Black Water Swimming

I do wish that either I had a memory or that I was more anal...  I can't remember what I may have said and am too lazy to re-read everything again.  So.. here we go again.   If you have already heard all my stories, you can pretend that I am Ken Beal - and just be nice and humour me.

A week ago Saturday arrived and as I got to St. Ann's about a half hour early most of the girls were already waiting to leave. Sister Barbara had decided in the goodness of her heart that all the girls - not just the girls who had been good the previous days - would be going swimming... as well, it was her birthday and she wanted the peace and quiet.   Ah one of those times in life that opposites are true - generosity and selfishness.  Sister Barbara did do a little "Happy - Happy - Joy Dance" as we were leaving... so maybe one was more true than the other.
  I had originally recruited 6 of my students to help supervise before I told Sister that I would take them... On the Thursday, I was down to 2 students; the others had some really lame excuses, like I'll be too tired to go out dancing at the Guy Expo that night... and my personal favourite:  my mother told me that I can't go because I have to study!  Anyhow, I did end up with three students [who eventually showed up at 9:30], Judith, a visiting nurse from Amsterdam and Sylvia, a long term volunteer with Scarborough Fathers in Toronto [a Maryknoll knock-off society - and for those of you who pay close attention, Tony and I did take her out to dinner.] as well as Sister Mary Peter.  Eventually one - 5 seat -car and two 12 seat -mini-vans left with 40 plus eager participants.

It was my first time to the Chicken Farm as I usually have been able to fake an injury; however, I was supposed to be in charge of the expedition.   The food and juices were packed and the three toys for all the kids and we were off.   It was a good 40 minute drive out to the airport. It seemed longer with a happy little kid on on my knee that whole time and the fact that in true Guyanese style the driver had to stop to get some air in his tires...  It never crosses the mind to do stuff early.   In many ways it is an example of Guyana... There is no preventative maintenance...  only after something breaks or doesn't work is it looked at.   And so almost everything is just a "straw" away from collapse.
The farm is a working chicken and pig farm and packing company... at the road.   At the back it is a well groomed paradise.   David Fernandes, a brother of Sister Beatrice is the Kluck-Kluck King of Guyana and he invites the girls out to swim and play in the grass and trails AND pick all the fruit - oranges and tangerines that they can carry.   Some of the older and professional girls brought huge duffel bags to maximize their haul.
There is a wonderful pool that is constantly fed by the black creek water.  It is hedged in and there is a large benab and poolside tables.   It is the most impressive landscaped area that I have seen in Guyana.   All the workers are polite and courteous to the girls.



They were so happy!  And there wasn't a fight over anything.  With 37 girls over 6 hours... now that is a MIRACLE.   Some of the girls whom I can only recognize by their frowns and grumps were unknown in smiles and laughter... MIRACLE 2.   And I did not say "Ugh!" once the whole day... MIRACLE 3.
At the end they were tired and I was exhausted.   And as I was leaving to go home, I could hear them asking Sister Barbara when was Father John taking them again.  Hey, let me get home first, eh?



I really do mean to do a serious blog on our adventure with Problem Based Learning.  What is really scary is that Tony and I agree that it is going great...   Thought the students may have figured us out, for if one of us says something, they look at the other and wait for the opposite.

The Senior -Seniors took their final RN exams this week... I guess it is too late that they do well on the test.  So maybe say a prayer that they will cope with whatever grade they did get.  I taught them three years ago and it is good that they remember me with such affection and expressions of our deep relationship when they ask me when I am taking them to the Creek to relax and unwind from the exam stress - just like I told them that they should do... though I don't remember saying I was going to pay.

More of Somethings

• I reached a new low this week when I was shopping.  I looked at the Kraft Mac and Cheese and decided that it was too much work to prepare... and pushed on to cookies!
• Actually, grocery shopping isn't too bad here.  There is variety of most stuff.   The difference is that you can never get the same thing two weeks in a row.
• When I was at the King of Glory celebration, the ladies from Epiphany in Albouystown [Yes, I am still legend as the white guy walking there alone  ..... most drivers don't even stop for red lights in that part of town] reminded me that I had told them I would be back to preach again and didn't!  So I am scheduled to preach there at 8 am on Sunday... and since Calvary heard that, I'll be there at 9... [now I'll have to be short]  and across the river at 11 in King of Glory.    They are under a faulty logic when they tell me "Pastor, no sense wasting a good sermon..."    I haven't even written it yet.
• Sister Beatrice of St. Ann's still remains very weak yet amazingly keeps her spirits up.   She wanted to see the pictures of the girls swimming at Bounty Farms... And she stayed awake watching all 400 of the pictures... Those girls can take a lot of pictures of themselves.   She gave me this nun look when I told her that Sister Mary Peter was not going to wear her bikini.   Please remember her in your prayers. 
• The pictures in the Slide Show (above) this week are from the Bounty Swim.   Just some, eh?
• I took my friend, Dick Young, to dinner and we went to the Pegasus Hotel and poolside.  Well, all the familiar waiters had been let go in a dispute about salaries and were replaced by a new and very young wait staff who were learning - or not - as they served and a limited menu with higher prices...   I will not return.   I may end up talking on Sunday about slavery and Jesus' silence - don't know yet.   However, part of the definition of a slave is one whom others consider chattel.. It felt that was what happened to my old waiters at the Pegasus... It may have been Lenin who said that slavery is not dead; it just lives on in different forms...
• I also passed my exam with the Second Year Nursing students.  I met with them on Tuesday and one by one I correctly named them all... They were sad that I succeeded as there would be no pepperoni pizza for them.  I had bet them I could.. and they did their best over the two weeks to disguise and confuse me.  I had taken their mug shots and added them to my computer screen-saver and worked every day at memorizing them.   Well, they were such good sports, I told them that I'd still get the pizza.   I'll just have to take it out of my small beer fund...

What Price Glory?

Sunday saw Tony and me head over to the West Bank [across the Demerara River on a bridge that American engineers built and was only supposed to last ... well, it was some time a few decades ago!] to King of Glory Lutheran Church in Bel Vue... a small sugar cane village that supplies the mill at Wales [which you can find on a map].   It was for their 50th Anniversary.   They have had a long hard struggle at the edges of the old Lutheran "empire".  In fact less than a decade ago, the building was in in shambles and Lutherans were on their way to extinction...  And then, a number of things happened, including Pastor Dick Young being appointed pastor; and, a few people in the community decided to have it "return" to its glory.   And in some ways it has and has become a sign to others that it is possible.  The building has been repaired and painted, a community hall has been built, the yard has been leveled and raised [though the waters flooded the whole yard, so they need some more sand to raise it again.]   The older people in the community like to walk there because there is zero chance of getting hit by a car... unlike walking on the roads, where just this week an older [I didn't ask her age in case they said 64!] woman was knocked down by a car while she was walking.

The joint was packed, as opposed to a regular Sunday.  Lutherans from all over Guyana came to worship there.  The President of the Guyana Lutherans, Rev. Paul Moonu, was the preacher - and Tony thought he did very well - even if not Baptist.   Dick played on the keyboard and local Deacons presided at the liturgy.

 There was a lunch following the service, and the hall had a display of pictures over the years... There were some pictures of my daughter, Kristin and her friend Jeanette, plus the Wyoming Women who I took out against Mother Kidner's advice on an minibus that flew to get across the bridge before it opened, i.e., opened to water traffic.  I usually bring volunteers there as it is "the country"...  When I introduce them, I say, "I need to bring visitors here because you haven't seen Guyana until you have been to Kaieteur Falls and King of Glory."   Strange to see yourself a part of history.   There have been others who are part of the history there like the volunteers from the Florida Synod who came down on a construction project.

I cannot mention King of Glory without mentioning its silent patron... Julie [I won't use her last name and then she'll kind of remain anonymous].  She has been a continuous donor for the community centre there... She supplied the sewing machines for their sewing classes which I think are run by Peace Corp Volunteers... as well as the swings - which remain the only public swings on that part of the West Bank... and several other projects.   As well, she has her Sunday School send greetings and prayer wishes to the girls at St. Ann's and the boys at John Bosco.   Its wonderful to see thes people as part of the history.  Thanks Julie...

And of course, there is the non-silent patron... Tony.   It was here that last year he taught trigonometry to three young women so they could go to University of Guyana .. and this year he packed up a dozen or so computers and printers - all numbered everywhere in his charming obsessive style - wrapped them up in used clothes from Value Village and had them shipped down here through the good graces and support of Guyana Christian Charities Canada.    He is now involved in teaching a computer science course there for community youth.

As with almost everything in Guyana, the existence of the church is fragile.   Not only are dollars scarce - human resources are even harder to maintain.   If one or two leaders step aside, it may die, as there is usually no one to step up...  Please continue to pray for them... and when in Guyana - visit King of Glory right after Kaieteur!

I sometimes think that my blogs tend to be too much about money  … however, money or the lack thereof is always in the foreground here.   One of the “benefits” of being seen as a pastor is that I "must have money" and will be an easy touch.   So I have a parade of people who seem to show up in the time it takes me to lock or unlock the gate…  I do give some (my supporters make this possible) and usually to a “good story”…  The other day I was getting somewhat overwhelmed with the frequency, when…  I was visiting a small photo finisher that also sells artificial flowers and is not rolling in dollars… As I was leaving from picking up my pictures there was a poor man waiting for me and I heard myself say, “Ugh not another one!” [see a previous blog], when the older woman who owns the store came around from behind me with a large box of crackers and gave a big handful to the man and then to the one or two others who were just passing.  As it goes… some sermons are better done than spoken.

Odds and Sods

• I brought 4 newly released movies, including Robin Hood with Russell Crowe, for less than 50 cents US each.   Do you think that they are pirated, maybe? 
• Some mornings my electric alarm clock has gained almost 30 minutes.  I can’t understand why the Guyanese are late for almost everything – unless they don’t use electric clocks.   Or maybe I should bring it back to Canada and have our trusted Philip look at it!
• It is no secret that I forget things… However, this year I haven’t drunk the tap water by mistake, as some thoughtful person has added a green algae that floats around in it.  Very helpful.
• Brought my pictures to my usual One Hour shop in the afternoon and returned the next morning… and they weren’t ready.  I must have picked the wrong hour.
• “Default_11G” is still kind enough to keep his wireless router somewhere where I can get on…  We are developing a strange relationship.  I do worry that something has happened to him when he is “late” turning it on.  After a blackout, I am tempted to yell out my kitchen window, “Yo! Default_11G, reboot your modem.”   When I see the quality of our relationship in print it does seem pretty selfish; maybe he could just leave it on all the time?
• While I have not reached the heights of plantation ownership, I do employ a person who does my laundry and cleans up after me.  Each year I seem to lose more and more of the “roughing it” quality required to suck money out of donors… At this rate, I soon will have to pay people to read this blog…..
• Everything here gets “soggy” if open to the air…  so the most practical of all are the cookie manufacturers who pack just four cookies in a sealed package…  Now if I could just not eat four or five packages… for breakfast.  I do need something with all my cups of coffee, and this year I'm not at the hospital for breakfast so have to choose and buy my own.   Good thing that I don’t teach nutrition… But on the other hand I am a preacher… Imagine if a preacher had to actually do everything they preached about!... Some short sermons coming up, eh?

Enough for now…  The pictures in the Slide Show [above] are from King of Glory last Sunday.

Take Care,

John

Finally, a Guest Paragraph from Anne which she wrote to a friend in Nova Scotia:

"Your question / suggestion about John’s leaving annually for Guyana stimulated some thoughts.  I believe it’s not so much that he needs to leave this physical place, but that he needs regularly to leave our comfortable, easy, pleasant life, and even more the sense of being retired from work.  He took early retirement in 2002, when he was only 55, and although he needed to leave that particular situation, he knew he was too young to stop what he’d probably call “trying to make a difference in the world”.  Not that it can only be done away from home, but he’s found that particular situations of poverty, life-threatening illness, social hopelessness, anguish of various kinds, are what call forth his best efforts.  Teaching in the nursing school in Guyana provides a kind of recognized framework for some less formal addressing of human needs.  Doing it totally on a volunteer basis lets him feel free in a way he couldn’t be if it were a “job”.  (I’ll copy this to him so he can correct my perceptions as necessary.")                                      No corrections required .... John.