which is my mentality “Be prepared to be suprised”

 

Ethan

Send off #1

We just returned from sending off the first half of the team who will be flying out of JFK (New York) later today. They will be on a direct flight to Accra, Ghana, please be praying for their safety while traveling. I am with the second half of the team we will leave from Aldersgate UMC tomorrow afternoon, we will drive to Newark NJ and fly from there, the itinerary is posted berlow.  I must say that I am very excited and still don’t know quite what to think. I have never done anything like this before, and my first time flying was in May of this year to FL, which was a 2 hr flight this is a more than 10 hour flight, please be praying. This will probably be my last entry until we arrive in Ghana or later so in closing I want to say thank you very much for all of your prayerful support and ask that you continue to cover the whole team in prayer.

 

Then anticipation has grown till I work harder than ever and still struggle to contain it!!!! 

Ethan

 

3^rd Annual Missionary Working Tour

Ghana (West Africa)

(September 07 – 21, 2008)

DAY 01.  SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 07: DEPARTURE: NEW YORK/AMSTERDAM:

Depart Newark Airport on Northwest/KLm. Please report for check-in at least 3hours before departure. You are allowed 2pieces of check-in bags weighing 50LBs or less and one Carry-on weighing 12LBS or less.

Travel by bus to Newark Airport. The bus leaves from Aldersgate UM Church at 2:30pm.

 

DAY 02. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 08: AMSTERDAM/ACCRA:

Arrive in Amsterdam at 10:15am. Connect to KLM flight departing at  and arrive in Accra. After clearing customs and immigration, transfer the group to an Accra hotel for check-in. Overnight. (Note: We are negotiating with Golden Tulip or similar hotels for their accommodation)

 

DAY 03, Tuesday (Sept. 09)

Early breakfast. – Visit the National Catholic Secretariat

Visit local restaurants, hotels and supermarkets as prospects for chilled seafood from Apam- Visit any refrigerated warehouses (cold stores) in Accra. Visit the refrigerated contractor. Stay at the East Legon Hotel Tuesday night

 

DAY 4, Wednesday (Sept 10)

Go to the Airport to meet Kenny. Travel with Kenny to Ketu

 

DAYS 4 through 7 (Sept 10-13)

Stay with Kenny in Ketu

 

Day 7(Sept 13) Saturday

Leave Ketu early Saturday morning to travel to Apam

 

Days 7-13

In Apam from Saturday Sept 13 thru September 19

Team travels to Cape Coast/Elmina. Dinner. Overnight at Coconut Grove Hotel.

 

DAY 12, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20: CAPE COAST/ACCRA.

Breakfast. Team travels to Accra. Accra city tour Dinner. Overnight at GoldenTulip Hotel.

 

DAY 13, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21: ACCRA/AMSTERDAM:

Breakfast. Check-out of your rooms at 1:00pm. Transfer to the airport at 7:00pm to check-in.

 

DAY 14, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22: AMSTERDAM/NEW YORK:

Arrive in Amsterdam at 6:00am.

 

 

so there it is I will do my best to keep you all updated but I do not know what kind of access I will have to the internet over there so it will probably be pretty sparatic.

 

Ethan

  {Edit}

Packing Day/Pics

Hey all,

    

Today is packing day we met at the church at 1:30 to pack our “large” suitcases with gifts and medical supplies. Remember we pack our clothes in our carrions 1 pair of shorts, 1 pair of jeans, 1 pair of khakis, and 4 shirts, for 2 weeks YAYA. Packing went well and we all got our shirts with the team logo and such on them. I have posted some pics bellow. There was also a plaque Made up in honor of Perrow Church For your exceptional Giving, This Plaque will be installed on one of the wells that is drilled this trip.

 Just a quick reminder we fly out this Sunday from Newark NJ to Amsterdam and on to Accra Ghana from There.  To see my itinerary for the trip see my post titled “Going to Ghana”

The Anticipation grows in my bones till I must work to contain it!!!

Ethan

B.S.F. Wharehouse Pics

Hey everyone here are some pictures of the warehouse where we store all the supplies that go to Ghana. The supplies that are there now are waiting for the next trip as we have already shipped 4 containers for this trip alone in all there have been 12 containers sent. In addition to what is in the warehouse we also have 11 containers waiting to be shipped.

  The anticipation is growing in my bones to where I feel I must work to contain it!!

Ethan