Happy Labor Day!

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Hello Friends and Family.

Thanks to everyone for your continued well wishes and prayers.

Thanks your Royal Hockiness '08 for the Penn State update.

Everyone, please remember, I'm just one guy. We are a team. A Family. We are a Family. FAMALEE. And I Love Yinz All.

This is my prayer today:

Please, please have a gigantic backyard cookout(s) today.

Somebody call someone and just get a giant call chain going and then everybody get together somewhere. Anywhere.

Grab a stranger off the street, call someone with whom you are on the "outs" and bury the hatchet, anybody, it doesn't matter.

Just do it.

And then, please believe me, I will be there in spirit. This is my only wish for today and I'm praying that it happens.

Then, take a bunch of pictures, and when I get home, I want to see every single one.

Play games, play good music, eat good food, drink good beverages (in moderation) and have good fellowship.

Try not to be upset with anyone or anything, because negative thoughts are draining and too...negative.

I realize that I have my faults, but God has the Power to forgive me. And He will help you make that phone call too.

These things I ask through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Well, 10 AM appointment Teusday at the Embassy to pick up the VISA.

From there we will go straight (I hope ) to DGM (Immigration) for the special letter of permission.

Several people have given me very high ranking officials to contact, but at this point, I'm only talking with The One High Ranking Official.

KM is sleeping right now in the Africanized Snowpack.

At the Congo, while filming the camera batteries died. Perfect timing. I got a few stills, but did not capture the power and might of the rapids and the swirling eddies. Really an awsome sight.

In dry season, people break the granite rocks, BY HAND, and then cart them off to be sold. Totally mind blowing.

Huge piles of rocks are everywhere waiting to be carted off.

People here in K'sha refer to me as "Le Blanc," (the white). The translation was, "Give the white guy a hammer."

In L'shi the white is "Muzungu."

When we get home, I will be having a full Swahili to English to French lesson for anyone who wishes to attend.

Just let me take a nap first.

Anyway, gotta roll, baby is waking.

Hope to be home this weekend.

Air France has flights directly from K'sha to Paris, then to Atlanta (I think).

At this point as they say, "It don't make no difference," I'll take anything to anywhere.

Peace and love, Keith.

I Love You Rachel. Over and out.

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Comments

[Cathy Baxter]

Time to get the heck out of Dodge!
Hello my brother, It's around 7:00 a.m. Monday here. I think I've been told you're about 7 hours or so ahead of us here in the Burgh. That puts your time around 2:00 p.m., right now. Soooooooo, tomorrow morning, at this time in Pittsburgh, you will already have received the "go ahead" from "The One High Ranking Official" where you are and you will hopefully be heading for the airport! I hope you made that sock puppet, 'cause you're going to need something to entertain that little one on the plane(s). I love you much, Keith. Godspeed. Still praying. Love, Cathy P.S. I'll be baking those biscottis today and with any luck, they'll be there in KC when you get home! :)

[Virginia]

Great Food, Friends & Lots of Prayers
Keith, Spent the day with family and friends and we all ate too much, laughed to much and we did drink but in moderation. Then we had prayers for all of Loved one who were not with us and a very special Prayer for you and your family. Praying you will be home in just a few short days. Love, Hugs and Prayers until you return.

[Marie]

Outta there!
Keith, when I'm making this entry it's 7:44 a.m. here in Hampton, Virginia, so it should be after 12:00 where you are, and since you were supposed to be at your meeting at 10:00, you should be on your way home now!!!! Yea! And for all you wonderful people who have journeyed with my brother through prayers, thoughts, wishes, etc., let me echo my sister Cathy's great big "THANK YOU" for being there with him in whatever way you were able. I'd also like to ask that all of you who get to be with him when he gets home to give him a great big hug for me too! Loves ya Keith, Rachel and Kamina Marie!!!

[Keri Lysaght]

You're in the home stretch!!!
Just think it's your last Monday to be away from home, next Monday you'll be sleeping in your own bed! In a matter of days all that is "common day to day operations" will be at your finger tips...except it will now be a new sort of common as a family gets to bond. We are forever thankful that you are safe and Kamina has found good parents who love her enough to look the devil in the eye and know that God has a plan!!! Stay strong, I can only imagine how hard this ending will be be for you, the good byes, the long flight, the waiting to get home...but know we are ALL sending you our love and prayers. God speed Keith!

[Brenda Hill]

praying you home
Praying this home stretch is almost done, and for things to go smoothly. And praying it is just days until you and Kamina are home with Rachel. Praying and burning many candles and sending love, the Hills

[Carrie Rader]

Loving you...and missing you...
We had some family time on Labor Day, but to be honest we were sure missing and thinking about you and that beautiful little girl. Hope all is well and that you will both be home shortly...travel safely my friend and God Bless YOU BOTH...the Rader Family...