The Scariest Thing in Guyana

There are some pretty scary things in Guyana, but what scares Trekker, our Traveling Tiger the most is not the large tree frog on the front wall of our house (although his red eyes looked a little menacing). It is not the 8-foot boa constrictor we nearly ran over this morning – in the middle of town - on our way to the Church (which is the reason we don’t go for evening walks since these very large snakes are nocturnal [who knew?] and come out at night looking for dinner).

Nope, Trekker has decided the scariest things in all of Guyana are the millions of mini-buses running around, lickity-split, carrying up to 20 total strangers in a 12-passenger van! The mini-buses go where ever they want to go, at whatever speed they want to travel, and stop “on a dime” in the middle of the road if they see someone who might want a ride waving their Guyana dollars in an effort to be picked up!

Everyday we take our life in our hands when we start the engine. Trekker is so nervous in the car, he puts his head down and closes his eyes until we are safely to our destination. Yikes!

Trekker Was Our Co-Pilot

Today Trekker enjoyed his first ever play day since we arrived in Guyana seven weeks ago. Our “mystery trip” was an airplane ride to Kaieteur Falls (pronounced Ki-chur) with President and Sister Ricks, newly released Elder Beeson and his parents from Sammamish, Washington and an unknown couple from North Carolina.

At the end of a 55-minute flight – with our Traveling Tiger in the co-pilot’s seat - we circled the highest single-drop waterfall in the world (a sheer drop of 741 feet) considered to be the “crown jewel” of Guyana’s interior (aka “the bush”) before Trekker helped land our little puddle jumper.

After Trekker posed for pictures, we walked a mile or so to the falls through the unique landscapes and forest which make up the 224-square mile Kaieteur National Park, home to a host of rare and endangered species – including the Golden Frog (about the size of a quarter from “stem to stern”).

Only a few more than 2000 people a year visit Kaieteur Falls which makes Trekker feel rather special . . . and only a handful of Guyanese have actually ever been there, likely because of the cost of airfare ($37000 GYD).

The weather was unsettled – pouring down rain in the early morning hours of our day and rainy and foggy all the way to the falls – but as we approached this thundering spectacle, the overhanging umbrella of wispy clouds blew away briefly and we were able to snap pictures to our hearts content.

Trekker got back to the plane soggy and wet, but happy for the experience of flying to these beautiful golden falls. We didn't tell him, but we were thankful his adventure didn't also include finding his Leopard cousin for whom he searched through the whole jungle trek calling "here, kitty kitty." After being there, he is looking forward to more adventures in the bush, which covers 90% of Guyana’s land mass and which our Traveling Tiger thought looks like millions of square miles of broccoli from the air.

Stacy is Mrs. Welch (Again!)

Yep, its official! Stacy and Rick tied the marital knot again on Saturday, June 4 in Pine Valley with Kaytee, Michael and Tara, Kris and Kelly all there to celebrate the happy occasion . . . without us! We always knew they would get back together someday because he was the "one that got away" . . . the one she always referred to as her "best friend" and the one she missed for many years until they found each other again in the big world. We are delighted to welcome Rick back into our family . . . and we know full well why we are in Guyana and what a difference we are making in the lives of young people throughout the country, but it is still hard to miss these important family events. Thanks to Michael for sharing his video and photographs and we wish the newlyweds a happily ever after.

"We Prayed Them Here"

This weekend, 24 students attended the "first ever" Planning for Success workshop where they worked to create their individual Work Plans, Education Plans, Finance Plans, a "Me in 30 Seconds" statement, and develop an effective resume, all designed to help them make a decision as to whether they want - or need - a PEF loan. Not all will decide to sign up - and that's OK, because in the words of a prophet, "the best PEF loan is no loan at all" - but all of these amazing young people who go on and get a good education will one day find themselves among the leaders of this country and the Church.

"We prayed them here," said Brother Griffith (First Counselor in the Georgetown Branch Presidency) as he bore his testimony on Fast Sunday which included expressing his gratitude "for what Elder and Sister Sappington are doing for our kids."

It is an incredible experience to work with a high energy and well-prepared Country Committee, to be here for the beginning of what will be a wonderful future for Guyana's young people . . . and to be the answer to their prayers!

June 1 . . . the Beginning of Guyana's Future!

These faces of Guyana’s future (taken by Elder Sappington at a recent YSA activity in which we spoke on PEF) are among the many worthy and ambitious young church members (ages 16-30) about to sign the “new and improved” Perpetual Education Fund application which goes on-line on June 1.

PEF - a “bold initiative” which this year celebrates a decade of helping more than 50,000 young men and women in developing areas around the world - currently has nearly 750 students in schools throughout the Caribbean, including 17 in Trinidad . . . but only 1 in Guyana!!!

The Guyana Country Committee, on which we serve as the ERS Specialists, is committed to moving PEF forward in a country desperately in need of educated workers in the fields of accounting, medicine, technology, education, computers and in management and administration in all these fields.

We are keenly aware the Lord is mindful of Guyana’s needs and is poised and ready to fulfill President Gordon B. Hinckley's words when he who prophesied in 2001, PEF - a modern miracle and a catalyst for growth in the Church - will make it possible for these people to:

“. . . become leaders in this great work in their native lands”
“. . . pay their tithes and offerings which will make it possible for the Church to expand its work across the world”
“. . . step out of the cycle of poverty they and generations before them have known”

We are so pleased to be part of the beginning of this great work in this wonderful country.

Members in Guyana: Devon Sandiford

Devon can’t read, so in his frustration as a youth he turned to drugs and unsavory friends he describes as “criminals” to fill the void. Then four years ago, the missionaries knocked on his door with a message he now knows he had been waiting all his young life to hear! These two young men from the United States taught him about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ . . . and that there is a living prophet on the earth today who receives guidance from God, for the Church and for Guyana.

His life here still isn’t easy but he loves the Church and the gospel. Since his baptism, he has not missed a single Sunday meeting, although he sits in the back because he is self-conscious about “my stinky shoes” and because his clothes are worn and dirty and he can’t afford to buy anything new. His ability to read has improved since he committed himself to reading a scripture or two every day from the Book of Mormon, but he still struggles to find meaningful employment as a mechanic or carpenter, the fields he loves.

At 30-years-old, he is too old to qualify for PEF but he is nonetheless “worthy, ambitious and in need”. We hope to help him find work. He is a delightful young man - although it is obvious his earlier drug use has impacted him - who deserves a break or two in life!

Home in Guyana

We have now settled into our apartment in Georgetown, Guyana where we have been called to establish an LDS Employment Resource Services center in this city of 240,000 residents. Our ERS assignment is to help members find meaningful employment in a community where the unemployment rate ranges from 15-33% and help "worthy, ambitious and needy" students further their education through the Perpetual Education Fund.

To do so, we will build our program around www.ldsjobs.org, researching job opportunities and teaching business people how to set up an account where they can post job openings. We will also connect with trade schools and colleges and identify businesses willing to provide on-the-job training. We will be working with job seekers helping them connect with prospective employers and with students wanting to further their education but without the means to do so. We will be teaching classes, providing one-on-one assistance on such things as how to write a resume and how to complete the on-line PEF loan application. Certainly not by coincidence, the ERS is very similar to the structure of the Volunteer Center of Washington County except we will be helping people find job opportunities instead of volunteer opportunities.

Oh, and did I mention we will also be overseeing a smaller version of the mission office in our living room? It seems, the office couple in Guyana was needed elsewhere, so in addition to our work with ERS, PEF and probably lots of other program acronyms, we will also be balancing petty cash, paying bills and “other duties as assigned.”

We are quite certain this is where we will serve the remainder of our mission; and, as fast as our mission is passing, we are convinced we will hardly have time to turn around twice before it will be time to go home.

PS: I study the scriptures each morning at our outside patio table, but my favorite room in the apartment is my big shower!!!

Faith on the Berbice Harbor Bridge

Q: What do these four total strangers have in common?

A: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We missed the Georgetown turn after attending the handing off program at the New Amsterdam Special Needs School so we were stuck in traffic created by the daily 2-hour opening of the Berbice Harbor Bridge. Everyone got out of their cars to stretch and talk. I decided to walk up to the washroom (about 25 cars away) and on my return I was approached by 20-year-old Courtney Johnson who asked timidly if I was a missionary then asked if I could help him find the church. He had moved in the past several months and had not been able to find a branch in his new area of Guyana and he really wanted to attend again!

We walked back to the car so I could write down his name and phone number to find My Elder with Faith and Fazina, two 14-year-old, 9th graders who had noticed his black nametag and introduced themselves as members of the Rosignol Branch. They also told him they hope to serve a mission on Temple Square in Salt Lake City when they are older. (Fazina, spelled F-A-ZED-I-N-A, is the only member of the Church in her family).

What a lovely experience! The example of faith among these wonderful Guyanese Saints is humbling and makes me very aware of how much more I need to do to truly become a Saint (with a capital S)!

Seven Enter In

On Saturday, May 14 Elder Sappington spoke on the topic of baptism, by invitation from Elders Scott and Fernandes, at a baptismal service for seven young converts. Surrounded by friends, family, and branch members, Andre Jacobus, Martin Kassim and five of his seven children – LaToya (age 15), Kristine (14), Emmanuel (10), Christopher (9) and Lawrence (8) – entered the strait and narrow way to become members of the Church and the Diamond Branch in Georgetown, Guyana.

18-year-old Brother Jacobus, who was introduced to the gospel by a young woman with whom he goes to school, has expressed a desire to serve a mission when he is eligible to do so.

When asked how the miracle of today’s baptism of all the eligible members of her family had come about, Sister Kassim – who was herself baptized just 6 weeks ago - simply said, “we pray together night and morning and read the scriptures as a family. Then the children began asking, ‘why can’t we be baptized, Mommy?’”

The names, faces and circumstances may be different but this same scenario is repeated weekly in the West Indies Mission - and particularly here in Guyana - in fulfillment of prophesy by Elder M. Russell Ballard who petitioned the Lord in his dedicatory prayer on February 23, 1990, for a future day in Guyana when “wards and stakes [will] dot the face of this land . . . through the faith of hundreds, yea, even thousands anxious to receive their saving ordinances in preparation to receiving all the blessings of the House of the Lord, even a temple.”

Our hearts were full as we witnessed first hand the truth Ammon taught in Alma 26:37 when he reminded us: ". . . God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth!"

Congratulations, Kelly

Even without us there to cheer her success, our eldest daughter Kelly graduated on Saturday, May 7 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from the University of Phoenix. For the past three years, she has matriculated as one of 420,700 undergraduate students and 78,000 graduate students (the equivalent of 224,880 full-time students) on 200 campuses. Wow, who knew?

Of her outstanding achievement, she writes: "Along with 850 other graduates in my “class” I completed a long journey by walking across the stage at the Maverik Center in Salt Lake City to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Management. The question has been asked repeatedly whether I intend to pursue a Masters degree (since a Masters is the new Bachelors). I have not ruled it out, but I intend to take at least a year before making a decision because over the past three years (in addition to my studies):

1. Gary was State Captain of the Patriot Guard which, contrary to popular belief, is a 24/7 volunteer job

2. We coordinated the Gathering of the Guard, a national motorcycle event and concert with the Kentucky Headhunters and Confederate Railroad musical groups

3. We coordinated Dan’s Ride to raise money for scholarships for immediate family members of military personnel killed in action

4. We initiated the process to incorporate the Daniel G Dolan Patriot Fund which also included working through the process of obtaining a 501(c )(3) charitable status with the IRS

5. We remodeled our home

And, did I mention I also bought a new motorcycle I haven't had time to ride and welcomed two new grandchildren into our family? The most important part is my husband and daughter still love me. I do not know if there will be additional monetary returns or added responsibility but really none of that really matters. What matters is I made a goal and achieved it. Earning a bachelors degree is a matter of personal pride!"