IVORY COAST CHRISTIAN LEADER'S SUMMIT FEBRUARY 2-14, 2010

A total of 32 delegates will share this experience. We request your intercession as we spend these days in fellowship with the community that composes the cell church in the Ivory Coast.

Following are some details about this trip:

CLOTHING:
Abidjan and Yamoussoukro will be quite warm, possibly HOT, during February. Cotton clothing will be best, avoid silk. Sandals and short-sleeved clothing will keep you relatively cool.
MEN:

Please do not wear shorts or cut-off shirts. If you usually wear an earring, please avoid doing so during the conference. Bring adequate clothing. Laundry facilities are difficult to find.
WOMEN:

Please do not wear shorts, pants, mini or tight skirts, or sleeveless dresses or blouses. The women in the host church, Protestant Baptist Church Works and Missions, wear a head covering (scarf or wrap-around piece of cloth) all the time. You are NOT obligated to do so, but your U.S. coordinators recommend it. In addition, the change in climate, time, etc. can affect your regular menstrual cycle, so please come prepared. Bring adequate clothing because laundry services are difficult to find.
MONEY:
The exchange rate is around 500 CFA (African francs) to one dollar. If you wish to exchange money before arriving in Africa, you can buy Euros in most cities in the U.S. and in airports along the way. The Euro is accepted as legal tender all over the Ivory Coast. Prices are relatively reasonable, depending on what you want to buy. Bargaining is recommended, but try to shop with someone local who knows what prices are reasonable.

AIRLIINE TRANSPORTATION:
Emirate Airlines to Dubai, overnight, continue to Abidjan.
GROUND TRANSPORTATION:
The church will be providing shuttle service throughout our time in Abidjan as well as travel to
Yamoussoukro.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS:
While in Abidjan, we will be staying in a “luxury” hotel, not in a mud hut! Our hotel accommodations will be covered by the church. Rooms up country are normally at another four star hotel, but this can change according to availability.

FOOD:
Some meals will be served at the church and others at the hotel or local restaurants. The church is providing at least noon and evening meals. You may have to cover breakfast if this is not already covered in the room charge.

VACCINATIONS:
The only vaccination you will need is Yellow Fever. It is valid for ten years. You MUST have this innoculation AND an International Vaccination Certificate (a small yellow booklet) certifying you
have been vaccinated. This vaccination and the certificate are available from your local health department. Although Yellow Fever is the only vaccination required, several others are often
recommended. These include:
1. Diphtheria
2. Hepatitis A
3. Hepatitis B
4. Tetanus
These vaccinations are usually given only periodically. You should check with your health department as soon as possible to determine when it would be convenient to get these vaccinations. Most people report no serious side effects from the inoculations.
MEDICATION:
Malaria is endemic (present) in the Ivory Coast. While medication is not required for entry into Cote D’Ivoire, it is dangerous to travel there without protection. With the proper protection, few people have any problems. Your physician can prescribe a drug for you to take for protection
against this disease. Depending on the medication, such as Lariam, it will be given in weekly doses starting a week before travel and continued for a few weeks after returning home. Doxycycline is taken daily, has less side affects than some other meds and is cheaper than Lariam. You MUST begin medication for Malaria one week before your arrival in Abidjan, and continue it once a week for two weeks after your return. Let your physician guide you as to what malaria preventive to use. Please bring any anti-diarrhea medication to which you are accustomed, as well as pain killers, vitamins, etc. Bring all prescription medicines you are required to take on a regular schedule, but ensure that they are properly marked.
FULL TRAVELERS HEALTH INFO FOR COTE D’IVOIRE:
You can find detailed information on health issues for travelers at this web address (click here)
WEB SITE FOR THE CHURCH
HERE IS A LINK TO A WEB SITE. It is old but the best to get some idea of what the church is like, including the senior pastoral staff.

AMERICANS/CANADIANS TRAVELING SEPARATELY FROM THIS TOUR:
If you want to take a group or travel on your own, no problem! Just let me know so I can let Dion know and you should work directly with his team in Abidjan.  You can contact Jim Lassiter by clicking here.

HERE IS THE LIST OF THOSE GOING ON THE TRIP:

1) NEIGHBOUR/RUTH ELAINE
2) NEIGHBOUR/RALPH WEBSTER
3) ALVAREZ/CHRIS GONZALES
4) ALVAREZ/JENNIFER ANN
5) JOHNSON/BLAIN ALLEN
6) ABBOTT/DENISE A
7) ABBOTT/GARY M
8) FREEMAN/STEWART KIRK
9) BYRAM/ALICE JEAN
10) YOON/SANG UK
11) NASH/ANSON R
12) ERBAUGH/MATTHEW
13) WOOD/LANDON
14) JOULE/CASSIDY S.
15) JOULE/JERRY P.
16) HANNAS/BRIAN D
17) BAEK/SUNGKYUN
18) ALTAMIRANO/NICKIE DAVID
19) ALTAMIRANO/STACEY MICHELLE
20) MOORE/MEREDITH ANNE
21) MOORE/KATHY MARIE
22) MOORE/RODNEY A
23) CURLIN/HOWARD L
24) REINHARD/PAUL MARTIN
25) REINHARD/CHRISTOPHER PAUL
26) HITSON/SANDRA SUE
27) TEAGUE/ERIC
28) VINCENT/DUNCAN

29) IKNER/CLARENCE JASON
30) BYERS/PATRICK

31) ORTEGA/DAVID

32) THOMAS/ANDREW J.

(Please note that I am not going to get a freebie out of putting this together. I will pay my part just like everyone else. I do not have any problem with pastors taking tours for the money they get out of it, but my personal policy is that I trust the Lord to provide my needs and, for me, this would become a "second source of supply.")

Questions? Write ralph@touchusa.org 

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