It’s a balmy Monday night and the rain is hitting our tin roof providing a wonderful noise for sleep (well I had a LOT of coffee today, so it’s around 1:30 am Tuesday) and Meg and I are wide awake. She is looking at old pictures of our time in NY, and I’m catching up on emails. Those of you that have written comments on here, or sent me an email, I really appreciate it. It’s one of the few times that anything in my daily life feels normal. So I look forward to it immensely!
Things have been interesting as always here, and believe it or not, the time is moving a bit faster. (whew!) Meg, Audrian and I have discovered that playing cards (Spit in particular) is extremely time consuming and distracting. We almost forget about our rats, bats, and various amphibian friends living amongst us. (a little Demerera Rum with Coke helps too!) We’ve had several late nights of table slapping, hollering, card playing fun. And what’s weird is that we always just bust into a deep spiritual/emotional/girly discussion mid-game. Audrian commented that it’s so funny how the game of Spit has that effect on us. It’s really a release of all the anxieties and frustrations we face but can’t always verbalize. Positivity is really key down here. As well as laughter. I really give those need-greaters and missionaries that have lived here for any length of time a LOT of credit. Like Brother Neumeyer told me at Gilead Graduation this year, “Guyana is NO JOKE”. He hit the nail on the head with that one.
Thursday night at our meeting our new friend Johnny sat with us. Of course. Meg and I are the worst people to sit with at a meeting. We both doodle in our notebooks like we were 5 year olds. We ended up getting Johnny in a little bit of trouble (oops!)… he was making paper planes and writing “I Love You” on them for Audrian, Meg and myself. I made the mistake of saying it back and then he proceeded to write (in pen) on his hand… “I LOVE YOU TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Yes, there were that many exclamation points! Ramon made him go sit with his mom for the remainder of the meeting. We will work on being a better influence! In all fairness, the sound was really bad that night and we couldn’t see the interpreter. Meg did help him find several comments but he didn’t get called on. Meg got dinner from Demico and it was so yummy. Fried rice and plantains. I think I can forget about losing any weight while I’m here! We eat pretty well!
Friday I wasn’t feeling too well, so I stayed home from the ministry and rested. I Caught up on laundry and was able to talk to my parents. My dad informed me that my Grandmother Breaux (from here on out called “Maw Maw”) was going to be having her open heart surgery on Thursday. I was really afraid that the surgery was going to happen while I was down here and so far away. It really threw me for a loop and I was unsure about whether to go be with the family in Texas for the surgery or to stay here in Guyana. After a few days of prayers over it, and getting some good feedback from family and friends, I’ve decided it’s ultimately more practical for me to remain here in Guyana. I was even able to speak to Maw Maw tonight, and although she wishes I were there, she is so proud and happy for me to be here, experiencing things she has always desired to do. I know this is where she really wants me to be, and I will be of more help later on when she is recuperating. I’m at peace now with this decision, even though my every thought and prayer is with her and my family. My Paw Paw said a prayer over the phone tonight and that made me feel so good. It was just the boost I needed. I will keep everyone updated on that situation as well. The doctors are very positive about it, and say that she will be up walking the next day. She is undergoing an Aortic Valve replacement surgery. Please keep her in your prayers.
Our weekend was jam packed with service and fun! Saturday was studies in Palmyra, where I experienced a new fruit that we apparently have in Florida but I’ve never seen. Here they call it “Gilep”. It’s a small green fruit that you peel the skin off and a large seed covered in a slimey fruit is revealed. The texture takes a little getting used to but the flavor is very nice. Between passion fruit and mango, a little like Lychee. The bible students sister kept bringing us handfuls during the study.
Saturday afternoon I was wrecked! I slept most of the afternoon and emerged around 5:30 pm to a packed house! We had a “Celebrity Cook-Off” for the kids in the congregation. Everyone was in pairs, and one of the people had to act like a celebrity. It was “Cooking With the Stars”. Usher, Chris Brown, and several others made an appearance. And I have to say, the food was pretty good!! The winners made Shepherds Pie. In taste and presentation it was a 10! Jason from the Georgetown ASL group (who used to live in New Amsterdam) came down for the festivities and to be a guest judge. He was the “Simon Cowell” of the group for sure! After we ate, Meg, Audrian, and I led the group into the dance portion of our evening. It was so much fun. Meg was calling out different dance moves ( lawn mower, toss the pizza, clean out your ears, shopping cart, arsenio hall, etc.) and they followed everything we did. (Even though they have no clue what a lawn mower is! It’s machetes down here!) Such power! Haha. We have even come up with a dance to honor (ok, mock) our new dear friend Audrian. She laughs and reacts to things with such… mmm, enthusiasm. So much so that it has spawned several new moves. We have video of the kids all dancing along with that. Priceless!
My main dance partner was Johnny. He has really secured himself a place in my heart. He is a special kid, lost his father one year ago, learning ASL, yet he keeps this enthusiasm for life and for Jehovah. He is almost 9 years old, and I am learning from him! Plus he has some great dance moves! He gets out of school July 4th and is so excited to have his days free to spend with us in the ministry. The moments I feel discouraged, or that I can’t tough it out any longer, I think about him, and all the other young ones here and it helps me firm my resolve to keep on.
Sunday was my first interpreting challenge! The public talk. “A Clean People Honor Jehovah” was the theme. It was a very strange feeling! I had called the Brother from the neighboring congregation the night before and gotten the scriptures he was planning to use as well as some of the resource material he was using. I stayed up late Saturday night glossing (changing the English text into ASL signs written down on paper) the scriptures and illustrations used in the resource material. There were only 2 scriptures that I could find on the ASL DVD’s.
Sunday morning I was nervous, but knew it would be fine if I could just stop sweating!! It was a particularly hot morning, and no breeze seemed to be getting into our little atrium where the ASL group meets. So I had my little sweat rag with me along with my notes as they called me to the podium. It is an odd feeling to be introduced for the Public Talk! I don’t envy you brothers at all! So with my cute little bandanna head covering I strained my ear to hear the talk going on inside and matched that with the notes I had made the night before. All in all, I think it went well. Everyone said they understood, and only Meg caught it when I signed “GOD” incorrectly! My nerves! At one point the brother was speaking about a certain type of clothing that was worn down here a long time ago, and I had no idea what he was talking about or how to spell it. So I just made up my own story to match his point. I had to think quickly! I was worried that his accent would be very thick like many of the Guyanese down here, but thankfully I understood him most of the time. I am really grateful to have had that experience and feel more assured in my signing, even though I would never go so far to feel skilled. I’m happy to have a knowledge that can make me useful, and to see the deaf understanding points is a beautiful reward.
Sunday evening we went to Sister Althea’s home for dinner. She even paid for our car ride to her home which is far off the main roads in Palmyra. Going there in the little car, weighed down by 6 of us, felt like an amusement park ride mixed with obstacle course. Deep ditches at every turn! Horses blocking the only clear path! Crumbled buildings in our way! Oh My! After arriving safely we had a lovely meal of fried (pink) rice, fried plantains, macaroni and cheese and some kind of chicken. We are all still a little wary of the meat here but we ate up. After dinner we had Pina Colada liqueur, and confetti cake. Very yummy! Then we watched about an hour and a half of Whitney Houston’s music videos (with karaoke lyrics at the bottom). We started with “I wanna Dance with Somebody” and went all the way past the Bodyguard Soundtrack to the Heartbreak Hotel! Ramon, the only male present, looked as if he was in pain as we wailed to “I Will Always Love You”. He was a good sport about it! Audrian kept getting attacked by “animales” , baby chicks, cats, dogs, frogs, lizards, gnats…they just love her! It was a great night spent with Althea and her family.
Monday we slept until 11. Meg and I both were having some issues with the bugs and itching, so we took a benadryl that knocked us out. Audrian slept right along with us.
After we finally got up, we gathered our goodies and all went over to Ramon and Kali’s for our traditional “Stretchy Pants Day”. (taken from Nacho Libre) It’s a little break for the pioneers to just sit and watch movies and eat all day. It’s a beautiful thing. My first stretchy pants day was back at 90 Sands in Brooklyn with Ramon, Kali, Amber, April and Pat. It was great to do it again here in Guyana, and a needed break for us all.
Today, Tuesday, we headed into neighboring Palmyra for service and the rain tried to bully us out, but we persisted. A nice lady in the thrift store was kind enough to give me an umbrella to fight the “Typhoon” with. Ryan, Meg and I braved about 2 miles of muddy roads and rain to get to Citra, an Indian deaf woman. After our study she told us very plainly that she didn’t like our hair (meg and myself) and that we were in danger because of it. She kept pointing to my highlights and shaking her head and doing a “thumbs down”. I mean, I know they are growing out and I need a touch up, but that’s just harsh! J She also didn’t like Meg’s curly hair. She made a frown and shook her head in disapproval. We laughed so hard! Then she jumped back about 10 feet when she saw the size of Ryan’s shoes. We all thought she was talking about a large bug or snake, but all the hollering was for the mammoth size of his feet. Hilarious. We made it home in one piece, and now I’m going to prepare some vegetables for dinner. We start our Circuit Overseers visit tonight, so I’m looking forward to that.
From sticky, stinky, Guyana… all my love.
Things have been interesting as always here, and believe it or not, the time is moving a bit faster. (whew!) Meg, Audrian and I have discovered that playing cards (Spit in particular) is extremely time consuming and distracting. We almost forget about our rats, bats, and various amphibian friends living amongst us. (a little Demerera Rum with Coke helps too!) We’ve had several late nights of table slapping, hollering, card playing fun. And what’s weird is that we always just bust into a deep spiritual/emotional/girly discussion mid-game. Audrian commented that it’s so funny how the game of Spit has that effect on us. It’s really a release of all the anxieties and frustrations we face but can’t always verbalize. Positivity is really key down here. As well as laughter. I really give those need-greaters and missionaries that have lived here for any length of time a LOT of credit. Like Brother Neumeyer told me at Gilead Graduation this year, “Guyana is NO JOKE”. He hit the nail on the head with that one.
Thursday night at our meeting our new friend Johnny sat with us. Of course. Meg and I are the worst people to sit with at a meeting. We both doodle in our notebooks like we were 5 year olds. We ended up getting Johnny in a little bit of trouble (oops!)… he was making paper planes and writing “I Love You” on them for Audrian, Meg and myself. I made the mistake of saying it back and then he proceeded to write (in pen) on his hand… “I LOVE YOU TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Yes, there were that many exclamation points! Ramon made him go sit with his mom for the remainder of the meeting. We will work on being a better influence! In all fairness, the sound was really bad that night and we couldn’t see the interpreter. Meg did help him find several comments but he didn’t get called on. Meg got dinner from Demico and it was so yummy. Fried rice and plantains. I think I can forget about losing any weight while I’m here! We eat pretty well!
Friday I wasn’t feeling too well, so I stayed home from the ministry and rested. I Caught up on laundry and was able to talk to my parents. My dad informed me that my Grandmother Breaux (from here on out called “Maw Maw”) was going to be having her open heart surgery on Thursday. I was really afraid that the surgery was going to happen while I was down here and so far away. It really threw me for a loop and I was unsure about whether to go be with the family in Texas for the surgery or to stay here in Guyana. After a few days of prayers over it, and getting some good feedback from family and friends, I’ve decided it’s ultimately more practical for me to remain here in Guyana. I was even able to speak to Maw Maw tonight, and although she wishes I were there, she is so proud and happy for me to be here, experiencing things she has always desired to do. I know this is where she really wants me to be, and I will be of more help later on when she is recuperating. I’m at peace now with this decision, even though my every thought and prayer is with her and my family. My Paw Paw said a prayer over the phone tonight and that made me feel so good. It was just the boost I needed. I will keep everyone updated on that situation as well. The doctors are very positive about it, and say that she will be up walking the next day. She is undergoing an Aortic Valve replacement surgery. Please keep her in your prayers.
Our weekend was jam packed with service and fun! Saturday was studies in Palmyra, where I experienced a new fruit that we apparently have in Florida but I’ve never seen. Here they call it “Gilep”. It’s a small green fruit that you peel the skin off and a large seed covered in a slimey fruit is revealed. The texture takes a little getting used to but the flavor is very nice. Between passion fruit and mango, a little like Lychee. The bible students sister kept bringing us handfuls during the study.
Saturday afternoon I was wrecked! I slept most of the afternoon and emerged around 5:30 pm to a packed house! We had a “Celebrity Cook-Off” for the kids in the congregation. Everyone was in pairs, and one of the people had to act like a celebrity. It was “Cooking With the Stars”. Usher, Chris Brown, and several others made an appearance. And I have to say, the food was pretty good!! The winners made Shepherds Pie. In taste and presentation it was a 10! Jason from the Georgetown ASL group (who used to live in New Amsterdam) came down for the festivities and to be a guest judge. He was the “Simon Cowell” of the group for sure! After we ate, Meg, Audrian, and I led the group into the dance portion of our evening. It was so much fun. Meg was calling out different dance moves ( lawn mower, toss the pizza, clean out your ears, shopping cart, arsenio hall, etc.) and they followed everything we did. (Even though they have no clue what a lawn mower is! It’s machetes down here!) Such power! Haha. We have even come up with a dance to honor (ok, mock) our new dear friend Audrian. She laughs and reacts to things with such… mmm, enthusiasm. So much so that it has spawned several new moves. We have video of the kids all dancing along with that. Priceless!
My main dance partner was Johnny. He has really secured himself a place in my heart. He is a special kid, lost his father one year ago, learning ASL, yet he keeps this enthusiasm for life and for Jehovah. He is almost 9 years old, and I am learning from him! Plus he has some great dance moves! He gets out of school July 4th and is so excited to have his days free to spend with us in the ministry. The moments I feel discouraged, or that I can’t tough it out any longer, I think about him, and all the other young ones here and it helps me firm my resolve to keep on.
Sunday was my first interpreting challenge! The public talk. “A Clean People Honor Jehovah” was the theme. It was a very strange feeling! I had called the Brother from the neighboring congregation the night before and gotten the scriptures he was planning to use as well as some of the resource material he was using. I stayed up late Saturday night glossing (changing the English text into ASL signs written down on paper) the scriptures and illustrations used in the resource material. There were only 2 scriptures that I could find on the ASL DVD’s.
Sunday morning I was nervous, but knew it would be fine if I could just stop sweating!! It was a particularly hot morning, and no breeze seemed to be getting into our little atrium where the ASL group meets. So I had my little sweat rag with me along with my notes as they called me to the podium. It is an odd feeling to be introduced for the Public Talk! I don’t envy you brothers at all! So with my cute little bandanna head covering I strained my ear to hear the talk going on inside and matched that with the notes I had made the night before. All in all, I think it went well. Everyone said they understood, and only Meg caught it when I signed “GOD” incorrectly! My nerves! At one point the brother was speaking about a certain type of clothing that was worn down here a long time ago, and I had no idea what he was talking about or how to spell it. So I just made up my own story to match his point. I had to think quickly! I was worried that his accent would be very thick like many of the Guyanese down here, but thankfully I understood him most of the time. I am really grateful to have had that experience and feel more assured in my signing, even though I would never go so far to feel skilled. I’m happy to have a knowledge that can make me useful, and to see the deaf understanding points is a beautiful reward.
Sunday evening we went to Sister Althea’s home for dinner. She even paid for our car ride to her home which is far off the main roads in Palmyra. Going there in the little car, weighed down by 6 of us, felt like an amusement park ride mixed with obstacle course. Deep ditches at every turn! Horses blocking the only clear path! Crumbled buildings in our way! Oh My! After arriving safely we had a lovely meal of fried (pink) rice, fried plantains, macaroni and cheese and some kind of chicken. We are all still a little wary of the meat here but we ate up. After dinner we had Pina Colada liqueur, and confetti cake. Very yummy! Then we watched about an hour and a half of Whitney Houston’s music videos (with karaoke lyrics at the bottom). We started with “I wanna Dance with Somebody” and went all the way past the Bodyguard Soundtrack to the Heartbreak Hotel! Ramon, the only male present, looked as if he was in pain as we wailed to “I Will Always Love You”. He was a good sport about it! Audrian kept getting attacked by “animales” , baby chicks, cats, dogs, frogs, lizards, gnats…they just love her! It was a great night spent with Althea and her family.
Monday we slept until 11. Meg and I both were having some issues with the bugs and itching, so we took a benadryl that knocked us out. Audrian slept right along with us.
After we finally got up, we gathered our goodies and all went over to Ramon and Kali’s for our traditional “Stretchy Pants Day”. (taken from Nacho Libre) It’s a little break for the pioneers to just sit and watch movies and eat all day. It’s a beautiful thing. My first stretchy pants day was back at 90 Sands in Brooklyn with Ramon, Kali, Amber, April and Pat. It was great to do it again here in Guyana, and a needed break for us all.
Today, Tuesday, we headed into neighboring Palmyra for service and the rain tried to bully us out, but we persisted. A nice lady in the thrift store was kind enough to give me an umbrella to fight the “Typhoon” with. Ryan, Meg and I braved about 2 miles of muddy roads and rain to get to Citra, an Indian deaf woman. After our study she told us very plainly that she didn’t like our hair (meg and myself) and that we were in danger because of it. She kept pointing to my highlights and shaking her head and doing a “thumbs down”. I mean, I know they are growing out and I need a touch up, but that’s just harsh! J She also didn’t like Meg’s curly hair. She made a frown and shook her head in disapproval. We laughed so hard! Then she jumped back about 10 feet when she saw the size of Ryan’s shoes. We all thought she was talking about a large bug or snake, but all the hollering was for the mammoth size of his feet. Hilarious. We made it home in one piece, and now I’m going to prepare some vegetables for dinner. We start our Circuit Overseers visit tonight, so I’m looking forward to that.
From sticky, stinky, Guyana… all my love.
2 comments:
I am so proud of you guy!!!
I keep reading your blog.. I love it - You guys really have balls to go over there....
WOW!! I wish I could do that!!
So, wow. I didn't look at your blog for like.....a week...and look at what i have missed!!! moly holy! I got your comment on my texas pics the other day....ahhhh the good ole days. SO when you come back to the states and eventually move to GA (wink, wink) we can make new, better, awesomer memories!! Go GLOBE chips!
p.s.- what was the danger in your hair and megs? and the big feet?
LOve YoU!!
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