Surinamese Sign Language Congregation

While in Suriname we spent some time with the sign language congregation there. The use Suriname Sign Language (SSL) which is very similar to ASL. Even though, it differs slightly from ASL we were able to understand it for the most part and comment at their meetings. The congregation was truly warm and so hospitable. They took us to a few of the restaurants in the area (Javanese food!), out in service, and they even had us over for a world cup championship party. One evening a bethelite couple serving at the local branch had us over their room and they even gave us a tour of the branch and showed us some of the renovations that they are making to their facilities.

On the way to Suriname

This is how our journey started...The night before we were going to head to Suriname we went up to Georgetown to stay with our friends fellow need greaters Don and Sarah. At the ungodly hour of 4am the Bus picked us up from their house and the journey started. Now for those of you that have never been on a bus in Guyana well let's just say that the trips are always interesting...From the moment you step into the bus till the time you arrive you will be going at unreal speeds and the bus driver will be making hairpin turns all the while listening to some of the most colorful music I have ever heard. So we are on this particular bus till about 9am and then we make a stop in a town called Skeldon. There everyone gets out to try to relieve some of the effects of our journey. My backside felt like it had been given a pummeling that I would never forget ;0). After this stop we all get back into the bus and drive about 45 minutes further and arrive at the Ferry which is called Moleson Creek. Now the ferry only leaves for Suriname once a day so that means you get to wait till it decides to show up. So while we were waiting Kurt and I got to witness to a man from Venezuela that only spoke Spanish. So we tried to rustle up our rusty Spanish skills and explain about the hope for the future. Mean while a man that I will politely describe as crazy decided to but in on the conversation and ask Kurt questions. Now he believed that we can attain perfection by the fruit of the earth. Kurt tried to show him a few scriptures about the what the bibles speaks of for the hope for the future. Meanwhile the man is misquoting scriptures and then he is joined by a friend and they begin heckling Kurt. And saying: “don't you know the bible?” which proves the theory crazy people travel in groups because after the conversation the men began speaking rather loudly on a variety of topics to anyone that would listen. Meanwhile the Spanish man looks at us and says that guy is crazy and shakes his head. So he accepted a tract in Spanish and English and was very interested in what he was learning. Kurt showed him where he can contact the branch and receive more literature, which he said he was going to do. It just shows you should always carry tracts with you. So we ended up waiting till around 2:00 pm and then the ferry showed up. We got on and the ride lasted about 15 min. Then we piled into the bus waiting on the other side we hop in the bus and we drive for a half hour and stop at a gas station and next to it is a little shop that sells food made by the Amerindians. The food was delicious and very spicy. YUM! We get back into the bus and head to Paramaribo which is the capital of Suriname. So we are on the bus till around 6:30 pm and arrive at our destination a wonderful couples home Joep and Anne Van Hjinigen . They are in one of the English congregations in Paramaribo. When we entered their home they were sooooo warm and wonderful. The house was GORGEOUS. I felt like I left the desert and entered an oasis.