The 2019 Guyana Adventure of Rev Jo’c : Just Putting One Foot in Front of the Other

I still can't get that slide show working

So click on This Week's Pictures.

No Guilt this Week - St. Ann's Times Three

ONE:
I guess I was over-compensating for my sins of neglect. Last Friday, Sister Mary Peter told me that there was an Anniversary Mass for Sister Claudiet's 25th Anniversary and the girls would really love to see me there". I took that as "misery loves company" as they all had to go. I got to St Ann's early and the girls were no place to be seen. They were all upstairs getting dressed up to go to church. They were hard to recognize as I usually don't see them like that. It was a good celebration and the girls and Sister Claudiet were glad to see me.

Strange but True...

One of the readings for the Mass was from somewhere in the Bible about Jesus healing the ten lepers; he told them to go show themselves to the priest; however, only one returned to give thanks to Jesus for healing him.* Jesus would have like Guyana. As I and others have mentioned before, it is a people who are truly grateful for gifts they receive. I had mentioned the student with the bad back who did not get lucky in the draw for one of the leftover tablets. Well, I keep one till I leave so I can solve any problems they may have and since I have never grown up I like playing with new toys. However, I gave her that tablet, so she could do her work. A couple of days later she wrote me, "Hey Rev thanks a lot for the tablet; it's coming in very handy. I'm watching my videos for anatomy etc, research is coming great, and other studies ..... just saying thanks and I'm really grateful."

* A little demonstration of my biblical depth: The one who returned was the one who didn't listen to Jesus ..... He never made it to the priests. I like that interpretation as it means I still might have a shot!

The Old St Ann's Girls and Graduates

Two
There were at least a dozen girls who left St Ann's last year as they were at that age. I knew them all very well [except for getting their names right] and was concerned to see how they were doing. I do catch some on FaceBook. So when I saw one of them I offered to buy a dinner for anyone who could make it. Well, the discussion had as many as 12 coming and then who knew ..... In the end 4 old girls came and two ringers from St Bernadette's Girls Hostel. We went to my friend's Taju's fine dining sidewalk cafe. The invitation was for 5:30ish. The first girls arrived about 7 and others closer to 8 ..... (They were getting ready!) Anyhow, we had a great visit and got to know the two girls who were on scholarship from the interior.

I did get a chance to chat about their lives. One of the questions that I asked was; What do you wish you'd known before you left St. Ann's? Almost unanimous was the wish that they had learned how to budget money and cook. I was quite surprised as I had assumed that was a given now that they would be on their own ..... They followed the old Guyanese proverb, "Experience teach you sense" with hard financial knocks and just as hard potatoes! The next time I am back at St. Ann's I will see if they can start those things. I can see the unsureness about me teaching sex ed [though I saw it as an essential survival skill] but not to have them learn money management and cooking .....! I hope that this will soon change. I enjoyed myself to see them growing up despite all their hard knocks.

Finally My Usual Weekly Visit.

Three
I was back again just to sit and chat and play with the girls on Friday afternoon. I usually go on Thursday, but was really tired. I must be getting older. This year the schedule seems even more chaotic than in previous years with the girls going for extra lessons, after school activities, and already church/choir stuff for Christmas.

I did get to demonstrate my basketball skills and my post play is as good as ever.

What to do when the Morgue is too crowded?

All had been arranged, daily schedules changed, Dr. Singh gave permission to bring the students ..... and unfortunately, he did the same with four medical schools and their students. I thought it might have been a Beyonce concert there were so many people. I waited for doc to arrive on his motorcycle and we renegotiated to bring them this Wednesday. He promised that they would be the only ones there and he would give them lots of time. So be it ..... patience and flexibility get a workout here.

But what was I to do with the field trip students who did not want to go back to an overly-zealous prof who wanted to do some lecture. So I called Dr. Harry and he invited us to his psychiatry clinic where they could participate in psychiatric interviews and do rounds on the few inpatients... And he wasn't going to be there, but no problem... Well, there were only a few knickers in knots, moaning some words like protocols and procedures ..... However, the psychiatric residents did a great job.

And It was a Day to Celebrate

This was the first official day of the Master Programme in Psychiatry... after working so hard for so many years Drs. Bhiro and Jorge could see the fruits of their efforts. So when anyone asks my students where were you on the first day of this historic event ..... !

"Rev, You Want to go on a Walk for Childhood Cancer?"

It was after I answered yes that they told me the walk started at SIX Am from the National Park. I shook my head that I had changed my mind, but they told me that the whole class would be there and I had said that I wanted to do something with them. [I had been thinking something more leisurely.] Well, I got there and picked up Rashleigh along the way ..... And at 6, I was the only one there for the walk! When the walk started, closer to seven, there were 4! and when the walk was finishing we picked up two more... and then after we had breakfast another one showed up... The batch may have to work on team spirit and time-telling. Though they insisted that I have chicken curry for breakfast -- a first. I didn't tell them that I love pizza for breakfast!

And Some Perspective for my Bitching

Everything takes so long here. I have internet in the flat about half the time [I am lucky right now] and no one has fixed it in over 6 weeks; I do not have a bell at my flat door and I live on the second floor also six weeks; three broken panes of glass on the North side so when it blows rain there are waterways on the floor... I feel I am being singled out and they are just ignoring me knowing I'll go away ..... And then life teaches you that you are not the centre of the universe. Below is a picture of the MAIN [practically the only] entrance to the CEO's Administration Offices. One board collapsed on the top landing early last week... The picture is from today... I am not alone.