This Wednesday the 16th will make two months since we have been here in Guyana! I'm quite certain that two months in Bountiful feels quite different than two months in Guyana. It's been challenging and rewarding and honestly, it's getting easier as the days go by.
Two months ago we were told we would have water from 6 to 8 am, then from noon to 2 pm, and then from 6 to 8 pm. The powers that be say it should be remedied this month...we are not holding our breath or rather, we are not leaving our containers empty. Even that is really no big deal anymore since we have a routine established and we just enjoy running water when we have it and if we happen to be home for it. We also have become accustomed to never using the tap water for anything but washing and only drink and cook with what comes out of the filtered unit.
Two months ago we were waiting to get internet and having to go to the church and spend many hours there, but now we have it every day in our apartment and happily, it is pretty reliable. We made a sweet deal with the lady downstairs and I think it's a win/win for both of us.
Two months ago we wondered where we would get food to eat and how to prepare it but now we have found it's readily available and we even know where to get certain foods that we enjoyed back home... like tortilla chips and salsa and I hate that I have gained weight! There is a little ice cream shop down our street and even though I try to eat only plants, ice cream cones are a great stress reliever at times. Unfortunately, there has been some stress.....
Two months ago we were in shock with how chaotic and dangerous the traffic is. We feared for our lives almost daily if we drove anywhere, and Dave had to learn how to not only drive on the other side of the road but learn how to drive like the Guyaneese do, but now....I still fear for our lives but we aren't surprised (in truth, we still are surprised) with what we see and experience and Dave has mastered the Guyaneese skill superbly and with gusto!
Two months ago we were curious and wondered about all the animals that roam around unsupervised, multiplying as free animals will do but now we are very accustomed to seeing them everywhere, driving around them, waiting for them to cross the road etc. Today on our returning from church we got to see a herd of horses and a mother and her new little foal walking down the very busy street.
Two months ago we were ringing wet very often with our clothes sticking to our skin and sweat dripping off our faces, melting in the extreme heat and humidity but now.....it's the same. We just look forward to getting home and peeling layers of clothing off, turning on the AC in the bedroom and standing in front of the fans. I've also realized that many of the clothes I brought do not work well here. We did request a humid area for my breathing issues, so we're not complaining per se. My breathing is pretty much the same as in our humidified home. I do still cough a lot to get things to moved out of my breathing space. I will be happy for the millennium to get here though so I don't have to worry about breathing anymore.
Two months ago we didn't know where any one in our branch lived nor were their addresses available with lds tools or google maps but now we have pinned almost everyone that is active or semi-active, made a map and can visit them without much issues other than the roads continue to be filled with pot holes the size of small cars and we have learned to keep our bodies loose so we don't injure our backs and necks as we bump, sway and jerk down the roads. Dave wishes he had some kind of grading implement to drag behind our very appropriate and reliable Nissan X Trail, which has four wheel drive.
Two months ago we hadn't met any of these brave, loving, faithful people. We had no idea what hardships, challenges and scarcity some people live with in their lives and now our hearts have been entwined with theirs and we love and honor them. We will leave pieces of our hearts, which will be forever changed, here when we leave.
Two months ago when we heard people talk we could barely understand what they were saying but now...it's still kind of the same. We do better with the phrases and words but we still have to ask them to repeat things for us in a slower way. I really love how they talk and I want to understand everything they say. "We be trying more" though.
Two months ago we were given the assignment to find a location for a new church building for our branch and we spent hours driving here and there, talking to various persons and being sent in circles but now we have found a possible place and the Mission President and the facilities manager for the Church have come to see it and will be requesting the process of re-location!
Two months ago we had never been to a zone conference or worked with these incredible, amazing people, the Mission President and wife, the Bairds, the other senior couples and all the elders in this mission and now we are in awe at the dedication and faithfulness of the servants in the Trinidad Port of Spain Mission. We feel so blessed and honored to serve with them and beside them.
Two months ago we met the family of Pamela and Joel who have five beautiful children but who cannot get baptized until they are married. Three of their children have been baptized and it's been two years since meeting the missionaries. Finances and other issues have prevented them from getting married because it requires a trip to Georgetown, two hours away plus a fee to do it. They have no vehicle and very little money to speak of, but now we will be taking them this Friday to Georgetown to get married!!! It's Dave's birthday and we told them it would be so special for them to get married on his birthday. We have a baptism the next day for another family with a sister and brother and now perhaps they can get baptized on the same day!
Two months ago we left our beautiful children and grandchildren and placed them in God's hands to take care of and now as far as we know, they are all well and continuing to be the wonderful people they are, hopefully feeling blessed by our service here. Knowing we love them, miss them and pray for them constantly.
Two months ago we thought we had strong testimonies of the restored church of Jesus Christ, of the power of the Book of Mormon, of the redeeming power of Jesus Christ through his Atonement, of the reality of the power of the priesthood and the saving ordinances of the gospel, of the blessing of having a living prophet on the earth and of the love God has for all of His children but now all of that knowledge has been deepened and strengthened and we have seen how God wants to bless His children and change their lives for the greater if they will let Him.
It's been an amazing two months!
These are the extraordinary people we get to serve with in Guyana....well, we are kind of serving by ourselves in Linden but every once in a while we get to enjoy their company. President and Sister Baird are on the lower right then The Haakes, The Thackerys, The Bohnes, and us. We are missing the ODairs who were flying back from Trinidad and couldn't make it. There are two other couples in Curacao where the Bairds live, The Jones and the Parrs and another couple in Suriname, The Vermeerens. There is also the Williams in Trinidad and the Lindleys in Aruba. With six different countries spread out by great distance and water, There is not enough of us to go around. We need more seniors..... I hope I haven't scared any of you out of coming and helping us help the Lord!
You really won't regret it....after the first few weeks..... :)
At our Zone Conference in Georgetown, Guyana
This may be the future church building for the Linden branch. The upper floor will be the chapel because there are only a few pillars where the lower floor has one every 9 feet so it will be good for classes. The builder is willing to let us configure the building however we need to to get it to work for us. This is nice cause it's already so far along so it shouldn't take as long to get it finished and moved into...other than all the approval process etc.
Not the greatest picture of me but I wanted you to see beautiful Rona. She is the other seminary teacher and has 4 children, her youngest you see here. We are grating cassava root and coconut to make pone. It's kind of like marzipan. It is a labor of love because it is very hard to prepare with finely grating the cassava and coconut. We are at Molly's home and she is teaching us how to make it.
Here I am mixing it up. You can see that they were grated up so finely as to create a paste. You add a pound of sugar, spices, nutmeg and cinnamon and a couple of eggs. Then put it in a cake pan and bake it. It is very yummy!
This is Molly and Haniff with President Baird who got to visit when he came to look at the church.
This Pamela and one of her five children, Rae-ella with President Baird
They raised this Toucan from a little baby. One of the sons found it in a tree.
This is their home. You can see a solar panel on the roof. That is their only source of power.
Pretty narly tree in our neighborhood
One of the vegetables on Haniff's farm...not sure what but it's kind of like a cucumber.
This is the flower! How did God think of so many ways to make a flower?! All because He loves us and wanted to give us an amazing world!
Our dinner with President Baird and his wife was at the Marriott in Georgetown. We decided at the last minute to stay the night because the drive back to Linden is bad in the daylight but suicidal in the night. We hadn't packed to stay over so the hotel gave us a toothbrush and toothpaste. Isn't that the cutest little thing you've ever seen!
