Family Visits Guyana

We had a wonderful time when Anne and Danny and friend Clint came to Guyana. We couldn’t believe our dream came true of family visiting us on our mission. We had a great reunion at the airport! We were so excited to show them the Guyana that we have grown to love.

We were so excited to show them the Guyana that we have grown to love. We took them to our home in Berbice which is a three hour drive from the airport. It was fun to take them on the long drive to our home because they had plenty to look at – animals in the road, the poor conditions of the cities and homes and the vista of beautiful lush green scenery. As many times as we have traveled that road we never tire of it because of the interesting things to watch out the window. They were very impressed with how large and nice our house is. Our neighbor Asha called to tell us she had made us an Indian dinner of Dhal puri and curry potatoes. Her husband B.J. and sons Emmanuel and Josh came and spent the evening with us. We enjoyed the meal as well as their company. Anne and Danny loved the roti and curry and made me promise I would learn how to make it for our family. (From then on, wherever we went to eat, they wanted to order roti and curry). The next morning we left our home at 4:30 AM for our adventure to Kaieteur Falls. We couldn’t believe what a small plane we were going to fly in (nine passenger). It turned out to be wonderful. The scenery from the plane was extraordinary. Guyana is nothing but green. We were reminded of what a friend said about flying over the Guyana jungle –“It looks like millions of miles of broccoli from the air”. We now agree. The rivers are big and there are many of them. We flew through the most beautiful deep green canyon. At the far end was Kaieteur Falls. It is the highest single drop waterfall in the world – over 741 feet – five times higher than Niagara Falls. The pilot flew the plane around the falls so we could see it from the air at every angle and then landed on a small strip. We hiked through the jungle to find the falls. It was magnificent. We stopped at three different vantage points. We even saw the golden frog – an endangered species (about the size of a quarter). As the water from the falls goes over the edge it has a beautiful golden color. It was a great experience. We only wish we could have stayed longer. Only a handful of Guyanese have seen the falls because of the cost to fly ($37000 GYD). It is considered to be the “crown jewel” of Guyana’s interior (aka “the bush”) so we know the Guyanese people would love to see it and many dream to have such an adventure. Thursday was another full day. I hoped that they would get a feeling for the Guyana we know and love and this day accomplished that. Sister Shantie and girls Rubena and Dolly came to meet the family. Sister Shantie and I became very good friends when I helped her with names for her temple trip last March. We all really enjoyed their company. The little girls are delightful. We surprised them with the bracelets that Ashlyn made for them and had sent with Anne. They loved the bracelets. She had woven their names into the bands. Anne, Danny and Clint grew to love this little family in a very short time.
We had three more adventures that day. We took then to meet our other ‘favorite’ family, the Paul Brijemal family. I have adopted them as my Guyanese grandchildren since we have lived here. They are the children that always give me my much needed ‘grandma hugs’. We dearly love this family. Paul surprised us by taking us into the back yard so he could get us each a coconut. It was so fun to watch him shimmy up the trunk of the coconut tree in his bare feet. At the top he knocked the coconuts down with his feet. He cut off the tops of each coconut and bored a small hole and gave us each one. We tipped the coconut from our mouths and drank the sweet coconut water.

We then went to the orphanage in New Amsterdam. We have visited often and have become very good friends with the owner, care takers and of course the children. There are 54 children. They have very little. They had no books for children until we started bringing some. During the past year we would take over a birthday book in honor of a grandchild’s birthday and read it to them and then leave as a gift. It has been a heartwarming experience. Danny brought some books from our grandchildren to give to the orphanage. The five of us each took a few book and gathered children around us and read the books to them. They loved it. The woman in charge of the children was so grateful. She wanted the names of our grandchildren because she wanted to name them in their special book of history. Anne also gathered the children for a rowdy game of Duck, Duck Goose. They had so much fun. We got lots of hugs and thanks as we left. The next day, Saturday, was our last day with Danny and Clint. Early in the morning we visited Port Mourant Market. Port Mourant Market is a seven day a week market which becomes one of the largest market places in the country on Saturdays, attracting both buyers and sellers from many parts of the country. This is primarily a farmers market but a wide variety of groceries and clothing goods can also be purchased. It is quit an experience. It is very big with everything you can imagine – every kind of fresh fruit and vegetables as well as every kind of meat and fish and chicken. Everything was fresh and cut for you on the spot. Even the chickens were alive and you could watch as they went through the whole process of preparing the chicken to take home. Besides food there is everything you would need – household goods, clothing, jewelry, toys etc. On our way back to our house we stopped to see one of our dearest friends here, Sister Jesse Davis. She is near 80 years old and had her leg amputated a couple of months ago. We have been close to her through the process and have grown to love her and admire her good attitude and her faith in God. She has been a member of the church for many years. Her complication was because of diabetes. We go there to cheer her up but always come away being cheered and inspired by her. We were very happy to have our children meet her.

We drove two hours back to Georgetown for souvenir shopping, visiting the largest wooden building in the world – St George’s Catholic Cathedral and the Georgetown Seawall that is part of a stretch of 280 miles of dyke built originally by the Dutch, in the 1700’s, to protect Guyana (which is below sea level). It is interesting to watch the brown waves crash against the rocks. The water in Guyana including the ocean and every river is brown. The exception is the beautiful black water in the jungle creeks and the blue lakes in Linden. We had a sad farewell with Danny and Clint but were very happy to have Anne with us for three more days.

We spent time learning how to cook Guyanese dishes with Asha who was so willing to teach us. We made roti and potato curry and dhal and phalourie with green mango sauce. Then we invited her family over and we had a feast. Anne and Danny are both very excited to learn the skill of Guyanese cooking. They love the food.

On our last evening with Anne we went to a Hindu celebration of Diwali (the Festival of Lights). On the evening before Diwali they have a light parade with floats lit up with thousands of tiny lights. This represents their goddess of light - Laxmi. During this festival the Hindu people light small clay lamps filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness. They light up the entries to their homes with these lamps. It is a huge holiday in East Indian culture that is similar to the importance of Christmas. We were sad to say goodbye to Anne the next day at the airport. We are so pleased that she grew to love ‘our country’ in the few days she was here. We are so grateful Danny and Anne had the opportunity to experience Guyana with us. Now they know why we keep referring to it as a daily adventure.

Sister Singh

Sister Jean Singh
Georgetown, Guyana
Sister Singh is an incredible seminary teacher from Georgetown, Guyana. We were impressed when we heard she started teaching Seminary in a small storage room of a home with only four students. She started her class at 6:30 am. When we saw her months later the class had grown to 10. She said it was very crowded but a wonderful class with interested students. Then a few months later she reported the class had grown to 14 students. We asked how they managed in the small room. By the end of the school year at our last in-service meeting, she said there were 17 students coming to early morning seminary. We were very surprised because usually the classes dwindle in size over the year. We asked what her secret was. She said she wasn’t sure but there were three things she did consistently. She called the parents every Saturday to thank them for sending their children to seminary; and reminded them about seminary for the next week. She also called the students when they missed class to tell them that she missed them. I know other things are true that she did not mention. She loves her students and they feel it. She has a strong testimony and shares it in word and deed. She prepares meaningful lessons.

At the end of the year I was talking to her on the phone about the three students who are under age for seminary but attended seminary faithfully. Then she shared something with me that I will never forget. In October her branch president had extended the calling to her to be an early morning seminary teacher. She accepted the calling. At the time Sister Singh had a job that was from 7:30 am – 4:30 pm during the week days. Her class would not be out until 7:30 am. She went to her boss to discuss coming in a little late and staying later in the afternoon to make up the difference. She explained to him about her teaching religion to young people. He was very abrupt with her and let her know she would need to choose between her job and her teaching. Period!

Well, she choose seminary. She is a widow and needs to provide for herself (her only child is also deceased). She promised Heavenly Father that she would teach to the end of the school year if He would take care of her. She did not discuss this with anyone, not even her branch president. She told me that I was the first person she told about this. She said that the Lord did bless her through the year. She taught from October to July mostly living on her meager savings. Sometimes her brother sent her money out of the kindness of his heart with no knowledge of her situation. Other blessings came her way that helped get through without a job. What a dedicated, faithful servant of the Lord. She said, “When my problems got heavy I would go to seminary and leave with a song in my heart and the whole day went better”.

WIM Celebrates Graduation

Seminary and Institute (S&I) has been a great blessing for the young people of the West Indies. It has been a thrill for us as CES missionaries to watch the year long process from enrollment Sept. 2010 to graduation July/Aug 2012. In working closely with seminary and institute teachers and students we have a firm conviction that S&I is having a huge impact in the lives of young people here. Of course this influence will be felt not only now but in the future as these young people serve on missions, are sealed in the temple and become leaders in their families, church and communities.

Accomplishing the goal of graduation takes a lot of effort from the supervisors, teachers, leaders and students. Everyone felt joy in their efforts as graduation day came. We were privileged to attend 8 graduation ceremonies. We were especially proud of the 16 young people who accomplished their dream of receiving a 4 year diploma. This year 269 students received Certificates of Course Completion for the Doctrine and Covenants.

It was a heartwarming experience at each graduation to see the special young people receive their certificates and diplomas. They were very excited and their parents and teachers were very proud of them. Each graduation was a very spiritual experience. Many of the speakers spoke of how seminary and institute has been a blessing in their lives. Jared Nelson of Barbados who earned a 4 year diploma gave a talk about how seminary has been a light in his life and that has helped him be a light to others. He has shared the knowledge he has gained by teaching with the missionaries. He is now preparing to go on his own mission very soon. Shane Boyce, an institute student from Guyana, shared a personal experience in his graduation talk. He heard about Institute soon after his baptism only two years ago. “I wanted to go but was embarrassed because I couldn’t read or write. I heard a voice telling me ‘don’t go’ but, I listened to the promptings of the Holy Ghost instead. I went to institute and through studying the scriptures – and with the support of my institute teacher - I taught myself to read. I know the Book of Mormon is true because I have read it.”

We were very impressed with a seminary class we attended a few times in Sangre Grande, Trinidad. The teacher, Brother Blackburn, had a class of four young men. They were dedicated students and came to class every morning at 5:00 AM. Two of the boys, Brandon Blackburn and Kevin Christopher, graduated this year with 4 year diplomas. Adrian Suepaul has one more year to receive his diploma. The fourth boy, a new member of the church, Reon Charles was encouraged by the others to join seminary. He received a Certificate of Course Completion for Doctrine and Covenants along with Adrian. The four friends celebrated their graduation together with enthusiasm. These are amazing young men and we look forward to hear of their mission calls.

The other senior missionaries joined us for graduation in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Elder Andrus said it was one of the most spiritual experiences of his mission. He said he had never seen such excitement and radiance coming from young people at a seminary graduation. As he met some students afterward, they said, “We’ve never done anything like this before. We did it! We really did it!” One of these young women told him of her desire to go on a mission to share the gospel that has brought her so much happiness.

It has definitely been a highlight of our mission to rub shoulders with these extraordinary young people. The Seminary and Institute of Religion of our church is an inspired program from a loving Heavenly Father that is blessing the lives of the young people of the West Indies Mission.