Day 1:

Kristen and I left for the airport at 12:30 in the afternoon. We picked up Dad and he drove us the rest of the way. After a few long lines, we boarded our flight to Atlanta Georgia and then transferred to Air France airlines for our trip to Paris.

At Paris, a couple bus rides transported us to our airline taking us to Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Twenty hours in the air makes for tired travelers. Neither Kristen nor I were able to get much rest on board. During the longest leg of the travel — Atlanta to Paris — we sat beside a delightful French floral designer who spoke English. She was energetic and humorous and entertained us during what would have otherwise been an uneventful transatlantic flight. The Ivory Coast! Brother Aubrey Hooks and a couple of his bodyguards met us. They escorted us out to his sleek armored Mercedes Benz, and, with a police car in tow (lights flashing), we were whisked away to the ambassadorial residence; a large comfortable mansion surrounded by an impassible fence. Though the air outside was muggy, Brother Hook’s place was nicely air-conditioned. We ate potatoes, fish and green beans on the patio, fed his fat and short pet gazelle some pineapple, toured the ample, well manicured grounds and called it an evening.

Day 2:

We awoke this morning and upon getting ready in our church dress, we hopped into the motorcade with Brother Hooks and drove to the local university where we were received in style by the university president and deans as if we were visiting dignitaries.

We were ushered into the university president’s office and then into a large assemble hall where Aubrey Hooks gave a speech in front of 400 or so students. Then the students, in rowdy southern preacher style, proceeded to harass Brother Hooks with political questions. Next we met in turn with the deans of the law and business departments and then had a short lunch. We returned to the hacienda for a real meal and then slept until 6 when a handful of local musicians arrived to entertain us. We ate together and then the musical evening began.

Day 3:

Today we went to a beach, a musical dancing and drumming concert and then concluded with a dinner dance. I met Miss Ivory Coast — tall, beautiful and unapproachable. I finished reading Dan Brown’s Deception Point. Pretty good read.

Day 4:

Today we slept in, arise for church at 11:15. Kristen and I were surprised to learn that we to bear our testimonies. That we did and then we left for a bishop’s house for a lot of food (we were not accustomed to the type of food.)

Then we stopped by some tenements and then we to the Ivory Coast’s ambassador to the Republic of Congo for an indepth discussion on African politics. Kristen and I are moved to action. Watch out world!

Day 5 and 6:

Kristen woke up yesterday and reported that she had vomited several times during the night. When Brother Hooks came home we took her to the embassy nurse guy, who, upon examining her, declared that she had a parasite.

Kristen was given Tylenol and sent home with a prescription for antibiotics. Brother Hooks and I gave her a blessing and this morning she appears to be doing better, albeit still ill. We’ve not contacted the parents, owing to the principle of “actionable information,” which basically asks, “what could the individual receiving this information do with it.” We decided the parents couldn’t do anything and they would only worry more, so we’ve not called them. Time will tell if this was an appropriate strategy or not.
Day 6:As for me, I have a headache and my stomach seems to be out of kilter. Perhaps, however, my stomach pain is resultant from the 600 crunches I’ve been doing each day. I very much hope I do not have a bug.