Goodbye… Again?

I know in my last posting about myself I had mentioned that I had an appointment with my oncologist on June 23rd and it was my hope that I could get a CT-scan just prior to that so I could have an idea if the things I was doing were having an effect at reversing the cancer. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get the doctor to order a CT-scan for me. He said that not enough time has gone by since the last one to give a real indication as to which way things are going. I was able to get him to schedule one in three weeks, on July 14th. I will have a CT-scan and then later in the day I will meet with him to discuss the results.

In the meantime I have been feeling fairly good. I have been trying to ride my bicycle everyday, and where we live there a quite a few hills, so it’s a decent workout. I was lamenting that I couldn’t know what was going on inside me, and my daughter told me that I shouldn’t worry so much about that, but rather should focus on the fact that I was having good days and be happy with that.

As you know from the last posting, Jonathan has had to leave Guyana, and he was the one who had been sending me updates to post up. I am happy to report that Andrew has been kind enough to offer to try and keep things going, so here is his first posting.

Recently we have experienced more changes. Governmental changes has allowed some to stay in Guyana, while for other it has caused them to leave. One of us brothers has just recently left Matthews Ridge due to these changes. It is amazing to stop and think about all that can happen in a short period of time. It is always best to leave things in Jehovah’s hands. We don’t exactly as of now understand how this is going to impact the work of foreign ones coming to serve in Guyana. Keep us in your prayers

Jonathon Brewster has left. He was the one keeping up the recent blog entries this far. I thought I would spend a little bit of time telling you about “Brother Bruce” or “John-O” as some would call him. He came to serve in Guyana for as long as his money would carry him. He also greatly encouraged the work and focused on his assignment here in Matthew’s Ridge. What a privilege it has been serve side by side our brothers wherever we find ourselves. Its funny we would always talk about how we don’t know what to talk about on the blog. He probably expected me to write about him. If things work out he may come back. Keep up the good work. We hope all continue to put Jehovah first in your life, especially you young ones.

We are still on rainy season. It is crazy when it starts raining, its like sometimes it does not want to stop. In the carib language you would say: “Konopo tashu’re” It means “rain fall heavy”. It makes getting around messy, but at the same time lots of fun. I also enjoy how everything is able to grow and be so green. We have also had some more greens and vegetables in our diet, which is always good. All thanks to Jehovah in our rain forest home. (Ps 65:9,10) Anyway that is all for now. Your pictures are of Jonathon and the roads after the rain. -Andrew

Jonathan's last post from Guyana (for now)

Rainy season continues here in Matthews Ridge, giving us a good amount of rain on a regular basis. When the rain does come, though, it usually doesn’t last too long, and so it is usually just a good time for a little break.

Last Tuesday Evelyn Daniels, the Bible student mentioned in the last entry, was buried. About 60 people came for the talk and burial. A number of scriptures explaining the truth about death that the Bible teaches were presented, and a good witness was given. It was my first time attending a Guyanese burial, and it was quite interesting. They brought the coffin to someone’s house that lives right next to the burial ground. There they opened the coffin, which they put on top of two bottle crates, for viewing the body. Then we went over to the burial site, where they lowered the coffin into the ground. Well, almost. They lowered the coffin down to almost the bottom, and realized the hole wasn't quite long enough in one spot. And so they had to hoist it back up and a boy jumped down in the hole and dug it a little longer. Once the coffin who resting on the bottom, they started filling the dirt back. One of the local burial customs here that is that after the coffin is lowered, most people come over and pick up a handful of dirt and throw it in. Then a crew of men takes turns digging all the dirt back into the hole.

Some interesting developments have taken place here regarding the process through which the Guyanese government grants visas to foreign volunteers. The Ministry of Home Affairs has told the brothers at the Branch Office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Guyana that they can only sponsor 50 volunteers to stay long-term, which means more than three months. Andrew, and Tyler and Cheri, were happy to be among those sponsored by the branch office. I was not sponsored, but there are other options those who are not sponsored can take, and so I look forward to seeing how things will develop in the coming weeks and months. On Tuesday I flew to Georgetown, on my way out of Guyana. Tuesday night I was able to attend a meeting with the Soesdyke congregation which meets in Pearl, a village south of Georgetown. Our circuit overseer, Leon Stevens, is serving that congregation this week. After the meeting, he talked to me a bit about the situation with the new law. I found encouraging a scripture he read to me, Proverbs 21:1, which reads: “A king’s heart is as streams of water in the hand of Jehovah. Everywhere that he delights to, he turns it.” Br. Stevens encouraged me to trust in Jehovah and be confident that he will work things out in the way he sees fit. The expansion of the good news despite various hindrances from human governments is certainly a faith-strengthening thing to see!

The pictures included with this week’s entry are of Tyler studying with a boy named Bobnesta, and of Cheri helping with the read and write class after the Sunday meeting.

Same country, different place

I recently received a letter from a family I had met at the Special Assembly Day I had attended in Georgetown back in March. They had just arrived from England and were feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything. I had commended them on their decision to come and serve in Guyana, and encouraged them to really focus on their ministry, since that is where they would get their greatest joy and encouragement.

I just thought you might enjoy hearing about how things have been going for them and seeing the way they have been receptive to the leadings of Jehovah's spirit and the way that spirit can open doors. After I read this, I emailed the brother to ask his permission to share this with everyone, and I am also including his reply, as well as a picture of the family. Hopefully this may encourage others to 'Step over into Guyana'

Dear All,
hope everyone is well, we are all fine. We have been having plenty of rain, torrential at times and it can last all day. We have been looking for a house for the last few weeks, there doesn't seem to be any happy medium the houses are either too basic with outside toilet and no electricity or bigger houses that the owner wants an extortionate rent for.

Last weekend we went to Wakenaam (an island in the Essequibo river), it is a 45 minute bus ride to the port at Parika, then 15 minutes on a speedboat to Wakenaam. Kevin gave the public talk and after the meeting we helped the bro's to putty the ceiling in the kingdom hall. There is a special pioneer couple there, he is the only elder in the congregation and the only ministerial servant is leaving this Monday to return to Canada to work in preparation for his forthcoming wedding. While we were there we were told of two houses both furnished, one was for rent for $8,000 ($40US) per month and which is available from this Monday. So in view of having difficulties in finding adequate housing in our current cong and with there being a greater need in Wakenaam, as the Bouches are back from the UK and the other elder in our cong is back in four weeks (also 4 ministerial servants) we have decided to move to Wakenaam. We know it will have its challenges as it is more isolated and the cong is smaller than we have ever been used to (20 publishers) but the ministry is as expected excellent. At this moment experiencing mixed emotions because we have made so many good friends here, the bro's have been great. It seems where ever you go in Guyana there is a need, just greater in some places.

We went boat witnessing on Monday for the day, it was really enjoyable, everyone is receptive. I (Abi) had a lovely experience we were witnessing a few miles up a creek, where a lady was waiting for us as we pulled up in the boat, her nephew from further up the river had told her we were coming. She was so pleased to see us , she explained 12yrs previous she had been studying and regularly attending the kingdom hall, but the family moved to this remote area along the Essequibo river and she had had no contact with the witnesses since, she welcomed us into the house, when we were leaving she asked when we would be able to come back and study with her. We gave her the number of the special pioneer couple because she doesn't have a phone, so when her daughter came home she would call the bro and they could arrange to return. At the most the bro's could only return once a month because of the expense in running the boat, so we are hoping to be able to assist the bro's with the boat witnessing when we move.

We live quite close to the Branch so we are fortunate as a cong to be invited to go and work at the Branch every so often.We went last week and had a lovely day cleaning and gardening, like all the Bethel's it is kept immaculately clean and well looked after. Jehovah's blessing to you all, all our love Abi, Kevin,Sean & Liam

Dear Jim & Terri,
thank you for your words of encouragement they will spur us on in our move this weekend. We remember you very well, we can't forget someone like yourselves who have such a self-sacrificing spirit and love for Jehovah.

We were so sad to hear your news and hope the alternative treatments help but we know you have the greatest source of assistance in Jehovah. Your experiences here in Guyana have surely equipped you for whatever this life can throw at us.
After only 3 months we can see how Guyana gets into your blood, we would love to see you back in Guyana and meet up at some time.

The pioneer couple in Wakenaam is Jason & Meena Greene from Canada. We are novices here so if you can think of any advice or suggestions that could help us please let us know, we value your wealth of experience and remember your advice you gave to us when we met, just concentrate on the ministry. We are happy for you to use the experience we had and hopefully like you say more will be encouraged to see the need and respond.
Lots of love from your fellow workers in Guyana Kevin, Abi, Sean & Liam

New tools

Things are going along well here in Matthews Ridge. This past Wednesday, Andrew and Eno went to Port Kaituma to hold the group study of the Watchtower with interested ones there. From what they said, it sounds like the roads weren’t too bad. And so their trip there and back went well. Andrew told me how Eno had brought along some tracts, and had opportunity to place at least one out with a young man he met there. It’s been very encouraging to see this young man’s zealous spirit in the ministry!

Tyler and Cheri Ryter have been settling in here, and it’s been nice that they have been able to help us out with caring for some of the Bible studies here. They’ve also enjoyed developing some calls of their own.

On a sad note, one of the Bible students here named Evelyn Daniels passed away this past Monday at the age of 63. She had been in and out of the hospital here in Matthews Ridge, and had just flown to Georgetown a few days before to seek medical attention. She was a good Bible student and regularly attended meetings at the Kingdom Hall. To attend these meetings, she regularly walked an hour or so each way, and part of that through the bush. We will miss the cheerful and determined spirit she showed.

Something that has been a cause for much excitement here has been being able to use the brochure “You Can Be God’s Friend!” and the tract “Would You Like to Know the Truth?” printed in Carib, the local Amerindian language. It was released not long ago. Carib formerly was only a spoken language. This means that even those who can speak it cannot necessarily read it. I’ve found, though, that those who speak Carib and read English can, with a bit of help, begin to read in Carib. Even for Carib-speakers who cannot read Carib, it is such a joy to read to them truths from the Bible in their native language. Andrew has put quite a bit of time and effort into striving to learn not only the vocabulary, but also the grammar of the language. His determination has even motivated me to try to learn a bit here and there, so that now I’ve enjoyed reading from the Carib brochure to a number of Carib-speakers who I study the Bible with. The expansion of the Kingdom preaching work to reach people of all languages certainly is a exciting thing to see!

The pictures included with this week’s entry are of Evelyn Daniels and of Andrew reading a tract written in Carib to some in Baramita.