Ministry pictures

Hi all

How is everyone today? I have been naughty today and have spent the whole day off the ministry and on my sofa. I have a mountain of congregation schedules, interpreting schedules and territory listings to rewrite and organize, along with trying to change my ministry schedule. Enough is enough I though as I groaned my way out of bed. A day for myself.

It was scuppered somewhat by a protracted blackout, which lent itself to 'play on the iPad time'. As I was playing with some drawing and note taking apps, I thought I would share with you some of my recent pictures on the ministry.

When teaching the deaf, tho I actually do this for many of my hearing studies too, we use pictures to illustrate concepts. Whilst not an exact science, it is often more effective than discussion, as it cuts through language and allows the students to work things out themselves.

Here are a couple of my creations. Have a good laugh, but they work!

Memorial Post

Hey all

Slightly belated post about the memorial, but I was waiting for a photo.

The sign language crew had to head up to join our sister group nearly two hours away, so slight logistical headache of picking up studies along the coast ensued whilst trying to get there on time. As it happened, our bus got too full so I had to get off and wait on the road for another to come. I arrived just before the emblems, so all was good. We had 91 in attendance with 52 deaf, which is a good showing. The memorial was held at the town hall and was a lovely venue. Due to the nature of our gathering, the town hall even decided to waive the fees, which was a real blessing as the cost of travelling alone is a hardship for many.




Our sign language contingent at the memorial.



Our English congregation of Skeldon had their memorial at the hall and had 238 present, that's at a cong with 70-odd publishers! We rushed back from the memorial to meet a load of them at the local chicken takeaway. Thoughtfully, they had saved some of the memorial wine for me to taste! Unknowing that it was the memorial wine, I forewent a cup and swigged straight of the bottle, which they thought was hilarious. There is even photo-evidence. Whoops.

Hope everyone had a lovely turnout at their respective memorials.

Woke up craving...

Another lamenting blogpost! I woke up this morning craving smoked salmon on hash browns with poached egg and béarnaise sauce from Chez Bob in Belsize Park! I miss my brunch mornings in places like below.



Oh well, onwards and upwards. Memorial today. I hope everyone has a lovely day and good attendances. We have to travel with all of the deaf to a combined sign language memorial. Slight shame as it means we can't attend our actual congregation. I have sent my camera with someone so I can live vicariously!

Off to the market as having a lunch at mine tomorrow with everyone from sign language. Miss you all.

Sometimes it can feel like this...

Amazing photo illustrates how it can feel sometimes: this little fella is carrying a huge rock whilst holding on to a branch with his teeth!

Though I love it out here, it sure can be hard some days. Big high five to those serving abroad and an even bigger one to the elders and pioneers having to juggle life and service back home in the metropolis. Don't know how you do it.

No rest for the wicked...

Hello my friends

Well, the campaign is in full swing - our congregation has commenced with a fury and vigor previously unseen, with half the territory being covered in a mammoth afternoon of preaching. The sign language crew have also been hard at work and we are about a third through (we cover two congregations worth of territory up and down the coast). The territory lists have been disturbed and the dust blown off - we don't do maps here, it's so 'developed country' - and following year old directions often leads to houses that are no longer standing or ones that have dropped from the sky.

This season is extremely busy for us. Today we are knocking off some addresses up the coast, then heading off to the assembly rehearsal to be ready to interpret this weekend at our special assembly day. Saturday we are back into our work gear and tool belts to set up the venue and Sunday interpreting our hearts out. Then memorial and special talk all an hour away. I am hoping to be going up river to support the special talk in the Amerindian villages, where there is a little deaf boy - I want to go and interpret for him.

After all of this, the image below is all I want to do: love the picture, from Joseph Richardson (for copyright geeks).

Holi day

Not to be confused with holy day or holiday, today was holi day. It is the Hindu new year and so Guyana is a party zone... Or a death-trap, depending on your point of view.

As you can see from the attached, holi day - or pagwa - as it is called here consists of coloured powder and water being thrown over ones friends as a celebration of the colours of the new year and spring. Apparently the colours have religious significance, but no one could tell us what. It is a national holiday, which is just asking for trouble.

Yesterday I managed to have a brush with this celebration, sitting on a tapir (small jeep public transport thing) waiting to pick someone up right outside a school. Duh. Smiley faces turned into evil as talc was launched at me. It only got me a little, but enough to lament over, that is, until I got home and heard that Amber got soaked and covered in purple! She was pagwa'd ( a new verb I have created).

Today we stayed in the house and tentatively walked to the meeting with pleading eyes so as not to get covered!

Enjoy the photos - not mine, but exactly what we have seen today.

Mangoes!

I love these things. They grow a plenty. I used to think my steak and mango oriental salad was so cosmopolitan, but they literally put mangoes in everything here.

Green little delights