The Plane Tickets Are In My Hands

Congratulations! We did it! We being all my family and friends that pitched in a few dollar bills to send me to Africa on a mission from God. Jake and Elroy Blues would be proud of you for helping me on my mission. Together you guys came up with 2,400 dollars for a plane ticket from Charlotte to Zurich to Nairobi. In addition to the ticket, you guys paid for all of my vaccinations so I wouldn’t fall ill in the Dark Continent and have a “Heart of Darkness” situation. One of my very special backers even provided me with a few dollars to spend freely while on my travels. She even told me specifically what souvenir I needed to buy with the money and bring back for her. Hey, no problem as long as the souvenir doesn’t use up all the money you gave me. I really feel like I am doing the right thing because of all the support and contributions I have received. I know I have written everybody thank you cards but I have to take this opportunity to thank everybody again for the prayers and donations.

Thanks to David and Karen Nash who were the first family members to send back the self addressed stamped envelope I sent out back in February. Thanks to my Grandfather, Kenneth “Pop” Corn, for being the first on my side of the family for getting the donation ball rolling. Thanks to Father Lawrence for taking money out of his own pot for the trip to give to me so that I could follow him into the mission field. Thanks to Anna Kirk for still being a good friend even though we have moved to different cities across this great state of North Carolina.

Thank you Dick Carney for listening to my story about my trip and immediately pledging to help even though we had just met for the first time. May God bless all of your mission trips and all of the good works you are doing in the name of Jesus. Thanks to Marc Zeller and his family for a donation. Mark is my investment guy and I know my investments haven’t earned him as much commission as he gave me in a donation. Don’t worry; I can see a life insurance policy in my future.

Thanks to my dear Aunt Frances who shares my love of photography. I wish you were coming with me to share in my shutterbug explorations. Thanks to my co-worker Natalie Dick who volunteered to sponsor me without me thinking to ask. Thank you again Colleen and Richard Davis for your support. I wrote about their involvement in the Speedway story above. In that post I also wrote about how Kris Cook rendered me speechless when he slapped some green backs into my hand. Thanks again Kris.

Thanks to my fellow church member Janette Prosser for being a good friend to our family and for caving into the pressure I gave you to write me a check. I was only kidding. You really could have said NO. Thank you Karen Bailey and family for your support. You have done a lot for my family and your donation was most appreciated.

I am especially touched by the love I have received from some of my former co-workers in Raleigh. Thanks to John Cox and his family for making a financial sacrifice to send me a few bucks. And thank you to my favorite reporter who let me tag along with him when he decided to go to war. Ken Smith, I’m really going to miss you as a traveling companion. You took a country boy who had only been out of his home state maybe a half dozen times and turned him into an international traveler with an unquenchable thirst for new adventures.

I have saved the very best for last. Thank you to my best friend Jeff Reece for paying for a few shots so I can return home disease free. Thank you to my in-laws John and Starr Tofil for a few extra dollars to spend on souvenirs. A big “Thank You” to my Aunt Mary Louise and Uncle Mike for promising me that no matter how much money I raise or don’t raise, I will be going on the trip. My Aunt Mary Louise is a big international traveler herself and knows how the traveling bug can get under your skin. Last but most certainly not least, the biggest thank you goes out to my Mom and Dad who matched the deal given to me by my Aunt and Uncle. Mom also went the extra mile by sliding me a few more dollars for my shopping and dining enjoyment. Mom, I’ll be thinking of you and Dad when I’m chowing down on an Ostrich fillet.

Oh, I better not forget to say thank you to my lovely wife for letting me leave her behind with the screaming kids for two weeks. Without her blessing I would be spending my vacation crossing off items on a “Honey Do” list. Thanks Baby.

Thank you all for your support and prayers.