I had written last week about possibly getting material for a ceiling soon. The man who said he was coming to get the money never came by, so I figured it was one of those ‘just now’s. But Sunday morning about 8:30, a large truck stops in front of the Kingdom Hall and someone called out that they had plyboard for us. We unloaded the truck and put the sheets on some sawhorses under the house. I asked Stephan how he felt about leaving it there and he said he would worry that it might ‘walk off’. I said I was thinking the same.
We decided we could store it above the Kingdom Hall. I figured since we had it and since that was where we would put it, we might as well try to put it up before the meeting and spread it around between the webs of the trusses as much as we could to start benefiting from it. So I climbed up in the trusses and Andrew carried the sheets into the hall and Stephan passed them up to me. By that time the sun had been shining for awhile so it was like a sauna up there. We got them laid out with about half an hour to spare before the meeting. I mentioned that I was so hot from working that I could not judge whether they made any difference or not. We will paint one side of them and then attach them to the bottom side of the trusses.
Last week on the way to a study, I was on my bike and I passed a group of people sitting by the road. They waved as I went past, so I waved back. As I was passing I heard one of them call out, but I had a study to get to so I just kept going. On my way back from the study, I saw the person walking toward me on the road and he again waved at me and as I was passing, I could tell he definitely wanted to talk to me so I turned around and came back. I could tell he had been drinking and I could see he was a little agitated. He asked me why no one came to study the bible with him. He said we study with ‘everyone else’, but why not him. I asked him where he lived and I told him I would be happy to come and study with him. Afterwards I marveled at how that was the first person I had ever met in service who was irritated because someone wasn’t calling on him, rather than the other way around. When I went by this week he was not there, but his daughter studies so I told her to tell him I would study with him on Fridays after her study.
Andrew mentioned that one of his studies, Juliet, had been approached by someone who was trying to get her to start coming to their church. He told her that if she would come, she would be given clothes and money. She asked him what good clothes and money would be if she wasn’t learning about God. He then asked what benefit she was getting for going to the Kingdom Hall. She offered to get her ‘book’ (the Enjoy Life brochure) and show him what she was learning. He then told her that the white people were just waiting to kill her (alluding to the incident at Jonestown). Must be one of the churches is about to be visited by one of its supporters from the states and they want him to see the church full of people so their funding will continue.
We were so encouraged to hear that. Because sometimes when we are trying to teach people who can’t read, and whose first language is Carib so you aren’t even sure how much of what you are saying is actually getting through, we wonder what is actually being accomplished. Truly we are experiencing the truth of 1 Cor. 3:6.
We are currently without a Post Office here at Matthew’s Ridge. I understand that an inspector had come in last Friday to audit the accounts and he sent word to the Post Master that he was to come in Saturday so they could go over the accounts. The Post Master sent back word that Saturday was a holiday, so he wouldn’t be available. The inspector then put a lock on the building before leaving so that nothing could be tampered with until he returned. Monday was the first of the month when people normally pick up their old-age pension, but when they got to the Post Office they found it locked. I have no idea when the matter will be resolved and the Post Office will reopen. No doubt, just now.
A new air service is starting flights into Port Kaituma and as a result there is a price war going on. We had seen a flyer which one of the existing companies was circulating which listed fares of $11,000GD to fly to ‘town and $13,000 to fly into Kaituma, also $95/lb for cargo. Currently it costs $21,500GD to fly either way from the Ridge and $150/lb for cargo. So when I was in Kaituma Wednesday I went to see about arranging to fly into Kaituma when we return from the convention and then pay the $3000/person for travel to the Ridge. I was told that they have reduced the outbound fare to $9000. I mentioned it to Stephan because he still had to get a ticket to fly to ‘town whereas we had come to the Ridge on a round-trip ticket so ours was already paid for. He checked first with the new service and was able to book a flight Monday for $7000. Hopefully the new company will consider adding service to Matthew’s ridge and our prices will improve.
It appears our cat is no longer with us. I don’t think Terri is too distraught though. I think she recognized how it was just one more thing to have to worry about. But maybe we’ll be surprised and find him waiting for us when we get back. There is still no sign of activity at the internet café here so I will wait and send this out when we get to ‘town on Friday. My next posting will be from Trinidad. I will try to get something up next Thursday after our first day of the convention.
This week’s picture feature Juliet. One is of her at the Kingdom Hall, the other is taken at her house with Stephan and Andrew. She is standing next to Andrew. But it helps you appreciate how little she has and yet the offer of money didn’t influence her.
