I usually read last week’s entry before writing a new one. In doing so, I realized I need to clarify something in last week’s entry. The two pictures I included were pictures of families from the Kingdom Hall in Mabaruma. Hopefully you were able to figure it out, either by recognizing them, or by my reference to the fact that I had included them for those who had been following the blog since the early days (when we were in Mabaruma).
We once again have a working Post Office here in Matthew’s Ridge. They have moved it from its old location down into a building right on the main road which will make checking for mail much more convenient. I asked the man who is here setting things up and training the girl who will be operating it what the hours were going to be. When he told me, I said I hoped that they would be kept for a change. He asked me what I meant by that and I said that since I had been living here, you never knew when the Post Office was going to be open, you just had to watch to see when it was open. He seemed very surprised and told me that that wasn’t right. I agreed, but told him that is the way it has always been. He told me that if that should happen, I should let him know.
Among the many letters there for us was one for Jonathan Brewster. Jonathan has been gone for about a month and a half. The letter had been posted from the states October 6th and had been stamped as arriving here on October 26th. Since Jonathan has already bought his ticket to return in the middle of March, we will just hold on to it and he will have mail waiting when he arrives. Andrew recently let us know he too has purchased his ticket to return and he will be traveling back with Jonathan.
I have decided to get more serious about trying to learn Carib. I was one a study last Friday with a girl whose first language is Carib. I was asking her some auxiliary questions and she just sat there looking at me. I realized it wasn’t a matter of her not knowing the answer, but rather a matter of her not understanding the question. I think that many times I would ask a “yes” or “no” question and she would answer based on the inflection in my voice. Since I have a number of studies with ones who speak Carib, I will ask them for new words and when I can speak a word to one of my other studies and have them understand it, I will know I am saying it right. I picked up a small notebook to carry with me to use as a dictionary. Andrew had brought a sheet he had made when he was in Baramita showing how the various letters are pronounced, so I may try to use that when I write the Carib words. It will be interesting to see how close I get them.
This last Sunday’s attendance was 91, so whether there will be a need to expand the hall remains to be seen. Our average attendance for the Sunday meeting in December was 94, 14 more than the previous high of 80 in October. We have ordered some more wood for some additional benches which will be the next step.
We recently learned the dates for the upcoming District convention. It is August 6th thru the 8th. Some of the friends are already talking about their desire to attend. Eugene has mentioned how he has yet to attend a District Convention and he is determined to start saving for it now. He mentioned to Mary that even if they find themselves short on funds, they cannot take from the money being set aside for that purpose. Eno approached me Sunday and asked me to hold some money for him for the convention. He figures it is safer for me to hold it for him than for him to just try to put it aside himself.
Now that the rainy season has past (December-January) we have started getting a little rain. Some say it’s just rain from the moon (rain associated with either the new or full moon), but it is certainly needed. However, it has been coming in an unusual manner for Guyana. Usually it either pours or the sun shines, but the last few days have been misty and drizzly. As an indication as to how dry it has been, the last couple of days I have seen a regular car drive to the Ridge from Kaituma. I have never seen one on the streets here before.
I still have no new pictures to share so I am going back through my older ones to find something worthwhile to share. I decided to share a couple of more from our roofing project. Sometimes it is a good distance from where the trees grow which supplies the leaves and where the house is. David demonstrated how they braid (plait) a bundle of leaves together to make them easier to carry. Easy enough that even a white boy can do it.
