Week 3 and Beach Day

Hi all!

All is well here. We have had some exceptionally hot days (high 30's) with no wind this week, so it has tested the antiperspirant to the limits!

This week of ministry has been educational. The guys here have been getting back into the swing of things after the convention, and back to normal ministry. This has allowed a bit more time to take me round and show me some of the deaf men that have had a study previously, but sadly there has not been enough people here to take it. So, hopefully I can restart some of them and have a chance to get my time in for the new service year. The downside to studies is that they give you food - all milk based and have generally either got hair in it or has been earlier sacrificed to an idol or two. They also love showing off that they have cold coke for you to drink by putting a load of ice in it (usually composing of swamp water) - eeeek - trick is to drink it before the ice melts and the evil parasites are released.

I had my first talk on the TMS this week - my first sign language talk in almost two years and in ASL! It went really well and I didn't slip in any BSL at all - very proud. I also interpreted a talk and a prayer, so I am getting into the swing of things, which is encouraging.

So, the big event of the week was Beach Day 2011! This saw the whole of the congregation trundle up to 63 village (the villages are numbered, I am in 78) and to the clay beach and dark water. Guyana, would you believe, is actually below sea level. This means that there are loads of sea defenses keeping the sea from reclaiming the land, and you can walk a couple of miles out to sea and it doesn't come past your knees. The downside to this is that the water is all silty and there is no sand. It is horrible! Nowhere to sit so you stand the whole time. Everyone was playing football and cricket, but they were covered in mud and apparently you have to throw away your clothes after as it is so horrible, so everyone (local) was in boxer shorts over boxer shorts as these can be thrown. Everyone in the hall got there by travelling in a big truck - about 60 people all standing in the back - so funny to see. Whilst at the beach, they served food out of the back and people had made enough for a hundred or so to feast. The cong are so generous and kind, it was a lovely day. I took photos and will post when I have the time to upload on to my picassa.

One of the girls (the girl who I thought had a name beginning with S - it wasn't, it was an A), Amber, leaves today to go back to the States, so we are at their house to say goodbye. Amber hopes to return next year. So, its all change here. Dum Daaa Duhhh

Ciao for now peeps.

Two Weeks In and One Convention Down

Well, the good news is that I am still alive. A little frazzled, but still alive. It is so hot and humid here. The average temp is 35 degrees C plus, and the humidity is stupid. A friend had said to me recently that unless she was sweating, she didn’t feel clean – I must say at this current point of tropical education, I am not yet at that point.

Last weekend saw the District Convention for Berbice, with a peak of 900 and something, with 30 Deaf. It was a really lovely weekend that began on the Thursday with us all travelling the hour or so to the horse race grandstand to help set up the sign language department’s screen, tarpaulin (spelling?) and light blocks. Guys and girls, they actually had me doing manual labour, with power tools! Quite a sight, I assure you. Once done, the place was ready to rock on the Friday. With a team of 8 interpreters, the whole programme was interpreted – credit goes to the local brothers and sisters who aided with this, as they are not trained interpreters, but did a masterful job. I was able to sit back and relax as I wasn’t able to attend the rehearsals, so it was decided it would be too much for me to arrive and have to go straight into interpreting into ASL – phew! I was asked to help out with coordinating the interpreting and working with some other brothers to make sure that everything went smoothly. Thankfully, apart from a couple of power blackouts and technical issues, all was good and the Deaf were very grateful. We had the pleasure of seeing some horses being given their daily stretch during the sessions. The plus side of this was that the owner of the race ground came to do an inspection on the Saturday and he was so impressed with the way it had been cleaned and fixed up, he waived the fee for using it! Jehovah really blessed the proceedings and the brother’s efforts here.

I have settled in somewhat, tho it will take sometime longer I am sure. I have replaced my morning Starbuck’s coffee and granola bar routine with cassava balls and sour from the market as it opens. The biggest challenge here so far has been lunch time – not having the convenience of being able to grab something on the go has been irritating. I am trying to remember to cook more on an evening than I need so that I can reuse the leftovers for my lunchtime. Oh the suffering! Bugs are now my enemy – I have been – and continue to be – bitten like a thing that is bitten a lot. The mossie nets don’t seem to help much, nor do the sprays that I spent a fortune on. Sad Face.

With the Convention out of the way, we have a week or so left before the new service year and the commencement of my pioneering – eek. I am really looking forward to getting my teeth stuck into the territory and the many studies that are waiting to be started. It sounds like the congregation need some manpower too, so there is plenty to be done.

Missing you all a lot. Today I have had a glum day and pined for Le Pain Quotien, Giraffe, Chez Bob, Starbucks and all the other delights of Belsize Park. Oh for a Voignier today and some curry from Aroma!

There are some pictures on my Picassa of the convention if you would like to peruse: https://picasaweb.google.com/115841554552813020315/GuyanaConvention2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCO2ev4_Qp7mWRA

Hi from Berbice, Guyana!!!

Well, I write from my apartment in Skeldon, sitting in my jocks and with the fan on full blast. I guess I should start from the beginning if I am going to tell the story so far.

So, I arrived in Georgetown, Barbados yesterday at a good hour and all was going well. Despite threats of a late flight, the rickity, falling apart plane took off on time and arrived early – nice! This newfound rapture was quickly added to by the fact that the immigration lady hardly even spoke to me as she issued a 3-month visa, which is a hard-won thing at the moment. I purposely measured who was smiling the most and headed for the youngest of all of the officers. Although I firmly believe that Jehovah guided the situation, I would hope that my charm at least didn’t hinder the interaction, Ha. On a high, I turn the corner to see three bags sitting on the carousel and the rest of my travel companions in a queue and filling out forms with a range of looks from consternation, disgust and anger to submission that this is part of the process. It turns out that in their wisdom, LIAT (not uncommonly) decided not to board our bags on the plane, to speed up the process of leaving. At the look of disdain from all the English people, the ladies kindly looked at the floor and said repeatedly ‘we will get you your bags, but we can’t guarantee when’. Nice. So, long story short, I stayed at a lovely Brother (Gale)’s house last night and hoped my baggage would transpire. It hasn’t. I decided that waiting for the bags could take days, so there is no point me wasting my time imposing myself on the family with whom I was staying in a remote area away from the city, so with my rucksack filled with absolutely nothing useful, I caught a car 4 hours ( with death defying driving ) to Skeldon. This cost about £7 and saw me slammed up against the window of a Toyota Corrola, with a woman with a boy of 6 on her lap and a huge fat old man too. Nice.

Although I still don’t have my bags, I am really glad that I came down. I met up with the guys here and had a lovely evening of chatting, watching a movie, having dinner etc. My ASL is pretty rusty, but could understand most of what was talked about, which is confidence building. They did have a little session of mocking BSL for its rudimentary nature – oh well, I won’t break it to them that there is a facsimile and bastardisation of a contrived and fabricated language (only cos I don’t know how!). The people here are Amy (who I know from years ago), Shamma-Rae (Texan, getting married and due to being a white man, everything one thinks to me – I offered, she said no), girl whose name I can’t remember but starts with an S (nice tho), Drew (21 year old, … unique…, living at the same block as me), and DC and Sarah (Deaf elder and his wife who I know from before). We had an interesting discussion last night about how the ministry is going to work now as there are 3 brothers. Basically, as pretty much ALL of their ministry is study taking, if I go with a sister, then it defaults to me to take it. They were talking about how they find that weird and should they wear a head covering etc – I think in the States they have a stricter approach to bros and sis working together and a married couple being split up – Just another thing to get used to!

Hot off the press! Just got a phone call from my friend saying Brother Gale has been contacted by the airline and ONE of my bags has turned up on the flight today! Hurrah. Now the lottery begins of is it my bag with all my electrical items and random effects, or the one with all my clothes in, shoes and a bottle of whiskey. This will decide my actions tomorrow. Looks like I will have to pay to get my bags brought down in a taxi. It is only about a fiver, so fine. Worth it so that I can change my shirt, and shave!

Off to market tomorrow to help the girls buy some stuff for a ‘party’ we are having tomorrow. Apparently they have been on a 31 day parasite-ridding diet and it ends tomorrow. So they are having a little party, and I am invited! The fact that it is exactly the same people as last night makes the invite no less appealing. I will hopefully be able to buy some underwear (will be three days in 40 degree heat straight) and some antiperspirant. It is so hot here – not as bad as I thought it would be, but I haven’t yet tried going on the ministry or to a meeting in a shirt and tie and jacket! Groan.

Okay, very quickly, a brief run down of the country so far. It is just like India with the hustle and bustle. The land is full of palm trees and farms and looks like everything is in a constant state of being built and falling down. It is definitely more Caribbean than South American. I can’t understand a word that anyone is saying to me, which is a bit annoying, as usually I pride myself on picking up the tone and rhythm straight off the plane – it is such a strong patois, plus the Berbice region here is renowned for being the worst of the lot. The whole country has a musty smell: a mix of turmeric, sweat and cumin. Not unpleasant, but never ceasing and it makes one feel a little sick at times. My apartment is simple – a room which is a kitchen/living room and a bedroom with en suite toilet and shower room – I say ensuite: it is basically one room. Very basic, but quite clean and it is a brother that owns it, so it could be worse. There is no cooker, but rather a gas stove or a microwave. Seems that most things are microwaved here. There is water until 10pm at night and internet occasionally. I don’t think the internet will be so reliable here, so perhaps I will need to upload to my blog and respond to emails at DC’s, so don’t expect a constant stream of emails. So… this is my home for the next… who knows.

Really tired as haven’t really slept in days. Off to sleep. Not sure when I will have posted this, as who knows when the internet will kick in.

Love you all and will keep you posted with everything.xxx 

Barbados Airport!!! Half way!

Hey all, I am validating my blog by posting something when I am actually out of the country! The trip has begun... dum di dum da daaaaaaa!

I am currently sitting in Barbados airport using their free internet, which personally I am really impressed by. Gatwick and Heathrow don't give passengers free wifi, yet somewhere like here can - come on, fix up! I write after a pretty uneventful trip so far. The only thing has been baggage fees, but to be honest that is my own fault for not booking a second bag when I made the original booking. Ho hum. Lesson learned. The flights have all been on time, the obligatory screaming kids were present, as were the poo smells coming from their little bottoms. New age mothers allowing their kids to run up and down the aisles, because the figure they can't go anywhere - false reasonings, I say - they could be flushed down the loo, shoved in an overhead compartment or thrown out the landing gear holes... next time!

Need everyone's prayers to help me get through immigration when I arrive and to secure the 90 days that I need, as opposed to the 30 they seem to be giving out at the moment. In addition, one of my bags is on standby, so would love some prayers to make it appear at the same time as I do in Georgetown tonight! That's all.

Love you all - excited about my adventure now. Eager to get there and start it: feels like it has been 'coming' for ages and now just wanna get started. The more fun I have, the more I can blog! (GROAN I hear from you all).

Ciao for now my darlings!

One More Day!

As our compatriots in the classic Les Mis sang so eloquently, one more day!!! I leave tomorrow - but I also sing it in desperation - one more day please! Has been surreal saying bye to everyone. This is the first place and time that I have left where I am honestly a bit nervous and intimidated about lies ahead (and behind) of me.

I love this place so much and have so enjoyed my time in Hampstead, north London. The last year or so Jehovah has really looked after me and given me the time and space to get better and get my life straight. I feel now he is asking for me to channel that new-found energy and inspiration in a new adventure, so 'step over' I shall. It has been sad to say goodbye to people, not least because I am not sure when I will be back. According to current estimates, I'll be back in two months due to lack of espresso and tailored jackets! I hope I am not that easy to break and I last a lil longer than that! Also tingeing the experience of saying 'tarra' is the fact that some of the people here may not even be here when I return, as they will be off on their own adventures. I am hoping that in the digital age, distance shall pose no barrier.

Bags are packed (lots of room in the second bag - what have I forgotten / can I put in as surprise bonus items?) and my outfit chosen to fly in. All the essentials...now... where is my passport...? ;)

Love you all and will miss you. Keep in touch and let me know how you are all doing and how much you love my blog posts. HA.

From the Griff - geronimo - smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast, or probably brunch.