The Most Difficult Mission in the World

More than once, we have heard the WIM (West Indies Mission) is the most difficult mission in the church, and for many reasons.

(On this map we live near Port of Spain. We also live in Guyana near New Amsterdam shown on the map below.)

First, because there are 11 countries within the boundaries of the mission with 12 different governments and many complicated government regulations for immigration.

Second is because there are multiple languages spoken (English, French, Dutch, Spanish, Suriname Tonga and Creole).

Third is because there are 7 currencies. In Trinidad/Tobago, the money is called “TT” money and is exchanged at a rate of 6.34 to 1 while in Guyana the exchange rate is 200 to 1 – although Guyanese money is worthless anywhere except in Guyana. As such, it was a real shock to the system when we went to the grocery store in Guyana for the first time and the bill came to over $37,000 (about $185 in USD).

The geography of the WIM makes for difficulties as well. Since most of the mission includes Islands, the only way to access many of the members is by boat or airplane – which also makes it very expensive for missionary transfers and for priesthood leader visits.

Food is really not as much of a problem as we expected in Trinidad. There are a great many American brands here (i.e., Pizza Hut, Wendy's, Burger King, KFC, Subway and others) but we have enjoyed some of the local dishes such as bake-and-shark at the beach. Many of the missionaries told us we can't leave Trinidad without trying doubles! When we moved to Guyana we found the grocery stores have few of the items we are use to in USA. Also eating out is a challenge. We have to travel two hours to Georgetown to eat at a restaurant. The one thing we do love in Guyana is the farmers market with wonderful fresh fruit and vegetables every day of the year.

Relating to time, no one is concerned about being anywhere “on time” so when appointments are set it doesn’t really mean anything. Culturally, the West Indies is a mixed bag of every race, creed and ethnicity. It is fun to learn about different cultures. We are daily interacting with people who have ancestry from East India, Africa, Amerindian and Indonesian.

Few get married. Working – or not - is “no big deal” and many – especially the young people are absolutely content with the “status quo” so there is only a small percentage of young people who want to better themselves! It is common in Guyana to find adults who cannot read.

But, while these issues make administration of the WIM difficult, they are also contributing to making our mission service rich and rewarding as we learn to appreciate, explore, accept and most important - love! Despite these seeming concerns, it is a great adventure!