What it's all about!

Friday, we had our Karaoke night with our YSA group. We are still very small in number but we had a good time. We had another Senior Couple, the Haakes here from Berbice. They had come down or over or whatever direction it is, for some seminary training. They are CES missionaries. Very nice people!
The following day, Saturday, we had the baptism of Robert Vyfhuis. His sister Manouska is one of our YSA. It was a beautiful meeting and he was so joyful! The brother who baptized him is a recent convert as well. It's what it's all about! Later we went to Robert's house and he showed us his farm and shared some coconuts with us. He has taken the Self Reliance course and his farm is amazing.
Sunday, We had our primary program. It went well, I believe. I had four weeks to teach 10 songs, one with sign language. They knew three with out words and the others I had the words for them to sing with. We didn't have a practice and I had no idea who would show up to give out parts. Honestly, it was pretty amazing how it came together. I am happy I get to be involved with these sweethearts. They call me "Miss" so much better than "Maam"  Dave was a big help. He handled all the music from his tablet, since we don't have a piano in primary.
That evening we were invited to a birthday party for one of Pamela and Joel's children, Romeo. He turned 7. We brought a cake and they made the biggest pot of fried rice I've ever seen! We played a game as we were waiting for the rice to cook. It's called "Get the dog bone" You put a stick in the dirt in the middle of the playing area, there are two teams and everyone has a number. Someone calls out a number and that number from both sides runs into the middle and grabs the stick. If the other one touches you before you get back to your team's side. They get the point. If you make it without being touched, you get the point. It was super fun! I actually got a point for my team once! Be sure to watch the video included in this post.....I should be embarrassed to show you but I'm really not. It was so fun to play with these kids! This is the family that the parents can't be baptized because they aren't married. We are trying to encourage them to get that done. For some reason the father is hesitant.
Annie and her family like to do a service for Christmas so they sent money and we bought this darling family a love basket full of food that should last them a couple months.
When the rice was done, there were at least 20 people from other homes around them. They fed them all with huge servings! It was like the loaves and fishes! Happily, the cake was enough too.
We didn't have any, ANY water from Friday night to Sunday night. I'm sorry, but it wears on a person. I was feeling super discouraged as well because we had again gone to speak to agencies hoping to get information about properties and again being told to go here or there. We got a name of another guy in Georgetown. So, we put our life on the line and drove out to Georgetown again. We were able to meet with him without an appointment and he actually looked on his computer and found possibly five sites that were available! We don't know if they will work but at least we had found someone who was willing to help us! He was so very helpful and gave us the name of another guy who may help us even more!  So, with that and getting to take a shower that morning, I was once again a happy camper!
Today, Tuesday, we had our district meeting with the five elders working here. It was such a sweet meeting and the Spirit was strong. God bless these young men! They are doing a great work! The membership is struggling here in this little branch but the potential for a great people is here. I think when we get out of this building and into something better, the members will be buoyed up and encouraged. We believe that proper Sabbath Day observance will bring blessings on this little branch. That is our hope and our prayer.

Andy Anderson and Shaquelle

 Manouska and Phil

The Haakes. They were singing Feliz Navidad and it just went on and on...it was pretty fun!

 Silver Bells duet

I wasn't clear on this brother's name but very glad he came and participated. I found out his name is Brian.

The place of the baptism

Waiting for others to arrive

    Manouska and Robert, sister and brother. She served a mission to England.

     Terrance and Robert

    All of us at the baptism. Five elders and three other branch members.

    Joyful!

Robert cutting a coconut for us to drink the water.

    Sluuurrrrppppp

    More slurping

    The Wismar missionaries, Robert and me in front of his very humble home.

    He sleeps on the front porch there with just dried weeds for a mattress.

    Visiting with the family parrot

    They also have a toucan

    You gotta give me credit for effort! This video may or may not play. 

I lost my balance and landed pretty hard on my buttskee in the sand! 

    This is Joel, the father and Phil a recent convert and close by neighbor.

   Playing soccer before dinner

The birthday boy Romeo has to choose someone to share the first piece of cake. 

This is his sister. It's very much like what we do at weddings.

It's a tradition they do with all birthdays.

    Then they are suppose to kiss, but he was being reluctant.....

    the curtains that you see are the separation of the room where all the five children sleep

This is what it's all about. Because of the Savior, we can get baptized, be forgiven, have forever families and have joyous fellowship with each other. This is all we need to remember the Christmas season this year. No tree, no gifts, no family, no holiday food, no winter, truly a unique experience. We aren't sad, just taking it all in. Our lives will never be the same after seeing and feeling what we have on this precious, hard, joyful, discouraging, growing, growling, sweet time serving the babe in the manger, our merciful Savior and Redeemer. We wouldn't want to be anywhere else at this time.

This is the love basket given by the Lawson family to Pamela and Joel's family. The food is the same price as it is in the states, possibly a little more. We will be getting a crate of eggs to take with us when we deliver this tomorrow. This is $23,000 GYD worth of goods, that's $100 USD.