Wednesday

This week has had its share of difficulties.  Today one of our workers in the eye clinic, Rex was sick and another medical team worker, Jean, had to stay at the hotel as well.  When we got to the clinic,Roland took a bit of a fall and might have injured a rib.  Tonight they are all feeling better, and will hopefully be back at it tomorrow.  Keep us in your prayers.

10 Suitcases arrived today.  Nine of them belonged to our team and so we only lack six suitcases now.  One suitcase arrived that belonged to one of the team members from Tennessee.  They were here last week.  

Today we saw over 220 people in the clinics and had four more baptisms.  We were moving people around a lot today working to fill in gaps and help where things were backed up as much as we could.  Joel preached tonight and did a great job.  Aaron presented a word of encouragement after dinner tonight that I think was just what the team needed.

God is using us in great and little ways that are all making a big difference.  The church at Ann’s Grove is a young one with a lot of energy and excitement.  They enjoy learning and singing new songs and their young people have started helping out in a lot of areas at the clinic.  Josh Key has been doing Bible studies non-stop all week and its fun watching the Guyanese teenagers always wanting to sit in on studies with him.  One young man named Moy was baptized yesterday and today spent the entire day helping us run the Bible studies and when Bill had to take a break this afternoon, Moy jumped right in and kept people moving and going where they needed to be. 

Today’s prayer requests: Roland and the health of our team, 6 more suitcases, the Ann’s Grove church, for the eight who have been baptized, and thanks for the 9 delivered suitcases.

Tuesday (by Kent)

Today was one of the more unique days I can remember having in Guyana.  Still no luggage, but more to come on that later.  Alton was sick this morning but is feeling better tonight, and Jessie had heat problems and came back to hotel this afternoon, and a couple of others were close to dropping as well.  We changed part of our set-up today and logistics went much smoother and we saw over 180 people today and had 1 person get baptized (which makes 4 this week).  The clinic almost came to a halt for awhile when torrential rainfall made it impossible to do most of the work for about half an hour.  All in all, it was a really good day and our team of 28 people (with several sick) was still able to do almost as much as some of our larger teams, especially with the help of some of the brethren from the Ann’s Grove church.  I got to preach tonight and shared the lesson about God restoring the 7th day that I gave at church last Sunday.  Its always exciting to me to get to preach down here, so that was fun and hopefully meaningful to the Guyanese who were there.

Two stories stood out the most to me today.  First, I was visiting with a young woman named Nalini who attends a Word of Faith congregation in the area.  She shared with me that she had lost her 11 year old son, Ronald one year ago when he was hit and killed by two cars.  Eddie was nearby and I asked him to sit with us and he was amazing and sharing with her and loving her and showing love and sympathy for her.  She shared with us how she felt like nobody down here cared, apologized, or tried to get justice for her son.  It was so powerful to me to see Eddie who has known that kind of pain thousands of miles from here, and watch him help this woman who so badly needed somebody to care and cry with and talk to.  It was all I could do to keep from crying myself for about the next half hour.  We also introduced her to the preacher at Ann’s Grove, Farosh, and he shared with her how much this is a loving and caring family, and not just a church.  I hope Nalini finds a church that can love her and listen to her.

The second story was a young man who often helps out at the church but has never become a member or been baptized.  Moy has spent many days helping Farosh, and studied with Aaron some yesterday.  Today he came to the clinic and wanted to be baptized and Farosh asked Leah and I to study with him some more and make sure he understood before he was baptized.  When Leah and I sat down and asked him why he wanted to make this committment, he simply said that he has been sitting inside of and around the clinic for the last two days and seen what we are doing and how we are doing it and it has made him want to be a part of that.  It reminded me how much our example, attitude, and service towards others can help them experience God’s love in ways that our words sometimes can’t. 

To give you an idea what everybody did today, I think that Polly worked with the kids.  Kristin, Jessie, Angie, and Becky worked in medical.  Kent, Leah, Aaron, Josh, and Roland worked in the Bible study area.  Frank worked the gate.  Eddie split time between Bible studies and helping with logistics and the gate.  Vincent was everywhere but helped mostly with water, kids, and anything else he was asked to do.  Bill directed traffic and Alton was getting healthy and is ready to get going again tomorrow.  Keep us in your prayers and remember Nalini and Moy as well.