Parika Pages

June & Imbaimadai

2009-06-18T18:06:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,
I'm wrapping things up down here and I don't know if I'll get a chance to post again before I leave so here's a summary of recent activities in Parika and Imbaimadai. Thank you for praying!

Winston carries the team to the "backdam" by boat to help some local farmers.Students from the Jamaica Team weeding at a plantain farm.We visited a boys' home where we played games and sang songs with the kids and pampered the house mom with a spa treatement.The team spent 2 weeks at a village in the interior called Imbaimadai, an hour plane ride into the Mazaruni District. I joined them for the second week.This is Bendigo at Imbaimadai landing.Service at Imbaimadai Full Gospel church.Sunday SchoolWe taught at Imbaimadai Primary School everyday. It's a one room school, divided into 4 sections by chalkboards, accommodating 70+ students from nursery to grade 8. I had a blast teaching grade 4 in the mornings. Here's an excerpt from a letter one of the teachers wrote to our director..."we have been very grateful for the the missionary volunteers who had assisted us in teaching...we were able to have them at the right time when we were short on staff...The Lord knew when to send His servants to give assistance...I do not have anything to offer them to show them my appreciation for their hard work, but I put them in the hands of the Lord who is the sustainer of our lives..." -Mr. JohnnyWe were totally blessed with a journey to Maypuri Falls. This is where we got into the boats on the Mazaruni River at the bottom of the landing.We went up river for about 30 minutes and connected to a next river where we got out just before the rapids. We played in the water for a little while and then hiked about 20 minutes to the spot where we waited for another boat to carry us to the falls. That's me and Anneesha below. She was one of the leaders on the Jamaica team.It was so breathtaking to come upon on the falls, I can't even explain it.We hiked to a view point, then came back down and made our way behind the falls. All I could think about under there with the roar in my ears and the mist in my face is how Majestic God is, that He would think up and create such an incredible thing for us to enjoy.Back in Imbaimadai, Audrey cooks for the children at the school every day.We helped out joyfully and God was faithful to strengthen us when we felt physically wiped out.Beautiful children chowing down. And here's Sid the sloth! Apparantly some kids were trying to drown him but a man rescued him and brought him up on the landing. He lived in the tree next to the church for a few days. He's so pleasant! I'm so thankful God gave me the gift of seeing Sid. The sun sets over the landing. We gather for worship and devotions in the last light. There's no electricity here (though some people have generators) so you always have to think about daylight when planning your day. It rained alot so we always had enough water to drink and bathe but we still went down to the creeks to explore.

We were grateful for the way God opened doors for us to share His Word and pray for people, especially in the bars (this is a mining community so there's lots of rum shops). One of the shop owners commented on how we didn't come to condemn people, but to love them and that that's why people were so open. The pastor is excited about the changes he is seeing and he feels that a time of harvest is soon to come. It's good to be a part of things so much bigger than ourselves.

In the meantime, our literacy club in Parika has grown to 50+ children and a few more volunteers. Several teachers and parents have commented on the improvement they see in their kids and some teachers are sending their own children to the club. A local church donated more benches and Karen and I are asking for wisdom in handing over our classes as we'll both be leaving soon. I'm definitely going to miss these kids.

Thank you for staying in touch. God bless you. -eM

A Heap of Photos!

2009-06-01T19:10:00.000-07:00

Hanging out with the DTS outreach team from Jamaica. They're company has been such a blessing to me!

They helped build a bridge across a nearby canal that will facilitate tractors, making work more effecient for local famers.Aneesha and Sam pose with children at Parika Public School where the team assisted in classes or just took over when the teacher failed to show up.Here they are mixing cement to build the stairs to the second floor of our "new" building.Amanda teaches one of our literacy club classes.Johnny helps Avaseena read a book.Julia assists with Vidya's class.The children love to stick around and play cricket and tag after class.Attendance has signifacntly increased in our literacy club since the Jamaica team arrived.While the ladies had an evening Bible study, the men went cayman hunting. Winston caught this one with his bare hands. We kept him around for a few weeks and then released him to his home in the canal. We called him Stanely.Expressing Jesus' love to young and old.Half the team spent a day constructing 2 walking bridges for some elderly neighbours across the street from us while the rest of the team helped a local farmer clear some land to plant plantain.Johnny and Aneesha enjoy refreshing coconut water after a morning of hard work.It tastes SO good!We had a few movie and testimony nights in some nearby communities.Anneika makes new friends. As I've been getting ready for my interior trip, I haven't had time to acquire more pics of our DTS graduation but here's one of me and students Vanessa and Amar at our final dinner. Graduation happened this afternoon and tomorrow morning I'm leaving early to fly to a village called Imbaimadai on the Mazaruni River. The Jamaica team has been there since last week helping in the school and church. I'm going up with supplies and an eager anticipation that I will see Jesus in those I meet and be a light for Him.Having fun with my new hair. My friend Stacy spent about 12 hours braiding in the extensions. I never thought I could endure such an escapade but I ejoyed spending time with Stacy.Thanks so much for staying in touch. There is much more to write but I really need to catch some zzz's as I leave at 6:15 tomorrow morning! Please pray for a safe journey to the interior.

What a week!

2009-04-09T07:33:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I attended a peaceful 5am Easter service, half as long as the nearly 4-hour Good Friday service -I'm glad I had participated in some songs and a skit with the youth group, which broke up the time and gave me a chance to connect with the youth again. The church was packed!

Easter Monday was spent flying kites at the ballfield with my delightful neighbours Sindy and Rondey. This is probably my favourite day in Guyana as the perfect blue sky is adorned with kites of all shapes, colours and sizes. Kids had been picking gamma cherries (to make glue to put together their kites) in our yard all week. Other than yelling at a drunk man to “go away!” it was a pleasant experience -always a joy to spend time with these young friends of mine.

Monday night was spent puking my guts out and by now a good majority of us have hosted this nasty stomach bug. Poor Karen and Steve barely made it through their journey to Trinidad with the DTS team!
On Tuesday I was recovering from having been violently ill all night – I managed to wash my sheets and that's about all I had energy to do. The next day, Tim (Beeno's son who lives and works with us) needed an unexpected surgery on his foot for a deep infection. Since then, I've been playing nurse, dressing his foot everyday. It's a good thing I still remember how to use sterile technique – though there's nothing sterile about our environment right now!

On Thursday we woke to torrential showers and over-flowing trenches. The waters quickly rose in our yard and soon enough the guys were paddling around it in our canoe. Some of us hurried next door to help our neighbour bail water out of her house. We were having our 3rd black-out of the week so our generator and water pump were a huge blessing in preventing her downstairs from turning into an aquarium.

Others rushed to fill any bags we could find with sand (left over from construction) to place at our various entry ways and on top of our shower drain. Though it seemed a little futile while the rains kept coming by the early afternoon the tide was returning to the Atlantic, the river damns were opened and things were under control. Thank God it wasn't worse!

Winston and some of the guys took the canoe up the distended canal to help another neighbour rescue his plantain crop.

Sloshing around in trench water and septic-tank overflow (mostly gray water, I hope) sure made me regret studying microbiology. With everyone tracking the mud in the house and having our shower drain back up in the bathroom, I feel like we could mop 8000 times before the floor feels clean again. The DTS left for Trinidad that night.

Friday was Beeno's birthday, which Kim was mainly planning but she had the honors with the stomach bug that day so we made plan B in the midst of still cleaning, and celebrated with fried chicken (I stuck to rice and bananas), which torpedoed its way out of Beeno's body about 18 hours later.

On Saturday I broke down thinking about all that entails leaving Guyana in a few months but I had good talk with Kim, she prayed for me and I felt better. That night the Andersons and I hosted the "youth group" -ages 4 -18 at the church down the road and visited a boy from our neighbourhood who's in a cast from waist to ankle for 7 weeks. His brothers and sisters and I decorated his cast with stickers and drawings. It made my day to see him smile again.

I've been reading Jeremiah these days and I was thinking about how God asked him to do some strange things...bury a loin cloth, dig it up again, break some clay pots...I wonder how many people we shrug off as odd or "out there" when actually, they have a pretty intimate connection with the Lord. Just a thought.

And a new week has started again. Thanks for keeping yourself posted. God bless you. -eM

ps. i'm sorry the pics don't line up so well with the wording -I feel like I"ll be waisting time if I keep trying! =0)

2009-03-11T22:11:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

It's been a while since my last update -thank you for your patience! Here are some pictures and snippets from recent happenings...

MePaul and Melissa enjoying an activity in class...

Pastor Saffee teaches on the person and works of the Holy Spirit. The Discipleship Training School is going really well. Students keep talking about how glad they are to be here learning and putting their faith into action. God gives us grace for last minute changes and teacher cancellations. The students are preparing for their 2 month outreach that begins in April.

Winston and Paul have a jam session after church.

Karen`s literacy class.

Some of the kids in Beeno`s class.

Some of the kids in my class.

Ever wonder what happens to those Christmas shoeboxes? Karen helps distribute gifts to kids in the community for Samaritan`s Purse. Below, is a random sign down the road from our place.

Valentine`s Dinner Fundraiser for the students.Here I am being administrative in our "office," which is Kim's bedroom by night -except when I forget to print something and I have to go in there again in the evening.Paul and Debbie are back again from the NorthWest Territories, serving with us for 3 months. They are a tremendous blessing in their hard work and in the way they value individuals.In other news, some sad situations have unfolded in our community recently but we are thankful that what is done in darkness is being brought into light so that justice can be exercised. Please pray for us to have wisdom and compassion as we respond to those around us.

In other news, some sad situations have unfolded in our community recently but we are thankful that what is done in darkness is being brought into light so that justice can be exercised. Please pray for us to have wisdom and compassion as we respond to those around us.

Winston points out our plot of land that Pastor Bert will use to plant fruits for his family business. We're also privileged to bless one of our neighbours with a plot to grow foods he can sell at the market.

A plantain stalk -it's like a banana but bigger and not as sweet. Really tasty when fried. I even like them boiled when they're super ripe.A pretty flower -in the bird-of-paradise family, I think.

Ways we have been so blessed...

More donations of clothes, books and school supplies for our community, literacy club and interior villages!
A brand new weedwacker and chainsaw donated by people in the North West Territories!
A successful fundraising concert for the DTS students!
Funds to finish our guest room just in time for our speaker from Venezuela!
A highspeed internet and wireless connection-hello webcam (so long as we're not having a blackout)!

Thanks, Everybody! God bless you.

February 8th

2009-02-09T02:04:00.000-08:00

It is pouring rain and we are having our 5th blackout this week as I write this but the long awaited update is here at last! I feel there is so much to catch you up on, I will put the news into categories: DTS, Campus Happenings, Me and Recent Adventures. Thanks for coming along – enjoy!

Discipleship Training School

The DTS Students (from left): Dougie, Vanessa, Paul & Melissa with their kids, Hannah, Amar.

We will soon reach our 1 month mark in the DTS. Students are engaging with the teaching. I've seen students excited, humbled and even pierced by what they are taking in, with comments like, “I've been through stuff like this before, but never so in depth...” and another who said, “dis week lesson really touch me heart...” then he went on to tell me about the sadness and injustices of his childhood. I see God redeeming this young man's hardships as He heals his heart. I look forward to the next few weeks which will be taught by local pastors and ministry leaders whom I feel privileged to partner with. Guyana has some great men and women of God.

Campus Happenings

We've had the privilege of being liasons for Samaritan's Purse and other ministries who are sending goods to interior villages, so our bond (tool shed) has been packed with barrels and boxes. We were also blessed with a generator, supplies for our literacy club and clothes to hand out in the community!

Since the bond has been occupied, we've been holding our literacy club classes on the building construction site, not ideal, but at least its breezy since we don't have walls! I've had fun teaching the kids in my class with games and I'm filled with joy when I see 30+ kids playing in our yard. It's great to be able to call them by name and encourage them.

The hospital ministry to Georgetown continues, though I haven't been able to participate this season since we had to switch the dates which now clash with literacy club. The students and volunteers who go always have positive reports and the children were so happy to receive the monkey dolls (thanks Sharon!). It must've really brightened their gloomy surroundings!
More of our land is being put to good use as we've been able to bless a pastor from Georgetown with a plot to grow fruits and nuts for his family business -the best nutbutter and jam in the nation!

The Staff (from left): Beeno, Kim, Karen, Winston & Vidya + kids, Em, Hannah(student) & Steve.

Me
It's been harder for me to keep up with relationships in the community since most of my time and energy is taken up with the DTS but I check in with people as much as I can and I still play nurse with our blood pressure cuff and and give random medical advice around the neighbourhood. I recently found one of our students having a severe asthma attack in her room, which was quite a scare, but thankfully we got her to the pharmacy at Parika junction before it closed where they gave her oxygen and medicine.

Many times I feel like God has given me such a beautiful gift by bringing me to Guyana and the other staff feel more like friends and family than just co-workers. I try to remember that on the challenging days when there seems to be no end to my lack of privacy and personal space. The extrovert in me loves being around people and longs for more social options while the introvert in me longs for space that looks, feels, and sounds like my own. This week has been particularly challenging in that arena, but of course the latter isn't worth much if I'm alone – so in the end, I'm glad I have people to share space with.

I was praying through Ephesians 3:14-20 for some of my family this morning and I was struck by verse 18 - “may (you) have strength to comprehend...the love of Christ...” Sometimes when I feel alone and frustrated by my emotions (this usally just happens when I'm over-tired) -suspended between homes, loved ones and places of belonging – I need strength to hold on to truth and understand anew Christ's love. It is bluer than the sky, taller than the palms and clearer than the wind.

Recent Adventures

Stranded along the east bank of the Essequibo, sitting on some raised roots to avoid the muddy sand, may hands are still termbling from the slight scare we had on the river a couple mintues ago. The water was shallow but the Essequibo is mighty (contains an island the size of Barbados!)...

Teary -eyed “Annie” was sitting on our fence (she comes around often as home is not a very nice place for her), then standing at our gate as 4 of us trodded out on our way to a new adventure. - The previous Saturday we'd taken the canoe up calm waters and reveled in the beauty of God's creation – elegant flowers, peculiar fruits, orange monkeys and endless varieties of trees – I was so delighted to be on the water, enjoiying the splendour. - This time was way different.

Between mouthfulls of banana bread I had packed for our lunch, Annie managed to whisper, “Me waan come wit you,” giant tears rolling down her cheeks. A quick call to her grandma down the road and we were on our way to join the others, having fitted the tiny (now beaming) 9-year-old with our smallest life jacket.

The tide was forcing its way back in rather grumpily as we pushed off shore behind Aunt Troy's house. Passing speedboats carrying passengers to Bartica added to the white water which was soon splashing regularly into our canoe. Dougie and Amar got out in shallow water to push us upstream and soon got back in. The waves kept arguing with us, however, and when Amar jumped out again, Dougie slid, tilting us far enough that we were quickly wet all the way up to the seats with more water sloshing in as the guys pushed us toward the nearest “beach.” I thought we were going to flip over while still a ways out and Annie would be traumatized!
We managed to make it to shore where the guys flipped the canoe to empty it....

While we wait out the waves, Dougie and Amar are entertaining us by acting like tribal warriors with large “fighting” sticks and Annie is standing by, grinning and clutching the old, weathered kite Amar just discovered in the bushes. I've decided to join in the fun....

Vanessa and I climbed some large fallen-tree roots and vigorously defended our “castle” from the invaders (the guys). We decided to get on the water again a while later but after a few close calls Vanessa became terrified (she can't swim) and I was worried she'd have another asthma attack right there on the rising river. It was difficult to manoever the canoe through the uncooperative water but we pulled up at a sawmill where us girls climbed out onto the rocks while the boat got pushed around. Dougie and Amar returned the way we came while us girls walked out to the road and made our way back home.

I thought Annie was freaked out because she wasn't saying a word (she gets all silent before she cries). She finally said in that adorable tiny voice of hers, “Me waan go in de boat.” What a fearless 9-year-old! She did, afterall, come in 2nd at a national running competition, getting up to cross the finish line after she'd fallen, well ahead of the others. I'm so glad I got to spend time with her.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers everyone, I really appreciate you!

PS. You may remember that before Christmas, we were trying to help a baby boy and his mom get to the US for heart surgery. When I got back after the holidays and called them, I learned that the hole in his heart is healing!

Pompous Palms

2009-01-18T18:00:00.000-08:00

As I sauntered home with the students the other night, amused by the tall coconut palms, all pompous and flared out against the black, starry sky, gratitude welled up in my heart -that God has been so good to bring me back here. As difficult as it always is to leave family and friends in Canada for an uncertain amount of time, I am so delighted that God has led me to Guyana. I often think of my time here as a gift...

Hello Friends!

I apologize for the delay in update...I arrived in Parika the day before our Discipleship Training School (DTS) began so I really had to hit the ground running as I am director of the school.

I have truly appreciated your prayers through this busy week - God has been so faithful to give me wisdom in leading/administrating the DTS and in managing my time so I can recharge. Transition back to life in Guyana had been a breeze and it feels like I hardly left -thank you for praying for me!

I've enojyed catching up with neighbours and still have some to visit and I eagerly anticipate the next chapter of our children's literacy club, starting up this Wednesday.

DTS has been running smoothly this first week. There is such a difference from last year with more staff and experience and I'm sure it helps that us staff have weathered some communication challenges and grown closer to one another over this past year. I praise God for the unity and love among us. May we keep pressing into Him for humility and guidance!

I hope to post some pictures this week!

eM

Interior Trek with Norm's Team

2008-12-11T23:08:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody!

I didn't get a chance to upload these photos amidst all the Christmas bustle. Kim (director) and I went to the interior (Mazaruni District) with a fabulous team from the US in the beginning of December. It was about an hour-or-so flight across the jungle to Chi-Chi Airstrip.

Just as soon as the plane is undloaded, it turns around and takes off, leaving us stranded pretty much in the middle of nowhere. It's a grand adventurous feeling watching the plane disappear.And the trek continues on foot ...Into the trees...watch out for snakes!This time it took about 4 hours for us to reach Chinoweing. What a welcoming sight, as we crested the hill and spotted the village in the distance, knowing we'd soon be able to rest our weary bodies and drink hot tea in the night.Here I am greeting "Grandmother"Kim shields an elder from the rain on the way to church.Norman participated in an Akawaio traditional dance, a rare privilege in the village.This beautiful mom gave birth in the woods a few hours from the village. Her 3 year-old daughter cut the umbillical cord. I don't know how many days (if any) they waited until mom proceeded to hike back to the village with her 2 children.Catie and the kids enjoy looking at pictures.En route to visit a couple of sick men who weren't well enough to come to the clinic themselves -there were 5 of us on the ATV all together. I thought I was going to fall off the whole time. The medicine, blankets, and machetes (very useful tool in the interior) we gave out were greatly appereciated.Mount AyanganaI was amused by this poster in Captain Roger's house.By day 3 we were on our way out. The people of Chinoweing were so thankful for our visit, especially those who are hungry to learn more about God and His Word. There is an eager anticipation for our return sometime in the new year.The views were breathtaking. God is such an awesome creator.We lugged a lot of stuff down a really steep mountain. It was seemingly impossible but the Lord gave us strength and agility. During the entire trip I think I only fell over twice.Five hours of almost non-stop hiking is follow by 2 hours of boating on the Mazaruni River. When others moved to the bottom of the boat I was grateful for a chance to stretch out. I definitely felt the journey in my muscles and joints but it was kind of a satisfying pain.We spent 2 days in Imbaimadai, a mining village on the river. I volunteered at the children's feeding program and visited people I'd met on previous trips. We also blessed the school with textbooks and a pencil sharpener. I am so looking forward to going again!

Kim and Norman had a good talk with this rum-shop owner (dude who owns and runs the bar/haberdashery). He closed down his shop one night and let us hold a church service there.

Thanks for tuning folks, and THANK YOU for praying for us. It was a safe, fun, rewarding journey with few and minimal injuries. I did have over 20 chiggers (little egg-laying critters) burrowing in my skin by the end of it (and I wasn't the one with the most) but, hey it's all a part of the adventure!

I'll be posting again soon now that I've got the luxury high-speed internet while I'm in Candada.

God bless you,

Events in November

2008-11-13T01:33:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends, here are some photos from the past few weeks...

A fabulous youth group from Georgetown stayed with us for a weekend.

They did some work on the campus moving sand and blocks.Francis was eager to join the fun, as usual.Movie night on our campus.We were glad to have some of our neighbours bond with the city folk. Karen made a treasure hunt with Bible verse clues.She also mesmerized the crowds with her mad Dutch Blitz skills. What can I say, she's from a Mennonite town in Manitoba?Refreshing coconut water after a long walk to Parika.One of the girls got a boat driver to give us a free spin around the dock.Vidya and I were back-up dancers for Francis and Sarah on family talent night.My buddy Joshua and I were guests at a wedding. He and I are playing a never-ending game of tag going on 3 months. Josh runs way faster than me but I reserve the right to call time-out anytime I want so at least I have a chance to get away.
Our literacy club is going great, I'm so thrilled to spend time with the kids in our neighbourhood! I hope one day we can have a playground for them, too. Thank you for lifting me and Guyana up in prayer.

Checking In...

2008-10-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

You know, it occured to me the other day, that when I graduated highschool I had difficulty deciding if I should pursue teaching, nursing or social work. Here in Guyana I'm involved in all three and more. God knows my heart! Please read on for some updates on what's going on with us in Parika...

Kids
We received a huge old bread truck from previous missionaries so Winston and Tim filled it with our tools after we all spent hours scrubbing the truck down. This gave us room to use half our tool shed for our literacy club. Some days we have up to 21 kids, which is fabulous and challenging because many of the children need one on one help until they can grasp the letters and sounds. Some 8 year-olds are farther along than some 15 year-olds but everyone is improving. We are enjoying the kids and the creative outlet of making up new lessons and we're hoping for consistent volunteers so the kids can get the one on one they need.

Our neighbour, Sabrian, joins the action.

Kim and Tim get started. We had a water shortage (lack of rainfall) at the time so we had to wash it with trench water, which is basically river overflow mixed with urine and tadpoles. Mental note -"Keep mouth closed when throwing water." It was actually white underneath all the grime!

Construction

We thank God we received a donation that will be enough to complete laying the second floor of our new building! There have been some complications with the transaction so the funds haven't come through just yet, but they will arrive. Sometimes the progress of this building seems mega slow – I just want to get it done! But as we wait and pray and work on the next bit and wait and pray...Psalm 127:1 is becoming more meaningful to me than ever. “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it, labour in vain.”

The necessity and benefits of this soon to be classroom-office-apartments-kitchen-dining area are ever present and I often think, “If only we can finish it, we could do so much more!” But I am grateful for what we have now and I realize that while the building will have benefits and meet needs, we must do well with what has been entrusted to us today.

So, this structure is going up with tons of cement, a few workers, many volunteers, and lots of prayer.

As for baby Joel, with the hole in his heart, someone in the doctor's office misplaced his medical records and Joel was crying to much to get his test done (video of his heart) when he went for his appointment. Thankfully, I had made copies of his med history, which will suffice and after more follow-up with the doctor, his test has been rescheduled. Meanwhile, proving the identity of his parents continues to be an issue, but at least we've made some progress and I am determined to keep trying.

Discipleship Training School
Plans for our upcoming Discipleship Training School (DTS) are going great – except we don't have any official students yet and the school is just over 2 months away! Several people have enquired and taken applications but none have committed – yet. I started getting discouraged about it this week because if we don't have students by December, we'll have to postpone the whole thing. Not that there isn't plenty of other work to do without having a DTS. But why would God have us go through all the prep and planning and not bring students?
I've been swaying back and forth from doubting to repenting for my lack of faith and then I was biking one afternoon when a Sunday school song came to mind, “God told Noah to build an ark, to build an ark...” And I remembered, Noah started building this gigantic boat when there probably wasn't a hint of rain in the sky. And even if it hadn't rained, what mattered was that Noah was faithful. So, I'm going to continue planning and believing and praying. Please pray with me.

Thanks for tuning in. Your support encourages me!

Peace & Joy,
eM

The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. Psalm 126:3

2008-10-07T07:52:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends!

Thanks for tuning in, I have good news to tell you! God has really blessed us here in Parika this past month and we are grateful. When we move ahead, it frees us up to keep dreaming for God's purposes to unfold in this place He has given us to steward. It is exciting to think of what will be here a year from now and in years to come. With all the goings on, we join the chorus of missionaries calling, “We need more labourers!”

Community Em and the letter "b"

Children
Our children's literacy club is off to a good start with 7-14 kids in attendance twice a week. We'll soon be hosting the club more often but we don't have space for more kids yet. The children race through our gates when it's time to begin and we already see improvement in their recognition of letters and sounds. What a privilege to have this chance to intstill value and hope in the lives of this young generation while they learn to read. They are great!

Vidya helps kids with the alphabet.

Youth

Pastors and youth leaders are asking us to get more involved with their ministries. We are encouraged by their enthusiasm and look forward to partnering with them even more. We want to host an event for youth leaders here in the near future, to encourage the leadership and facilitate unity among the churches in the area. God has great plans for the youth of Parika and we want to help them seek God and His dreams for their lives.

Mercy

We thank God for the recent donation to help us re-start a hospital ministry. We visit Georgetown Public Hospital weekly, bringing snacks, necessities and cheer to patients on the HIV/AIDS ward and the children's ward. Several ladies in our community have been eager to get involved and we are looking forward to seeing this ministry grow. Two weeks ago some of the ladies met a very sick 2 month old baby girl and her mom. The doctors said nothing else could be done and the child probably would not survive. The ladies prayed for the baby and last week we returned to see her improving!

During one of our hospital visits, we met a young mother and her baby boy, Joel. Joel is 6 months old and needs surgery for a hole in his heart. The surgery cannot be done in Guyana so I've had the privilege of getting to know Joel and his mom while helping them get the necessary documents and tests so he can be helped overseas for free. This meant a lot of trips to Georgetown for me, going back and forth from the immigration office to the hosptial, hours waiting on doctors and trying to figure out paperwork. It's complicated because the mom is under age and we've had difficulty tracking down her parents, whom we need due to obvious legalities. Plus, baby Joel's father doesn't have proper identification either which throws another wrench into the situation. It's going slower that I anticipated but we are making progress. Please pray for baby Joel!

ConstructionKim with the crew

Praise God! The front half of the second floor on our new building is complete! We are grateful for the donations and for the church groups and neighbours who joined the bucket brigade, passing cement and fetching materials to help us get the job done! We need $5000 US to finish the second half of the floor. If you would like to give, please contact us! guyanayouthwithamission@yahoo.com

Winston passes a bucket of cement.

Blessed

We were blessed with a barrel from Ontario that enabled us to be a blessing to others. Through the materials donated in the barrel: Schools in several villages (Imbaimadai, Chinoweing, and Waramadan) received supplies, we got great stuff for our literacy club, Imbaimadai and Chinoweing got medical supplies and a local boys' home received a first aid package. God knows our needs!

Thank you for being with me in this. May our Good Lord bless you.

All for Jesus,

Photo Album

2008-09-15T15:39:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! Here are some pictures from some of the summer happenings with YWAM Guyana. Enjoy!

Parika YWAM Family-minus Steve Barbados Team -August Imbaimadai Interior Trip -July
The Landing

"Team Imbaimadai"Children's Day Camp
Enroute to JawalaBaptisms at the creek. Me & Vidya in ImbaimadaiCAMP HARARUNI -JULY
Karen & I were counselors.

Bartica Trip with Mark & John -June At the boys' home in Leonora. Georgetown
Parika & the Essequibo River

Short Stories from Summer 2008

2008-08-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

Hope

Wally is 14 and quite small in stature for his age. He goes to school half the time during the school year, if that. His family background includes theft, murder, poverty and he himself brags about committing arson -burnt a pastor's son's house right to the ground last year.
He curses a lot and bullies other kids and is asked not to come back to camp again.
I taught his class one day. I watched him try to write the memory verse on a piece of paper. I saw his big brown eyes glancing up, looking down, straining to figure out the letters and make sense of them. And in that brief moment, in those big brown eyes -I had so much hope for him that I nearly cried.
“Oh, God, rescue him from the possibility of what might become of him! Help us to be a light in his life!”
I think about kids like Wally and I become so eager to have our basketball court set up -a place of fun and discipleship. I get excited about doing a literacy program where he might commit to attending and learn to read. I thank God for opportunities I've had to tel l him God has a purpose for his life.
And I have hope.

Imbaimadai

I walk the trail in the early morning mist watching thin clouds whisk their way into the , rising above forests and mountain ridges. In a couple hours kids will come walking, skipping, running down this same trail for another morning of games and songs and lessons and snacks.
I feel so privileged to be a part of the only organized recreation they'll have this summer. They arrive early and stay late and I believe I could come back for them in a heartbeat.
God blessed us so we could be a blessing, equipping the clinic with information about incest and molestation (a big issue in this community), Kim and others counselled with a family that is dealing with this same issue at first hand. A mother cried. A father repented. A child forgave.
We visited a village up-river and noticed some serious medical needs -a child who needs physical therapy to increase the use of his legs and another young boy who appears to have hydrocephalus. It's difficult to get them to Georgetown for care because their mothers will need to accompany them along with their younger siblings. We're following up with the local healthcare worker to see how we can help. We're hoping to raise $400 per family so the children can get the care they need. If you woul like to contribute please email us at guyanayouthwithamission@yahoo.com

Children's Day Camp with Faith Community Church

Parika Backdam

I jaunt over to the neighbours' to pick up participating children and we head to the school to wait for our transportation... Escaping threatening rainclouds, we pile into the back of an old flatbed truck with no benches. Kids squeal and scream as we trundle along the dirt road, dipping in and out of puddle-filled potholes. It takes us about half an our to travel approximately 10 km to the camp site, which is bordered by cabbage patches and other vegetable farms. Five-year- old Kevin clutches my pants as we sway and jolt back and forth with the motion of the vehicle. At times I strain to hold back the kids pressing against me, bracing myself on the bars overhead and the back end of the truck that reaches to my calves. We bump alongside the drainage canal passing numerous kids bathing, playing, defecating; women who are chatting while washing clothes, and cows leisurely grazing. Green and brown dragon flies chase us like tiny airplanes zipping through the air. This week more than 200 kids learned about God our Creator and how to take care of the environment, they made crafts, ate hearty lunches and played with each other.

I can't help but be grateful that God's ideas for my life are so much better than my own.

Thank you for all your support. God hears your prayers!

"All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children's peace." Isaiah 54:13

Summer

2008-07-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for tuning in! Exciting things are going on with YWAM Guyana this season!

We're in the full swing of summertime (dry season), with a 5 day youth camp beginning tomorrow a couple hours away in a place called Hararuni. This camp is run by YWAM with various Guyanese church leaders and sponsored by a church in Florida. Karen and I are counselors and we're doing a workshop on purity for the girls.

Kim and I had recent meetings with a couple of government workers regarding the rampant child molestation happening in a particular interior village where YWAM has worked extensively.

I left the meetings with conflicting feelings of dismay and hope. It was hard to hear the dismal news of the enormity of child abuse and rape cases that come to Social Services everyday, while only 1% of cases have actually gone through the court system and resulted in conviction in the past 5 years. I was saddened by the stories one of the workers shared with us.

But it was hopeful to hear that there is a proposal being put together to change legislation so that such cases will be tried more quickly and acurately while protecting the victims. Social Services is looking for NGO's who will work with them to be a voice in their community regarding child protection.

I pray that the corruption that has infected the court system would be eradicated and I thank God for this opportunity to seek justice on behalf of children in Guyana.

We joined a group of Canadians on a stint with Youth Challenge International who are starting a literacy program of sorts in Parika. I was delighted to teach some awesome kids at the local elementary school in the last couple of weeks! Getting to know more children in the community has been a blessing and I look forward to how this will open up ways to share the love of Christ with their families.

I continue to be humbled by the generosity of Guyanese friends -several people have given toward our upcoming trip to the interior, providing food and medical supplies.

As I looked out at the sea of faces during a recent youth service I participated in, I felt privileged and grateful to be here in Guyana. My life has been enriched through people and experiences in this nation.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers in all these things. May our living God bless you tremendously.

“...we wait for the blesed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:13-14

Landed

2008-06-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

I arrived in Georgetown safely this morning. I'm so thankful my back held up really well on the trip! -Thought I was coming to sunshine but it's wet season again!

My grand plans to mosey in Manhattan during my 9 hour wait in New York were hampered by rain drops and logistical reasons. At least I got to hear Alice, the aiport volunteer say “cwawfee” in her Brooklyn accent. And I had a good conversation with Richard, an aspiring photo journalist from London. I love the diversity of humans on our planet. Beautiful.

Here in Parika, the beams are up on the buildling, we have a brand new foot bridge across the trench and I'm looking forward to hugging more kids tomorrow!

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers...I'll keep you posted!

Good Things

2008-05-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for staying in touch... the three of us who were in the accident are doing well as we continue to heal.

Please pray that things get sorted out medically and legally before my return to Guyana. I don't have a date set as yet but I am aiming for around the 13th -16ish of June.

There have been a lot of questions about the timing of my return and I never run out of reasons for wanting to stay but so far I haven't heard God say that I should not go back. I am so grateful to be a part of what God is doing in Guyana and I've been mega blessed to see what He's doing here. He is so good!

Just as soon as heading back edges closer, the doubts and fears come swooping, glaring, taunting. These are Satan's old tricks that push me around and try to get my mind spinning so I lose sight of what God's really like and end up thinking false things about Him. But greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world!

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb.12:2

There are upcoming events here at home that I don't want to miss but I believe God wants to meet me in Guyana again. I am so privileged to have opportunities to experience Him and other relationships in different nations. It causes me to look forward to heaven.

I have a wonderful, loving family. I have incredible, amazing, fantabulous friends -God even gave me more! I am part of a generous, caring, uplifting church family. And I thank the Lord.

I've been thinking about miracles and how even seas and illnesses obeyed Jesus. And He said, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these..." John 14:12 -Lord, give me faith!

Thank you so much for pressing on with me in all the recent happenings. You are beautiful and I am not alone.

Peace & Joy -em

"The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them." Psalm 25:14

Blessing and Delay

2008-05-07T11:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone, for praying me through this time at home. It has been wonderful. God continues to meet me in times of delight and desperation. I need Him and He is here. I am so blessed.

It's difficult to describe what God has been doing in my heart lately but I tried to explain it in the following poem, if you're interested. You might know that I was in a serious car crash last weekend. I won't go into detail, I just thank God we are alive and are all still able to walk. As you can imagine, this has delayed my return to Guyana. Please pray for healing for the 3 of us in the car and that I'll be able to get back to Guyana by June. Thank you so much. -Em

Here's the poem...

Steps weighed by hesitations
Heart, flimsy with aspirations
It's just not enough
To know so little of Your love
And drink bottles of hope laced with speculations

Ashamed at how quickly Your answers can shift
One sideways glance sees instructions drifting away
I could find better places to stay, easier songs to play

I want to hear from You
So I drive in cirlces, in search of a view
To distract from distractions that You're speaking through
Strengthen my feet, Lord, don't let me wander away

I've used up my current excuses
Pulled a few deals from the jar
Negotiated, while You waited
No, You haven't changed at all

Why is it so hard to trust you?
After all, we've been here before
I promise this time, I will believe
Won't doubt You again, can't be sure

I ought to be trembling in Your presence
But I'm tripping at every turn
If that's what it takes to get me on my face
Then pull the roots up a little more

What on earth have I given,
Compared to Your sacrifice?
I've barely a clue, of what You've been through
Just to give me life

For now, I'm through with proving
That I can figure out what You're doing
I just need to hear You say,
Everything will be more than okay
Help me to hear You today

Oh Lord, my God, this is my plea

Jesus, please abide with me
I am desperately longing to walk right next to You
And I don't want to imagine a moment without You
Surround me with Your presence,

Father, flood my heart with Your truth
Stir my soul so I will rest nowhere else except in Your arms,
May my passion be fueled by Your sacrifice.

The Mazaruni

2008-03-19T16:46:00.000-07:00

On March 1st, our team of Canadians, Guyanese and one American boarded a Cessna Caravan just outside Georgetown and headed west to the Mazaruni District. We flew over seemingly endless jungle and breathtaking views of waterfalls spilling into windy rivers that snaked their way through lush forests. The scenery was magnificent, wild, timeless.
There was no time to waste at ChiChi landing -we had to bust a move if we were going to reach Chinoweing before nightfall (snakes come out in the dark). Captain Rodger urged us to hurry up as we started our three-hour hike across the savanah, through forests and over creeks to this remote village, home for about 500 Akawaio people.We spent a week there with the village captain and his family assisting at the health centre, sharing in church, visiting homes, giving out clothes, and doing stories and games with children after school. We also showed a few Christian films on the new community television (electricity came from the solar panels on top of the school building). Here I am with Clara.
The people of Chinoweing were welcoming and kind, thankful that we came to serve their community. I was amazed at how God has revealed Himself to them over time. An elderly lady explained how her grandmother used to have late night revelations (usually in song form) about how they should live. When they found out about the Bible, they realized what God had spoken to the grandmother in the night lined up with teachings found in the Bible. Thanks to the dedication of Wycliffe workers, parts of the Bible have recently been translated into Akawaio.I am floored by the toughness of these people. As I hung out with Clara in the clinic, I met families who had walked 5 hours from a neighbouring village just so mom could get her pregnancy check-up. After we left, we got word that Rodger's mother fell and broke her collar bone. She then walked the 3 hours out to ChiChi airstrip so she could get flown to Georgetown hospital!

We were blessed to be a blessing in this beautiful place and are happy to have built relationships there. Seeing their needs and their hunger for discipleship inspired us to keep praying for the Akawaio and to work with them again in the future. Captain Rodger said to us, “Our population is not growing. I do not know what is wrong. Maybe we need more fertilizer.” We pray that God gives the Akawaio leaders wisdom in the wake of inevitable change.

IMBAIMADAI

Leaving Chinoweing, we hiked 4 hours to the Mazaruni River where we were met with a boat that carried us about an hour north to Imbaimadai. Compared to Chinoweing, this mining town is urban central with rum shops playing loud music into the wee hours of the night and the unfortunately familiar, “psst, psst” from local men.

Nursie, the healthcare worker showed up during our team meeting the morning after we arrived and looked at me, “Are you ready?” A pregnant lady was having contractions and Nursie wanted me to come with her for the delivery. Kim and I grabbed our stuff and hurried behind Nursie as the pathways turned into a 40-minute slip-n-slide in the pouring rain. Beautiful, tiny Caroline was born at 3:07pm.
Our ministries in Imbaimadai included helping with the children's feeding program, doing church stuff, and teaching on HIV/AIDS and abstinence in school. We also visited people in their homes, gave out clothes, and played with the children after school.

We had a blast hanging out with the gold miners who stayed with us at the church -big brawny men who hack their shelter out of the bush and hike out on weekends to teach Sunday school – they play a wicked game of musical chairs, too.

Those who had been there before were encouraged to see more Christians in the community and people who want to take a stand against the injustices toward children (incest and molestation are common). A few of us met with a couple of the school teachers to discuss how we can be of assistance in exposing “things done in darkness” and bringing the necessary people to justice. We left Imabaimadai with a hope that it will become a place where miners go not only to refuel their engines but also to refill their spirit as the presence of God moves in the village.

Thank you so much for your prayers during this time. God was evident in so many ways and He protected us from snakes even when Eunice had a close call. Look carefully at the next photo and see if you can find it. I would post more pics but they take forever to load so you'll have to wait till I get home!"He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, hw who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth - the LORD God Almighty is his name." Amos 4:13

Snippets

2008-02-12T04:39:00.000-08:00

I hear a tiny voice calling, “Em,” from somewhere outside. I walk down the stairs to see a 6-year-old girl standing in the doorway. Delighted to see her, I ask for a hug and she jumps in my arms without hesitation, sqeezing her arms around my neck. Adorable.
She informs me in that tiny voice that today is her birthday. We eat breakfast, read a story and I load her up with some clothes and vegetables to take home. Later, at church, her brothers and sisters compete for space on my lap and next to me on the bench. I love these kids!

I also enjoyed taking my neighbour to the zoo in Georgetown last month....
One of my favourite activities is doing Bible Club at our local public school. Children crowd inside the classroom while more peer in from the windows. I basically have to shout the entire time because it's so loud all around. My voice needs a break by the end but it's worth it.
Kids gather for Wednesday afternoon children's church.
"... for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." -Jesus said. -Matthew 19:14b

PS.

The conference in Florida (a couple weeks ago) was great! I saw old friends from Jamaica and made new ones from other countries. It was like a taste of heaven to pray and praise God in unity with people from all over the globe who are serving with various ministries. A lot of love. And a few Baptist-Charismatic jokes, too. It was inspiring to see how major organizations are joining together to do what Jesus asked us to do..."go and make disciples of all nations..." and it reminded me that I'm part of something so much bigger than myself.

Fear and Choices

2008-02-09T09:51:00.000-08:00

The night before I left for Florida, gunmen entered several random homes in the village of Luisignan (near Georgetown), and murdered 11 people including children. A ten-year-old hid under a bed while the rest of his family was shot to death.

The gang leader who admits to being the mastermind behind the senseless killings vows to strike again and says that the next time it will be worse -unless his estranged girlfriend is returned to him. Nobody seems to know her whereabouts.

Last week there was a shootout in the village of Buxton where the perpetrators are said to be hiding out and some of them were caught.

Then there was a kidnapping threat in Parika and everyone was frantic to get their kids out of school.

Meanwhile some soldiers and police have been wounded or killed in other recent clashes. It's no secret that the police force is crippled with corruption and now they are receiving increased criticism (to put it lightly) due to their response to the sudden violence -apparantly it took them 2 hours to get to Luisignan after residents called for help.

This is part of a conversation I had last night with a friend who is a policeman in the capital. I'm thankful for the handful of talks we've had about God and faith. The first one sprung from the symbol of courage tatooed on his hand.

Em: “It's not the best time to be a policeman right now. There's a lot of fear. How are you?”
Michael: “Me n'ah 'fraid, you know. Everybody gonna die someway an' if it's time for me to go it mean God ready for me. You no think so?”
Em: “Well, I think God made the world and put certain laws in order and the things we do have consequences... If someone decides to drive drunk and they hit me and I die, I don't believe that's how God would have me go, but He allows us to make choices, you know? And the choices we make affect the people around us. I don't think it was God's will for those 11 people to be killed but those gunmen had a choice to do good or evil. We also have opportunities to choose right or wrong and with the help of Jesus, we can choose what is right.”

Michael was pensive, we chatted a little more and he went home. He's got a lot ahead of him without many role models besides some corrupt officers and hopefully some honest ones. I believe Michael has the capacity to choose what is just and good whether he wears a unifrom or not. I pray that he will know Jesus and depend on Him for courage in times of decision.

Please pray for Guyana - people are fearful. And pray that those who lost loved ones will turn to God for comfort and healing as they grieve.

I believe that Jesus changes lives and that when we pray and walk rightly with God, nations change, too.
"He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken." Isaiah 25:8

My God is so BIG!

2008-01-22T18:45:00.000-08:00

I have struggled to choose joy and express gratefulness these past couple of weeks. But Decker's email came at just the right time to remind me that God is bigger...

He's bigger than my anxiety of the unkown, bigger than my forgetfulness and the gap in my organizational skills, bigger than the barrel of missing qualities I imagine will make me the perfect missionary or Christian, and bigger than the unwelcomed loneliness that swoops down on weekends.

He is big enough to take me to a mountain, big enough to reach His arms around me when I stand in the middle of a vast field and big enough to hold up my head on a bustling street.

I am back doing the activites I enjoy in Parika -teaching Ody, doing church stuff, connecting with kids and grown-ups in the community, and watching (a few minutes of) Nigerian movies with Tim and Beeno.

Construction has picked up again -when we decided to continue building, God started providing the flow of funds. It is satisfying to see the work move forward in a physical sense.

I'll be in Florida for a global missions conference from Jan.27 – Feb. 3rd. http://www.call2all.org/ Hooray for high-speed internet, washing machines, and Starbucks! I'm sure the conference will be good, too.

God bless you. -Em

Job 38:12-13
“Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?"
...
“For He is our God and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.” Psalm 95:7

In the Village

2008-01-07T17:48:00.000-08:00

She came to us with arms waving frantically, telling us that she was fed up with her grand-daughter and ready to leave her at an orphange. The girl repeatedly bit at her arms and often cussed-out her grandparents while running out on the road. She had been at our VBS (children's church) that morning but now she had run away again. Her grandmother was at her wit's end, worried that the police would arrest her and her husband if they picked up the girl on the road again.

We offered to look for her and a few minutes later, returned to our ministry house with the girl and her grandmother. I can't imagine the horror this young girl has experienced in her 10 years -being thrown out by her mother and rejected by her step-father -to the point where he cut up her face numerous times, leaving deep gashes on her cheeks, lip, and ears.

Allie's face was expressionless and eyes blank but as we prayed for her, even her eyes changed, becoming bright and focused and the best part was when she slowly turned her mouth into a smile. Beautiful, though crooked because of the scars.

The next day her grandmother reported that Allie was different – and we encouraged grandma to speak words of life and blessing to her grand-daughter -to help her know that she is not abandoned and rejected but incredibly special and loved.

Aleesha hugged us all the day we left and clung to me sobbing. I don't think she had ever felt so valued before we came.

So, we ran a VBS in a village near the Suriname border last week and we had evening service every night and lots of people came -but if Allie had been the only one to show up, she would've been worth it.

Stories from Christmas

2007-12-14T17:07:00.001-08:00

We started with the children's homes where we sang and tumbled and ate cake with the kids who gleefully gasped at their presents...and in the end were mostly enamoured by a box. The atmosphere was more solemn at the AIDS ward in Georgetown Public Hospital...Kay lie curled up on her side, bones jutting out from joint to joint, breathing laboured due to the fluid collecting in her lungs. She held the soft towel from her giftbag to her face, gently exclaiming, “It's too much, it's too much,” while her blind eyes stared into nothing. Smiling, she revealed a gold tooth, marked with a “K” as we belted out O Holy Night at her bedside. She probably won't live more than 3 days. I asked Jesus to take away the pain in her chest and minutes later she was no longer wimpering.

While we were singing to a man near the nurses' station, Daniel pointed out a tearful visitor – and the lifeless body 4 beds away. The nurses covered the dead man's body ¾ of the way with his sheet and pulled a curtain in front. I waited for an opportunity to approach his lone visitor. Tears falling, she told me she had planned see her brother this morning but wasn't feeling well. By the time she reached the hospital in the afternoon, he was dead. I prayed for her, then she left.

A light-hearted memory of the afternoon was when one of the patients – a young man – drummed his fingers on a dairy creamer container, keeping rhythm with Steve's rockin version of Silent Night.

And then there was the conversation with Mr. J- “I used to believe in God but now I don't see the use...He should've never created us without our consent...”

In the children's ward we gave out toys and balloons and apologized to the nurses for buying mini-trumpets and noise makers -but the kids were loving them! We listened to moms and one dad about the strain and difficulty of seeing their child suffer and I prayed with a weary single mom, offering affirmation of her devotion and care for her son.

I was delighted to feed and hold the teeniest 1-year old boy I have ever seen. Adorable -really just wanted to be cuddled. His mother abandoned him at the hospital a month ago. He was malnurished and is still very underweight but he's better than before and the nurse said there is a family that wants him. Thank God.

We stood in the center of the room and sang more carols while the kids played with their toys and 9 year-old Sasha looked on from behind her oxygen mask - her cheeks were tear-stained from the latest procedure and her enormously distended belly prevented her from lying comfortably.

And finally, there were the little old ladies at the seniors' home, repeating, "God bless you!" between songs while clutching their shiny gift bags.

The best blessing is to be a blessing.

Thank you, Dr. Kandola, for giving so that we could give in Jesus' name.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

"...And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6b

Leadership & Lights

2007-12-02T12:04:00.001-08:00

I've been reading the Psalms quite a bit lately and I noticed that David has been in some really uncomfortable situations, being pursued by enemies and feeling the weight of God's silence when he wanted to hear Him the most. And it made me think of the times (there are plenty) when I feel all squirmy and I just want to run from leadership and bake cookies forever. Starbucks is also on my default list.

But then I remembered the difference between Saul and David's responses to their appointed tasks. Saul hid himself among the baggage when he was supposed to step up and lead the nation. David came against his giant with zeal for God and confidence in His character.
And so I pray...Lord, help me to trust You and know You like David did – to look to You and believe in Your love for me. And help me to step up as You lead me.

Here are some recent photos and happenings...

They light up my life!

I am so delighted to be around kids all the time! I'm beginning to feel like a true auntie even though I make crummy paper airplanes out of church bulletins.

Monkeys!
The landscaping guys have started a vegetable and fruit garden behind the dormitory. With much of the bush cleared out back there, we have better access to a shady reading spot (watch out for snakes!) and to a path that leads through our land to a large canal. Karen and I were walking back there a couple weeks ago and heard a lot of rustling overhead. We looked up to see monkeys swinging from the trees! Steve with Basil and his crew.

The bridge in progress -completed November 29th -praise God for His provision!
Me and Beeno -she's my latest roomie.
Ladies Night
Staff and students from the base enjoyed an evening of glamour attending “Coming Before the King” in Georgetown – a banquet celebrating the value of women; highlighting topics like domestic violence, suicide and child abuse. I got to wear a beautiful Indian garment that Beeno bought me. The skirt was long and flowy and I felt very elegant -except when I stepped on the skirt and then got it caught in the taxi door. It was nice to get dolled-up and give the mom's a break for a night.

We're nearing the end of the lecture phase for the DTS and we'll begin outreach after Christmas. Our destinations are Suriname and Curacao (an island in the Netherland Antilles). Raising finances is not easy in third-world/developing nations but the students have been successful with a couple of fundraising events. I am impressed with their determination and trust in God. If anyone would like to give toward a student's tuition or outreach, please email me at: bluemountainsunrise@gmail.com or guyanayouthwithamission@yahoo.com

Thanks for staying up to date. I'm looking forward to writing about the Christmas parties we'll be hosting at a seniors' home, children's and AIDS ward at the hospital and at the orphanages we visit on Fridays.

Deck the halls! -em

September Happenings

2007-10-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

You know you live in Guyana when...

-You read an article about piracy in the daily news and it's not about music, it's acutally about pirates – aparently there's been a surge of pirates on Guyana's waters and the government is cracking down on their activity.

-You sweat so much from moving grass that you end up inhaling sweat beads through your nostrils, mimicking the sensation that you've suddenly gone under water and didn't get a chance to hold your nose.

-The neighbour's cow just knocked over your garbage can again.

Last month we had a team from Jamaica help us put the columns up on our new building. They worked like mad for 10 long days in the hot sun and got so much accomplished. Meanwhile a youth group from Georgetown also came to our aid in construction. We had so many people carrying in sand and rocks from the road, every bucket we had was in use. I even carried sand in an old igloo cooler when there were no buckets available! We were grateful for the help and the good company and we praise God for another step toward getting the building completed. Plus, it was fun for me to catch up with my Jamaican friends. Here we are at St. George's Cathedral in Georgetown. It's either the world's tallest or oldest standing wooden structure, unless that's one of those made up facts.

The guys also helped with some electrical work on our house. Turns out our ground wires have current – so that's why Steve keeps getting zapped by the microwave!

Since the team left, construction has come to a halt due to lack of funds and our need to focus on DTS. We have 3 couples in the school and one Alaskan girl. All the couples have small children so there are a lot of little ones running around which I find delightful.

I'm continually amazed by how God comes through for us. Last week, a family came by with loads of vegetables and today, the ice factory down the road decided to give us water to fill 2 of our tanks (450 gallons each) for free!

And God is faithfully working in me, too (Phil. 1:6). Space is limited here and I find that being around people constantly -as wonderful as they are-with no place of escape -exposes selfishness that I wasn't even aware existed in me. I'm thankful for those instances when my need for God's grace and mercy smacks me in the face -it's His kindness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4).

I heard someone say that the way you treat people is the only real evidence that you've connected with God. I pray that His fire burns away the stuff in me that doesn't reflect Jesus so that my life would be evidence that He lives and loves us.

God is faithful to bring me to my knees to look for Him like a lost coin and faithful to show up in conversations with neighbours and others we meet in the day.

In your prayers:
-Thank God for the DTS and how well it's going!
-Thank God for all the help we received in construction!
-Thank God for His provision in everything.
-Please ask God to send rain to keep our water supply replenished.
-For direction and unity among the leadership team as we decide on outreach locations.
-For opportunities to serve our community.
-For funds to continue construction.

Thank you so much!

The Northwest

2007-09-03T03:35:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Two weeks ago I spent 6 days in places where most people in the world never have the opportunity to go. And I was blown away. There are too many words that are still not enough and even the pictures don't do justice to the journey.I wanted to post more photos but it takes eons to upload them so these will have to do for now...

Pastor Orpha (PO) planned the trip to visit communities her church is helping and new ones who need help building a church. PO and I connected quite comfortably. She reminded me of Gadgette from Rescue Rangers: spunky and sweet but when it comes to business (preaching), she's a tough cookie.

We left Charity 8 hours later than planned due to a no-show boat driver, a motor in disrepair and at last, no gasoline. Once on our way up the Pameroon River to the Atlantic we turned back briefly to try to recover Sister Helen's kerchief but it sank.

Night fell by 6:30 and we only got as far as Barsina by 10pm, shivering in the wind as Roly took turns at full throttle. He's pretty much my hero for not getting us lost. From broad stretches through low branches, hanging vines and fallen trees in narrow passages, the waters are Roly's race track (or obstacle course). And he knows the Northwest like the back of his hand. Even in the dark, he'd only put up a flashlight every once in a while to make sure we weren't headed for disaster. He said he can tell when we're coming up to a turn because the branches are lower. We only had a coulple of close calls when coconut husks got caught in the motor. I think I could navigate those rivers for a thousand years and still have no clue where I am.
At night, in the boat we'd bundle up for the wind chill factor. On the shore, it was because of the sand fly factor. Sweating while cooking dinner in 2 pairs of socks, 2 pants and longsleeves was better than losing my mind from the ever-repetitive bites and I-can't-believe-how-itchy-I-am dances.
PO said we traveled about 1400km all together . Sometimes we would see people in canoes disappear behind huge jungle leaves and ferns and there's no way you can tell there's a creek in that spot except that someone just disappeared in it. And people live there! I couldn't get enough pictures of beautiful people, and I didn't. They were joyful, hospitable, timid and generous. This particular gathering in Hooboo Creek worshipped and prayed without shame.

Most people need basics like a water tank to collect rain so they don't have to use creek water for cooking and bathing and going to the bathroom in.
Sturdier housing is also necessary. All homes are on stilts because of the tide and some places looked pretty hazardous for children, but they've been living this way since they were born of course. Most people seem to have access to fruits and vegetables if they have a place to grow them -but the majority can't afford a motor boat to get far enough to a place where they can sell them. There's some minor trading that happens with a cabbage factory at a particular junction (ie. 1 bag rice for some wild cabbage). Young boys catch parrots to sell as pets.We visited this pastor and his family in Venezuela and I got to translate for us at the “border.” -Which was a dock with a small house and a Guyanese border guard and a few metres away, another dock and border guards for Venezuela. Their uniforms were shorts and in some cases also a t-shirt. PO said the people want their communtities to develop – to have schools (some have none) and closer medical help. And church leaders are eager for teaching because their only resource (besides the Holy Spirit), are people who travel in to teach them. There was opportunity in every place to speak and pray.
And then, when I thought I couldn't be more amazed, we went “not far” to Almond Beach, a village on the northern coast, lined with coconut palms, where tiny crushed shells made for sand and the wind in the palms mimicked the sound of a gentle rainfall.

This was my introduction at the service that night, “We are happy to have Sister Shirley with us tonight -”
“It's Emese.”
“We are very thankful to have our sister here with us for the first time. Her name is --very difficult to say --but she has come from far away so she must have something important to tell us...”

Mr. France, the community leader/elder for Almond Beach told me to come back any time. He'll even build me a house if I want to move there and I'm pretty sure he meant it.

And Pastor Orpha said when ever I want to bring out a team, she'd be more than happy to take us. So let me know if you're up for it.

“If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea. Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:9-10

Thanks for your love and prayers.
eM

Row, Row, Row Your Boat...

2007-08-20T18:40:00.002-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Here's a few more details about my upcoming trip: Leaving tomorrow (Tuesday the 21st)

You can follow a little on the map to your right but it doesn't show all the rivers.

Tomorrow morning I'll be crossing the Essequibo via boat, then taking an hour bus ride to Charity where I will meet pastor Orpha and her friend.

Early Wednesday morning, we plan to take a small boat down the Pameroon River to the Atlantic. In another boat we'll travel about 11 km in the ocean.

Then it's up more rivers, visiting villages and sleeping who knows where along the way.

Eventually we'll spend a couple days in Mabaruma.

We hope to cross over to Venezuela to visit another village that Pastor Orpha wants to help out before heading back the way we came.

The purpose of our journey is to visit the communities and their churches, to encourage them and see their needs. These are all Amerindian villages (different tribes native to the area).

I'm so thankful I get to do this even though the giant tarantulas make me uneasy. Aparently they can be dinner-plate sized there. Might as well be as big as a hippo.

Please pray for safe travels and that I will be an expression of Jesus to my traveling partners and people we meet.

I should be back in Parika on Wednesday the 28th with stories and pictures.

Thanks so much.

eM

Neighbours, Sand, and Rivers

2007-08-18T17:37:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for your continued prayer. Exciting news this week is that we finished filling in the foundation for our new building - hooray!!! And it has rained enough to irrigate it which saves us a lot of work with buckets!

We've also had new opportunities to reach out to our neighbours, some have been going through difficult times and they've appreciated our care and concern.

We are excited about the vision God is giving us for this place -especially to build a community recreation centre at the front of our property. More on this later...

I have an opportunity to visit some communities in the Northwest interior region with a Guyanese pastor and a small group. I'm slightly nervous about the trip 'cause I've heard it can be crazy but I am way looking forward to the adventure and making connections for future ministry opportunities. We leave this Wednesday (traveling in a series of small boats up the Essequibo and its tributaries) and are due to return on the 28th. Please pray for a safe journey and no malaria!

Please also pray for Jamaica, in the path of Hurricane Dean.

God bless you,
eM

"...'and all you people of the land take courage', declares the Lord, 'and work; for I am with you,' declares the Lord of hosts." -Haggai 2:4b

Out of Egypt

2007-08-12T13:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, when my foreign-ness smacks me in the face I think I'll never escape this perpetual pendulum of wanting to fit in and not wanting to to fit in because, so what?

Every once in a while I battle these thoughts that in some way or another, I'm just not cutting it. Yet the voice of God is not condemning. Every once in a while and sometimes more often than not, I get anxious about stuff that I'm supposed to enjoy and His Word says to be anxious for nothing, just let Him know what's on my mind and He'll lead me to peace.

I was swimming in all this especially after my journey to Hungary last spring and back to Jamaica in May. I wrote this then and it has become one of my reminders that Jesus is my deliverer and He is my friend. Today, I am remembering.

Out of Egypt
I've been a little apprehensive to cast my net from this boat
I've been stumbling in a pressing crowd
Afraid to reach out and touch your cloak.

But I'll keep missing every sunrise
If I don't face the dark before sweet dawn
And I cannot walk on water
When I'm busy building bricks out of straw.

Lead my mind out of Egypt
Pour your thoughts into my heart
Your hand stretched out, take it or leave it
Patience, walk me back from start.

No corners on the road to freedom
Shackles strewn along the side
In a thousand shapes and sizes
Mark milestones passed in time.

You cautiously unearth deep roots, lifting rocks with movements kind
Revealing underneath a soil that's tender
In these trapped pieces of my mind.

You're the warrior who clears the path before me
Pointing out that I carry too much
Wise to let me choose my footing
You're the gentle one who picks me up

And leads my mind out of Egypt
Pours truth into my heart
You liberate tied up emotions
Giving life and love fresh start.

Action & Suds

2007-08-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

The action continues in Hyde Park while Kim leaps around the room trying to get rid of the persistent bat that's circling above my head...oh, she's got it. I guess that's the second reason we have a broom and dustpan upstairs... I spent last week at another youth camp about a half-hour from Hyde Park. This one was much smaller than the last, with 35 youth and just a couple churches attending. My responsibilities included counselor, nurse and lifeguard (we bathed in a trench and canal). The smallness of it made for an extra awkwardness initially with everyone knowing each other and bantering with their inside jokes in Creolese.

Guyanese Creole has about as many similarities to Jamaican Patois as differences but I'm getting used to the accent. This camp was a good immersion in Creolese. I even played a part in a skit one night and people laughed when they were supposed to. And by the end of the week I felt very much a part of this church/camp family. They drenched me with water and painted my face to show their acceptance.

This was the trench we bathed in until we sent the boys upstream and got to use the canal across the road, wich was deep enough to swim in. The water comes from tributaries of the Essequibo River so it was clean, depending on your definition of clean. They call it black water because it's the colour of rootbeer, due to minerals. It might've also had something to do with the floating suds and occasional wrapper, bottle, and film of oil. I tried to look on the positive side and convince myself that the oil was making up for my lack of conditioner. Once the girls complied with my no-pretending-you're-dead rule, I enjoyed dancing around in the water with them and jumping in the canal to rinse the shampoo out of our hair.

It was truly a blessing to be with these bright, fun young people and I even connected with some of the other counselors. I was encouraged by the passion I saw in the pastors who ran the camp and those who came to speak at the sessions. They have a tremendous desire to build into the lives of the youth here and since it's a relatively small community, they take the opportunity to know their congregation.

This week I'm looking forward to focusing more on DTS prep and spending some quality time in prayer and seeking God.

"Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4b

Bless you,
eM

Camp Hauraruni

2007-07-21T19:35:00.000-07:00

I arrived at Camp Haururani in style with my pterodactyl sheet and hot pink mosquito net. I planned to use my sarong as a top sheet but it had to suffice as my towel, which I had forgotten. Thus, my Gambian skirt doubled as my night time cover. Being a missionary has definitely made me more innovative...
More than 300 youth attended this camp/conference in Hauraruni (a bushy, sandy region about half an hour from Georgetown). Steve and I got to be counselors for a few of them. I had 3 great girls in my dorm. And this was some serious camp! Devotions were from 5am to 5:30 and some of the guys got up for exercises even before that! The dorm lights were controlled from the kitchen so our lights also came on at 3am when the kitchen ladies began preparing our 6:30 breakfast (mostly bread). I searched for a switch in our building but the other counselors said there wasn't one. My next idea was to wear dark eyeshadow to bed, thinking that would perhaps dim the brightness that burned through my eyelids every morning, but I hadn't brought any. Needless to say, sleep was neither lengthy nor undisturbed. But I love being with youth so I didn't mind enduring it.

There was preaching and workshops in the mornings and more preaching in the evenings. The worship was quite a work out, everybody out of their seats jumping and dancing – so much perspiration and not just 'cause we're close to the equator! And if there's a limit to how many times you can sing “wet wet wet, soak soak soak” (in reference to the Holy Spirit), I'm sure we crossed it in the first 10 minutes of the chorus every night. It was a blast and sometimes I just had to laugh...My frist four years of praise and worship experience were in a church where substituting a piano for the humble organ was too risqué for our revered hymns. Last week I found myself under a tent in the sand, being yanked into conga lines and getting pulled up front to jump around and dance. What a life! The evening services were, well, pretty wild – and I'll leave it at that.
Steve and I had the opportunity to do a skit and speak about the upcoming DTS and encourage the youth to “guard what God has entrusted to (them)” that week (2 Tim.1:14). Several of them were very interested in learning about God and missions in a discipling community. Of course with every brochure I handed out, I thought, “Oh my gosh, HOUSING!” We are praying for finances and help to continue building. God contiues to be faithful in this week by week, it's pretty amazing. And some local youth leaders want to bring people from their church to help with the work.

In other news at the youth camp, I tried my hand at Cricket and other field games and chased down 13-year-old Deshawn who told me I couldn't run. Of course, I only caught up with him because he fell in the tall grass but there were no rules that said he had to be standing. Besides, I didn't bruise my pinky toe for nothing.

The photo above is of Beno and I in the kitchen hammock. She is from Guyana and on staff with us in Parika and she was the one who coordinated the camp. Beno makes the best dahl and rhoti on the planet. Check out the "Pictures" link on the right for more photos of the camp!

“Fan into flame the gift of God which is in you...” 2 Timothy 1:6a

Thank you for your prayers. I am doing well. -eM

Welcome to Hyde Park, Everyone!

2007-07-10T04:03:00.000-07:00

I am becoming acquainted with our interesting community and I truly feel privileged to be in Guyana and in this town on the east bank of the Essequibo river. People are generous and hospitable; we’re always greeting others left and right as we walk down the road and pastors and neighbours stop by all the time to chat or have a meal or bring us fruit from their farms.

Historically and politically, Guyana is very much a part of the Caribbean so I don’t feel too far from Jamaica. I still hear reggae and occasionally off-key gospel on buses and street corners, plus covers of James Blunt, Chicago and their contemporaries. What’s new to my ears is the Hindi-reggae mix and Hindi back-up vocals for almost every genre of music. In Georgetown, I heard a vendor blaring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

There have been two deaths in Hyde Park since I arrived and this image will forever be seared in my memory:

A 7-year-old girl in her Sunday dress, sitting next to a coffin weeping and whispering, "I love you, Mommy," while holding on to her dead mother's hand. Her mother died of AIDS, her father died of the same syndrome 3 years ago. I wonder how many more children there are here in similar circumstances. The incidence of HIV/AIDS is high in Guyana and thankfully, there are initiatives to educate poeple about it.

I had my first tarantula encounter a few days ago in the bathroom - which is the same place where a little frog jumped on top of my head. I saw him on the wall, then looked in the mirror and there he was, peering back at me. Not quite the accessory I was going for, although I hear the "outdoor" look is in. The tarantula was perched on the shelf, dangerously close to my loofah scrubber. Tim caught it in a bag, which he then dangled in my face. I nearly decked him but restrained myself because I was afriad he'd drop the bag and the hairy monster would get away and I'd never be able to sleep again. Now I enter the bathroom as if it were a potential crime scene, scoping out corners for intruders.

The homesickness/what-am-i-doing-here feelings were really trying to kick my butt last week. One night I finally realized, God must’ve brought me here to show me that He has actually called me to Vancouver or some trendy European city with a big park. Yeah, right. I am more settled now, looking forward to each day andI find it easy to love Guyana. Nights are more challenging when I am alone with my thoughts -please pray about that.

We were thrilled to receive Steve from Washington on Saturday (I worked with him at YWAM Jamaica) and since he arrived the hilarity factor and the making-fun-of-Em factor have significantly increased. Granted, I did hang my wet clothes on the "clothes-line" which turned out to be an electrical cord running power from the house to the dorms.

This week I am looking forward to participating in a 3-day conference on Islam and how it’s affecting the nation and after that, we’ll be working with a youth camp in the bush for 5 days. Please pray for the success of these events and their leaders (Mr. M and Beno, respectively).

It's good to be here, friends. Thanks so much for your support!

“So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” Romans 14:19

PS. If someone would like to design a stylish mosquito-net outfit for me, that'd be wonderful. I look good in blues.

Prayers, Cows and Cement

2007-06-28T19:43:00.000-07:00

Airports & Prayers

Danya dropped me and my way too much stuff off at the doors of Kingston’s international airport on Tuesday morning. I had been praying that my extra luggage surcharges wouldn’t be humungous and wouldn’t you know it, the supervisor at Caribbean Airlines that morning was Guyanese. We struck up a conversation as I waited in line and by the time we were finished talking, I was checked in and didn’t have to pay a penny extra for my stuff. God is so creative in the way He answers prayer!

I had a last minute flight change and ended up landing briefly in Antigua with a 3 hr stop over in Barbados. On the last leg I sat next to Shane, a young Guyanese cyclist and Collette, who is moving to Guyana from Maine at 66 years old to do missionary work with her husband. Our conversation covered everything from Chinese food to Jesus and an opportunity to pray for Shane. I think I made my first friend in Guyana without even stepping into the country.

Driving Home

Immigration and customs were a breeze and Kim was waiting for me on the other end with open arms along with Orlando (our friend and airport driver) and his wife Gina. Orlando’s sharp driving skills got us around potholes and wandering cows in the lat night. However, no measure of quick reflexes could avoid traveling through the thick scent of the Demerara Rum Distillery. Demerara is also the name of the river we crossed on what is boastfully known as the world’s longest floating bridge. I could see the midnight waters of the Atlantic illuminated by distant Georgetown lights as we zoomed across the estuary.
The houses are colourful and built close together with Hindu temples, mosques and churches in between. I was surprised at how many Hindu temples there are, one about every km and a half, marked with different coloured flags representing the pantheon that Hindus worship. Seeing those shrines really struck me with a sadness that there are so many people who do not know that there is a God who knows them and loves them so tenderly and that He is someone they can know and that this truth is so freeing.
It took about an hour and a half to get home to Hyde Park, a sort of district of Parika (the town centre is about 2km down the road). I finally dropped into bed around 3am.

Wet Cement

They say there are 2 seasons in Guyana: wet and dry. This one’s definitely wet. I awoke to a rainshower pounding our zinc roof and later got drenched by the hours of downpour helping our workers shovel cement with Kim and Beeno (ywam staff). It’s for the foundation of our desperately needed staff housing.
I am thankful for my little room with a burgundy floor, peptobismol pink walls that don’t reach the teletubbie-blue ceiling. My windows look onto Monic’s shop/bar across the road and the side of our property on the right and I even have a double bed, which I have never had before.

Being in a new place stirs up feelings of homesickness and loneliness but it awakens in me a desperation to have Jesus be more than enough. He is here.

I can’t wait to tell you more and there is already so much more to say!
Thank you for your prayers!

Almost There...

2007-06-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

I spent my last night in Jamaica turning my arms into rubber at a kick-boxing class with some friends in Kingston. Hopefully I can still manage to carry my too-much luggage today! It was about as difficult as I thought it would be to compact my life into a few check-in pieces and my carry-onables but here I am. People keep asking me if I like the food in Guyana but I don't know, I've never been there.

My flight leaves at 1:40 with a quick stop in Barbados and a change of planes in Trinidad.

Please pray for a safe journey to my new home.

em

Under Construction

2007-05-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

Hi there, thanks for coming. Until July please go to www.eminjamaica.blogspot.com for updates.

Thanks!

Em