Spoiled

For our last two days in Guyana we stayed at the branch office as guests. After 8 months enduring heat day and night, many cold showers, and vicious mosquito attacks staying at the branch made us feel so spoiled. There are only 8 Bethelites who live and work at this branch so we were able to meet “the whole Bethel family”. Because it was the weekend and no one works on the weekend we didn't get an official tour or get to go to morning worship, but it was fine with us. Just having a weekend alone to relax and enjoy a nice clean air conditioned room was more than satisfying. We felt refreshed and ready to back to work in the States.

All in all, our stay in Guyana was a little challenging but the blessings we've received in the ministry and in the congregation have definitely outweighed the hardships. We feel so thankful for this experience and we thank all of you who took an interest in our blog and all our friends and family members who supported us. May Jehovah bless you just as he has blessed us.

Going Away (Pt. 3)

On Monday night the missionary couple from the other congregation, Joe and Elia Keller, in town invited us over. Every week they have a different family over for Watchtower study and they had us join them so we could spend one last evening together. After the study the sister served us brownies and flan. We felt really privileged to have gotten to know this couple. They gave us a lot of good advice and encouragement in our assignment. We pray Jehovah may keep blessing them and all the other faithful pioneers and missionaries preaching in Guyana.

Going Away (Pt. 2)

The week after the going away party we had a few of our bible studies and some of the young brothers and sisters over for pizza, cookies, and a movie. Our bible students came over in the afternoon and the mother of the family and the rest of the girls from the house cooked a meal together. They made a traditional Guyanese meal: dhall, curry potato, roasted chicken, and rice. It was delicious. After they left Cat started making pizza and cookie dough. As soon as she finished cooking two pizzas the power went out. But, our friends still showed up so we served pizza and drinks in the dark and huddled around our portable DVD player and watched Breakin' 2 (those poor young people had never seen it before...tragic.) Then, after about two hours or so the power came back on so we cooked three more pizzas which were quickly eaten by the 18 or so young brothers and sisters who had come to the house. Cat made 8 trays of M & M cookies which soon met a similar fate. Then, we all watched “A Knights Tale”, another fine American classic. The kids had a great time, we were exhausted but happy we could host one last gathering for the young people in Linden.

Going Away (Pt. 1)

So, we decided to leave on December 5^th. The congregation wasn't about to let us go without giving us a proper goodbye, however. One Saturday night all the need greaters were invited to small dinner over a one family's house. The family sat us down in their living room and spoke to us for a few minutes and then invited us outside to look around the area that they use during the week to tutor school children. We suspected something was up and sure enough we were greeted with a hearty “Surprise!”. A least 20 brothers and sisters from the congregation were there waiting for us. They put on skits and sang songs and one sister wrote a poem that she recited for us. Then a few of the friends got up one by one and told us how much they appreciated the time that we spent there and how much they would miss us. We felt truly honored and encouraged by such warm expressions. We will miss all of them very much.

Our studies

We've been conducting quite a few studies in our territory and some have been making remarkable progress. In September the young deaf girl Cat has been studying with attended our monthy ASL meeting at our kingdom hall. It took some work to get her there, she lives a car and a boat ride away from us. So, altogether it took us an hour to pick her up and an hour to take her back home. But, it was worth it. Although, she and her mother have often been out of town lately, she is making wonderful progress with her studies and her knowledge of sign language. Its been a true joy and a blessing to teach her.

Months ago I began leaving magazines with a woman named Carmelle who works as a butcher at the town market. Soon the placements led to questions and good bible conversations and before Cat started a study with her. However, she was very interested in getting her kids to learn about the bible as well. So now Cat and I can be found on various days during the week studying in her butcher stand with either her, her son, and her daughter. Her husband is a Hindu but he respects all religions so although he hasn't accepted a study yet he and I have regular bible discussions and he regualarly accepts the magazines. Carmelle and her children have started attending Sunday meetings.

Circuit Assembly

On October 23^rd and 24^th we had our Circuit Assembly in Georgetown. The program was wonderful and 40 deaf and 17 Chinese were in attendance. Cat and I were assigned to interpret for the pioneer and seminar and the assembly program. Following the pioneer seminar a few of the pioneers from Georgetown and the surrounding areas got together for a meal. We played one of the hardest games of bible Jeopardy ever devised and two pioneer brothers from Kukwani performed a few songs and did a skit for us. We spent the weekend at our friends DC and Sarah's apartment in Georgetown. It was truly a memorable and encouraging weekend.

Back to Suriname

Our 3 month extension in Guyana was up in October. To “celebrate” such a milestone we ceremonially observed our government mandated trip to Suriname. It was good to see our friends in Suriname again. We got to work out in service a few times with our friend Franklin and we stayed at the apartment of a couple we're close friends with, Cedrick and Charlotte. They were nice enough to take a day off from work and take us swimming at a place named “Cola Creek”. It's fittingly named because the water is the same color as Coca-Cola. Don't worry, it was safe. The water is only that color because of the minerals in the soil. The congregation was just as warm and friendly as the last time we went there. We wished we could have spent more time there but before we knew it our week was up and we headed back to Guyana for our pioneer seminar and circuit assembly.