Stll Here

It’s been quite a while since I have sat down to write up anything, and I’m not sure of what my last post was because I didn’t save a copy, so if I repeat myself, it’s not necessarily due to early-onset Alzheimer’s (I at least say that).

I have been quite busy of late since I am the only brother here right now. Stephan is supposed to return from his little vacation Friday, and I will be glad for that. Whenever I was feeling overwhelmed, I reminded myself that it was for only three weeks, whereas Stephan had been here on his own for much longer than that. Plus I wasn’t really on my own as I had Terri and Aletha to help me with reading and other things like setting up the music and taking count, as well as crowd control.

My last trip to Kaituma, I had a group Watchtower study. When I finally got to Kaituma, (I had gotten halfway there when I realized I had forgotten my phone, and that is my only chance to get online, so I turned around and went back to get it) I asked Caroline when she had told everyone to come. She mentioned that she hadn’t known when to say, so we decided on two, and then I went around to some of the ones to let them know. We ended up with nine people, but they were mostly adults, so that was a start. It will be interesting to see what happens this week.

I mentioned to everyone there that if they ever hear anyone saying that they need a Kingdom Hall in Kaituma, they should mention that the first step will be to acquire some property, since the old Kingdom Hall has been sold. I figure this way it will get those who were there thinking as well, because in fact that will be the first step.

The next big event here will be the visit of our Circuit Overseer, Bro. Rainey. He is scheduled to arrive Dec. 11^th. Since we are just a group here, he will only be with us for two meetings. I’m looking forward to spending some time with him and getting his evaluation of the work being done here, as well as any recommendations for adjustments. He was here briefly in May, so he will have something to compare things to.

Aletha will be leaving in about a week. I will send her home with some pictures and instructions on how to post them up. Maybe I’ll even be able to get her to post up her thoughts on her experience here, but as those who know her know, she’s rather shy, so maybe pictures will be all you get. A week after she leaves, we are expecting a next visitor.

When I visited my old congregation in Warwick, we stayed with my friends the Odneals. While there we met their niece, Krystal O’Keefe. As we are apt to do, we encouraged her to think about reaching out and coming to Guyana. The day I arrived in Georgetown for the Circuit Assembly, I got an email from her mentioning that she would really like to come to Guyana.

The timing was uncanny (right!), since I was able to email back and forth easily. Before we left Georgetown, everything was set up for her to come. At least I’m hoping everything was set up. Since it was all put together so fast, it wasn’t until we were back here in Matthew’s Ridge, that Terri said to me, “She does have a passport, right?” I hadn’t thought to mention it, and I could imagine how in the rush to put the trip together, one could overlook that item. Although I think most airlines remind you of the need for a passport before letting you book an overseas flight. I was able to make a call to Gary, and ask him to contact her to remind her of the need, and if she didn’t have one, I think there still would have been time to get one, paying an expediting fee. So as of now, I’m not 100% sure she is coming, but we are planning on it.

Sunday Terri held her first group, ‘Learning to read and write’. She has been working with different ones as individuals, but had three more women express a desire to learn, so she decided to do a group lesson Sunday after the meeting, since they are all here already. She had been working with a woman already then, so just added her to the group.

Once Stephan gets back, I should be able to post something up every week again, although without pictures. But know we are all well here and busy in Jehovah’s service, and from some of the rumblings I hear from the outside world, now as never before, there’s nothing better anyone can be doing. So, here’s hoping you can say the same.

More helpers

I thought while I still had a chance to post up pictures, I would post up a picture of the latest ‘Need Greaters’ who visited us at Matthew’s Ridge. They were Anita Walker and Lindsey Cordova, also from Colorado. They had come with the other sisters from Colorado, but had stayed behind when the first three came because the Circuit Overseer was visiting the congregation, so they stayed back.

It’s always interesting when new ones come because we get to see things through new eyes again. Things that we have come to take for granted are pointed out again and we are reminded of all the blessings that we are able to experience every day.

While it is often young ones who come, I can’t help but think about, and appreciate, the ones back home who encouraged and supported them in their coming. I was talking to Anita, and she mentioned that she is a third generation witness. With that thought in mind, I was reminded of the importance of trying to acknowledge their contributions to the work here, as well as try to include pictures for those back home.

We are here in Georgetown for the Circuit Assembly and in normal circumstances, the meetings at the local congregation would be cancelled as all would be at the Assembly. However in this case, most of those at the Ridge are in no position to make the trip to Georgetown, so rather than have them miss out on a chance to benefit from a meeting, the three young brothers stayed back to do the Thursday and Sunday meetings. It will be a nice climax to their visit, handling meetings on their own, an experience that can only be had by extended oneself to come to a place like this.

Last week, Stephan, Keith, Lindsey, Anita, and Aletha went to Port Kaituma Tuesday morning to work at sharing the tract that is being distributed worldwide at this time. They rode to Kaituma in the back of a small pickup truck (cruiser). They stayed over Tuesday night, continued with the work Wednesday, and returned to Matthew’s Ridge Wednesday evening. While they were there, they held an impromptu bookstudy and had an attendance of twenty, including Caroline, Juliet, Sharon, and her husband Terry (names included for those who are familiar with the goings on in Kaituma). That just highlights the need and potential here in the northwest.

I have just included two pictures tonight. One showing the ride to Kaituma, and the other of the bookstudy there. I don’t know if I’ll be posting any more entries before we leave, so it may be a bit of a break before the next one, and a much longer break before any more pictures are seen.