(From the SMART team director, Fri 5/15/2009 9:49 AM),
Hello from sunny, VERY humid Guyana!
Sunday, 5/10: We had a great first meal together and 'last supper' : ) for the team. Basic orientation 101 was held afterwards in the Conference room at the hotel. A great night's sleep in a wonderful bed with lots of water was enjoyed by all.
Monday, 5/11: A sleep in followed a great hot buffet at the hotel, Basic orientation 102, and then the dreaded packing of supplies ... weighing and reweighing of those suitcases, praying that they wouldn't go over, eliminating unnecessary things team members brought ... AND the hotel management let us stay for a nap and hot shower until 2:00 p.m. before heading to the airport.
Girls' tickets went straight through and Guys' tickets did not. They had to head to the counter instead of the kiosk. First time of major prayer. Here it was only the kiosk having a problem. It was all there. Second answer to prayer: no baggage fees for the first leg of the trip ... we told them all ... the Lord will have another purpose for that money. And ... that He did!
Great flight to JFK in NY and a good meal ... very long layover, but by now, the team was bonding and having a great time. We left at 1:10 a.m. and arrived in Georgetown Guyana at 6:30 a.m. ... 30 minutes ahead of time. Great flight and there were even empty seats so the team could stretch out and sleep on the flight. By the way ... right now Guyana is on the same time as you are. That changes in the fall.
Bro. Shrivnauth and 3 of his children met us with a van and man from his church. Luggage all arrived except one of Faith's bags had the zipper broken. Other than that ... believe it or not ... all the game equipment was in that bag and not one piece of it was lost. Amazing!
Immediately, Bro. Shrivnauth and the other gentleman began teaching about the culture, religions and people on the way to our lodging. So very sad to see the Hindu and Islamic mosques on just about every block! The man from his church was a Hindu and has been saved (called to preach) about 9 years ago.
Our lodging could not be nicer! What a surprise! Close to the church ... one room has two bedrooms with a window AC unit in each ... they share one bathroom and a sitting area with kitchenette. That is where we are and the girls.
The boys are right next door with the same except only one smaller bedroom. But that bedroom AC unit really helps conserve energy with the high humidity and heat in the sitting area. Our breakfasts are in our area and we eat together, get our day's assignments, fit in journaling, laundry (often with no water ... and no dryer), and whatever else before the driver comes to pick us up.
All of Tuesday, 5/12, was spent in our rooms unpacking supplies, ironing clothes, getting organized, checking ministry things, and Orientation 103. Lunch and Dinner were brought to our room and had been prepared by the Guyanese ladies from the church. Delicious ... very different. Love to see the looks on those faces with all the rice and the meat with the bones they
are not used to. Showers and bed felt good at about 10:00 p.m. Not one person hesitated to crash and enjoy a long night's sleep before hitting the ground running on Wednesday morning.
Wednesday, 5/13: Primary School in one of the villages ... chaotic, children everywhere in a primitive building, hot, chairs and desks crammed in a room for lunch and Bible club. Kevin opened it all up and got their attention ... Rebecca had the story of the Wordless Book with a large caterpillar made up of the colors. There were some children saved. Cassy, Bethany, Faith and Rebecca shared Christ with some of the children and Ted and Kevin maintained crowd control and passed out the little wordless worms we had for all the children. What an experience! But ... we want to tell you that they did a fantastic job! Nothing like the States in experience.
After another Guyanese lunch at Pastor's house, laundry was done and we headed 'home' to work on ministry things all afternoon. Dinner at Pastor's and then church where Faith played a special, Bethany shared her testimony (without notes : ) and Bro. Baughman preached. The team was welcomed with open arms.
Showers and journaling ... ironing, packing of supplies for Thursday ... and off to bed for another much needed sleep! All are still living, none the worse for the wear ... well, except Ted who really had to work at getting his dinner down earlier (it was actually delicious and a favorite of everyone) ... but he did it and it didn't even revisit his plate upon completion : )
Thursday, 5/14: Same morning except a different school ... Faith, Bethany, Rebecca and Cassy opened with a couple of songs, Ted opened up and Kevin had the main presentation. Most all of the team talked to some of the interested children and a few of those children were saved. Lunch at Pastor's (Chinese) and then ministry prep before heading to one of the main hospitals in the city. They have all different wards and we had total freedom to pass out tracts, witness, pray with people and I believe 11 or so people were saved ... most through the team talking with them. It was a blessing. Very unsanitary conditions everywhere and one wonders how those people can get well ... but ... we've seen much worse hospitals in several other countries, believe it or not.
Homemade pizza for supper and you should have seen the team wolf that down! Absolutely pathetic! You'd have thought they hadn't seen food for a very long time!
Tonight's wedding rehersal: Faith will play the wedding music and Bethany will be singing a solo.
Right now they are all working on clarinet duets - Cassy and Bethany - all the gals are working on some music and the guys will join them tomorrow. They are working on a play "Stay in the Castle" for tomorrow night's teen activity (they are all in it). They will plan all the games, music, share their testimonies and the guys will share a devotional.
Friday, 5/15: We head to a high school where all will share their testimonies and one of the guys will finish with an invitation to receive Christ. Nursing home tomorrow afternoon (probably the Muslim Homeless Shelter) and they'll have a complete program there. After dinner, the teen activity.
Saturday, 5/16: The team will have a complete program for the bus workers and Ted and Kevin will be preaching to them. Pray for them, please.
We'll stop there and pick up next week. But ... we want to tell you that this is a tremendous team ... mature, get along well, jump in and do the work (as if they had a choice : ) ... we're so very proud of them. Pray for God's protection and for good health. All are doing well. The mosquito nets work great and they are culturally adapting as they go.
Very poor and relatively remote dirty country, but wonderful loving people.
Pray for each one as the Lord works in their hearts and lives.
Have a blessed week! And ... so far NO RAIN! But ... lots of hot sun and humidity. Sunscreen and mosquito repellant have become their constant companions along with hand sanitizers.