Trekker Tours Essiquibo

Trekker – who has complained bitterly and incessantly for weeks because we haven’t been anywhere or done anything fun in a very long time - was already in holiday mode when we departed Georgetown, with five other missionary couples, for a 40-mile day-trip down the Essiquibo River to visit some of the (former) Dutch settlements. This trip on Wednesday, October 26 was scheduled weeks ago for Diwali, a national holiday.

Diwali is a 5-day Hindu festival celebrated with great enthusiasm and excitement with parades of spectacularly lighted floats as well as with firecrackers, traditional sweet treats and gifts to friends and loved ones. Nicknamed “festival of lights,” each day of Diwali has its own principal good-over-evil stories of various Hindu gods.

On this beautiful – but hot and muggy - day in Guyana, nineteen of us traveled by boat down the Essiquibo River into the interior of “the land of many waters.” As wide as 21 miles across in some areas, this enormous waterway – which served as the 17th century highway to numerous Dutch settlements - has very much earned its nickname as “the king of all rivers.”

With our Traveling Tiger in tow, we left from Rod-en-rust to Fort Island for a visit to Fort Zeelandia and the Court of Policy (where African slaves were beaten, beheaded, sold and torn from the arms of their loved ones) . . . then on to Saxacalli Beach with its current small settlement of Seventh Day Adventists. From there we spent an hour walking the streets of the interior village of Bartica before arriving at Baracara Falls – the highlight of the trip.

Fort Zeelandia, built in 1737 to protect the planters and workers for the Dutch West India Company, replaced an original wooden fort at the mouth of the Essiquibo River. A most interesting lozenge-shaped structure similar to many found in Africa, the 2-story fort was 50-feet on each side and housed about that many Dutchmen soldiers and officers.

At Saxacalli Beach, Trekker got separated from us as he wandered into the underbrush chasing who-knows-what. Luckily, our able-bodied sea captain found him on the beach and returned him to us. He was seriously shaken due to his separation anxiety, including fear of being left behind on this Caribbean island, so was very happy to be back on board with us as we continued our journey.

Time spent at Baracara Falls was the most pleasurable part of the day with men and women getting into the fun – some fully dressed – as we socialized and played in the cool water before heading back to our port! It was a lovely, relaxing and fun day. Despite Trekker’s complaints and his ongoing question of “is that all there is?” we are refreshed and ready to go back to work!

Meet "Kitty"

Meet “Kitty” (named for Brenda Lee Johnson’s feline of the same name). We inherited him when we moved into the building and were told the Ricks’ had fed him all the time they lived here so we feel compelled to continue the practice. He is a male so frequently gets into HUGE fights with one of the neighbor cats, but with me he is sweet and friendly. For the longest time he would not venture into the apartment (even if the door was left standing open), but in the last few days he has grown more adventuresome. Today I was working at my little desk and caught a movement out of my eye, looked down and discovered Kitty had curled up in my “work” basket on the couch and was taking a snooze. It appears he is getting comfortably brave!

Sappington Secretarial School

A few weeks ago, President Goodluck asked me to create a secretary course-of-study to help members develop skills which might turn into employment.

The Sappington Secretarial School opened officially on Monday, October 3. Classes include:

- the secretary's job description
- ethics in the workplace
- telephone etiquette
- the receptionist's job description
- communication skills
- meetings, agendas and minutes
- interviewing for a job
- "Me in 30 Seconds"
- updating a resume
. . . and of course, basic computer skills (including Microsoft Word, Excel and Power Point)

I only had three students (although 5 more showed up for the second week). Christopher Jordan is the district executive secretary. Esadai Gangadeen is the district Primary secretary and Marlyn Waterman is the president of the local HIV / AIDS Association with more than 400 people receiving services from ONE small clinic in our neighborhood.

Christopher is the only one who had any computer skills at all. The other two had never even touched a computer, but after a week, Sister Gangadeen almost cried when I told her class was over and it was time to go home! "Please, can't we stay and practice for a little while longer?" I had to laugh at the difference in her attitude in just a week!

The most surprising thing about this venture is that I can give them a certificate which they can use to get a job!

YSA Activity at Georgetown

In our assignment with the YSA Centers in Georgetown and LaGrange we have the privilege of working with some pretty amazing and spiritual young men and women - most who are the only members in their family.

On Friday, October 7 we helped organize an activity at the Georgetown YSA Center focused on employment! Four member teams were assigned to topics including interviewing skills, developing esprit de corps in the workplace and the impact of technology! They had an hour and 15 minutes each to develop a Power Point presentation on their subject. At the end of the evening, they enjoyed chocolate cake and ice cream and showed their presentation on the big wall while discussing their topic. We worried that they might find this activity a bit lame, but it appears everyone had a great time. A few even said they had learned a whole lot!!!

ERS Opens in Guyana

It really isn’t much yet, but the Employment Resources Services Center, located in the Prashaud Nagar chapel in Georgetown, is finally operational as the beginning of something wonderful for the members of the Church in Guyana . . . and the first step toward the fulfillment of prophecy as stated in Elder M. Russell Ballard’s dedicatory prayer.

On February 23, 1990, Elder Ballard opened the door to missionary work in Guyana but also asked, “Heavenly Father, please bless this land that economic conditions might improve. We acknowledge this will take some time, but we pray Thee to give national leaders the vision of things they need to do to bring a [civilized] lifestyle for Thy children here by giving them employment and an opportunity to work and earn a living.”

Right now, the ERS Volunteer Center is nothing more than a small room with borrowed computers (because laptops ordered on May 1 have not yet arrived) where jobseekers will be able to research employment opportunities, as well as trade schools and colleges; and identify businesses willing to provide on-the-job training. For students wanting to further their education but without the means to do so, the ERS will also be the go-to place for one-on-one assistance on such things as how to write a resume or complete the on-line PEF loan application.

We are keenly aware of the Lord's eye on Guyana where Elder Ballard also prophesied one day "wards and stakes will dot the land . . . and Thy honest-in-heart children will flock by the hundreds, yea, even thousands to receive their saving ordinances in preparation to receive all the blessings of the House of the Lord, even a temple."