5 Oddities

It's fun to walk around the stores with all kinds of Chinese made products and see what catchy logos they've come up with to sell their products. Let's see how they're catching the eye of their customers. The advertising is usually quite eloquent. Take a stroll through the store with me... 

Barbie Doll:

"Happy life, enjoy the living fun!" 

This Barbie stands out from all the rest! She's alive! What about this, isn't creepy? And if you buy her, you will have a happy life! 

Baby doll with Stroller

"Baby car!" That sounds safe! "The more you play with me the happier I will be!"

One would need to play with this baby a lot in that case, as he appears to be very sad. That was really the selling point for me, I couldn't stand to see him sad any more. I wanted to see him become happier and happier! But I sure did not cheer up when his disposition did not change either. 

Drinking jug:

"Pony Brown's life. To enjoy life's pleasures"

Once again, a clear contradiction! Pony Brown seems to be doing any thing but enjoying life's pleasures! Look at the frown on her face! Well, to look at it from her angle, who would be happy pushing around a dresser? Wait. Why is Pony Brown pushing a dresser? 

Wind up toy:

"Poultry Jumping Animal"

I've always wanted a Poultry Jumping Animal!!! And it even come with 12 pieces! Just like KFC! 

Drinking jug:

"Happy rabbit happy life, we should have been sustained" 

We slipped up guys. Our happiness is forever lost! Unless we buy Barbie, baby car, and Pony Brown we will never be happy. We didn't sustain the rabbits. And they live to remind us every day, every time we look at our drinking jug. Are you sorry yet? You better be. Who is coming up these slogans? Is there some one back in marketing going "I know what will sell! Let's guilt the people over not having preserved the rabbits! Yeah! This water jug will sell like hot cakes! Conservationist from every where will swarm!"

40 Illustrations

These are some illustrations that are useful while teaching I've made up (at least one I made up) and picked up from people and places over the last few months. I thought I'd share with yall:

Having Faith Makes us Calm and Hopeful

If a child has broken a toy, would he calm down if his parent assessed the situation and assured him that all that is needed now is to glue it together and them they went and bought the glue. The child would calm down and confidently wait until the toy was put back together. Similarly Jehovah harps already put into place his Messianic Kingdom and all that is needed now is for it to react and restore all things.

Is Your Heart Complete Toward Jah? 

Job 1:7,8 Satan is roving about in the earth to look to see who's integrity is getting weak. In contrast Jehovah is roving about the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him. 2 Chron 16:9

How Do Principles Work?

A child before having his perceptive powers trained might see that its raining and still want to run out and play, he doesn't yet care if things are dirty and the dangers involved, he wants to pick dirt up and put it in his mouth. Yes the stove is hot, but he wants to touch it. With time he comes to understand the reasons behind why he should and shouldn't do things, that his conduct is involved. It starts to matter to him that the ground is dirty, so he wouldn't pick it up and put it in his mouth. Sexual immorality, for instance, is dirtly, but only with Jehovahs view point would we be disgusted by it, not trying it because it is dirty. Basic truths, or principles, help you to make correct decisions. 

Stay Away from Spiritism

Satan stays out side while you choose a movie, but if you choose one on spiritism then he comes right in, sits down on the couch next to you, throws his arm around you and flicks his eyes up heavenward and says "told ya". Prove Satan a liar!

Reading Without Meditation Almost Has No Effect

When it rains day after day then you have time for the seeds to get wet and to grow, but one quick rain doesn't do much, the sun can scorch it quickly.

If We Love God and His Word, We WILL  Make the Effort to Worship

If a young person dating didn't have a car or a bike but lived far away from the one he was dating would he walk it? Yes because he loves her. Would he complain that it was far? No he would feel that its real close by. How do we show our love for God. We must make the effort to worship out of love for Jehovah and it wont seem like too much. 

The Need to Keep up a Spiritual Routine

If you went to the doctor and you had taken your medication and worked very hard and went back to him and he said congradulations you are clean but you have to continue doing what you're doing there is a need to keep on track or you will risk going back to how you were. Likewise we have to keep up our spiritual routine.

Importance of Using the Bible

If we're not quoting scriptures when we teach its like petaling a bicycle hat has no chain. There is no power behind what we say. 

The Need to Eat Spiritual Food Regularly

Some may not particularly enjoy reading and studying. Certain foods we may not enjoy eating, vegetables perhaps, but we know we have to eat them to be healthy. Stay spiritually healthy. Read and study. 

Don't Invest Your Life in This World

Woud you buy a ton of food that's expiration date was right around the corner? That would be a waist of your money. Would you invest large amounts of your time and energy into this world? Its expiration date is right around the corner. It would be a waist of your life.

Its Urgent to Act!

Into the name of Jah, the righteous one runs. Into it the righteous one walks/strolls? No he runs.

Why Is a Sacrifice Needed for Sins?

What would happen to society if the authorities just pardoned all criminals and released them from jail? Chaos. God doesn't rescind his own laws. 

Importance of Following Moral Laws

Would you ignore the laws of gravity and say "I want to go where ever I wish, I want to walk of this cliff! To not be allowed to do so is so restrictive! I'll go where I want to go." Well, you can't walk on air. The consequences are obvious. You respect that knowledge of the law of gravity is a protection for YOU! Just as consequential and important are OTHER laws God also put into place like moral laws!

Universal Sovereignty

Suppose one of your relatives has no children and wants to gain custody of yours. He takes you to court and accuses you of neglecting and misguiding your children. To settle the issue and clear your name, you will have to present evidence. Your children will have to testify too. Similarly, Satan accuses God of lying and all humans of serving Him out of selfish interest. We can testify that we are children that are well taken care of and that we love our parent.

Seeds of Truth May Bear Fruit Later

Maybe you have a garden with a certain plant that stays at the same hight for a long time and you keep watering it with seemingly no progress, but all of a sudden it makes all kinds of growth and later even starts to produce fruit! The same can happen with our Bible students, you never know what roots they're laying down.

Keep Things in Perspective

You are one piece of a puzzel. There may be one piece with a man in the distance, but the puzzel picture is of a glorious mountain, we should focus on the big picture. 

How Meditation Works

Its like a coffee pot. You put the water in, the water is knowledge, but unless it is brought back up and filtered through the beans, the heart, you get no product. We have to bring back to our minds what we've learned, filter it through our hearts and produce results.

It Takes Effort to Raise Children

Children are like arrows. An archer takes time and energy and makes his arrows slek and straight, he carves it well. 

Have Students Use Their Own Words When Commenting

In most cases thoughts rather than specific words were miraculously conveyed to the hearts and minds of Bible writers, permitting them to choose their own words to express those thoughts.

Trusting Jah's Way vrs. Our way

We could be flying upside down in the dark, and think we're doing fine. Use the Bible to make sure that you're flying right and on course.

Faith is Reality

A realtor might hand you a piece of paper and say "Here's your home." You're not going to live on that piece of paper. Same with faith, we see things written on the pages and we have confidence that they'll be realities we'll see with our physical eyes in the future. 

Necesity to Obey Jehovah's Commands

We need to be within the feild of influence of Jehovah. You need to be within range on the cell phone to communicate. We need to remain within his law so we stay able to be incontact with him 'within range'.

True Christians Clearly Recognized 

Malachi 3:18 Christians will be clearly set apart. Just as in a hospital where some one is wearing all white and a stethoscope, they are clearly recognized as a doctor or nurse. It would be just as recognizable to tell the difference between one serving God and one not. 

Need to Preach to be Considered a Disciple

A shoe maker makes shoes. A driver drives. You can't be considered one if you don't do the work. A disciple of Jesus preaches. 

You Don't Need to Study All Religions to Find the Right One

You don't need to be a botinist (someone that studys plants) to recognize a tree from a thistle. Like wise you don't need to be a theologist to recognize true religion from false. 

Importance of Preparing Opening Words in the Ministry

When you see a fruit and it looks good smells good, but the first bite is bad, are you going to continue eating? 

SHOW Your Self Thankful to Jah

How do we thank Jah? Do we half heartedly say "Thanks" or do we sincerely tell him "Thank you!" He sees the difference as clear as you are able to see the sincerity of a person who says it to you! 

Abortion is Wrong

Do you know what sex your unborn baby is? Jehovah does. If two men were to struggle and ACCIDENTALLY kill the baby they were liable for punishment. What if we were to purposefully kill it? Imagine how hurt Jehovah would be. 

The Power of the Bible in Our Lives

The Bible is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart. Doctors recomend that we have a check up every year, the doctor recommends that we have an x-ray on our lungs. We appeared to be in good health, but somthing was going on beneath the surface. Reading the Bible reveals things we didn't know about our selves.

The Need to Apply What We Learn

Once a boy graduated school to become a doctor then opened a restaurant. Some times there is no connection between what is learned and what is done. Others how ever are motivated from the heart by what they learn and want to put it to practice. 

The Need to be Decisive to Worship Jehovah

If you were to go to the store to get a product you need, but you were indecisive about weather to get it or not you might rob your self of time and opportunity to aquire the item and use it. Get it while its there. Serve Jah while there is still time. 

The Need to Transform Our Selves For Real

Rom 12:2 Make the mind over. When a catepillar becomes a butterfly, its not 'disguising its self as a butterfly' it actually becomeas one. We don't disguise our self as christians but we actually become them. Then a butterfly can do things that a catepillar can't, like flutter by. We can as Christians experience things like peace joy a relationship with Jah that we couldn't as catepillars. 

Making Sacrifices is Worth it

We need medical help, but we find out that it is more expensive than we had anticipated, we are going to have to make adjustments and sacrifices to be able to afford the medicine. We would have to focus on getting the medication and it would be worth it to cure us of our ill. Any sacrifice we make for the Kingdom is going to be well worth the effort also.

What it Means to Read in an Undertone

When you get a perscription you might read it through quickly at first but you didn't' get it and then you find your self reading it through again actually mouthing the words and saying it to your self. Why do you do that? Its so you remember it! They want to follow the direction. Read the Bible in an undertone.

The Need for Baptism

If an Israelite slave served after 7 years without their ears pierced? What might the people around think? That he is serving under compulsion. But when he has his ear pierced it shows that he is serving willingly. We dont want to serve Jah because of our Bible teacher or parents, but show Jehovah that we are serving him from our hearts willingly. Show it, get your ear pierced. Get baptized and serve happily under our great master.

When We Serve Jah Out of Love, What he Asks in Not too Hard

If a young boy loves going to the creek, the walk through the savannah in the ot sun isn't too hard, he doesn't mind it. 

You Are Liable For Your Actions Once You Know the Truth

At first when you learn a language you don't understand much of whats going on. But eventually you start to understand more and more until you're fluent in the language. If someone asks you a question that is embarrassing or brings up a subject you'd rather not discuss, you can pretend to not understand to save face but you know if you really did understand. Do we know the language of the truth fluently? You can pretend to not understand but Jehovah knows weather you really do or not. We are all responsible for our selves before Jah. 

Avoid Materialism

A bird might swoop down to catch a fish and realize that the fish is too big and barely has enough energy to flap through the water to shore and not even enjoy the fish but rather have only enough energy to take out its talons and release the fish. Debt can be like that. We may spent so much effort paying off the item, we don't even have enough time to enjoy it, and then it slips away and we're left exhausted.

Trust the Elders, the Arrangment of Jah!

When you have a biycle you value it but you'll probably lend it out, not problem. What about a motor bike, you would lend it to fewer people, its worth more. But with a car the stakes are even higher. But there is something of very great value to Jehovah, but he puts it in the hands of the Elders. Does Jah trust that arrangment? Yes.

Make Needed Adjustments NOW

If minor tweaks aren't made to a car by a mechanic the car could have major damage result. We are getting minor tweaks all the time. Help from our loving Heavenly Father. This is so we wont necessarily need major discipline in the future. It isn't pleasant to make minor changes, but it is not pleasant at all to receive serious discipline, or to die at armageddon. 

Reporting from within Guyana's remote interior, this hasnt really been a equator news update with Cortny Vee. 

Thanks for reading!

Good night :)

Sharon

Hello again dear readers!

A New Study :D

So a couple weeks ago I was working my very block and came across 2 young moms seated under a mango tree. I gave my presentation and played the "Why Study the Bible?" video found on jw.org for them and offered the study. The one gave me little attention, barely a nod and a 'hmm' but the other took the lead in responding and participating in the conversation and accepted a study. I went back the next week but she was out. I tried again the following week, yesterday, but she was out again, her husband said she would be back that afternoon so I said I'd come back. When I got back she said she had just remembered we had made an appointment and rushed home only to find out that I'd already come by. She gathered some chairs for us while she took the lesser position and sat on the bench under the mango tree, she quickly called her son over, about 4, to listen in too she said she wanted him to learn too and the baby sat in her lap but wasn't fussy. Funny thing, even though she's only about a block from the hall, and we've worked the territory about once a month for years, she has never had a Bible study with the Witnesses before. She said this was due to her having worked full time until recently. She just switched to a job to getting off at 2pm instead of working from 7am to 7:3opm 6 days a week. I'm happy for her, what a burden that would be. They treat Amerindian women like slaves here, the hours are grueling.  She said her mother in law is a Witness in Annai so when ever they visit her they go to the meetings. She says she likes it. It could not be any more convenient for her to attend ours. Any who she was very attentive and very bright, and YES! she commented in her own words! When we find a person that does that naturally here it is such a relief. A lot of the time they will answer straight from the book after long minutes of head down shyly pouring over the book even if they know the answer, ya know, doing the humble thing. At times you have to ask them to 'close the book and just tell me what you think'. But this one. It was her first study, the one about important questions, that we shouldn't be shy to ask them because Jesus says 'keep asking and it will be given you' she had previously wondered of all the questions mentioned before. So she's a thinker too, answers in her own words, yeah man. Oh and her children are obetient and quiet, that helps a load with mom actually getting something out of her study. It also shows shes is a mom that disciplines and controls her children. Also a rare quality in this community. So I'm exctied about her. She's smart and sweet and she's conveniently only a step out my front door! We'll see where it goes! :)

Please leave a comment if you so desire. 

Reporting from deep within Guyana's remote interior, this has been an equator news update with Cortny Vee.

Good night everyone and thanks for listening.

What a Life!

Hello Loved Ones! I'm Back Home!

I said good bye to my family, 

Traveled through the jungle...

...and I'm back in the hot dry savannas of Lethem again, and I'm very happy to be here! 

I got kicked out of my old blog. I named this one 'gettintrue' because... 'Getting troo?' Or 'Are you getting through?' in Guyanese creole means 'Are you having any success?' (Joshua 1:8 tells us how.) And 'Getting true?' in my own mind will stand for, 'Are you understanding the truth?' (Its my goal to teach in a simple clear way that makes the truth understandable and to reach the heart.)

Apartment on the Equator

I wasn't sure for the first week if I would be able to stay in the apartment that I had first settled in because I had heard through the grape vine that the landlord was wanting to kick me out, saying he needed the apartment to store materials in for a construction project, he had never mentioned it to me though. He finally came over one evening only telling me how much rent was to be and asked how long I thought I would be staying, and had no qualms that I was thinking a year or two, he was not contesting that I was there at all. I was so relieved. Just a mere $125.ooUSD a month to live in this perfect-for-me little furnished apartment.There is no where in Lethem I would have rather ended up. The brother who lived here before was good about up keep and updating. He made it a comfortable spot in many ways. It is only a moments walk from the KH. He bolted in hooks so that I can hang my hammock across my porch, I have a little tiled bathroom which I had been wanting for quite some time, a whirly bird installed, a fan, a fridge, a stove, and the tiniest postage stamp of a space which I love because its easy to maintain and clean. Its convenient too. My friend left it even with groceries to eat, a comfortable bed with a mosquito net already in place, even cook ware and dishes. The friend who was living in it is going back to the states for 4 months to make money to return. I am so grateful to be in this little spot in the world. 

My Little Apartment

Sketchy Busses
You never know what you're going to run into on the bus ride from town to Lethem. You could go from having as your driver, a drunk raving lunatic, who speeds around blind corners tail gating one foot from the bus in front of him at 6o miles an hour with blaring music the entire 2o hour ride where you didn't notice road was washboard because he was driving too fast... or a slow going, let's feel every pot hole, careful driver that doesn't play music at all. This time through my friends coming from Georgetown said they came with a driver that seemed like he knew what he was doing, yet he was hunting out the window on the way. When he wasnt using it he had it propped toward all the passengers in the back during the very bumpy journey, where it could've bumped out of place and shot off at any given moment. He eventually did shoot a Laba, a large rabit-like rodent, slap it on the roof (hopfully it wasnt bleeding all over everyones luggage) and keep going. Like I said, you never know what you'll get on that bus ride. 

Specials and Villages
The work here is very exciting as we have just received 2 more Special Pioneer couples. That makes 6 Special Pioneers along with 7 need greaters and one local pioneer, 14 pioneers in all and a rapidly growing number of zealous publishers!

But no matter how many people are sent here to help there is always an over whelming amount of work for everyone to do. The more brothers we get to help hold down the fort here, the more we can get to these out lying villages and get groups established out there! There are hundreds yet to be cultivated. For instance we have Shulinab, a two hour drive out, that is a fledgling group getting on its feet for the 1st time, has its 1st 2 publishers, but we are only able to go out there twice a month. Another village has been reached by just one elderly couple from England, who dedicated 18 months there and work tirelessly to cultivate the immense interest found in Carasivi

John and Stephanie Drury the only Witnesses Who Served in Carasivi

Then there are also so many other villages that desperately need attention, and there are fledgling groups already waiting for help as they only have 2 Witnesses serving there. If you would like to serve in Guyana, write the Trinidad branch and ask where you should serve. The cost to live here is very low, but the number of those who respect the Bible is very high. 

Congregation in the Village of Moco Moco

Receptive Little Ones
Upon coming back of course, the thing that I anticipated was to see if any of my students continued in making progress. Well one of the students that was the most progressive when I had left here was Diana Lisa Prince, and turns out she has come to a good number of the meetings since I've been gone. While one of the Special Pioneers was working the area she came running out and told them that she had studied with me before and would like to continue. Its good to know that she has been zealously making comments at the meetings just as before. She has aspirations to go in the ministry with me. That would be wonderful. She really stands out this girl. She's bright and sweet, very generous. What stands out the most about her is her fiery, ambitious (in a good way) disposition. Many Amerindian people are very calm and do not often show their emotions. At times it is hard for her to focus on material as her attention span is short and she is easily excitable, but we're working on focusing. It may be that when/if her dad moves back to Lethem she'll be my next door neighbor, living directly across the street from me, which would make it so simple to pick her up and drop her off after meetings and we'll walk to meeting together. Her family is also considering moving to BonFim, Brazil, which I am too, so maybe I can carry on the study over there. She was one of the only people who stopped by to see me off when I left and brought me a gift when I returned. On Sunday she was up and ready early and was at my house at 9:30am I fed her breakfast and we walked to meeting together.  Her mom encourages her to go to meetings, but as of right now her mom is working in the gold mines so she is staying with an aunt and grandmother who aren't as keen to allow her to go with us, but she's "bribing" her grandmother now, letting her know that someone will drop her off at home afterward, to get her consent. I love this child dearly, she sits with me at meeting and in a way feels like my own child. I hope she continues to grow and progress. 

Diana Lisa Prince :)

A Visit From an Old Roommate
This weekend Katelyn and Jonathan are visiting from Mabaruma. They used to serve with us here in Lethem while they were dating and now they are married. They got sent to a jungle territory. When Katelyn lived here in Lethem she used to study with a young girl named Amanda. They formed a strong bond as Katelyn took Amanda under her wing. I wrote when she first started studying with her, how Amanda had asked Katelyn her self while smiling big and doing half twirls and holding her hands, and Katelyn responding with "Of course I will!" Today I saw them reunited after a long time and they were holding hands and speaking sweetly to eachother and catching up after a long time apart. It brought tears to my eyes. Katelyn did such a good job careing for the seed of truth in Amandas heart and she eventually became a publisher and does an excellent job Witnessing now. It is wonderful to see her blossoming, making the truth her own, but to see with Katelyn again through whom she came to know Jehovah better, it was just a sight for soar eyes and I realized how much I love and miss Katelyn and how much I appreciate what she's done and the sacrifice she's making by serving in a tougher territory. Katelyn has been a excellent influence and example for me and wish the best for them in their new assignment! 

Welcome back! Cortny, you fat lard! 
I got told I got fat several times out in service today. Real fat. It is interesting how they emphasize to you, just HOW fat you've gotten. Here, the word fat doesn't sting like it does in the states apparantly.  One girl put her arms out in a husky 'grrr' position when she let me know. Thank you for the stocky pose, it helps clarify what you meant by 'fat'. I would not have understood otherwise. I was depressed when I saw my fatness in the mirror this morning and was just starting to forget about it, thanks for reminding me though. Just kidding I can take it, its just funny. Its funny also because they offend each other with these comments, but this doesn't stop them. They see it, they gotta say it. 

Telling someone they are fat is listed as one of the 5 Totally Acceptable Customs of Guyana in my friend Sarah's blog at guyanaglimpses.wordpress.com I find my self constantly going between feeling impressed and laughing out loud at her hilarious and fun writing style. She hits the nail on the head every time. For instance, a term of Guyanese speak she explained was "me 'o know" / 'I don't know' explaining it is said with the same tone as "what are you asking ME for?" she calls it dismissive yet humble. She calls it a dual admission of ignorance and a plea for innocence. She paints a picture pin pointedly accurate. Her hand drawn cartoons also add an excellent touch. After reading her blog I feel like giving up on mine. People, if you wanna know what Guyana is like, read Sarah's blog. She's more eloquent, interesting and accurate than me and I will never hold a candle to her writing ability. Ode to Sarah and her masterfulness of writing. I know how you hate purposefully misspelled words, but I GOTS to. Sarah, you got skeeeeeeelz!

New language!
We have a language that is spoken in much of the interior called Macuxi. We now have literature published in this language! We have the Listen to God and the Listen to God and Live Forever brochure. In one school I heard that they are using the brochure to teach the children their native language! 

S.A.D.
I popped over the boarder to Boa Vista, Brazil for the English Special Assembly Day.

With Friends at the Special Assembly Day

...and while in Brazil I got the opportunity to do Public Witnessing. It was a success. A lot of literature was placed, in English especially. 'Why would they place more English than Portuguese in Brazil?' you may wonder. It is because people who speak English around here have migrated from Guyana, and the Guyanese as I may have mentioned in this blog before, are very humble and like to learn about the Bible. 

Interested Ones Stopping by the Public Witnessing Stand (I love the pic on the upper right especially)

Enalia
Enalia was studied with by many Witnesses over the years. The other night I had her over for dinner and she shared with me some of her problems. She had been such a great student and was putting faith in the things she learned. She would have her book studied and the review scriptures memorized. When her boy friend started getting more physically abusive and would tell her he was jealous of her going to the KH. He would tell her that she was only going so she could find her self a man, someone that was better than him, and these were unfounded accusations, one night he came in from a late night drinking an knocked loudly on the door, but she was sleeping and didn't hear the knocks. Practically all the windows in Lethem are open air, and most without even mosquito screens on them, (not good for the Dengue and Malaria epidemic) he came to the window and threw sand on her in her bed through the window. She told him she was sleeping and didn't hear him. Then he came in the house cursing and waking everyone up in the house and the adjoining house. He demanded Enalia make him something to eat and kept insisting over time that she was looking for another man. Enalia had stopped him from committing suicide on a number of occasions but he finally did it and hung him self after she refused to consider being with him again until after he had stopped drinking. I was thinking this would be a good opportunity for her to draw closer to Jehovah, her study has been practically non existent though, we'll see if she can get back on track. 

On a happier note, we here in Lethem should be building our 1st dedicated KH soon! It is waiting on a few approvals from Georgetown but shouldn't be too long before we can start working away on that project. 

Some expressions explianed.
Let we rock, man. - Let's rock man!
Let we go. - Let's go. 
Do you want I come? - Do you want me to come?
Frighkin - Frightened. 

Meeting Fabi 
When I came to study with Hosea today I recognized her sister as being a study of someones in the past. She approached us when her 6 year old daughter came to sit and listen to a Bible story. The sister she'd been studying with has recently had a baby and so has new obligations to care for. Fabi told me her daughter will be going to school here so she'll come in for a month from time to time to check in with her daughter. So many families are divided like that around here. Many mothers leave their children with their parents. Fabi told me that she was baptized in Church of Christ but that she wants to learn more about Jehovah. She said she liked it when the sister would read and explain and help her to understand but when she goes back to her village and studies on her own she doesn't understand as much but she still does try to teach her self. She said she has a lot of family problems but when she reads our books and the Bible that her problems don't seem as big any more. There are a few members already from her famiy that have taken a serious interest in getting to know Jehovah better. Hosea asked if we would study with Fabi's daughter. So my friend Jackie started the Bible Stories book with her. Today was an excellent day in the ministry. I didn't plan to be out most of the day, it just happened. It was super satisfying. One of my studies that I got back after a long while I realized had started pre-studying for her study. That was encouraging to find out. But also found out something sad from her, that her husband is always drunk and drinking out her hard earned money and is fighting with the childlren and speaking abusively to her and telling her he should get a new wife and then he'll quit the bad things he's up to. He claims that she is going around looking for a man or cheating with the men she works with. She opened up about this as the study today was on family happiness. All she can do is do her best to put into practice what she sees the Bible says is the role as a wife. So many families experience this same scenario. It is rare to find a family that isn't in this same sad state. These people desperately need Jehovah in their lives. 

Boarder Crossing Frustrations
Right now I'm heading to Boa Vista since my time is up in the country. Its not as easy as it used to be to corss the boarder these days. I've lost some sleep over it, worrying they were not going to let me back in the country. Worryig and praying and stressing about it but today the officer seemed in a fairly good mood happy to know I was getting my stuff together. I was very relieved to have him be mild with me today and pretty sweet really. I good prep for him was reading the YPA article on 'how can I get along with my teacher?' lol. I would rather deal with him than the officer that takes over when he's gone though. A few weeks ago I got that officer and when I asked for the 3 month tourist visa, he only gave me a one month stamp. Wouldn't even give me the time of day to explain why I needed more time, accused me of lying, didn't tell me what I was lying about, and threatened me with a $25o.ooUS fine for lying to him. I showed him the papers I was working on completing for an extension, but he said "anyone can show me those papers, what I neeed is a receipt from georgetown that you have already applied" and wouldn't give me more than one month.  I was told that around that same time he'd threatened to kill his wife and chop her up in to little pieces. Great policemen we have here. I can't' really expect to reason with someone like him. But today I told them I will be going with the congregation to Georgtown (a twenty hour bus ride away) to attend the convention and he seemed to be satasfied with that as long as I'm complying. So maybe I wont have to make an emergency move to BonFim. I still want to move there for 5 months (we are only allowed to stay 6 months out of the year in Brazil) or so because the need seems to be greater there, in a way. The thing is, we have all the outter villages that need to be worked, but they have few wemon that speak fluent English to take care of the Bible students, some progressive, that they've already accumulated after the short 6 months that they've been a group. I'm quite excited to move but I'd rather it not be an emergency move, but a thought out smooth transition. Plus! Good news for me there is a sister from Brazil that wants to move to to Lethem to help and while she's having her house built she's considering my aptartment for a few months. How perfect is that? I wouldn't even loose my perfect little spot in the world if that were to happen. Plus! She would like to be my room mate if things were to delay so that would be cool to split the cost of rent and be able to stay longer! 

Jonathan from Ishalton
During my stay in Guyana this time I would like to focus more on village trips. Reason being we have so much more support since we have 3 Special Pioneer couples that devote a lot of time to the ministry and the outer villages need to be reached. Lethem doesn't have a huge population so we end up working our territory quite regularly now. One trip we recently took was to Marudi, a gold mining town in the mountains, and Ishalton. My assignment in the gold mines was to try to speak Portuguese to the Brazilians there. In Ishalton I met someone I will not easily forget. His name is Jonathan, he is 8 years old. His uncle belongs to an English group in Brazil and recently got baptized. This uncle must be a good influence because every morning Jonathan had been conducting a scriptual discussion with his mom and little brothers. He expressed concern that he hadn't yet recieved the 2o14 year text, he apparently wants to continue the good routine he's started. He asked me questions about how long Jehovah has existed and asked other questions about heaven with intense intrest. His eyes were lit up with excitement for learning spiritual things. So endearing. Its such a far out village tho, many hours by vehicle and we don't often get to travel to it. So hopefully soon there will come a way for us to keep in closer contact with Jonathan and his family to help encourage their spiritual growth. 

Sleeping Giant Trek #2
We hiked Sleeping Giant again! Even though I had promised my self I wouldn't go again, because I've heard there are aggressive snakes living in the jungle among other reasons... (They stay in the mountains, they don't live in the Savannah, in the village where I reside.) But low, when I got the opportunity to go again I couldn't help my self. I love the sights the sounds, just being in the jungle for days. Last time we were told there are always howler moneys but we hadn't seen any. This time we did though! That was cool. They were quite big, maybe 3 feet tall, tan and red and black. They are quite social creatures so they had to poke around us high in the tree tops, a good distance, to spy on the intruders. The tropical plants were a refreshing sight for soar eyes. Each time I go I'm getting new favorites. Certain palms out there are spectacular! They're massive. Palm leaves with no tree trunk, just massive leaves jut straight out of the ground ten feet wide and 50 feet up. "False banana" leaves hang high over head with every thing blown up to a great scale, like the movie honey I shrunk the kids, we felt so small since all the plants boulders and trees are so massive. The jungle plants have had time to grown undisturbed by human. The plants growing there you do not see here in the village. 

Speaking of growing things. I am trying to grown a little Papa "Papaya" tree, they grow with little attention. Just the kind of plant I need with my busy schedule. Wrong. They grow when they're not paid attention to, when they are they are as stubborn as donkeys. So I gave it up. Talked to a farmer near by and he set me straight, said he'd give me a sprout if I wish. 

A Receptive Toushow
When preaching in villages we must first get permission from the village chief or toushow. Today I was out in the ministry in my home town village, Lethem, and I came across a family from Apetari. Up until this morning we had been working straight down the road but as my shoes had completely unraveled with in those past 5 minutes I made a turn down the street toward my house, the street they were on. My sandals several straps were ripping off left and right and I was tossing them in to burn barrels and piles on the way heading home since the sole of my sandal had more than half way ripped off the bottom of my foot. (A lot of straps on these sandals). This was happening to both the right and left sandal all of a sudden after so long a time of being faithful shoes. I told my partner "I better get home, or soon I'll be barefoot". Just a fine papery layer of shoe between me and the scalding hot, broken glass and disease infested paths of Guyana. Wow, tangent... point being... I was very thankful that at the very moment they did because, because of the turn I took I ended up meeting this family from Apetari and they were heading out the next day and I might never have gotten the chance to meet them. So after giving my presentation the Toushow spoke up. He asked if we would come and preach in his village. As village cheif he feels the responsibility of keeping the peace in the village but recently there had been several acts of violence, and they've been "convicting themselves" as they had been committing their crimes right in the middle of the village in the public eye. He is desperate for a solution to bring calm back to his village. He asked that we come and preach from house to house there. I could hardly believe I was hearing his humble plea. He said 'We'll put you up, room and board. What you like chicken or beef?' A cooperative village chief is always a plus. Campbell James is his name. 

Neighbors that are a Good Example
Right now I'm looking out my window. The breeze is blowing in the palm trees and I can just see Sonia and Shane (one of our special pioneer couples) sitting in plastic chairs on their back porch in the shade. The light is flickering through the leaves and a passionfruit vine is blocking their faces, but they have there Bibles and Watchtowers in hand and are studying. I'm in my room studying for the upcoming meeting. Its beautiful how Jehovah feeds us and it just feels like paradise when all will be deeply concerned with spiritual things. Its a truely satisfying life here. I am so surrounded by Witnesses here that sometimes I forget that the rest of the world doesn't know Jehovah. 

Tonight I'm home alone, I just got done with family worship and I'm over hearing the laughing from next door at Sonia and Shane's. The bursting laughs happen in such rapid succession that I don't see how its possible for anything to be said in between the bursts of laughter, let alone that every comment being made should be hilarious. It is obvious who's there and who each laugh comes from. We have Sonia who starts with a scream and goes into a histerical almost insane laugh. (Her whole body almost convulses when she laughs, I love it, so sincere.) Then we have Jackie who busts into a short lived scoffing laugh. There is Shane with his low bellowing validating laugh. And of course the infamous, bursting, lengthy, loud, gleeful, bubbling, uninhibited, child-like laugh of... (someone who wishes to remain unnamed). Its awesome to be surrounded by such happy people! 

Margaret
I've met Margaret in passing before and a publisher that works with her has left our magazines in English for her to read and he speaks only Portuguese, and he told me she had an interest and to come back to her. I'd thought about her but never had come back until today. We talked and she said when ever she reads our literature she feels happy inside, and that she wants to be happy. She said  there are some customs at the Catholic Church that her daughter doesn't like. Her daughter had sat in on a study several times I had with her friends before and has learned quite a bit. Margaret said that she has been wanting to come to the Kingdom Hall when she sees us on Sunday morning but something has been holding her back. She also said that she has been wanting for someone to come and sit down and talk with her about what the Bible says. She says she thinks about it a lot and sees the Witnesses passing all the time and she ponders about it. I can't believe what healthy soil she appears to be. I'm really excited about our study tomorrow at 4pm. This could turn out to be a very productive call. 

Cubby's Origami Animals
Cub, a 5 year old boy in the hall, came up to me at meeting and asked if I could make him a bird. I folded him a turtle on accident and then I remembered how to make an origami bird, and made him one also. Cub called later, but I couldn't understand him, later his mom called and asked if I could make a dragon and told me cub has been carrying his bird and turtle with him in his hand every where he goes. I used to make a T. rex Ill have to see if I can remember how for cubby. Speaking of dinosaurs, our chickens sound like vilosauraptors, or just sound like they're dying, or the other day I heard one cut short his cock-a-doodle-d-- several times in a row, that had me cracking up, sounded like he was choking. Poor sickly little animals we have every where, taking a beating from the sun and diseases. :( Then on top of that, the kids treat them terrible. We had a little guy come over the other day and purposfully mash a baby chick under foot! The poor thing had a broken wing and couldn't move, later there was just feathers, the dogs must have found him. :(

Vannesia
This week I was happy to meet Vannesia. She seemed especially happy to see us, turns out she had been contacted in her village. She was given the 'Look' brochure, You Can Be God's Friend and The Bible Stories book. She had carefully bound these together, made a cover with tape and decorated the book she uses in church with our publications art work. She was happy to accept a Bible study but for now has a hard time understanding my English as she is from the Deep South. It takes a while but they get used to my accent over a period of time and I try to structure my sentences more like how I do so I'm a little easier to understand. Her cousin, whose children she moved her to baby sit, is progressing nicely on her study. She moved here as her brother in law was making advances toward her so her sister sent her away out of the house. Her cousin had just recently accepted a full time job, Monday to Sunday, which saddened me but after talking with her this afternoon I was happy to learn that she's just taking the job for a couple of months to break up the boredom she feels at home. So hopefully soon we can get back to a midweek study. 

Visitors
We recently had some visitors from England and one of them told me he thought it was funny one of the lines from the talk (funny as in you'd never hear it back home) a brother gave about conducting Bible studies, "Friends can you make room in your schedules to conduct one MORE Bible study?" Not one, but one MORE. The comment didn't strike me as funny till he brought it to my attention. I like when visitors come because you get to see the every thing through their eyes again, and remember what it was like when we first came. But when I think about how many wonderful experiences I've had within just the past few weeks, I'm still in awe too of the receptiveness of the territory here and the privilege I have of being here. 

A Visit to a Tiny Village in the Middle of Nowhere? Thats My Cup of Tea!
Visitors from England have all been super fun! We've had Reise, a zealous spunky blonde from England who with her on one LONG village trip we sang our lungs out all the way there and back at very high, and highly annoying pitches, we were insufforable together. Ha. Then Effua from Ghana, my favorite chocolate is from there, Effua is my favorite chocolate girl from there and is an endearing soul with confidence and a sparkle in her eye. Then there is the ex-professional dancer Nadia is always ready with her cleaver sarcastic banter. They made a great team and braved their fears to take on the adventure to climb Sleeping Giant. There was Peter who also has an endearing sense of humor and quick wit. When told he would be missed he replied "Oh, don't worry I'm like a bad rash... a little piece of me will always be with you." And while recieving help to remove a sliver he sarcastically asked, "How am I supposed to get an accurate palm reading now?" Ha. Fun kids. I look forward to seeing them again some day! The help they and ones like them who come to visit this little village are very welcome and appreciated.  

Village trip to Deep South, to Sawariwau 
There I met a woman from the next village called Nepretune. She said Rachel, her niece, a girl in our congregation, always tries to get her to visit the KH when she comes to visit them, but being that she speaks Wapishauna and not as much English, she was put off by seeing how much study was involved as she saw Rachel studying her WT. She was very sweet. She said she would like to join with us but she is so far away. I said "You can get to know Jehovah from where ever you are." I shared with her about the kingdom and she asked what the good people will be doing on earth in the paradise, so I showed her the assignments given Adam and Eve. She was very positive and her sister is making good progress toward baptism in Lethem. 

We also met a young man in Sawariwau who said he'd never seen the people that leave the WT magazines, but that he liked to read the WT when ever he found one. We talked about God's kingdom and asked which problem he would like to see gone, he said "financial" so I showed him Ps 72:12 and he said it was a good scripture. I invited him to the events coming up, the Memorial and the assembly.  

Bibles Containing the Divine Name 
I recently found out that there is a new translation available called The Divine Name King James.  It has restored God's name to its rightful places in nearly seven thousand places that it belongs! The publishers have no affliation with any religious organization. I hope that who ever finds that translation in there hands is going to find the truth a lot easier to understand. And of course there is The New World Translation that makes the truth of the Bible loads easier to understand as it not only restores the Divine Name but is translated into modern English. An app of that easy-to-read version can be downloaded from jw.org. 

Reporting from Guyana. This has been a equator-news update. Signing off...

Cortny Vee

New Housemate

New Housemate

Well, this was an out of the blue nice suprise. I was hoping from a room mate and she dropped out of the sky. Her name is Zelia. She comes from a land far away. Fortaleza, Brazil. She likes to talk and is zealous. She has one interesting story after another. Her family was very opposed to her learning the truth. As her priorities shifted from money, to putting the Kingdom 1st her family became more and more infuriated. One night she came home from a meeting at the Kingdom Hall and her dad  threatened her, holding a machete to her throat, he swung it back and then toward her throat... but her mom stopped the fatal blow grabbing his arm and said "Don't kill that thing. If you kill that thing, you'll go to jail, and I'll go hungry." Zelia now had new priorities. Her dad 'would live and die' over a certain court case. Since she had started helping him with it though, every conversation had been about the case she told him, "I don't want to be your lawyer anymore, I want to be your daughter." She had given up half million dollar cases and finally freed her self altogether of her 5oo clients and started to travel where the need is greater for more people to preach the good news of the kingdom. She spent 7 months in Africa in Mozambique Angola and South Africa. While there every two weeks she was sent by the branch to help a different congregation with their sign language and stayed with special pioneers along the way. She said it was super filthy there and Angola was very expensive Even costing $5o.oo for a plate of food at the most simple restaurant. She likes to be close enough to her family that she can make a trip over easily if need be, and she wanted to learn English, so here she is, with me in Lethem, Guyana for the time being. We speak Portuguese in the house. That part is hard. Communicating in a different language is exhausting and I can really only manage a couple hours in a row but as I learn more, my energy to listen lasts longer and longer. I speak like a baby, jumping words and using bad grammer and am not understood a lot of the time. Its smoothing out, little by little. But heck, I get tired even of listening to English for hour after hour. Another thing thats different is that Brazilians are very social and love to do everything together, where as me, an American, who grew up in the counrty, appreciates that, but is inherently a more solitary creature. So we are trying to find our balance with that. It is nothing to do with personality, I love her personality and we have a blast together, but I just needed a little elbow room. That's bound to happen with anyone your sharing a tiny room with. The other day I was feeling like I needed a little space. I went outside and shut the door and got in the hammock, she came out and sat in the hammock with me and started talking. I just gave her a blank stare. She read me and went back inside, a few minutes later she came out and asked me "do you feel suffocated?" I told her that that was too strong of a word, but explained our above stated culture differences, plus the fact we were only communicating in Portuguese and I was feeling exhausted. Once we cleared that up things have been a lot easier for me and she's learned a lot of english already.  I can tell you right now I am going to learn a lot from her. She is an excellent teacher, and already a great friend and is good in the areas where I need help. We're making a good team. The budget alway stretches with an extra person around too so that's good. She is also a super go getter with exercise. She asked me if I would be her work out buddy. I said sure. She asked me about my routine. "Ideally, I said, I like to work out 3 times a week for a half hour each." She said, "The bear minimum acording to the publications, congradulations! My work out routine is one full hour 5 times a week. So how about we come to a happy medium of 1/2 and hour 5 times a week." Ugh! And she has up'ed it since then to every single evening. It feels good though. I feel like I'm sleeping better, thinking better, getting in shape, and hopefully putting off future diseases too! I call her Pharoh now cuz she cracks the whip about exercise. Zelia has made great sacrifices for the kingdom and has forgone much wealth to put preaching the good news first. Her family thinks she is a fanatic. She feels bad when she thinks about how her family dissaproves and doesn't understand her new focus in life. This makes me so happy to have a loving supportive family and friends that I can share my happenings with and who is proud of me. Thank you famliy for your support! And you go girl, Zelia, for doing what's right whether your family is behind you or not and everyone else out there who is doing the truth on their own too! 

This morning we went out to buy new flooring. it'll be only about $3o.oo for a lanolyum type thing the stuff we have now is so ripped up and nasty, it is quite an embarassment really, living shredded flooring, so it'll be refreshing to have a new floor. 

Since a new illustrated comic-strip-like Bible story has come out, that was our study with the kids. They really get into them and we like splitting up the parts and the kids read the lines from thecharacter they are assigned. The study ends with Miriam singing "Sing to Jehovah" so I asked a very zealous little newly baptized one where that song is in our song book, off the top of her head she immediately says "song 132" she and her twin sister are amazing. They have many of the Bible stories memorized and rattle them off in unison. The twins pride them self on memorization and often have their meeting parts memorized. They are amazing girls. So before the study I would sing them The Victory Song, song 132, and then at the end of the study, after they got the tune, we would all sing it together, and the kids really like it. Its neat when they're involved like that, and they're bright to pick up the tunes so quick!

Crystal the newly baptized twin during some modeling shots

I enjoy taking pictures a lot around here, it seems like there is always some new plant or animal to take a picture of. And some plants bloom out just for a few days before the searing heat of the sun body slams them back into the ground. But while the lillys were out I got some cool pictures. 

Lilly's we only out for a few days

Thanks for coming along, and please feel free to leave a comment. :) 

Cortny Vee

The Ramroops

The Best Kids in the World!

Divita is a young mom of 5. They are the most well behaved wonderful kids you will ever meet. Every one cuddles and loves them up. Even people that don't like kids, LOVE these kids. Raj, Samuel, Kevin, Ameena and Amanda. From ages one to ten. They are perfectly behaved even saying 'yes mom' and quick to respond to any task she has for them with out any hint of fuss. The other night I went to help Divita on a talk sense she just joined the school and wanted help putting it together. After I was there for a while, little Samuel turned around from the Barney he was watching and had memorized word for word with eyes sparkling genuine at his realization, "Cortny! You're still here!? I like it when you stay here!" Then the next day I went over again and little Samuel proved to me that he can spell every word from one to 19, and can count up to 49, he was showing me a children's book with little monsters. "Look how many feet he has, 3 feet!? and how many eyes? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7... 8!? Eight eyes!?" looking up at me in sheer disbelief and wonder, "and look how many teeth he has!" and counts the individual teeth carefully pointing at each one. I was endeared to him even more seeing his genuine excitement about this little character in the book. Meanwhile Raj was stealing my hat and sun glasses to play with the whole time. When I left, he had to part with them, and he had a good cry over that. Its like a 5o's family. Here is the talk we did together. I wanted her to use her own words so she dictated as I typed, so it has some Guyanese creol grammar and wordage.

What Does the Sabbath Resting Mean for Christians?

Cortny: Hi Divita. I always see you going to your meetings, so I thought you might know the answer to a Bible question I have...

Divita: Ok.

Cortny: Well, I came across a scripture that confused me, it talks about the Sabbath resting but its in the greek scriptures for Christians. I was confused because I thought only the Jews celebrated the Sabbath. The verses are here in Heb 4:4-11... So what is God's rest really for christians? 

Divita: Well for christians to enter into God's rest, it means they obey God and work along with his purpose that his organization that helps us to understand.

Cortny: OK.

Divita: Let's explain that more. A family should be peaceful when they listen and obey from the head of the home. A parent telling their young child that they must do things in order for the parents to be happy. And that child listens and do exactly what the parent told her to do. That is like Jehovah telling his people to do what pleases him, what he wants them to do, then the household when it cooperates will find peace, or God's rest. 

Cortny: That makes sense. But what is this "resting from our works"? So we don't have to work for God once we become Christians?

Divita: Lets look at a scripture that talks about that and then we'll talk about it. Eph 2:8,9... Well, lets go back to our story about a family. I have a daughter, when she was young I give her many instructions to do, like how to take care of the home, how to take care of her brothers and sisters I set rules before I leave to go out. As she grow older now, she understand the home better and she complete her work in a simple and easy way, just like how I want it to be done. But that doesn't mean because she understand her work that she has "rested" from it, but now it has become easier for her, so I appreciate the work she has done by pleasing me. And I'm happy about it and accept the work. Our family finds peace in the home.

Cortny: That's true...

Divita: Similar now, in the Jewish time, Jehovah gave the Jews lots of rules to obey, but when Jesus came he gave us few rules. So just like how as a parent I give the rule and I appreciate it when my children obey it, same with our Heavenly Father Jehovah who give the rules of Christianity and appreciates when we obey, but the rules aren't difficult because Jesus set a pattern for us to continue working. So that doesn't mean that for us as Christians we complete our work and we rest but our work is still in progress like Jehovah's work. 

Cortny: Yes that makes sense.

Divita: If we want to be at peace with God we would work in harmony with his organization. 

Cortny: Thank you for explaining that! You're so knowledgable about the scriptures.

Divita: Well, I learned it at the Kingdom Hall, why don't you come along with me next time.

Cortny: I think I'd like that, thank you.

Hopefully it goes over well tonight. I wanted to use illustrations of things she and the congregation is familiar with and children is definitely one of those things. Our hall is made up of mostly children with only the mother being a JW. :)

Divita's daughter Ameena is the funnest most charming little girl. Yesterday she came running full speed home from school up to us in uniform with the brightest smile you've ever seen plastered on her face, telling us out of breath about a project she was supposed to have done by the next day, a cake baked. Divita was already exhausted this week. Full time work, and the talk, and had little sleep because of helping complete another school project for her other daughter the night before. I don't know how she does it. The other day I had gone over to do a photo shoot with the girls while the lilies were in bloom. I went to the shop to make copies of the best pictures to give to them with a frame, Amanda was so cute, her intense squealing "THANK-YOU!" also said "I can't believe you actually came through for me on this! I love it!" They live in one clean concrete room all together of a half built house. A pipe for water runs to the front yard and they accomplish every thing from there and bathe in buckets. The older daughters are extremely helpful with the rest of the children, even knowing how to cook and clean already. She also makes it to all the meeting with all of them with only one bicycle. I met her when I first came in 2o11 before they were attending meetings, when she was still with the father of her children. She told him something to the effect regarding getting married, 'We can't mess around with this matter, Jehovah is the true God, we have to listen to him.' A new student with such faith. Amanda the oldest daughter recently became a zealous publisher. I recently started a study with Amanda's school teacher and she gushed about how wonderful that family is. She commented on how it was unbelievable the way the children obeyed and how impressed she was by Divita, how respectful and what good students the girls were. What a good name they're helping to make for Jehovah in our little tiny community! I'm so proud of all of them. Two of the boys are with speaking disabilities and a little slow but still bright and know what's going on around them. Case in point, Raj, the baby learned from his older sister to do a clap of the hands, a hip thrust, with a "Oh, no you didn't!" look on his face. Absolutely hilarious. I'll see if I can put up little clip of it at some point when I have much better internet. If you ever decide to visit Lethem Guyana, get familiar with Divita and her kids. You'll never forget them.