Thursday, July 10, 2008

Hello All! Well, this will be my final post, as I am safely back in the United States. I arrived around 8pm last night into Miami airport. It was so very sad to leave all those I met, but especially Megan, behind. I am so in awe of her spirit of adaptability and her positive attitude towards the many changes we have faced, and now she will face individually in Guyana. I have not one doubt that she will successfully conquer any hardship and win over anyone that crosses her path. (Not that she will need to win anyone over, she is a natural when it comes to people skills!) I feel that a part of me is still with her there, tasting new foods, meeting new people, falling off bikes and ferry boats, dealing with the bugs…enjoying the spiritual blessings. I am envious of the experiences that she will yet enjoy, and cannot wait until I can rejoin her in Guyana or another adventure down the road.

My taxi driver picked me up from the Ellis home around 6:30 am. Meg and I had met him the night before and he offered to take me to the airport. I accepted only after I thought about the consequences. What consequences you ask? Well, usually in Guyana, loud reggae music blares from every minibus and taxi within sight. Of course, I accept a ride from the old Guyanese man who blasts his gospel. A “spirited” preacher, who you could practically imagine foaming at the mouth with his “inspired words”…jumping up and down maniacally as he preached about Jesus and the destruction of sinners. I figured, surely he won’t be blaring that at 6:30 am….right???? WRONG! I had to listen to the “enthusiastic minister” for 45 minutes to the airport! Even when we got pulled over for speeding, the sermon continued. I video taped a portion (I pretended to be taping the countryside) so that you all could hear it. I will try and post the video now that I am in high speed internet land again.

I arrived safely at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Temehri, and found myself in endless lines for check-in, exit fees, immigration, customs…etc. And a strange Guyanese man with a crew cut sat near me on all my flights all they way thru Trinidad and Tobago, and into Miami. He kept trying to make conversation, borrow my pen, help me with my bag…I just wasn’t having it. : P On arrival in Trinidad, I devoured some KFC. I hadn’t eaten since the night before and I had never been so happy to see a greasy piece of chicken. I had to go thru immigration and customs in T&T then go back and check in with American Airlines. Then go back through immigration and customs and security to board my flight to Miami. Going thru security the man asked to see my keys. And oops! I had forgotten to take off my pink Swiss Army Knife and put it in my checked bags, so that got confiscated with much attitude! Then I went into the gate area and began to take a few pictures of the beautiful green mountains that surround the airport. I see the same security guard who had taken away my pink knife slowly approaching me. He says in a low voice, you cannot take pictures of the runway area. I laughed. “Come again?” I said. He repeated his warning. I laughed again… “Seriously?” His reply...”Yes. Seriously.” And walked away. So there I am the big security threat with the pink knife, camera and pigtails! Watch out Caribbean islands, I’m the newest trouble maker! After returning to my seat from my scolding, I was able to get on the internet (they have amazing wi-fi in the airport there) and call my Dad who was en route with my grandparents, returning home to Lake Charles where my grandmother will be admitted into St. Patrick’s hospital for continuing observation and rehab. The connection was very good and it was like they were next door. It was so heart-warming to hear her clear strong voice again.

As we were preparing to board, I noticed 2 American men sitting near me, one looking very familiar. I checked the name on his boarding pass which was sticking out of his back pocket, and sure enough it was the father of some kids I used to take music classes with. I introduced myself and we reminisced and he filled me in on everyone. I hadn’t seen him in 17 years! He said I haven’t changed. Great. I mean, REALLY? Not since I was 10? Haha. Very strange how small the world is. Seeing someone you know in Trinidad. I boarded the plane and we had a few technical difficulties with the AC so we landed about an hour late into Miami.

I was greeted by my Uncle David and my mom, smiling ear to ear. It was so good to hug them both and see them again. They are getting read to leave for Belize the early part of August. I got a lovely dinner surprise as they whisked me to Miami Beach, where my uncle’s boat was docked. We climbed in the boat and went riding along the bay to a waterfront restaurant where we met up with some of my Uncles friends and had a lovely meal under the stars, looking out at the ocean. What a truly splendid way to end a long day of travel. I’ve now just woken up on Wednesday the 10th and am attempting to get organized and get out of bed, but I just don’t want to!!

I should fill you all in on my last few days in Guyana…so here goes it:

July 08, 2008 – My Last Day in Guyana

Naturally I couldn’t sleep in! No, sleep is for more fortunate people! I woke up at 6 am sharp and haven’t been able to settle back in. After over a month in Guyana, I finally got really, REALLY sick. I will spare you the gory details, but it was a rough night. I wake up today feeling kind of, well…empty. It’s almost time to attempt to eat again, at least get some coffee. (Bro. Ellis that we are staying with has been spoiling us with yummy coffee every day!) I woke up today and realized, this is it! My last day in Guyana. My last day with Meg. For now, of course. It’s very hard to leave your friend behind. I know she is well taken care of and is totally prepared for the next few months without me, but it adds to the “empty” feeling when you part. I know she will continue to have amazing experiences and develop a better, darker, farmer’s tan that I have. For that, I am eternally jealous!

Yesterday we took a “family vacation” with the Ellis’s to Baganara Island, which was once visited by the legendary Mick Jagger. (I’m assuming this was the same time he visited Kaiteur Falls, also mentioned on that tour) We stopped at Fort Island, a small island home to the oldest Dutch colony and last monument standing from that time. It was also inhabited by some lovely kids, one in particular who attached himself to me as my personal guide, getting us mangos, showing us the sights and even taking me into a cave to show me a bat! He’d climb up on one of the monuments then yell my name and wave, with a big kool-aid grin on his face. So precious. It’s really the kids that stick to your heart when all is said and done. His name was Ajeune and I will never forget that sweet smile. (Well I have a picture…so….:)

Then our boat took us further down the river to Bartica, the gateway to the interior. It is the last larger town on the Mighty Essequibo before you enter the interior (jungle area) of Guyana. The interior is where all the gold and diamonds are found, which is what makes Guyana most of its money, and a popular destination for treasure seekers. The rumor was always that the golden city of “El Dorado” is somewhere in Guyana, most popular opinion is that it is under the caverns of Kaieteur Falls. I would love to go on an expedition and find out! HA! Anyway, Bartica was not much to see, although Meg and I loved their crazy road signs. Always a good a picture when there is a funny sign around.

We then went even further down the river and passed the large “maximum security” prison where they keep all the ones that aren’t going to be getting out any time soon that was eerie. Their “security system” doesn’t seem to be too sound. It’s just an island, with some meager barbed wire. EEK! After passing that, we finally arrived at Baganara Resort, right on the river. It was beautiful and a nice respite after being surrounded by less than savory conditions in the cities along the ocean. There was no trash, the water, although brown, was clean.

After a delicious meal, Meg and I braved the fast moving currents of the Essequibo and went for a 2 hour swim! (With our day-glo orange life jackets… a must according to our tour guides) Later on, the Ellis family was recounting to us all the creatures that we could have possibly been swimming with….fresh water sharks, (oh my) Anaconda’s (eeeeeee!), PIRAHANA’S!! Not too mention a wide assortment of water bugs and frogs, etc. We weren’t sure WHY we didn’t think of these aquatic perils beforehand. But what a great time we had. I mean, we played pool games like “who can hold their breath the longest underwater” in the ESSEQUIBO RIVER! The largest river in Guyana!! It was a memorable day for all. We departed Baganara around 4pm in a torrential downpour. It rains in Guyana in a way that I’ve not experienced before. They way it falls is so even, so beautiful, and it sounds crazy but it is just different. I love it when it rains here. Anyway, it was a great day and a wonderful chance to enjoy the association with Meg and the Ellis Family before I left. And perfect my Guyana-Tan!

So Tuesday, my final day in Guyana was filled with shopping for the local jewelry, going with Meg, Ryan and Ange to pick out furnishings and essentials for the new need-greater house in New Amsterdam, and enjoying a final meal with the Ellis family. It was a lovely end to a beautiful experience, one I am sure not too forget anytime soon. And even though Guyana has it’s disadvantages as a country, beautiful in one part and disheveled and uncomfortable in others, it has one continuous truth. The absolute stunning nature of its people. Especially among our brothers and sisters, I found such an appreciative and willing spirit. Determination and mature goals are firmly implanted in many of the young ones, which is what so encouraged me. I learned much from their self-sacrificing spirit. Their prayers for our other Brothers in the world who are “not as comfortable” as they are. Amazing. I leave Guyana with an uplifted spirit, and an eager anticipation to return.

I could ask for nothing more.

Thank you all for sharing this journey with me, and I pray, Jah willing, it is not the last.

Love,
Simone

A Change is Gonna' Come...

Wednesday, July 02, 2008
It’s 8:30 am, and so far I’ve had a busy day… around 2am, Joshua (the hell-cat) made his way into our room (we weren’t sure HOW!) and proceeded to pounce on us thru our nets, making holes and scratches. The first time I expected it, it’s his usual night-time activity. But the 2nd, 3rd and 4th time, it was WAR. :P Meg is highly allergic to cats, so it was up to me to un-pin my tent (net) and track him down and throw him out. (After unbolting our security door and passing the retina scan... ha!) So by the 4th time which was roughly 7am, or was that the 5th, I was FED UP! My sleep had been disturbed nearly every hour and no cute purring or soft little paws were going to make up for it! I stumbled out into the living room not caring who saw the mess I am in the morning… and threw Joshua outside (imagine throwing a football.. JK) and closed the doors. I crawled back into bed and secured myself in my net and almost got back to sleep when I felt a paw on my head. Yep. He was back in!!!! I figured out that he is getting in the windows!!! He is climbing outside and walking around the roof and into our open windows. Tricky tricky! Anyway, that was just my morning stress. So, since I was already up, and “sleeping in” was no longer an option, I got on my rain boots and walked to the little store across the street that opens at 7:30 and always has fresh eggs. (REALLY fresh… as in, I found momma’ hens feather on the egg!) My scrambled eggs with Tony Chachere’s and toast (that we make on what they call the “tawa”) have become a big hit. So I made eggs and toast for 8, and all was well!! By the way, the “tawa” is a flat circular cast iron skillet type of thing that you put directly on the gas burner on the stove, and that’s how we toast bread!

Now it’s the quiet morning lull before preaching activities in New Amsterdam. One group has left for Skeldon area and will be gone all day. Meg has gone to the hospital for a checkup on her fractured/dislocated (they aren’t sure which) foot. Oh, did I forget to mention that? Haha. Yes, poor Meggie tripped and fell coming off the Ferry when we were returning from Georgetown Friday night. It was a torrential downpour and I had slipped several times as well. (There’s not much to ensure your safety or the worry of lawsuits here!) Well Saturday we went to the DR and she had x-rays taken and he found a minute fracture. I had wrapped her leg the night before and she kept it elevated which prevented further swelling. He said she needed a cast for 2 weeks and was to stay off her feet, but was unable to give her a real cast due to her mosquito bites (She has over 100 now!) so they just gave her a think gauze cast. Well the brothers were able to get her into see a sister that works at the hospital (which is free and gross!!) and they now say she dislocated it, although I clearly see a fracture on the x-ray. They gave her a hideous rainbow colored boot and a fiberglass partial cast that is itching like crazy!!! She has a good attitude about it and I think is enjoying being waited on hand and foot! (Kidding!! She’s moving around more now, and we are all more than willing to help her out!)

I also fell on Sunday, it was another typhoon like downpour, and we were all dressed and ready for service in our raincoats. Well i was the first one down the stairs, and about the 3rd step, down i went! BAM BAM BAM BAM!! (thats the sound of my tailbone hitting the steps all the way down to the bottom.) You know when something hurts so bad, and knocks the wind out of you so much that immediately tears form? It was like that. I am now the proud owner of a black and blue tush! :) (TMI!!)

So now I’m just catching up on emails while Trisha and Brittany struggle with the washing machine in the dungeon. Oops I mean, basement. :) In other good news, a new Need Greater home has been found! We might be moving as soon as Thursday. Of course, I told Meg that they would find a beautiful place just as I was leaving and that has proven to be true! I am leaving Guyana on July 9th, and heading to Louisiana to be with my Maw Maw. But I leave Guyana with such a deep love for the people here, and a satisfaction of giving my best to Jehovah, knowing that I can never out-give his generous hand. I am so relieved that our prayers for new accommodations have been answered, and I feel better leaving my dear friends here knowing that they will not be fending off the plethora of wildlife that live amongst us nearly as much. They will have an ice cold freezer that actually makes ice, and a refrigerator that functions as such and not just one that collects water and dampens your bread!! It is truly a blessing and I think that after living here, we complain less, appreciate more, and on the whole are generally stronger people!

I also went on an amazing bible study yesterday, Holly. She is one of Kali’s studies and recently gave her first talk on the school. She is very bright, and has more ASL knowledge than most because she studied it in school a long time ago. She had been missing for a bout a week from the meetings and her regularly scheduled studies, so I rode to her house with Brittany and Ridonna and we found her alive and well, but with a flu given to her from bugs that bit her. (That’s the story that I understood anyway) We were able to sit in her little wooden house and study the Bible Teach book. We were discussing Jesus ministry, who he was a person on earth, and how we can copy him. It touched my heart and gave me chills how she so desires to have that same determination in service to Jehovah. When I told her about how people thought Jesus was crazy, and how even the Devil himself tried to get him to stop serving God, he refused. I asked her if the roles were reversed, and her family, the government, etc was telling her she must stop…what would she do? Well before I even finished the question, she was firmly shaking her head “no” and gave me a look like, ‘Simone, what a SILLY question! I will never stop serving Jehovah!” What a beautiful expression of faith from someone so young, who has overcome so much. I will miss Holly a lot.

Well, that’s all the news for now… oh and I’m getting eaten ALIVE by mosquitoes the past week or so. Not nearly as bad as Meg, but I literally wasn’t getting bit at all, and now they suddenly love me. What gives??? Maybe Guyana has made me sweeter.

Love to you all,
Monie