Well, our trip to Matthew’s Ridge was a success. Terri, Amy, and I went. Compton had gotten a bad cold, so he didn’t make the trip. He is hoping to go by himself later this week. We had hoped to leave early on Friday, but the boat didn’t leave until a little after ten, as the driver was waiting to get enough passengers to make the trip worthwhile. Then we stopped along the way to pick up some cargo to help make it a little more profitable. Then we stopped a couple of more times along the way, so we didn’t reach Kaituma until almost one.
We then went to the Kingdom Hall there to see if Paul was there to take us to the Ridge (I had emailed him in advance that we were coming). He was there, and he mentioned that Sinead and Bethany had left on the plane that morning. They we travelling to ‘town, where they will await him, as they are leaving Kaituma to go live in Lethem, in the south of Guyana. They just feel that with the little one, there is no place for her to run around and play as they live over/in a swamp.
Paul was running around selling off the last of their possessions, as well as getting things ready for a trip to Matthews Ridge. He was planning on spending a few more days there helping with build, before flying from there to ‘town and then travelling on to Lethem. He had already put his vehicle on a boat to send to Georgetown, so we had to hire a minibus to take us to Matthews Ridge.
While we were waiting for transportation to Matthews Ridge, we got to meet a couple who are presently at Port Kaituma from Ireland, Dirk & Esther Bahrs. They had been there last year for a month, and are back for three months, until the end of March, but were still coming to grips with the fact that they are now there by themselves, rather than being there to help the Donlans.
We finally got under way about three. The trip to the Ridge was uneventful, other than the fact that we were travelling in a minibus. Always before, the road was so bad that it was barely passable in four-wheel drive trucks. We arrived about five, and went to secure rooms in a hotel there and then went back to the site. Work was pretty well winding down by then, but we got a chance to meet everyone there.
Of course, Mitch was there with Kallai. They had been recently joined by David Jackson from Colchester, VT. He is Chelsea Miller’s dad. He is also in the same congregation as Josh Shangra who had been here in Mabaruma when we were here last year. David was the camp cook, and greatly appreciated the presence of two more sisters to assist him with the cooking chores. Between the three of them, the meals were all excellent.
There was also a group from the Eagle, CO. area, Steven Johnson, who had been at the Ridge and Kaituma last year until he contracted hepatitis A. He has returned and is planning on staying at the Ridge for up to two years. Also travelling with him was Luke Hardmire (sorry if misspelled), whose brother Ben had been at the Ridge and Kaituma last year. Finally in the group from Colorado, were Chuck Young and his seventeen year old daughter Kallie. Chuck had mentioned that in preparing for the trip he had been doing an internet search, and ran across my blog-page, so he felt like he kind of knew me already.
Rounding out the group at the Ridge was a young man from Oklahoma, Blake Bailey. He had heard about the project while doing relief work in Louisiana, from a sister who was in the Colorado group’s congregation. And Mike Dahlquist, who is in Mitch’s congregation in Half Moon Bay, CA. With the exception of Steven, and Blake who is planning on staying six months, the others will be leaving in the middle of February
Sunday morning we held a meeting in the temporary camp that is next to the build site. Mitch gave the talk and I conducted the Watchtower study. We had 40 in attendance (13 ‘Need Greaters’ and 27 locals), While we were there, Terri and Amy each spent time in the ministry with the only local publisher there, Doris. She had started preaching back when the old hall was there, but had only recently be reactivated. She told Terri she had expressed her concern when the last brother was leaving (due to health issues), and he had reassured her that the witnesses would be back. It just has taken much longer than she had anticipated.
I had to be back by meeting time Tuesday since I would be the only one here to conduct the meeting. We had spoken to the driver who had taken us up and he said he’d pass by on Monday to let us know his plans. Monday he said he would be leaving about three. I told him we couldn’t leave that late, and we would try to make other arrangements. We put out the word that we were looking for transport by on Tuesday and Monday evening a driver stopped by and said he would be leaving at 6:30 for Kaituma. That was earlier than I had hoped, but you have to take what comes along. So this morning we were picked up and rode the two hours back in the back of a pickup truck, along with six others. Terri was happy since she said she enjoyed the adventure more than in a minibus.
We were back in Kumaka about 1:00 PM. Compton was there to greet us, and he mentioned he is feeling better and hopes to travel up later this week. I will be interesting to see what progress has been made by the time he returns.
As far as pictures; two of them show the progress made while we were there. When we arrived, the walls were up and the last of the braces were being installed underneath the building. When we left, all of the rafter were up and a number of the roof boards. The front forty feet consists of free span trusses, so the Kingdom Hall and possible future expansion will not have any posts in it. I also included a picture of the group after the Sunday meeting.
So, now we are back, and will be alone here (not counting Amy) until the Sopels arrive Feb. 15th. But we are well and hope the same for you.
We then went to the Kingdom Hall there to see if Paul was there to take us to the Ridge (I had emailed him in advance that we were coming). He was there, and he mentioned that Sinead and Bethany had left on the plane that morning. They we travelling to ‘town, where they will await him, as they are leaving Kaituma to go live in Lethem, in the south of Guyana. They just feel that with the little one, there is no place for her to run around and play as they live over/in a swamp.
Paul was running around selling off the last of their possessions, as well as getting things ready for a trip to Matthews Ridge. He was planning on spending a few more days there helping with build, before flying from there to ‘town and then travelling on to Lethem. He had already put his vehicle on a boat to send to Georgetown, so we had to hire a minibus to take us to Matthews Ridge.
While we were waiting for transportation to Matthews Ridge, we got to meet a couple who are presently at Port Kaituma from Ireland, Dirk & Esther Bahrs. They had been there last year for a month, and are back for three months, until the end of March, but were still coming to grips with the fact that they are now there by themselves, rather than being there to help the Donlans.
We finally got under way about three. The trip to the Ridge was uneventful, other than the fact that we were travelling in a minibus. Always before, the road was so bad that it was barely passable in four-wheel drive trucks. We arrived about five, and went to secure rooms in a hotel there and then went back to the site. Work was pretty well winding down by then, but we got a chance to meet everyone there.
Of course, Mitch was there with Kallai. They had been recently joined by David Jackson from Colchester, VT. He is Chelsea Miller’s dad. He is also in the same congregation as Josh Shangra who had been here in Mabaruma when we were here last year. David was the camp cook, and greatly appreciated the presence of two more sisters to assist him with the cooking chores. Between the three of them, the meals were all excellent.
There was also a group from the Eagle, CO. area, Steven Johnson, who had been at the Ridge and Kaituma last year until he contracted hepatitis A. He has returned and is planning on staying at the Ridge for up to two years. Also travelling with him was Luke Hardmire (sorry if misspelled), whose brother Ben had been at the Ridge and Kaituma last year. Finally in the group from Colorado, were Chuck Young and his seventeen year old daughter Kallie. Chuck had mentioned that in preparing for the trip he had been doing an internet search, and ran across my blog-page, so he felt like he kind of knew me already.
Rounding out the group at the Ridge was a young man from Oklahoma, Blake Bailey. He had heard about the project while doing relief work in Louisiana, from a sister who was in the Colorado group’s congregation. And Mike Dahlquist, who is in Mitch’s congregation in Half Moon Bay, CA. With the exception of Steven, and Blake who is planning on staying six months, the others will be leaving in the middle of February
Sunday morning we held a meeting in the temporary camp that is next to the build site. Mitch gave the talk and I conducted the Watchtower study. We had 40 in attendance (13 ‘Need Greaters’ and 27 locals), While we were there, Terri and Amy each spent time in the ministry with the only local publisher there, Doris. She had started preaching back when the old hall was there, but had only recently be reactivated. She told Terri she had expressed her concern when the last brother was leaving (due to health issues), and he had reassured her that the witnesses would be back. It just has taken much longer than she had anticipated.
I had to be back by meeting time Tuesday since I would be the only one here to conduct the meeting. We had spoken to the driver who had taken us up and he said he’d pass by on Monday to let us know his plans. Monday he said he would be leaving about three. I told him we couldn’t leave that late, and we would try to make other arrangements. We put out the word that we were looking for transport by on Tuesday and Monday evening a driver stopped by and said he would be leaving at 6:30 for Kaituma. That was earlier than I had hoped, but you have to take what comes along. So this morning we were picked up and rode the two hours back in the back of a pickup truck, along with six others. Terri was happy since she said she enjoyed the adventure more than in a minibus.
We were back in Kumaka about 1:00 PM. Compton was there to greet us, and he mentioned he is feeling better and hopes to travel up later this week. I will be interesting to see what progress has been made by the time he returns.
As far as pictures; two of them show the progress made while we were there. When we arrived, the walls were up and the last of the braces were being installed underneath the building. When we left, all of the rafter were up and a number of the roof boards. The front forty feet consists of free span trusses, so the Kingdom Hall and possible future expansion will not have any posts in it. I also included a picture of the group after the Sunday meeting.
So, now we are back, and will be alone here (not counting Amy) until the Sopels arrive Feb. 15th. But we are well and hope the same for you.
