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.
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
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
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