"Light Dawns in a Weary World"

This post is written by Peter Kuhnert, a Lutheran pastor and medical doctor and Guyanese colleague.    He was a leader with both the 2013 exploratory mission and the 2014 Mental Health Team which worked in Guyana for ten days in October-November.  [They have a wonderful FaceBook page, "Transforming Guyana's Mental Health System".  Peter's message serves as an excellent reflection on giving flesh to the incarnating Christian Christmas message.   

Peter bends low to listen to a girl at St. Ann's 

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Three years ago, shortly after my first ever visit to Guyana, I was contacted by John.  He asked me if I thought we might do any kind of work together in Guyana.  I told John, emphatically, that I did not think there was any opportunity to do any work in Guyana.  There was no will, no energy, no finances, and no manpower.  There was no Spirit.  I suggested perhaps we talk again in one year.

Two years ago, a dimly burning wick began to splutter to life.  Perhaps a opportunity did exist for some partnership work to strengthen and support existing mental health services in Guyana.  John was now living locally in Ayr.  I had started working at Freeport Hospital.  We had met a couple of local psychiatrists who wanted to explore international mental health care in a culturally and religiously diverse context.  Perhaps this opportunity might bridge the partnership and development work of the ELCiC with that of mental health services, for the betterment of life for the whole people of Guyana.  Perhaps.  Certainly, there was enough enthusiasm to plan a needs assessment visit and begin some relationship development.

One year ago, October 2013, Ram and Brenna and Sujay and I joined John in Guyana for a week of site visits and meetings and discernment. We were graciously received by Dr. Bhiro Harry (Georgetown) and Dr. Mayda ( New Amsterdam), and by the minister of health, Dr. Ramsarran. We saw much and heard much and clearly saw the need for a sustained mental health initiative to support good people and hard work already being done with absolutely minimal resources.  Few in-patient beds.  Few trained staff.  No budgets.  Limited medications with only variable availability.   The needs seemed overwhelming. Yet the Spirit began to blow.  The candle burned brighter.  We knew we would come back.

The past year has been a year of planning and preparation.  An excellent slide show about our 2013 trip, courtesy of Sujay and Brenna, began to peak interest in this initiative amongst the local mental health staff at Grand River hospital, Homewood health centre, and the Kitchener Downtown CHC. Who would have expected that when we called a planning meeting, in March,  for those interested in a self-funded mental health trip to Guyana in October 2014, over 40 people would attend!  And over 20 would commit to this 10 day project!

The Canadian Mental Health Team at the Farewell reception
hosted by the Minister of Health

The project itself was a huge success.  19 individuals divided into two teams, working in both Georgetown and New Amsterdam.  The number of initiatives for  this 10 day trip was astounding. The re-introduction of life-saving ECT technology to the New Amsterdam hospital.  Clinical visits to community hospitals in Linden and Suddie ( including an awesome speedboat ride across the Essequibo river).   Opportunities to teach physicians and nursing staff at both Georgetown and New Amsterdam.  Community education initiatives about mental health during each of our community tours.  Relationship building opportunities with the ministry of health, the University of Guyana medical school, and the schools of nursing in both Georgetown and New Amsterdam.

Dr Bhiro Harry continued with his
on the ground leadership for our team.

Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, the Minister of Health provided
excellent direction and support for our team.

Perhaps most impressive, has been the high level work that John has participated in, to help create a national mental health strategy for Guyana.  This is coupled with an ambitious strategy for the creation of a bilateral university partnership to bring bring post-graduate psychiatric training to Guyana.  This would be a first step to creating a national human resources strategy for mental health that might eventually include nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, and chaplains.  The wheels of future possibility have already begun to turn.

Chaplain Ram Kalap was a leader
on both the 2013 and 2014 teams.

Sujay Patel and Peter celebrate the fulfilment
of all their hard work over the last two years.

What a difference a couple of years has made!  Initially, there was no hope.  There was no kairotic time- no time for illumination and transformation.  But slowly, ever so slowly,  light has dawned.  A dimly burning wick has begun to burn brightly.  Hope is being reborn and a spirit of possibility  is beginning to take hold. What began with the question of one, " What can we do in  Guyana?" has been echoed by the voices of 19 others and the possibility of systemic change is becoming real.  Systemic change for the betterment of care for the whole

people of Guyana.

What is more Christmas?

...than bringing Joy to children.

Thanks, John, for risking asking the initial  question.  Thanks, John, for nurturing hope in your own unique manner.  You have helped open our eyes to the possible.  You have inspired us.  We are grateful.

John amazing the Cuban Psychiatrists
 with his command of Spanish.

Thanks for being a blessing. Looking forward to being your partner into the future.

Peter Kuhnert MD MDiv 

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Thanks, Peter.  I am humbled by your kind words.

PS: I have a few more themes for this blog, but I have returned from Guyana to develop my usual cough and cold. I am feeling better today.  I especially want to post the pictures and stories from the "2nd  Annual Father John's Photo Contest.'

Have a Blessed Christmas and let you light shine...

A Few Goodbyes ... But Not Mine Yet.

Class Visit to the National Psychiatric Hospital

Sometimes (I was going to say "almost always", but I am a teacher and would feel too threatened)
the best teachers are not the ones called teachers.   This is true on the visit to the people who are patients at the hospital.

  Psychiatrist Sujay Patel and Family Doc/professional entertainer Upe Mehan met us at the hospital and provided a rich commentary and insight about who these people are and their behaviours.  Again your best teacher about the experience may not be the professional teacher - rather, a learner:

The Class and Nurse Trin.  she has worked at the NPH for 20 years
and still continues to learn something from her patients

Visit to the Psych Hospital (Berbice - 2014) by Natalie Persaud- Singh

 The tour was indeed interesting. I was shocked, for this is my first experience with mental patients. I see this facility as somewhere that gives patients a chance to better themselves with the help of the health team available there. However I think the hospital need renovation, proper facility to house these patients and more nurses onboard. As it’s said, for a patient to get better they must feel comfortable in their environment. This is just a suggestion from what I've seen. The surrounding needs cleaning. The odor of the hospital was obnoxious. 

Something needs to be done about this.

This is not the present  hospital; it is the old Berbice Asylum.
I just like my photograph .....
and it reminds me of Thoreau's 'vivacious lilacs'.

I've had the chance to speak with some of the patients and I must say I was heartbroken by some of their stories. Some of their family took them there and didn't even look back to them. They are human beings, no matter what sickness they have physically, mentally, emotionally, etc.  Everyone needs love. Someone to talk to, someone to be there just to listen, all of which can brighten their day.

I feel the need for there to be more educational programs readily available to them. One patient told me she wants a book to read (story book) or a book to write. Writing helps one to express their emotions. So if they don’t feel comfortable discussing their problems with a nurse they can at least write about how they feel.  If more emphasis can be place in bettering the facility I see this hospital as successful, not that they are not but they would be able to offer much more to these patients.

Rev, I hope this is good enough!!   Thanks for having us share this experience with you!!

Yup, more than good enough... She and other students had some brilliant reflections...  I was impressed and mad at the same time, because I have had to read some of their other research and exams! L Oh well, as Martin Luther said, "Simultaneous Smart and Stoopid"..... or something close.   The Canadian Mental Health Team had a major focus: "To reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.." and after the visit to the Berbice Mad House my students know ..... People are People, including doctors. [See karaoke pictures.]

Another Focus: ECT

If you read last week's blog [and who hasn't, eh?], you heard the horror story of the ECT Team... Well, I am happy to report that despite several more minor heebie-jeebies, like finding the machine packed up and ready to ship back to Canada with the Team .....  they were able to train more than enough Guyanese professionals, and under the leadership of Dr. Maida, Psychiatrist at the National Psychiatric, Guyana will have re-activated a forgotten service.   I am sure when Peter Kuhnert writes his guest blog [hint]  he will tell you all about it.  I want to just show you a picture of one man who had a ECT treatment earlier that same day.  When I asked him how he was feeling, he said he was "Never better...  I might even be happy."

All Work and no Play Makes...

If you can believe it, the Team said they were too tired to go out to dinner, just wanted to have a quiet beer and something to eat at the Sleep-Inn.  So Sylvia and I went over to join them.  Dennis had to prepare his class for the following day (talk about "no play"!).   However, once they got down to the bar and the karaoke started - a second wind, I guess.

The Highlight of the Night!  The guys were singing American Pie and I wasn't lip-synching.
It was supposed to be Macho Man, but got censored by the politically correct Guyanese.

We are the Champions...Yes, you are!

The "Women" trying their best
to imitate the guys.

And a Bollywood  melody
from the surprising Zahir.      



The "Originals" celebrate a successful Mission.

And then there was the Final Final dinner hosted by the Minister of Health.  It too was at the Sleep-Inn and earlier than  planned as the Team was out that night at 2AM... Lots of congratulatory words for all involved.

Minister Bheri Ramsaran expresses his gratitude
to the whole Canadian Mental Health Team 

Peter and Sujay express their thanks to
Chief Psychiatrist Bhiro Harry.

The Parting Shot

Dennis is Off and Home Safely

And speaking of 2 am, Dennis, my university friend, left on Friday night for his home in Greenfield, Massachusetts via Trinidad, Toronto and Boston!   Just a mere 21 hours door to door...  He too is going to write a guest blog (Subtle Reminder) so I won't steal his words, but he did say that he has never met a more knowledgeable, competent, humble, etc., person than me.  Thanks Dennis.   

It is strange and wonderful for me to have someone other than family who has known me for 50 years ..... and to find, as the saying goes, "You get together with a friend after years of absence and you continue chatting as if you saw each other yesterday.

Elsie presented Dennis with one of her famous
African shirts to wear when he gets chased
out of Greenfield for wearing it.

Dennis is here explaining Sex and Relationships
to the students. If you can't see the immediate
connection, read his blog, coming "Just now."

 Enough - More or Less

 I had my last Boys, Bodies, Beliefs and Boundaries Class at St. Ann's.  They were sad it was over and even sadder when I gave them an evaluation sheet -- which they told me they wanted to fill in during the week and not in class as I had planned ..... So much for the evaluation. However, the judging of the 2nd Annual Father John's Photography Contest is this Thursday AND if I don't get their evaluations before the contest, they cannot win a prize!  Oh, the benefits of a bribe!  I have learned some things in Guyana.  Not fair!! they screamed ..... and they were right ..... and it is my contest, eh?

I have arranged for the four Mercy Volunteers to come and judge the pictures in the five categories: Girls Playing, Girls Working or Studying, Action Shots, Happy Face and Unusual or Abstract.   I had way over 2,000 pictures that the girls had taken since September... I want to get it down to 10 finalists in each category, but had to settle for 15!   There will be five Ipod Shuffle MP3 Players, one for each of the category winners.   They were donated by the Sunday School kids at Church at Stony Hill, Medina, Ohio...

John being presented with the Shuffles

Pastor Shannon making an important homiletic intervention

There will be a surprise of two Grand Prizes ..... One of them will be a special one donated by Jerry Bacchus of Jerries' All Nite Restaurant.

Well, I have finished a whole pot of coffee and a big roll of cookies for breakfast as the cafeteria is closed on Sundays.  I can't wait to get home and have my healthier breakfasts of a whole frozen Pizza or a Hungry Man Dinner.... or my Sunday Morning Special Onion and Cheese Omelette at Bucky's of Ayr with the old guys.

So make sure if you are in Georgetown, Guyana, or Ayr, Ontario --- visit our sponsors ..... and maybe I'll get a free meal!

Thanks for reading... John

Canadians from Suddie to New Amsterdam

The Canadian Mental Health Team Returns 

Yes, and more of them!  This year there are 17 professionals who have joined Peter, Sujay and Ram [Brenna stayed home as she is in late pregnancy] who were here last year on an exploratory trip. If you wish to look back, see  Peter Puts Pen to Keyboard, November 1, 2013.

Actually, we got an early warning that they were coming when one of the team members called their hotel here on Saturday night to confirm her reservation, only to discover that only about half of the team was booked.   Many of the hotels have web sites here and have on line reservation forms; however, whether they are ever looked at is a different question.  A little experience of  "Welcome to Guyana" .....   They had visions of arriving  at 2:00 AM from the airport with no room to sleep in -- wandering the streets of Georgetown.  And my "ever-helpful roommate" Sylvia was walking around our flat deciding how many mattresses we could accommodate here!   She finally figured that she could get them all in here, but Dennis and I had to sleep on the boxes in Materials Management next door.    

Well, Peter was able to book another hotel before Leiota from the Ministry of Health got even more rooms. They were met at the airport and brought safely to their rooms ..... at the two hotels.   And that was not the only expectation that was not met ..... The lectures were postponed.  The meeting with the Minister of Health was cancelled in order for him to address the Ebola situation here, and make the usual political speech about how well prepared Guyana is.   The Minister of Culture had been called out of the country, so the press conference was much smaller than expected and all the cameras were involved with the Ebola announcement..  

I had made a solemn vow before any god I could remember that I was going to stay at a distance and just observe from the sidelines as I already thought I couldn't finish what I already had on my plate; and besides, Peter, Sujay and Ram were veterans!  It didn't last, and my neurotic-messianic disorder came to the front when I realized that they would be doing nothing for most of their first afternoon in Guyana.  So I volunteered to do a small tour of Georgetown -- St George's Cathedral, the tourist trap crafts lane, National Museum and the Seawall.  Well, by the time they had decided to go and we had a bus ..... The Cathedral and Museum were closed, and I don't think anyone bought anything at the craft shops.  So we walked over to the Market area near Stabroek and wandered through the crowded and dark stalls.  (I think they became aware that they were really a minority.)   Then, we took off for the ocean and the "beach" at the Seawall near the Bandstand.  And, thank God, the ocean was still open! 

The women excited to see  Guyana's Beautiful Beach...

The Team had planned an opening meal and Dennis, Sylvia and I got invited to join them.  It was a great meal and good fellowship and a way to put some of the start-up problems behind them -- perhaps.

What is more Guyanese than Indian Food?

  






The End of Day One

Tuesday morning saw Team 1 and Team 2 get on their way to New Amsterdam and begin their work at the National Psychiatric Hospital re-introducing an Electroconvulsive Therapy Clinic.  However --  and this is a screw-up even beyond the usual Guyanese screw-ups ..… No machine, no electricity in the room, no AC for the delicate equipment, no security (read: door lock), no anaesthetists, no patients with depression, no knowledge claimed by the CEO nor Dr. Maida, the psychiatrist, of their arrival, no recovery areas, a visiting surgical team scheduled at the same time which seconded all the NA anaesthetists, the hotel gave their rooms away -- ETC.  Yes, it's all true!    

This project had been in the works for months, and the machine and supplies had been shipped and arrived in the country.    I might call Sujay thorough!  He and his team had developed teaching materials, manuals and guidelines for ECT administration, proper use of anaesthetic, nursing care pre- and post-therapy, how to use talk therapy as a co-joint intervention, patient and family education materials .....  His team put in hours and hours of preparation.   The ECT programme is what the government and Dr. Harry had asked the team for last year. 

I am glad that I wasn't in New Amsterdam when they arrived ...  But to my amazement and to the huge credit of my colleagues, no one turned homicidal and they went about planning how to be effective with almost every expectation unmet.  Canada should be proud of the professionals who come to foreign lands and represent the best of the Canadian Spirit -- though I do not think they went as far as making a Canadian apology for the inconvenience they caused!

In the end -- or really just a few days later -- the ECT machine was found and a place was secured for it at the General Hospital in New Amsterdam and Sujay and his team began training health professionals.   The Ministry of Heath worked very hard to correct any earlier problems.   It did add weight to my adage:  you need to be here face-to-face to achieve what you want to get done.  It is just how it is  -- and why the country finds it difficult to move from a developing country to one which is more developed.

Next:  Peter's team got left behind.  Or no, not exactly.  On Tuesday, the members accompanied Dr. Harry to his outpatient clinic in Linden ..... They ended up being surprised by 40 or so nursing students and staff who were there for a half day workshop on Mental Illness and Suicide Prevention...  And before any of them could find a  suitable weapon, Dr. Harry had left.    And again the amazing resilience of these Canadian professionals, including Sylvia, meant that they took a few minutes, regrouped and presented a well-received workshop.   When Dr. Harry reappeared, he tried to "kiss and make up" with a large lunch!  

On their way back to Georgetown by bus, the team saw a pickup truck roll over -- and just like in the movies, Dr. Upe, who had all his medical supplies with him, and Nurse Naderia, jumped out of their bus and started to attend to the two people in the truck.  This had to be the world's record for the quickest accident response time in Guyanese [and maybe Canadian] history!  

Back at the School of Nursing, Dennis led both of Tuesday's classes by explaining the students' Myers-Briggs  Personality Profiles.  He gave the tests to them last week and had spent most of his time since then in scoring.   It was a great exercise in self-reflection and maybe the first time that they had looked at who they were in such depth.     


The girls were so advanced that
he upgraded his class from Relationships101 to 102




 



A Special Wuzzle for Dennis.
I had to save it for someone
to whom it applied.

He also had the class get in touch with their "Poet Within" in homage to
Robin Williams' Really Dead Poets Society.   

 Mercifully, The End of Only Day Two.

Day Three would see me return to my vow of just watching... However, I had only printed off Revision 37 of their suggested schedule and failed to notice Revision 49:  Team 3 presents to Mercy Nursing Students at 9:30 .....  Okay, I am Canadian:  if they can cope, so can I.  We cancelled Problem Based Learning for that day, had another teacher give me her class time, and arranged for the second year students to be there, for which another teacher gave up her time... And Upe, Naderia and Paige did an excellent job of presenting "De-stigmatizing Mental Illness".  The students had lots of great questions as just about everyone in Guyana has been touched by mental illness or a suicide.   At least, we would return to "normal" on Thursday .....

That evening the Ministry had rescheduled the CME talks for 6 pm at the auditorium of the National Public Library.   Would I go or not?  I was really tired ..... and the event was not publicized anywhere that I know of .... so Sylvia and I (Dennis was still at the Bosco Boys' Home) went, fearing that no one else would be in the audience ..... Upe talked about the "Elderly and Mental Illness" while Peter presented on "Psychotropic Drugs During Pregnancy".   Actually there were more than 30 doctors in attendance and all appreciated the presentations ..... and Sylvia and I managed to stay awake.

Mercifully, The End of Day Three

It's never "normal" in Guyana ..... The Wednesday's Team had such a great time at the Nursing School that the other half of Peter's Team was now coming on Thursday... And this was on no schedule .....  To shorten these tales:  Martina Power, Sinidu Shimells and Tammy Benwell met the same students and presented an overview of Mental Illness, highlighting Depression and also some Identification and Intervention with Suicidal Persons.    I hate to say this but the students may have enjoyed it more than PBL .....  The presentations were great and the students benefitted . 

There were two more lectures at the Library again on Thursday at 6:00... However, I was just finishing my St Ann's Girls "Bodies, Boys, Belief and Boundaries" course, scheduled to end at 5:30 but the girls kept me overtime till 5:45.  Martina had donated some t-shirts and since there were twenty of them I used them with the girls in my class.  [Some are in the pic.]  Thanks, Martina.  

I then faked an injury and went to my Everest Cricket Club, where there is no cricket ..... and took Dennis down the path of fun and self-destruction.   And then our "Dynamic Catholic" Course leader joined us incognito.   Even better than two more lectures!

Gratefully, The End of Day Four

Friday saw the local team head out to Suddie for an outpatient psychiatry clinic.   The best part is the speedboat ride across the Essequibo... especially in the afternoon when the winds are almost always stronger and the passengers always wet.   From what I hear it was a great clinic with lots of patients seen ...and no bad surprises. 


Today is a Day Off  
The Teams trade places and the NA team comes here and the GT team goes there till Monday.   One of the team members, Ram Kalap, is Guyanese and has a large family outside New Amsterdam who are hosting the whole team to a traditional family feast.   The unholy trinity here is not going as we are headed out on Monday to the National Psychiatric Hospital with the nursing students ..... and two+  hours one-way in a minibus is about all the fun I can manage.

The Team will be here till the early hour of 2 am Wednesday Morning when their adventure will be over ..... Dennis has another week, till Saturday.  And Sylvia is deserting me to go one a retreat to Barbados - white sand and blue water ..... for a week, while I am still here getting my points in the Kin-dom for dedication.   Just three more weeks till I and Sylvia finish for 2014.

This Week's Star at Mercy

?????????????

This is not because there are no more stars.  I just didn't get around to interviewing anyone...  Next week, maybe I'll have to have two?

Father John's 2nd Annual Photo Contest

This Week's Slide Show contains some of the thousands of pictures that the St Ann' Girls have taken for Father John's 2nd Annual Photo Contest.   I will put up only those that made the first cut for the category "Happy Face".  If you have a favourite, tell me and I'll make sure not to cut it when I reduce to just ten finalists.

Thanks for reading this far.
John [Rev]
The Team has a page on FB at: Transforming Guyana’s Mental Health System: A Canadian Initiative 

Sylvia Wilvert Takes Over Command of the Net... At Least My Blog

This Week's Star at Mercy

Juanita Khan

Juanita hard at work...
It is tough to get an action shot of an Executive Secretary.

Juanita was born in Santa Rosa, Moruka, Barima-Waini Region not too long ago.  How did you get to Mercy?  It was a long story, but part of it was her mother died when she was only two weeks.  She was looked after by the priests and sisters there until they brought her to Georgetown and St Ann's Girls Home.   She worked hard at schooling and mostly through private courses for secretarial and computers.  She began work for Guyana Stores and eventually to Mercy Hospital in 1998.   When I arrived my first day here it was Juanita who greeted me as she was Sister Sheila's Secretary;before that Margorie Park, then after she was the same for Helen Browman, David Jimenez and now CEO Dr. Bridgemohan.   [Wow over 17 years and survive 5 bosses; she must be good.]

She is the proud mother of four children: Molly, Johanna, Shekeila and Vince.  For all of them Juanita has put their education in the foreground and made many sacrifices for them to become the best they could be.

"Come to Guyana it is a beautiful country" though she has not been to many places herself.  If you come, you could take her to see Bartica, Rosignol, New Amsterdam and Santa Rosa.   She did get to Kaieteur Falls because of a close friend and volunteer Jane Greiling.

And the best part of working at Mercy Hospital?  It is meeting new, various and different people - the good and the bad - everyday.   It is interesting and challenging.  Actually, I just get used to something and then...It changes.

What wisdom might you share with my readers?   Always pray to God for guidance.  Trust him; all things are possible.  And if you love yourself, you will love others even better.   When life gets dark, trust God and Listen.   [I think her next job will be as a preacher.]

But in 10 years, she says she would like to be at home.  Her daughters want her at home and not working. Such a loving set of daughters... Almost.  They would like her at home to be there when they get home with food cooked and laundry done...  So she may be still working as it would be easier.   I will see what God has in store for me.

Miss Sylvie, Guest Blogger

Sylvia pondering her words...

One of the first things I overlooked this past week, being Canadian Thanksgiving, is the fact John and I share a portion of a large house that is ALMOST free of cockroaches and ants. Thank goodness for the bug spray John has on hand, but I seldom find any of these critters a nuisance. On the other hand, I continue to sleep under netting for fear that mosquitos will get the best of me and I would succumb to Chikungunya the current rage at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital these past few weeks. That, and Dengue fever seem to be filling the Emergency Dept.  Both of these are spread by mosquitos, so in spite of us having screened windows, they find their way into our apt. John feels the gaps in our floorboards with standing water in the trench below us has something to do with the critters attacking us.

Some people get an ocean view..
This is the view from our flat:
Chikungunya Creek.

 Even the local people are complaining about the heat that we have endured for the month of October. It means that we are wet most of the time. Thank goodness for a “rainforest” type shower, but even that is not cooling as the water heats up in the pipes that are exposed to the sun. Our classroom is the breeziest, and in fact can be comfortable for us in spite of the class time being the middle of the day. However, the house is another story. The major breezes off the ocean are blocked by the large house adjacent to our home. We use a large fan that is constantly in use, but it sounds like a 747 and we need to shout to be heard....but we could not do without it. Which brings me up to the times we go without power.....and those “blackouts” happen on a regular basis. Usually early evening, without warning everything goes black and very still, except for the neighbours generator. It seems that in a couple of hours, everything is back on, and life goes back to normal. Speaking of normal, the students often remind us that they are unable to get their homework sent in to be marked because they had “blackout” in their neighbourhood the night before. Such is life here.

Blackout picture

In an effort to ensure that our safety is of the utmost importance, six large flood lights were installed a couple of weeks ago around the house. Never mind that it feels like the moon is right outside the windows, and we seldom need night lights, it was revealed that the lights were there to protect all the materials that were moved into the apartment next door. So much for the utmost concern for our safety. But really, I truly feel safe while on the hospital compound. There are guards everywhere, including downstairs at our a door. There is a gate onto a busy street at the back of the house, and the guards job is to ensure no one jumps the gate and tries to break in to get those precious materials, mainly paper....reams and reams of paper and if you are old enough to remember, carbon paper. That is were all our old stock went, not in the trash, but was shipped to Guyana to be used by all government officials.

The problem at the back gate is that there is a two foot gap between the gate and the fence next door. So that is the way I travel to the swimming pool, I take the back gap shortcut. In fact that is the way John and I avoid the front entrance when we have had a couple of beers at the Everest Cricket Club. All these little perks get us through the day.

Helping the Everest Cricket Club Break even...

The staff here are wonderful to us. This past week I ran out of minutes on my cell phone. No problem. Just go to the ER, ask for Ryan and pay one of the nurses the $2,000 ($10 CAD) to be “topped up” and by doing it remotely, he doesn't need to leave his duties in surgery. Now that is service. I also appreciate the women in the kitchen who work with those restaurant sized ovens that usually bring the temperatures up over 100 degrees. I don't know how they don't have sweat poring down their faces like John and myself. My other favorites, are the women in the laundry. Every Monday I bring my bag of laundry to them, and with smiles they greet me. I don't get that reaction from any of you at home, especially bringing in my dirty clothes. They return them clean to me the same day. Recently, their dryers broke down. So they hang all the bed sheets on lines throughout the hospital. I have no idea how they can work in the heat and humidity in such a cheerful mood.

This past week was mental health awareness week. John attended the “fair” where he was to be available for counseling at a booth called “counselor available for teens”. Well surprise, no one came, he crossed out teens and said “for anybody”. That didn't fly as well. But I guess there were a few that showed up, especially the runners who came in from the Breast Cancer walk, as they shared the few posters advertising the day that were placed around town. Guyana has a long way to go.

Our days are filled with unexpected events, and I look forward to those daily surprises. The students teach me so much about their culture, beliefs, fears for their future, and the awe of the prospect of becoming a nurse in the not to distant future. Hopefully they are able to take a fraction of the messages we have imparted on them these past few weeks. If not, they certainly have enriched my life.

John invited his friend Dennis to come down from Mass. for 3 weeks. They have been friends for the past fifty years, and let me tell you, they have stories! Dennis is helping with Problem Based Learning classes, and I so appreciate a new perspective. I just hope the students appreciate him as well.

Look closely:  
Dennis is 2nd Row, 3rd from Left
John is Last Row, 4th from Left.

Wednesday night both Dennis and myself wandered down to the sea wall where we were able to find a place to sit among the throngs of people. All of Georgetown comes to watch the Diwali parade, or Festival of Lights, a Hindu holiday. All the floats were well lit up with bright colours and loud Indian music. It was magical for all to see. Now typical Guyanese style, there were vendors everywhere selling food, toys, and my favorite, fire crackers. Now as we walked we needed to dodge the “roman candles” that the 4 and 5 year olds were holding in their hands while the firecrackers were lit. You know, the kind that says you need to be 20 ft. away before lighting. I didn't pay attention to the papers the next day to see how many were injured.

The next day, Thursday was the actual stat holiday, no classes. So once again Dennis and I left John behind, (he was working), and went off to St. John's parish fair. This is their major fun raiser for the year, and did they do it up big. I was helping Donna with the “clown booth”. For just fifty cents, you could try to get the 3 tennis balls in the clowns mouth. And for the rare person that actually made this happen, they won a prize. All the booths had been hording all year for these coveted dollar store prizes. People walked away with a plastic cup,and were happy. The boys from St. John Bosco Orphanage helped us in our booth. These “eager beavers' dove for the balls, ensured no one was cheating and collected the money. They were so excited to just be at the fair, let alone help with the events of that day. I said to Dennis, that both the children and adults could not be more entertained or excited if they were at Disney World. We left at the end of the afternoon with our ears ringing from the loud music......what else, we are in Guyana.

John met us at the Brazilian Churrascaria 
where he treated us to “Brazilian Barbeque” what a treat.    

Even though it was a holiday his girls at St Ann's were waiting for their Educational Class.  So he dragged himself out before dinner.





We look forward to the Canadian Mental Health team of 20 coming down on Monday. 
Stay tuned......  Or better yet Tune In Now and hear Ram talk about the upcoming trip for the radio.   It will become a rare collector's item as it may be the only time in recent history that Sujay has said the fewer words!  In a published review Upe Mehan said, "Great job Sujay and excellent interview Ram--you spoke very well and it must have been hard for you to share your family's experience but you did that so eloquently."

CBC interview with Ram and Sujay

Thanks for reading.
Now I'll head back to the Seawall and
"Catch a Breeze."

Miss Sylvie