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As of Thursday, conversations with Janet, Ingrid, Sr. Clare, and Akiba, plus phone calls earlier in the week with Alice, Anthony, and Phyllis Byrd, I can say that about 22 Pilgrims were planning to be enroute to Banjul, The Gambia on Friday by bus. Ingrid and Akiba are returning to Goree Island to organize there. The Pilgrims will be walking in The Gambiauntil the 12th of February and should be returning , by foot, to Senegal, staying in Senegal until the 19th. That's the plan - but it is always subject to change. The report on the phone calls below will give you all a flavor of where you all are at. Also, www.peacepaogoda.org website has some great infor on the Pilgrimage, lots of pictures and even the sound of chanting!
We are all on Pilgrimage, each in our own way, at our own pace, getting it as much as we can at our own rate...as the Buddha would say "Let a thousand flowers bloom!" Being the "dispatcher at the crossroads", I bear witness to the fact that we are all holding each other in our prayers - it is profound and powerful! May it give us all heart, faith, strength, and courage in the work ahead! Love and blessings, elaine
FRIDAY PHONE CALLS FROM THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE SOUTH AMERICA PHONE CALL FROM IM
IM made it to Recife. He was with Arthur until close to the Brazil border in French Guyana. Arthur wanted to walk to the border. Im chose to hitchike because he knew that the road didn't go all the way to the border. He made it to the border in two hours but no Artthur - so he continued by bus to Recife where he'll stay for four days to rest. Then to look for a boat in Rio or San Paolo.
He's been told that if a cargo ship comes in, it is not unusual for folks to get passage - 13 days to Jo-burg. It's difficult to get a direct flight to Dakar and costly. To Madrid it's $866 and to Dakar it's $1100.
Im sends Big Greetings to all the Pilgrims and looking forward to seeing everyone again.
PHONE CALL FROM REGINA
Regina reported pretty much what she reported below. Boat down the Amazon to Manaus. Then to Bahia where they can be reached c/o ALeta's friend Naiello To get to Bahia they will take an evening bus. They intend to spend a week and a half in Bahia, visiting all the sites and doing the work.
PHONE CALL FROM MUSTAFA
Mustafa reports that he is still in San Juan - trying to get out as soon as possible - finally has reservations for Trinidad on February 13th. He thought he saw the Pilgrimage on PR National Television. Told him everyone was asking for him.
PHONE CALL FROM GREGORY DEANE SMITH
Smitty from the City wanted to know Angie's phone number. Wonders why the bag of clothes has not been delivered to his caretaker's apartment. Wanted the Tentative Schedule for Africa.
Smitty says to Billie" Hello! Hope to see you on the continent - I'm coming that way so look out for me."
to Teresa"Tell Teresa I send my love."
to Mustafa and Paula"you could have made it with us; it hasn't been so arduous. The river trip was great."
to everyone "SMITTY SENDS A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE PILGRIMS EVERYWHERE!"
Phone Call from AMY HUTTO
She and others are planning a Week Long Walk In Solidarity with the Pilgrimage for May in the Bay Area. She holds the Pilgrmage in Prayer everyday.
PHONE CALL FROM BILLIE
Developing his photo's - held up because NY wouldn't deliver dark room chemicals in all this ice and snow - just arrived today..wants to put a slide show together for S.A. Billie's investigating flights to South Africa...
Such Richness of Phone Calls - then a richness of e-mailsXai and Aaron, Regina, Pinyoun via Ngwin, and Atsuko and Marcus!!!! see below
Dear All,
we are now in belem en route to bahia. The ride on the Amazon was beautiful. we saw more of the jungle than we had first thought. Its powerful.from time to time people, mostly natives, would canoe out to the boat to beg for food and things. there were mostly small children (but they appeared more mature and selfassured than most their age in the states.) we will leave belem tonight at 830pm. the ride is about 36 hours.
everyone is feeling and doing well. I have a small cough and a bit of a fever. not too bad. In bahia i will rest. lucky for us we will be in bahia during carneval. so we will visit many sites, mingle with the folks, and pray a whole bunch. I found a black brazillian magazine called raca which tells me alot about the cultural affairs in bahia and soa poalo. There seems to be a movement toward negro pride in brazil. Yeh. So bahia should be great. love and kisses regina
Subj ReTentative Schedule for Africa
Date 99-02-05 095359 EST
From (xaviera simmons)
To EDKENSETH
hey elaine. thanx for your emails gratly appreciated. aaaron and i are trying to leave on a flight to banjul next tuesday. the price is high but feel the need to move forward. we are well in health and maintaining spiritually as best we can. london is beautiful and i have been appreciative of the time here... motherland, i am wondering what things will be like in africa ... hoping that things move forward in a positive way for the group. makes me both excited and nervous to move forward this way, jah will provide and i know that is true.
Subj Call from Pinyoun this morning!
Date 99-02-05 112826 EST
From (Nancy Gwin (KS&R's INSITE)
To EDKENSETH
Elaine---
Harvey called twice this week---first on Tuesday, February 2nd on the walk from Farafenni to Banjul. They were in Juffure, the slave "factory" or trading post made famous by Alex Haley's book "Roots". It was going to take them another two days to reach Banjul.
I was able to tell them of the plan of the other pilgrims to fly to Dakar from Cape Verde, connect with others, and then find a way to go right away to Banjul. (This was per your phone call.) And, I was also able to give him the full name, address and phone # of Bishop Johnson (per the 2/1 letter of Phyllis Byrd and your E-Mail).
It was a very quick call---as they were changing the cost of the call even while he was on the phone.
This morning he called twice---again quick calls---they are now in Banjul. He had picked up mail from the post office from me and from Plymouth Church.
I was able to give him the news of Rob and Rich---with their address at Emile's and phone #. (That from your E-Mail of 2/2!) Harvey is calling again tomorrow morning at 7 AM EST---so if you have any other news, E-Mail or call me today. I'll be here until after 5 PM, I'm sure. Paz. Nancy
Date 99-02-05 112147 EST
From (Marcus Atkinson)
To muddog
Hello everyone! Marcus and Atsuko are in Accra, Ghana. We have been
travelling through Morocco, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and we are now
in Ghana. Tomorrow, we'll start walking from Dixcove to Accra--about 2
80 KM. Wish all of you were here with us. It seems impossible for us to
go any further as we are completely out of money now. When we get back
to Accra, 2/25/99, we'll check this mail. then, our only option will be
to head back to Europe and try to find a cheapest way to America. Hope
everything is well with all of you. Miss you all, looking forward to
hear from you soon. You are all in our prayers. Peace.
Marcus and Atsuko
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