Hello everyone! So today we had a long day out in service. It is so nice to be out again after being kept in the house for a week while I was sick. It was full of adventure. We started off by Tom and Michelle picking us up so we could go to the meeting for field service. Which is so nice because we have been feeling left all alone out in service, but now we are meeting twice a week with the groups for service. On Tuesday we meet out in Black Bush and then Saturday we meet up in 53 village with the Sanches service group. So while we were waiting on the road for them we were watched. Yes I said watched. Remember the drunk neighbor who has started coming to meetings? Well he decided today was the day that he would sit on his veranda and stare at us while we waited. He sat there and just watched us for about 10 minutes, it was really creepy. Well that seems to be what he is good at, making us feel creeped out.
Finally they picked us up and we got to the service group. After a short meeting for service we took off. First we went to Lalo, she is a woman that is about 40 who was born deaf. Then when she was about 25 she had a stroke and lost the ability to use the limited sign she knew. So we watch the dvd and I draw pictures and try to explain it as simply as possible. We stay a short period of time because we dont think she understands a lot and just giving her a bunch of information at one time doesnt seem like the best idea. Then off we went across the road to Sono's. This is where the fun begins....
So off we went and as we walked in the gate to walk to his house which is in the back, we remembered that the dog wasnt very nice last week. So I am in front of Dana who says its ok because we have our umbrellas out. So we start walking in and I dont see the dogs anywhere. So carefully I walk around the corner and there are 2 dogs sitting there. When they looked up and saw us they jumped to their feet and started barking and running at us. If any of you have been in service with me, you know that typically I am ok with dogs. Yeah, these ones didnt like us at all. So as a reflex I turned and ran. Remember I was in front of Dana, it is important to remember at this point in the story. So I took off, I havent ran that fast in a long time. As I was running I didnt happen to think about who I was leaving behind. I look in front of me and Dani has the same idea as me. She is running saying oh I dont think so while she did it. We get to the gate and turn around, there is no Dana. I watch as Dana comes backing out of the alley waving her umbrella around yelling get away. So when we realized that we had left Dana for the dogs we couldnt help but start cracking up. I was laughing so hard I couldnt breathe and I was doubled over. Finally the young girl who lives at the front house, who also was laughing, took the dogs away and we were able to go through.
So other than that we didnt have anything too exciting happen. We did some other studies along the way and then did some that werent at home yesterday. It was a long day out, but it was productive for sure. Oh something else that was cool was that I had my first study with someone for english! Danielle and Dana found a woman who went deaf and can read lips, but doesnt sign at all. Her and her husband were interested in them coming back. So I went and we did the first lesson from the You Can Be God's Friend brochure. However it took a very interesting turn when he decided he wanted to discuss hell. I am a little rusty at having discussions about that subject, so I just used the do you think that a loving God would create a place for people to be tortured forever? At which point he quickly said that God just wants to threaten us with it so we do good. It was an interesting discussion indeed.
So Abi will be here on Tuesday! We are so excited that there arent words. Also what else is exciting about this is that we are going into Georgetown with Tom Monday morning and we are going to stay at the Bethel branch the night before! We havent really been able to see it yet and we not only get to see it but also stay there. We are going at a good time too because Monday night is their family worship night. So I think we are going to be able to sit in on it:) Another great thing about that is that the guest room we are staying in has air conditioning and hot water!!! You would think you wouldnt want hot water, but after 2 months of taking cold showers first thing in the morning you want a hot shower. Even if just means I feel clean again, finally! And the air conditioning, well that is self-explanatory. So we are looking forward to getting to see Georgetown a little and having this wonderful experience. Hope everything is well, I miss you all!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Dead Dog
Hey everyone! So it has been a busy week. We have finally been able to catch some of the Bible studies that have been gone the last few weeks. Really there have been no highlights the last few days here so I will just start with today.
Today we have studies scheduled in Allness and 38 village. All of our Bible studies in Allness have been gone whenever we try to find them. So I will start with this morning. We woke up late and hung around the house, it was very pleasant to not be rushing around first thing in the morning. So when we finally were ready and on the bus is when the fun begins. We were driving very quickly and apparently the driver didnt see the dog wandering into the road. Yes the driver hit the dog. The really sad part is that the next time we stopped the conductor got out and made sure the dog didnt hurt the car. Funny how they had no concern for the dog they hit on the road, but the huge bus that ran it over might have been damaged.
Finally we got to our first stop named Pearol. She is about 25 years old and is at home by herself most of the time. We stood outside her gate yelling inside for about 5 minutes, thankfully a woman across the road heard us yelling and called her neighbor to let us in. People here are very friendly and helpful. So we went in and sat down. She is really sweet, she copies all the signs from the dvds and whatever you are signing at the time. Its nice though because she seems to understand what she is learning and she loves us visiting her. Hopefully soon she will start coming to meetings with us.
Then we headed to Pammy's house. Unfortunately she was at the doctor, a lot of people have been sick recently. Its funny here because when someone is sick, they say they are at the hospital. They never say they went to the doctor. So our intital reaction when they say they went to the hospital is more dramatic then the situation calls for.
So we took a bus to 38 village to see Atri, Athang, and Trevor. Atri and Athang are twins and Trevor is a good friend of theirs. So we go to Atri's house and the other 2 come over slowly but surely. Today however was really amusing. We arrived at the house to find Atri outside with his son whos name I dont know. This kid always hides in the house whenever we come over. Today though, he was outside and was very friendly. He had a glazed look on his face and a huge smile. We sat down and were waiting for the other 2 guys to come over when the phone rang. The kid started talking to his mother on the phone when we hear him say, I had a few drinks mom, I am drunk. All three of us looked at each other and almost burst out laughing. We contained ourselves enough so that all that happened was shaking. It kept getting better the whole time because he had a machete with him. You would hear him hacking away then suddenly he would say ouch. It was was so funny.
So during the study the three men would keep each other in line. At one point Trevor was explaining somethiing to Dana and Atri reached over and slapped him and told him to pay attention. It continued that way through the whole study, it became more and more amusing as time went on. Finally they got the concept and we got ready to take off. On the way back to the road Danielle decided to give the boy the latest magazines on alcohol. As he took them from her hand he started giggling. I dont know if he understood why we gave him the magazines.
So really that is it. I do have a good story from yesterday in Black Bush. We were walking down the road because a man told us he thought there was a deaf woman down the road is how he put it. So this old man, about 85 who is obviously drunk and not wearing shoes stumbles over to us. Dani pulled evasive manuevers and hid behind me. I apparently was his objective. He walked over to us and grabbed my hand. He started slurring his words so I didnt really understand what he said except when he looked at the girls and said I love her as a friend. Then said dear go on your way and handed me off. I attract all the crazies, it doesnt matter where we are. They just like me I guess. Ok well I hope you enjoyed it:) Bye
Today we have studies scheduled in Allness and 38 village. All of our Bible studies in Allness have been gone whenever we try to find them. So I will start with this morning. We woke up late and hung around the house, it was very pleasant to not be rushing around first thing in the morning. So when we finally were ready and on the bus is when the fun begins. We were driving very quickly and apparently the driver didnt see the dog wandering into the road. Yes the driver hit the dog. The really sad part is that the next time we stopped the conductor got out and made sure the dog didnt hurt the car. Funny how they had no concern for the dog they hit on the road, but the huge bus that ran it over might have been damaged.
Finally we got to our first stop named Pearol. She is about 25 years old and is at home by herself most of the time. We stood outside her gate yelling inside for about 5 minutes, thankfully a woman across the road heard us yelling and called her neighbor to let us in. People here are very friendly and helpful. So we went in and sat down. She is really sweet, she copies all the signs from the dvds and whatever you are signing at the time. Its nice though because she seems to understand what she is learning and she loves us visiting her. Hopefully soon she will start coming to meetings with us.
Then we headed to Pammy's house. Unfortunately she was at the doctor, a lot of people have been sick recently. Its funny here because when someone is sick, they say they are at the hospital. They never say they went to the doctor. So our intital reaction when they say they went to the hospital is more dramatic then the situation calls for.
So we took a bus to 38 village to see Atri, Athang, and Trevor. Atri and Athang are twins and Trevor is a good friend of theirs. So we go to Atri's house and the other 2 come over slowly but surely. Today however was really amusing. We arrived at the house to find Atri outside with his son whos name I dont know. This kid always hides in the house whenever we come over. Today though, he was outside and was very friendly. He had a glazed look on his face and a huge smile. We sat down and were waiting for the other 2 guys to come over when the phone rang. The kid started talking to his mother on the phone when we hear him say, I had a few drinks mom, I am drunk. All three of us looked at each other and almost burst out laughing. We contained ourselves enough so that all that happened was shaking. It kept getting better the whole time because he had a machete with him. You would hear him hacking away then suddenly he would say ouch. It was was so funny.
So during the study the three men would keep each other in line. At one point Trevor was explaining somethiing to Dana and Atri reached over and slapped him and told him to pay attention. It continued that way through the whole study, it became more and more amusing as time went on. Finally they got the concept and we got ready to take off. On the way back to the road Danielle decided to give the boy the latest magazines on alcohol. As he took them from her hand he started giggling. I dont know if he understood why we gave him the magazines.
So really that is it. I do have a good story from yesterday in Black Bush. We were walking down the road because a man told us he thought there was a deaf woman down the road is how he put it. So this old man, about 85 who is obviously drunk and not wearing shoes stumbles over to us. Dani pulled evasive manuevers and hid behind me. I apparently was his objective. He walked over to us and grabbed my hand. He started slurring his words so I didnt really understand what he said except when he looked at the girls and said I love her as a friend. Then said dear go on your way and handed me off. I attract all the crazies, it doesnt matter where we are. They just like me I guess. Ok well I hope you enjoyed it:) Bye
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Guyanese customs
So in addition to the last post with experiences I thought maybe I should post a little about some of the cutoms here in Guyana. First of all, regardless of how long you have known each other, you always kiss each other on the cheek. Which can become quite awkward when you don't know the person at all, like you don't remember their name becuase you met them one time and it is a freak accident that you saw them again. But normally you have the normal greeting of good then whatever time of day it is, then you lean over and kiss on both cheeks. It took a lot of getting used to. Thankfully the sisters in the congregation have us trained now, so we initiate it instead of them. I must say they are very proud of how far we have come.
Then when you are in service is definetly different than in the States. First of all when you go up to a house you don't enter the gate. You stand outside and yell inside, then wait for them to invite you in. Then you have your normal greetings and introduction. After that you ask after the family, and then they ask you about your life. People here are very friendly and like to know a lot about their neighbors. Then you sit and before you can have a discussion, they ask you if they can get you anything. It is considered rude to refuse. The important thing is to make sure everything is prepared properly. Sometimes they will prepare things that have been cooked with water that wasnt boiled. So we have made it a habit to take precautions at home. We were told that eating a clove of garlic or making a tea out of it is the best way to kill anything you eat that isn't good for you. So after you eat and drink what is prepared for you, then you can leave. But you are always made to promise that you will return to visit to keep up your friendship. The Guyanese are very hospitable people and love to just sit and chat all day long.
Then there is the matter of Guyanese and their concept of time. They have none. They show up to the Kingdom Hall 25 minutes late to meeting and act as though they have arrived on time. When you take a bus anywhere be prepared to make many stops, some of which are people stopping to grab things along the way. So your busride could be anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour depending on how many people are on and what their specific needs are. Also on the bus it doesnt matter if the bus is already full they will stop to pick up more people. There has been more than one time when people are sitting on the floor and on other people's laps. These are all people who don't know each other might I add. Then there is their concept of time in how they speak. For example last Saturday Dani and I walked up to a study just around the corner. When his mother invited us in to sit and wait for him to finish his work she was talking to us, 30 minutes go by and we say that maybe we will come back another time when they aren't so busy. She said oh no he be done just now, he be done just now. So we sit and wait, another 10 minutes goes by and we again say we should come back. She tells us that he be done short while. After another 10 minutes we say we are leaving and will come back the next day. So off we went and 30 minutes later we saw the man he was helping finally leave their house. So what we have learned from this experience is that when the Guyanese say they be there just now, or use the words short while, it really means about an hour later.
So these are just some of the customs that we have been getting used to, life here is always an adventure and we will never look back on this trip and say we were bored with the people here.
Then when you are in service is definetly different than in the States. First of all when you go up to a house you don't enter the gate. You stand outside and yell inside, then wait for them to invite you in. Then you have your normal greetings and introduction. After that you ask after the family, and then they ask you about your life. People here are very friendly and like to know a lot about their neighbors. Then you sit and before you can have a discussion, they ask you if they can get you anything. It is considered rude to refuse. The important thing is to make sure everything is prepared properly. Sometimes they will prepare things that have been cooked with water that wasnt boiled. So we have made it a habit to take precautions at home. We were told that eating a clove of garlic or making a tea out of it is the best way to kill anything you eat that isn't good for you. So after you eat and drink what is prepared for you, then you can leave. But you are always made to promise that you will return to visit to keep up your friendship. The Guyanese are very hospitable people and love to just sit and chat all day long.
Then there is the matter of Guyanese and their concept of time. They have none. They show up to the Kingdom Hall 25 minutes late to meeting and act as though they have arrived on time. When you take a bus anywhere be prepared to make many stops, some of which are people stopping to grab things along the way. So your busride could be anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour depending on how many people are on and what their specific needs are. Also on the bus it doesnt matter if the bus is already full they will stop to pick up more people. There has been more than one time when people are sitting on the floor and on other people's laps. These are all people who don't know each other might I add. Then there is their concept of time in how they speak. For example last Saturday Dani and I walked up to a study just around the corner. When his mother invited us in to sit and wait for him to finish his work she was talking to us, 30 minutes go by and we say that maybe we will come back another time when they aren't so busy. She said oh no he be done just now, he be done just now. So we sit and wait, another 10 minutes goes by and we again say we should come back. She tells us that he be done short while. After another 10 minutes we say we are leaving and will come back the next day. So off we went and 30 minutes later we saw the man he was helping finally leave their house. So what we have learned from this experience is that when the Guyanese say they be there just now, or use the words short while, it really means about an hour later.
So these are just some of the customs that we have been getting used to, life here is always an adventure and we will never look back on this trip and say we were bored with the people here.
New study and sickness
Hey everyone! Once again sorry it has been so long since I wrote last. I have been sick for a few days. Nothing serious, just so dizzy that I don't have the ability to walk in a straight line. It is not fun. It also meant that I missed Sunday of our circuit overseer's visit, I was so disappointed. Thankfully I have heard it in english and already saw it in sign language. So since I wrote last we have a new addition to our household. Her name is Dana and she is from Indiana. Some of you already know her, she was in Portland sign for a while. She is a lot of fun to have around, and as a plus she has experience in other countries. Not to mention she hasn't been living with us the last month and a half so its a new person to talk to.
So really there aren't too many highlights to update you on, except we have a new bible study. Its a little girl named Davy and she lives up in village 60. She was handed over to us by a sister that lives up in Skeldon. Davy's family recently moved into our territory and Melinda felt that she had better hand it over. You know it is going to be a good study when the person who had it doesn't really want to hand it over. So Dana and I rode a bus up to 60 village to meet Melinda so she could introduce us to the family. What a sight it was when we arrived. We had 6 kids all between the ages of 2 and 15 surrounding us ready to show us that they remembered the signs they learned last week.
While Melinda was showing them the Noah dvd I watched as all the kids stared at the screen randomly shouting they knew the sign for the animal that passed on the screen. To my surprise they all knew the signs for the animals that Melinda showed them. There was a particularly cute little 2 year old boy who would swear he knew the sign but when asked would hide behind his older brother and peek around his legs and smile. Sometimes I just want to take the little kids home with me, they are so cute and sweet. We stayed with them for about 45 minutes and watched as they tried to remember my sign name. One of them remembered because he liked the sound effect he could make while signing it. It was a wacha sound, rather amusing to see the other kids try to make the same noise.
We are very excited to have another little kid study. The kids here are so much easier to study with because they are more willing to learn and pay attention. The adults are more interested in having white girls come and see them. Everyone is very grateful that we are visiting but sometimes it feels like they aren't really taking it seriously.
So a few more highlights of these last few days is that I bought myself my first Guyanese thing other than food. I bought leather sandals from a man at the market. They are brown with a strap over the top of my foot up by my ankle. Then there is a little strap for my big toe and then a leaf connects the two straps. They are really pretty, and very cheap. I bought them more out of neccesity because my service sandlas have broken as well as a pair of flip-flops. My shoes aren't responding well to the weather and how often I wear them.
Oh and I should really finish this blog with a funny story. When we first moved into our house we searched our village for deaf and met a man that lives directly across the road from us, his name is Daniel. When we met him he was really wierd and wanted to have a "bible discussion" with us. This so called discussion included one question from the book of Ezekiel then quickly moved on to our feelings on interfaith marriage. After about 10 minutes there we decided to avoid the man at all costs for the rest of our stay here. We have succeded so far but I do have a rather amusing story about him. So in addition to knowing that he is creepy, we also know that he is a raging alcoholic. His son studies with Tom Sanches in our hall so we are aware of all their issues. He regularly gets drunk and makes a fool of himself in the village. So Dani and I were going to go and get water up at the shop in 47. So grabbed our water bottles and headed for the road. After I walked out of the gate I saw him passed out in front of a post. He was face down on the ground with no shoes on. So we stayed on our side of the road until we were what we felt was a safe distance from him. Just seconds later though we had to turn around because of what we saw. A young girl, about 16 had a stick in her hand and she started poking him in hopes he would wake up and go back to his house. Well after poking him for about 1 minute he still wouldn't wake up. So instead of giving up she started beating him with the stick yelling the words drunk get up. After he woke up she felt that he still needed to be hit to get going. So she continued this until he was almost to his gate. After he got in his gate he felt safe so he started yelling awful things at her and you could hear them yelling at each other until we were able to catch a bus.
I have never seen anything so funny, well I take that back. The man who was standing on the sea wall completely naked fishing was pretty funny. Then there was the night that Dani was being chased around the living room by the big green bug that she had tried to kill with the bug spray. Which by the way, the bug spray only kills the beetles. It seems to give greater power to the other bugs we encounter. In all of the cases I just described I was laughing so hard that I was crying, doing what my uncle Landon does when he finds something particularly amusing. You are laughing so hard that there is no noise, just you with your mouth open rocking back and forth with your face completely red and tears streaming out of your eyes. Yes I guess you could say it is genetic. Well that is it for now, hope to hear from you all soon:)
So really there aren't too many highlights to update you on, except we have a new bible study. Its a little girl named Davy and she lives up in village 60. She was handed over to us by a sister that lives up in Skeldon. Davy's family recently moved into our territory and Melinda felt that she had better hand it over. You know it is going to be a good study when the person who had it doesn't really want to hand it over. So Dana and I rode a bus up to 60 village to meet Melinda so she could introduce us to the family. What a sight it was when we arrived. We had 6 kids all between the ages of 2 and 15 surrounding us ready to show us that they remembered the signs they learned last week.
While Melinda was showing them the Noah dvd I watched as all the kids stared at the screen randomly shouting they knew the sign for the animal that passed on the screen. To my surprise they all knew the signs for the animals that Melinda showed them. There was a particularly cute little 2 year old boy who would swear he knew the sign but when asked would hide behind his older brother and peek around his legs and smile. Sometimes I just want to take the little kids home with me, they are so cute and sweet. We stayed with them for about 45 minutes and watched as they tried to remember my sign name. One of them remembered because he liked the sound effect he could make while signing it. It was a wacha sound, rather amusing to see the other kids try to make the same noise.
We are very excited to have another little kid study. The kids here are so much easier to study with because they are more willing to learn and pay attention. The adults are more interested in having white girls come and see them. Everyone is very grateful that we are visiting but sometimes it feels like they aren't really taking it seriously.
So a few more highlights of these last few days is that I bought myself my first Guyanese thing other than food. I bought leather sandals from a man at the market. They are brown with a strap over the top of my foot up by my ankle. Then there is a little strap for my big toe and then a leaf connects the two straps. They are really pretty, and very cheap. I bought them more out of neccesity because my service sandlas have broken as well as a pair of flip-flops. My shoes aren't responding well to the weather and how often I wear them.
Oh and I should really finish this blog with a funny story. When we first moved into our house we searched our village for deaf and met a man that lives directly across the road from us, his name is Daniel. When we met him he was really wierd and wanted to have a "bible discussion" with us. This so called discussion included one question from the book of Ezekiel then quickly moved on to our feelings on interfaith marriage. After about 10 minutes there we decided to avoid the man at all costs for the rest of our stay here. We have succeded so far but I do have a rather amusing story about him. So in addition to knowing that he is creepy, we also know that he is a raging alcoholic. His son studies with Tom Sanches in our hall so we are aware of all their issues. He regularly gets drunk and makes a fool of himself in the village. So Dani and I were going to go and get water up at the shop in 47. So grabbed our water bottles and headed for the road. After I walked out of the gate I saw him passed out in front of a post. He was face down on the ground with no shoes on. So we stayed on our side of the road until we were what we felt was a safe distance from him. Just seconds later though we had to turn around because of what we saw. A young girl, about 16 had a stick in her hand and she started poking him in hopes he would wake up and go back to his house. Well after poking him for about 1 minute he still wouldn't wake up. So instead of giving up she started beating him with the stick yelling the words drunk get up. After he woke up she felt that he still needed to be hit to get going. So she continued this until he was almost to his gate. After he got in his gate he felt safe so he started yelling awful things at her and you could hear them yelling at each other until we were able to catch a bus.
I have never seen anything so funny, well I take that back. The man who was standing on the sea wall completely naked fishing was pretty funny. Then there was the night that Dani was being chased around the living room by the big green bug that she had tried to kill with the bug spray. Which by the way, the bug spray only kills the beetles. It seems to give greater power to the other bugs we encounter. In all of the cases I just described I was laughing so hard that I was crying, doing what my uncle Landon does when he finds something particularly amusing. You are laughing so hard that there is no noise, just you with your mouth open rocking back and forth with your face completely red and tears streaming out of your eyes. Yes I guess you could say it is genetic. Well that is it for now, hope to hear from you all soon:)
Friday, January 15, 2010
one week into one post
Hey everyone!! Sorry its been so long but we have been pretty busy this last week.
To start with last Sunday we went to zone visit. It was my first zone visit:) We took a bus with the Brighton congregation into Georgetown. It was a 3 hour bus ride and with all the Guyanese on the bus it was a loud one indeed. I sat next to Niasia, who wanted to chat about nothing in particular the whole ride there. She sits there and signs about things that havent actually happened, so it gives me something interesting to write at least. When we arrived we spotted the sign language interpreting section across the stadium. We were so excited when we got over there and saw DC standing up getting things ready! We were finally able to see our wonderful DC and Sarah:) It has been one of our favorite moments here. To all the Portland people I think its safe to say that they would like us to say hello for them and they miss you all. So we met many people from all over that are involved in sign, so hopefully we will be able to see them again and maybe go and visit them. So first we had the watchtower study then the zone overseer gave a talk. His theme was walking with god in integrity, it was a very encouraging talk. Also he shared some experiences from the upcoming yearbook, which if you all dont know yet its Albania. I wont tell you any details but the stories he shared were really interesting.
So afterwards we had to leave relatively soon but were able to meet a few people from a nearby city named Hopetown. It turns out that deaf search hasnt been done there so we think that hopefully we will get up there before we leave and see what we can do up there. Otherwise we got on the bus and ate chinese food, it was delicious. I was able to hang out with a 3 year old boy named Joshuah. He is the cutest little kid ever. He liked my sunglasses so we traded for the ride home. Mine were spiderman during that drive:) Very much worth it.
Not really too much has gone on since then, we are doing a lot of bible studies and right now we are enjoying the circuit overseer visit. He and his wife are really sweet. He is from Lousiana and she is from Mexico. They served as cos in california and then were invited to gilead. After graduating gilead they were assigned to Guyana and served in a congregation 30 minutes up the road from Brighton. Now they are serving as circuit overseer in this same area. They both learned a little bit of sign so they can communicate with the deaf they meet that go to the different congregations around here. Niasia was very excited.
So I do have yet another funny crazy grandmother story. Today was the study with Jem who has the crazy grandma who was the feature of my last post. We went up to see Jem and when we got to the gate we noticed that it was tied up with cloth in so many knots we dont know where one began and one ended. so after a few minutes Granny and Jem noticed we were there and Jem came over with a huge knife to cut the cloth so we could come in. So after sawing it loose we followed Jem into the gate. She pointed to the bench where she was grating coconut and Granny was sitting there rocking back and forth. So I gtrabbed my dvd player and set it up so that Jem could watch while still doing her chores. So while Jem watched Granny started talking to me and the "person" sitting next to her.
She was talking to us meaning dani,i,and the invisible person sitting next to her. I tried to ignore her for awhile but then I couldn't help myself. She told me that her brother and sister were walking around but I couldn't see them. She repeated that many times over and over again. Then she looked at the person sitting next to her and said these girls cant see them, maybe in a month or two, but now they can't. Then she said they cant see you either. Then started talking to them in creolese while rocking back and forth. I couldnt help but laugh. Then when we were done Jem walked with us back to the gate I looked at her and pointed to Granny and asked her if she was crazy. Jem smiled shook her head yes and walked away.
Well thats all the excitment I have to share for today. I hope you all are enjoying all the crazy things that have been happening to me. Until next time- Faith
To start with last Sunday we went to zone visit. It was my first zone visit:) We took a bus with the Brighton congregation into Georgetown. It was a 3 hour bus ride and with all the Guyanese on the bus it was a loud one indeed. I sat next to Niasia, who wanted to chat about nothing in particular the whole ride there. She sits there and signs about things that havent actually happened, so it gives me something interesting to write at least. When we arrived we spotted the sign language interpreting section across the stadium. We were so excited when we got over there and saw DC standing up getting things ready! We were finally able to see our wonderful DC and Sarah:) It has been one of our favorite moments here. To all the Portland people I think its safe to say that they would like us to say hello for them and they miss you all. So we met many people from all over that are involved in sign, so hopefully we will be able to see them again and maybe go and visit them. So first we had the watchtower study then the zone overseer gave a talk. His theme was walking with god in integrity, it was a very encouraging talk. Also he shared some experiences from the upcoming yearbook, which if you all dont know yet its Albania. I wont tell you any details but the stories he shared were really interesting.
So afterwards we had to leave relatively soon but were able to meet a few people from a nearby city named Hopetown. It turns out that deaf search hasnt been done there so we think that hopefully we will get up there before we leave and see what we can do up there. Otherwise we got on the bus and ate chinese food, it was delicious. I was able to hang out with a 3 year old boy named Joshuah. He is the cutest little kid ever. He liked my sunglasses so we traded for the ride home. Mine were spiderman during that drive:) Very much worth it.
Not really too much has gone on since then, we are doing a lot of bible studies and right now we are enjoying the circuit overseer visit. He and his wife are really sweet. He is from Lousiana and she is from Mexico. They served as cos in california and then were invited to gilead. After graduating gilead they were assigned to Guyana and served in a congregation 30 minutes up the road from Brighton. Now they are serving as circuit overseer in this same area. They both learned a little bit of sign so they can communicate with the deaf they meet that go to the different congregations around here. Niasia was very excited.
So I do have yet another funny crazy grandmother story. Today was the study with Jem who has the crazy grandma who was the feature of my last post. We went up to see Jem and when we got to the gate we noticed that it was tied up with cloth in so many knots we dont know where one began and one ended. so after a few minutes Granny and Jem noticed we were there and Jem came over with a huge knife to cut the cloth so we could come in. So after sawing it loose we followed Jem into the gate. She pointed to the bench where she was grating coconut and Granny was sitting there rocking back and forth. So I gtrabbed my dvd player and set it up so that Jem could watch while still doing her chores. So while Jem watched Granny started talking to me and the "person" sitting next to her.
She was talking to us meaning dani,i,and the invisible person sitting next to her. I tried to ignore her for awhile but then I couldn't help myself. She told me that her brother and sister were walking around but I couldn't see them. She repeated that many times over and over again. Then she looked at the person sitting next to her and said these girls cant see them, maybe in a month or two, but now they can't. Then she said they cant see you either. Then started talking to them in creolese while rocking back and forth. I couldnt help but laugh. Then when we were done Jem walked with us back to the gate I looked at her and pointed to Granny and asked her if she was crazy. Jem smiled shook her head yes and walked away.
Well thats all the excitment I have to share for today. I hope you all are enjoying all the crazy things that have been happening to me. Until next time- Faith
Friday, January 8, 2010
Crazy Families
Hey all, today was one of those days where when i sat down after I got home I knew that I had to write about it in the blog. We had 4 studies scheduled. First was Sumintra. She has a very sweet family, they always feed us too, which is a big plus. They gave us roti and potatoes that were fried with onion and eggs. It was delicious. Then came our first run in with a crazy family. The crazy family in question was Rani's. She is about 7 years old and last we were told she didnt go to school. She lives with her parents and grandparents, who are so nuts that the people who studied with Rani before us used the term certifiable to describe them. We found out quickly they werent joking. The parents are almost never there, and when they are the father is drunk and very chatty. But he is so drunk that its not understandable. Then there are the grandparents, the grandfather is never wearing enough clothing and they like to go through your bag and see what sort of things are in there. Today however they told us that Rani went to school...she has never gone to school before and the reasoning was that they couldnt afford to send her on the bus everyday to school. So we will see if that is true.
Then we experienced the craziest old lady that I have ever met. Let me tell you I have met some really crazy ones, if you know where I worked before I left then you know I am telling you the truth. We went to go and see Jem up in 50 village. Normally the gate is open and the kids are running around and the woman who takes care of her is sitting on the porch. However today was a different story. We walk up to the house and the gate has a chain around it and a very strong twist tie is holding it together. The old woman, who is called granny, came up to the gate and tells me that Jem isnt home today. Guess who walked up behind her? Yes it was Jem, she pointed to the twist tie and motioned for me to start untying the twist tie. It was really strange because the gate has never been closed or locked. So we walk up to the stairs and take off our shoes, this is where the real craziness begins. Granny tells us that her dead mother is upstairs waiting for us. Yes those are the words that she used. She was extremely serious, we were trying so hard not to laugh. That is considered disrespectful to do, especially to your elders.
So we are sitting out on the veranda with Jem when granny starts babbling on about how its awful Jem is studying and she needs to stop and come and do her hair. Apparently she doesnt know that being deaf means you cant hear, or maybe she just forgot. Then she proceeded to tell us that we were all going to recieve blows. Yes granny threatened us. It was rather amusing, however I think that she could take us so we didnt say anything about it. So after the study Jem and granny walked us to the gate. At that point Jem motioned for me to lock the gate, so i locked up the gate the way it was when we arrived. We thought that was the end of it but granny had another idea. We are standing on the road and I turn around and granny is trying to shove her hands through the tiny cracks in the fence to reach the lock so she could unlock it. Then I look up at the veranda where Jem and all the kids are standing there watching granny try to escape. Granny spent 5 minutes trying to get her hands through the fence to get out of there. Then she gave up but it seems she forgot that she had already tried to escape but had failed, so she tried again. Ok well that was my day, keep those comments and emails coming. I love and miss you all. Its only 3 months and 3 weeks until I come home and see you all. Until later
Then we experienced the craziest old lady that I have ever met. Let me tell you I have met some really crazy ones, if you know where I worked before I left then you know I am telling you the truth. We went to go and see Jem up in 50 village. Normally the gate is open and the kids are running around and the woman who takes care of her is sitting on the porch. However today was a different story. We walk up to the house and the gate has a chain around it and a very strong twist tie is holding it together. The old woman, who is called granny, came up to the gate and tells me that Jem isnt home today. Guess who walked up behind her? Yes it was Jem, she pointed to the twist tie and motioned for me to start untying the twist tie. It was really strange because the gate has never been closed or locked. So we walk up to the stairs and take off our shoes, this is where the real craziness begins. Granny tells us that her dead mother is upstairs waiting for us. Yes those are the words that she used. She was extremely serious, we were trying so hard not to laugh. That is considered disrespectful to do, especially to your elders.
So we are sitting out on the veranda with Jem when granny starts babbling on about how its awful Jem is studying and she needs to stop and come and do her hair. Apparently she doesnt know that being deaf means you cant hear, or maybe she just forgot. Then she proceeded to tell us that we were all going to recieve blows. Yes granny threatened us. It was rather amusing, however I think that she could take us so we didnt say anything about it. So after the study Jem and granny walked us to the gate. At that point Jem motioned for me to lock the gate, so i locked up the gate the way it was when we arrived. We thought that was the end of it but granny had another idea. We are standing on the road and I turn around and granny is trying to shove her hands through the tiny cracks in the fence to reach the lock so she could unlock it. Then I look up at the veranda where Jem and all the kids are standing there watching granny try to escape. Granny spent 5 minutes trying to get her hands through the fence to get out of there. Then she gave up but it seems she forgot that she had already tried to escape but had failed, so she tried again. Ok well that was my day, keep those comments and emails coming. I love and miss you all. Its only 3 months and 3 weeks until I come home and see you all. Until later
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
mud=rain, americans in black bush=stupid
Hey everyone, as you can tell from the title of this entry we were in black bush today. It was quite an adventure, it started this morning with my choice of shoes. I wore sandals, they are very open and leave my feet exposed to the elements. So Dani and I took a bus to the polder to meet Shameniel to head into black bush. I should have seen that outside it was cloudy and looked like it was ready to start pouring down rain. I however didnt. We arrived there and waited for our bus to arrive. Our ride in was good, not too bumpy. When we got off the bus we called the return visits mother to tell her that we would be there in a few minutes. When she picked up she told us that they werent home today and we would have to wait until next week. That is not what you want to hear as you see the only bus in sight driving away and you realize that you now have to walk.
As we started walking it started raining.....I had on open toed shoes. So as we were walking my feet kept getting more and more disgusting. We are walking in about 3 inches of mud. We walked that way for about 2 miles. It is all mud and puddles. So every so often I would stop and put my foot in the puddle so I could get some of the mud off of my feet. However in the process I just seemed to get more dirt on my feet I was just able to get the clumps of mud off my shoes so they didnt weigh 5 extra pounds. So we finally found a place where we could rinse our feet off and thankfully a bus stopped to pick us up. So we went to our other bible study with the puppies. She did really well today, she understood what was going on and was very attentive. As we were leaving Shameniel got her puppy!! The puppies name is Cleo, she is black and white and oh so adorable. Ok so thank you all for all the emails and comments, I miss you all!!
As we started walking it started raining.....I had on open toed shoes. So as we were walking my feet kept getting more and more disgusting. We are walking in about 3 inches of mud. We walked that way for about 2 miles. It is all mud and puddles. So every so often I would stop and put my foot in the puddle so I could get some of the mud off of my feet. However in the process I just seemed to get more dirt on my feet I was just able to get the clumps of mud off my shoes so they didnt weigh 5 extra pounds. So we finally found a place where we could rinse our feet off and thankfully a bus stopped to pick us up. So we went to our other bible study with the puppies. She did really well today, she understood what was going on and was very attentive. As we were leaving Shameniel got her puppy!! The puppies name is Cleo, she is black and white and oh so adorable. Ok so thank you all for all the emails and comments, I miss you all!!
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