Since Phillip Barnes isn't expected to return to Ishpeming until next summer, Jack and Nancy Barnes recently traveled to Burkina Faso to visit their son



Since Phillip Barnes isn't expected to return to Ishpeming until next summer, Jack and Nancy Barnes recently traveled to Burkina Faso to visit their son

Local couple visits son in Peace Corps in Africa

Caption: PHOTO CAPTION: Jack and Nancy Barnes of Ishpeming visit their son Phillip, right, and his fellow teachers during their recent trip to Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso in West Africa, where Phillip is serving with the Peace Corps. (Barnes family photo)

By JACQUELINE PERRY, Journal Ishpeming Bureau

ISHPEMING - Since Phillip Barnes isn't expected to return to Ishpeming until next summer, Jack and Nancy Barnes recently traveled to Burkina Faso to visit their son.

The Barneses spent 12 days in September in the West African country where Phillip, a Peace Corps volunteer, is a math teacher.

"School hadn't started yet, so Phillip was able to travel around the country with us. We traveled by bike, bus, and bush taxi," Nancy Barnes said. "It was amazing. Our trip was a page out of National Geographic."

Three days of the trip were spent in Kirsi, the village where Phillip teaches.

"We met some of the other volunteers and we took them out to dinner," Nancy Barnes said. "We also met the village chief, who presented us with a chicken as a sign of his appreciation of the work Phillip does."

In fact, Jack and Nancy Barnes accrued six chickens during their stay in Kirsi.

"We also received one from the Catholics in the village, one from the fabric seller that makes shirts for Phil, one from the telecenter owner where we call Phil from, and two from the PTA," Nancy Barnes said. "Receiving a chicken is an honor and Phil is highly respected within the village. Knowing this made us feel better about him being so far away from home."

So what did the Barneses do with the chickens?

"Jack killed one and I cooked it," Nancy Barnes said. "Phil brought the rest to the director of the school, who raises chickens, and plans to cook them for his fellow teachers."

Jack and Nancy Barnes said they were glad they were able to visit Phillip during his stay in Burkina Faso.

"The conditions weren't always the greatest, it was very hot, but we made the best of it and had a great time," Nancy Barnes said. "We had an enjoyable experience with Phil and we're glad we were able to experience some of what he has lived in the last year."

When this story was posted in November 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Your vote makes a difference Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.

Kerry reaches out to Returned Volunteers The Kerry campaign wants the RPCV vote. Read our interview with Dave Magnani, Massachusetts State Senator and Founder of "RPCVs for Kerry," and his answers to our questions about Kerry's plan to triple the size of the Peace Corps, should the next PC Director be an RPCV, and Safety and Security issues. Then read the "RPCVs for Kerry" statement of support and statements by Dr. Robert Pastor, Ambassador Parker Borg, and Paul Oostburg Sanz made at the "RPCVs for Kerry" Press Conference. RPCV Carl Pope says the key to winning this election is not swaying undecided voters, but persuading those already willing to vote for your candidate to actually go to the polls. Take our poll and tell us what you are doing to support your candidate. Finally read our wrap-up of the eight RPCVs in Senate and House races around the country and where the candidates are in their races.

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Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL Interview PCOL sits down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before. Plus the debate continues over Safety and Security.

Schwarzenegger praises PC at Convention Governor Schwarzenegger praised the Peace Corps at the Republican National Convention: "We're the America that sends out Peace Corps volunteers to teach village children." Schwarzenegger has previously acknowledged his debt to his father-in-law, Peace Corps Founding Director Sargent Shriver, for teaching him "the joy of public service" and Arnold is encouraging volunteerism by creating California Service Corps and tapping his wife, Maria Shriver, to lead it. Leave your comments and who can come up with the best Current Events Funny?

Peace Corps: One of the Best Faces of America Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrates the Peace Corps Volunteer as one of the best faces America has ever projected in a speech to the Democratic Convention. The National Review disagreed and said that Heinz's celebration of the PCV was "truly offensive." What's your opinion and can you come up with a Political Funny?

Read the stories and leave your comments.