OUR TIME IN GUYANA
We would like to share with you our experience in Guyana. We have recently had the last of our children move out, and wanting to do something exciting in Jehovah's service, we wasted no time selling the nest and flying to Guyana. The branch suggested that we serve in Matthew's Ridge while the Newtons were away. We were quite excited about our trip to Guyana, but, as we came close to our departure date we really started to wonder if we knew what we were getting into. Would it be too hot? Would we get malaria? Would our insides be devoured by loathsome parasites? We prayed for courage and followed the example of others who trusted in Jehovah. And we all know that if you come up with a feasable plan and put your trust in Jehovah, things will work out. We arrived with certain expectations; we expected it to be quite warm and we weren't disappointed. We expected a small village in the middle of the jungle like the Ridge to be a quiet place, but the day we arrived, it was anything but that. Marion said, "If this is how it is going to be, I can't stay here". Well, things didn't change much but we survived the first week. After the second week we felt that we could at least tough it out for the three and a half months until the Newtons returned. After the second month we were really starting to enjoy our ministry but weren't sure if we could handle a place like Matthew's Ridge on a permanant basis. Then we went to the convention which always gives you a boost, but this was the best one ever. Many of the local brothers and sisters approached us and would say, "We really appreciate you coming to Guyana and helping us out". That meant so much to us, and when we returned to Matthew's Ridge, we were having the time of our life.
So, what made it such a good experience? Well, on arriving we were handed 15 Bible studies to handle between the two of us. At first that seemed daunting to suddenly have that many studies not knowing really anything about them. We soon got into the routine and really enjoyed what became the main part of our service. It was really rewarding to see how the truth changes lives and in one case, a new baby girl was born because her mother learned about God's view of abortion. Many in these parts never went to school and can't read. Some of the Amerindians hardly know even spoken English. Others did go to school and learned to read, but the English they speak can be very different from the written English. So, comprehension usually comes with at least some difficulty. We needed to learn to adjust our teaching methods to suit each student. It was truly rewarding to see their faces light up as they learned about the Kingdom hope.
By the time the Newtons returned we handed back about 22 studies. Leaving Matthew's Ridge was hard. People kept saying "When are you coming back? You have to come back!" Well, we feel very positive about returning to Guyana, it was the best experience we have ever had. Proverbs 10:22 says, "The blessing of Jehovah, that is what makes rich". Those words are so true! All the comforts and conveniences that we have in North America mean little in comparison to the blessings we experienced in Guyana.
