With my attention to the Memorial in my last posting, I feel I didn’t give our latest visitors the credit they deserved. As I had mentioned, we had three sisters from the Georgetown area come and spend a week at the Ridge with us. They were Vidya Persaud and Alana and Omefa Wilburg. The Wilburg sisters actually are originally from Matthew’s Ridge, but had not been there in about seventeen years. We had spent time with Vidya when we both were visiting Mabaruma in September.They had arrived in the Ridge the Monday before the Memorial, and Vidya and Alana had hoped to be able to get a flight across to Barimita and spend a few days there before going back to ‘town. But for some reason, probably due to the holidays, no flights went across, so they flew back from the Ridge Monday. Speaking of Barimita, we heard that they had had 1595 for their Memorial.The Monday they arrived, Vidya walked with me out to my far study. Just about the time we reached there, she asked me if I ever walked all the way there, only to find that my study wasn’t there. I told her it had happened a few times, but most times if he wasn’t going to be there, he would somehow get word to me. So wouldn’t you know, when we got there we learned that he had gone into the bush to get materials to make something for someone. So Vidya got some exercise and a chance to see some deep jungle. I also got her to stand next to that big tree that had been cut to give perspective to it.We were curious to see what effect the Memorial might have on our meeting attendance, and we were pleased to see 77 come for the meeting Sunday. Junior came, and just like for the Memorial, he brought his whole family. There was also an older man whom I had seen for the first time at the Kingdom Hall during the Memorial who also came again Sunday. With the additional seats, and after the crush of the Memorial, it seemed very comfortable with that many people at the meeting.Monday evening, I went around trying to locate a vehicle that would be traveling to Kaituma the next day. Since Terri and I planned on taking the bike, we needed to get our suitcase to Kaituma. I couldn’t find anyone who said they were definitely going. A couple said that if they could find enough passengers or business, they would go, but they wouldn’t know until morning. So Tuesday morning had some anxious moments, but finally a bus came by and took our suitcase. Terri and I then went on the bike. With the recent stretch of dry weather, the road was quite good, but bumpy. When we reached Kaituma, we were told the last boat had only recently left for Kumaka. There was however a government boat up from Kumaka. We located the driver and learned he didn’t know whether he would be returning that day or the next. But after a bit, a boat from Kumaka arrived and the driver said he would be going back in a couple of hours.While we were waiting, I was able to get online with my computer and phone and try to complete filing my state and federal income taxes. I finally had a good clean connection after being on and off for about half an hour. So then my battery was getting low. I took my laptop to a shop that I know there and was able to plug in to their current. I finally was able to complete the filing, with a whole day to spare. I don’t know why I let myself get so worried about it. Finally, a man came along saying they were leaving for Kumaka. It wasn’t the same one who had come up and I had told we would go back with him, so I don’t know if they changed drivers, or if in fact it was a different boat. But here in the northwest, when a boat is going, you get on it. There weren’t too many of us in the boat so it moved pretty fast. We were in Kumaka in about an hour forty minutes. We are staying with Brother Baxter. He has a king size bed in his guest room so it’s very comfortable.The weather has been rainy all day today (Wednesday) and that may be contributing to a poor internet connection, so I will only include one picture. If I find the connection improving in the next few days, I may try and post a few more pictures. This week’s picture is of the group who went to Kaituma last Tuesday to do the invitation work. Alana is next to me, then Vidya, and then Omefa.
