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.

Berbice

During the last weekend in September we went to Berbice to give a talk for the New Amsterdam sign language group. We were able to spend the weekend there and we stayed at the apartment of another need greater couple, Chris and Renee Turner. They are originally from Canada and they have been serving in Guyana for six months. We had a great time that weekend. There are many deaf in that area and Chris and Renee brought us with them on a few of their studies. The meeting was wonderful. It was really nice to see so many deaf there. 65 were in attendance, 35 were deaf. Quite a few were deaf children and they eagerly participated in the Watchtower study (we had to fight to comment ;0) ). Following the meeting we back to Chris and Renee's and barbecued at their apartment. A perfect ending to good weekend.

convention in georgetown

On the weekend of August 8-10 we attended the District Convention in Georgetown, Gy. The program was amazing, of course, but one of the true highlights for us was meeting all the need greaters and missionaries who are serving here in Guyana. We traded stories on how we're adjusting and some even invited us to come visit their area.

We sat in the sign language section where the whole program was interpreted live for the benefit of the deaf. It was really encouraging to see how many deaf showed up for the program. We were also surprised to see a Chinese language section. Two Guyanese sisters and two missionaries (who formerly served in Hong Kong before being assigned to Guyana) interpreted the whole program for the 5 Chinese interested ones in attendance. Also, it was beautiful to see just how much overall growth is taking place in Guyana. There were 51 baptized on Saturday.

When we write this blog we have no idea how many people will actually get to read it. One experience at the convention helped us to understand just how far reaching our words can be when we post them on the internet. Cat and I were walking around the convention site during the lunch break when we heard a voice call out to us, “Kurt and Cat Christie!” We turned around and saw a brother we had never met before. Confused, we said hello. The brother then asked us how things went in Suriname, and how things were going in our sign language group. We were freaked out. He laughed at our shocked faces and explained to us that he was a brother from London, England who found our blog online when he was planning a preaching trip of his own to Guyana. He liked our site and he had begun reading every update. We were so surprised. I took his picture and promised that I would put it on our site (Here it is Marlon).

All in all, the convention was a great experience. Being with our brothers for three straight days is truly a blessing from Jehovah.

Preaching in Suriname

Preaching in Suriname

During our week in Suriname we were able to go out in service with the Sign Language and English congregations in Paramaribo. We enjoyed working with our brothers and sisters so much. It was very encouraging. Working with the sign language congregation we had the opportunity to preach in some more remote areas, such as an Amerindian village and an abandoned mansion that had been taken over by Bush Negroes. That is not a joke. We had some really nice experiences in this areas.

In the Amerindian village of Powakka we joined a 3 special pioneers from the area who regularly conduct bible studies with three deaf who live in the village. One deaf man had been studying for years off and on. Recently, however he really started to show increased appreciation for the things he had been learning. He traveled on his own to the memorial, much to the surprise of his bible study conductor. Also, he recognized that he needed to start telling others about the bible truths that he is learning. He told his parents that he was planning to start preacing door-to-door. Worried for his safety, they told him that he could only preach to people that he knew. So, he started stopping at the houses of other deaf people in his village. He actually went to the home of a deaf mother and daughter who were themselves already studying. The women explained to us later, “some guy came by here to tell us about the bible..he didn't know too much though.” Nevertheless, his zealous effort was a good example.

Cat was able to go on a bible study with 2 sisters from the Sign Language congregation on a bible study with a 55 year old deaf woman. She lived in a rundown abandoned mansion with 30-40 other members of her family. She is originally from the interior part of Suriname. Her family moved to Paramaribo about a year ago. She is what you call a maroon or bush negro (a descendant of runaway slaves). She is the oldest of her family and so she has what is called the family demons. In Suriname there is a HUGE problem with spiritism. Her family practises old african religion. So traditionally the eldest in the family has the family spirits. Now this woman had started to progress to the point of wanting to attend meetings so after her 1st meeting that night she was attacked by the spirits. They informed her that she needed to stop going or they were going to harm her. Now she had just studied a few days before about prayer to Jehovah. So she prayed to him and they left her alone. When we came to study with her she explained what happened and thanked the sisters for helping her know how to pray. She then asked to be shown how she could walk to the meetings by herself because she wanted to attend.Truly she is thirsting for the truth.

Cat also met another deaf maroon woman who is going blind. Her brother is also deaf and while Cat and the other sister were visiting them he showed them his pet monkey. It was 24 years old and bad tempered.The woman and her brother are both very interested in the truth. Because she will eventually lose all her vision the sisters who visit her are teaching her how to tactile (sign language signed in her hands). There was another bible student with a similar vision problem that one of the brothers in the hall took me to visit. Since they haven't had any deaf and blind students in the congregation as yet, he asked Cat and I to tell him about our experiences Interpreting for deaf and blind individuals in Brooklyn. We were able to give him some tips and a simple demonstration on how it can be done.

Our whole reason for going to Suriname was to extend our visit in Guyana. We had originally requested an extension from the Guyanese ministry of home affairs that was denied (no comment). So at the end of our first three months we decided to spend a week in Suriname. All in all it was truly a wonderful and refreshing experience. When we returned to Guyana we were granted an additional three month stay from customs. So, the adventures continue...

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.