The Philip B. Petersen Collection Broadcast January 17, 1990

     Amateur radio can often accomplish communications to remote areas of the world when no other means is available.
     Connie Griesmer has been blind since birth.  She had just finished seminary in California and planned to go with another sighted person to Nigeria to work among the large number of blind there.  As they were about to leave from California, her friend was detained due to passport problems.  Since Connie's five pieces of luggage and special optical reader were already on the plane, she went on alone, flew non-stop to Amsterdam, changed planes and then on to Nigeria.  Her parents were already apprehensive about her traveling alone and became much more concerned when a small revolution broke out in Nigeria.  For several weeks they tried various means to locate Connie since they hadn't heard from her and were not sure if she ever got to Nigeria.
     I knew nothing about this until her parents, who were long-time friends, asked if I could help with amateur radio.  I knew that there are missionaries from many denominations in Africa and asked her to find out if any of them are also radio amateurs.  Two days later, she gave me the name of a missionary radio amateur, his call letters, frequency, time and dates when he would be on the air.
     It was now up to me.  I put the transmitter on maximum power, pointed the beam antenna toward Nigeria and put out many calls without success.  However, a few days later, I tried again.
     Eureka!  We made contact!  Very much to my surprise, he said that he knew Connie since they had met at a bible conference he had attended in Nigeria a few weeks ago.  He said, "Connie is all right, in fact since we were traveling in the same general direction, we took Connie with her five pieces of luggage and drove to our little village where she was a guest overnight.  The next day one of our missionary workers then drove Connie 130 miles to her mission.  Connie being blind, we would not let her travel alone in this remote area."
     Well!  To say the least, I was totally amazed to realize that of all of the millions of people there, I was able to actually talk to one who knew Connie.  I immediately called her mother.  She was so very thankful and said, "Phil!  Tonight will be the first time in several weeks that I'll get a good full night's sleep."
As for me, this was my most memorable and heart-warming experience in amateur radio.

January 17, 1990

** Broadcasts recordings preserved and presented here by Mr. Robert Buss and Mr. Bernie Ricciardi, Phil's friends and fellow Marconi Chapter 138 QCWA members **

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