The 2019 Guyana Adventure of Rev Jo’c : A Rocky Start Means a Smooth Finish

Miss Sylvie and the 19 New First Year Students with their Tablets

Here I Come - Ready or NOT!

I do not know why I do not listen to myself. I am always telling people that no matter what it involves in Guyana, it will not be done until you are here - standing face to face, in person, in the flesh. I had made a commitment to return to Mercy last Winter and with it there were a list of requests that I had for my living there. I repeated the small list several times: shower-with water; screened flat [now Chikungunya virus is here too]; internet in the flat; and a 3rd bedroom so Dennis when he comes won't have to sleep with Sylvia. Hey, not much, eh?

With many assurances that all would be looked after, when Sylvia arrived none of the above had been completed... and several days later when I arrived: the shower was in and dripping and if I didn't kneel down only my crotch and downwards would be clean; one window had a screen; and there was no internet in the flat or for that matter in the school or old computer cafe. And, true to form there has been a scurry of activity on all fronts and a 100% effort to complete all our requests. Now we have: internet in our flat, the school and so do the students on their tablets; a shower that is almost as high as my head -though with no head of its own; almost all the windows have screens; and the third bedroom has been planned, outlined and will begin construction "Just Now".

Everyone here has done everything to please us since we arrived. And believe me, Sylvia and I are grateful. It is even more amazing when you realize that we are living above the average residence for most of the hospital staff.

At the last minute, we got moved from my Upper Bank House flat [Chuck and Kathy's] because they are storing Materials Management supplies there [and Tony, the Lower Bank House as well]. So the boxes get the best breeze and view! We are in Dr. Daniel's old Flat which has been unused and unattended for several years since his death. It is a lovely, large, two story flat and more than enough. Our two bedrooms are upstairs.

Evil People Cannot Be Allowed To Win

As you know I [or rather, generous people like you] have been providing a tablet/netbook for each new student nurse at Mercy Hospital. This year I was in great time and found a good price. However, the company and the salesperson scammed me. The real losers are my students as they will be the ones disadvantaged, with even more than their usual difficulties.

It is not that I lost money.   Money and I have had an uneasy relationship with periods of separation and loss being frequent. It is not even that I got scammed, which can happen to anyone – especially if you take any risks in life at all.

It is not that someone stole from me.   (Of course, that anguishes me, but will not change my trusting approach to human beings. To see everyone as untrustworthy and protect yourself and belongings is to enter a world that I do not wish to live in.)

What makes this loss completely unacceptable is that first, the money I lost was not mine!   It was the money of my family, friends and colleagues who had donated their dollars in order to purchase tablets that the nursing students would use for their whole nursing education.

Names of those involved in the scam are available on request, so that you can avoid dealings with them. Needless to say, I am still exploring all avenues to regain the loss. ]

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However, This Story Has a Happy Ending,.. Keep Reading

Through the extreme generosity of family and friends, I was able to purchase a second set of tablets for the new students to use. I am most fortunate to have these loving and generous people in my life. I have distributed the tablets to the students and now they are grateful, though they might not be so happy when they have to do lots of research on their tablets.

Silvia Wilvert, My Co-Volunteer
I first met Sylvia when she was in Guyana in 2010 to 2012 as a volunteer with the Scarboro Fathers of Canada. She recently got the itch to return and wanted to join me in teaching the PBL Course.

She is also moonlighting with the Scarboro Fathers in supervising/mentoring two new volunteers. She is off to Berbice today with the two new volunteers and the "old" one, Donna, to visit Scarboro priests, Mike Threr, Louis Lopez and Shawn Daley for a party or a retreat, I am not sure. She needed to arrive a week earlier than I did, so she has borne the brunt of getting our requests completed. She has just jumped in and adjusted to Problem Based Learning - beginning with some practical problems!

Continuity and Change

I have been coming to Mercy and Guyana since 2002; while I would love to point to all the advances the country has made in that decade, there is often sameness or even regression. One clear sign of progress is below:

This is the Eve Leary Parade Grounds right across Parade Street [naturally] from Mercy. When I first came, this entire field was cut by machete with the worker stooped over whacking at the grass and then dragging it off on a blanket.

Other advancements have come with problems of their own making. Way more cars every year, so more traffic in need of repair more frequently ..... and walking in the city is now almost a contact sport.

There maybe some more wealth in the country, but it has come on the back of drug trafficking and increased crime rates

And a Disturbing Change

The latest World Health Organization Report listed Guyana as having the highest suicide rate in the world. OMG: Guyana is Number 1 in something! Suicide is a by-product of wealth, happiness, safety, fulfillment, lack of suffering and it really can't be addressed out of context. There will be a Suicide Prevention Day and March on September 10th for World Suicide Prevention Day; however, there needs to be steadily decreasing poverty, job fulfilment and living wages, effective government, resources physical and human expertise to assist with persons' mental health and illnesses. Respect for the rights of all people, especially the rights of women, needs to be learned and appreciated. I will still join the March and maybe have the students join me. It won't be enough, but it may light a candle and as the old saying goes, "it is better than cursing the darkness."

I have some colleagues coming down to start addressing these and other mental health issues. They will be here towards the end of October with a dozen more professionals; I will keep you informed. The Team Leaders were here last year and listened to what the country was requesting, so are returning to start addressing this huge need. Last year they looked like this:

Bhiro Harry- Psychiatry Guyana, Canadian Team Members: Ram Kalap, Peter Kuhnert, Sujay Patel, Brenna Patel,
and Dennis LeBlanc, Volunteer at Mercy Hospital.

Another Constant

As soon as possible after I get here, I do something. See if you can spot the change?

And Finally, My Girls.. or Rather St. Ann's Girls

I got over to St Ann's after classes on Thursday... and they are were really excited to see me - and my camera. They wanted to know if there was going to be another photography contest. Yes, there is and I already have the prizes thanks to the children [including Deborah] from The Church at Stony Hill, Medina, Ohio. The girls are getting bigger every year and there are now 46, I think. I will put one or two pics in the post; the others I'll add to the Slide Show on the side. [You can enlarge the slide show pictures by "double-clicking".]