Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Leishmans and Bullocks leave Guyana

September 28, 2009, the Leishmans and Bullocks left Guyana, Leishmans to Tobago and the Bullocks to Point Fortin in Trinidad.

Leishmans on their balcony for the last time; and rearranging things at the airport (never seems to weigh right or fit!)


Good bye from the Bullocks; Hmmmmmmm! When the water bottle will not fit anywhere else!

Monday, September 28, 2009

Anarika Group

This is still Sunday, September 27, 2009. We visited our Linden East Group rather quickly prior to going to the Linden West Group. They live in the neighborhood that we do; they have about 25 to 35 members that attend regularly; and are known to have as many as 50 at their meetings (1.5 hour block). After our visit to the Linden West Group (2-hour block), we traveled to Anarika, a small community about 30 miles West of Linden, near the Essequibo River, to have Sacrament Meeting with them. The trip takes about 45 minutes to an hour. This will be something we do about every other week.

On the way out there is a intersection that will take you to Brazil or to Venezuela (?) For Real! We head towards Venezuela to travel to Anarika.


This is the place we meet--under the home of the Ramdeholl family: Daveanand, Celena, Mandy, Ryan, Richie, and Martina; and they invite their neighbors. They are some of the very first members of the Church in the Linden area.


Elder Collins made a friend immediately: Miki, Mandy's daughter. Vishal Bidde in the hammock: he has been adopted by the Ramdeholl family and they are not sure of his age (about 13-15). Sister Collins will take the reading program out to Mandy and she will teach him how to read.


Their home is on the banks of the river; we took the walkway down; what a sight to see!


After Sacrament Meeting, we also went down to another part of the river--a spot where Elder Collins wants to try fishing for the Peacock Bass.


And look what the Ramdeholls gave Elder Collins to take home! That's right! A Peacock Bass--yummy eating! (pretty fish)

Getting to know Linden--Our Linden West Group

We did lots of touring of the Linden area while the Leishmans were still with us: meeting people and visiting the three groups (not a Branch yet) that we will watch over. Our main branch on the West side of the Demerara River was visited first on Sunday, September 27, 2009. We have to cross a bridge to get there ($40 --which equals about 20 cents US). This is a picture of the Linden West group; they meet in the main floor of a two-story Apartment House. Quite a group--an average of 80 people come to Sacrament Meeting here. Will we ever know all these people (?)

A group of the Young Women..........and Alice Vyfhuis and her daughters, Manouska and Monique and Teslyn Bacchus (Alice's niece) with the Leishmans and us...we went to their home for roti and chicken curry one night...actually quite good.


Taking pictures that day seemed to be in order--Leishmans leaving and the Collins being welcomed! The Fredericks with Sister Collins and then the "JOYCE" group: Sister Joycelyn and her daughter Joyann Semple--that was quite fun!


Elder Collins teaching a sister how to fill out her tithing slip; and then he found someone to chat with (!cutest little thing!) Just need to notice the color of the walls inside our chapel...enough said.



Then helping Juliette Giles' boys learn how to tie their ties....and then Elder Gossai came to help also. They would much rather do that then take pictures.


Alice with her other daughter and grand-daughter. AND OUR ELDERS: Stewart and Gossai. Elder Stewart is from St. Vincent and joined the church (while playing basketball for the Church College of Hawaii) not too long before going on his mission, . Elder Gossai is a local Guyanese from the Diamond Branch near Georgetown. They will both have a local "mini-missionary" with them (they don't have their official call, but are serving while they wait).


They are going to be easy to love!...........and Elder Leishman saying "good-bye; see you later".


A visit later to the Outar Family.


That was just a start to our Sunday!

Friday, September 25, 2009

Into Guyana--First Few Days.

We are now on our way to a new adventure in the land of Guyana--northern country in South America. We are headed for the community of Linden, about two hours south of Georgetown (the largest city in Guyana, the better shopping for groceries).

Two pictures from the airplane as we fly into Guyana--Demerara River and the dense forests (jungles)......September 24, 2009.


At the airport; getting ready for customs..................And the highway that takes us to Linden (gorgeous).


Here are the Leishman Couple whom we replaced in Linden and the Apartment building (upstairs) where they lived. The missionary elders took their place when they left. We had served with them in Trinidad and enjoyed them there; so, our few days with them training were really enjoyable, as well as "trying" to learn our new area. And the first glimpse of our new little home--it does have three bedrooms, one bath, kitchen/dining and a living room (perfect!).


We took a trip into Georgetown to do paperwork and some grocery shopping with the Leishmans. We met the other Guyana couples at "New Thrivings", a super chinese food buffet. We were able to eat there for $1500 each (about $7.50 US).
From left to right: Sisters Hymas, Collins, Leishman, Lingren, Handly, and Evans (soon to leave for home). Then in the Elders picture: Handly, Leishman, Collins and Evans. Elders Hymas and Lingren were sitting at another table. Then look at the buffet (! Ymmmm!)



And just a side-note: "Look what we found shopping!" Exactly! First time on our mission, we bought a Thirty-Two Pac of Diet Caffeine Free Cola--this is just one/half of the bunch--had to include this picture. We are inside our home now--the living room. and looking into the kitchen area.


Yep! Elder Collins found some sugar cane to chew on!.............our kitchen/dining area.


Putting up the mosquito net in our bedroom--yes, we do have mosquitoes at night.


The "wash room" ......................................and our office space.


Not too long and we had our first guests in our home: Xiana Emmanuel, Delicia Benjamin, and Russzen Blair came visiting (all in the same familly)--so, we played Jenga with them. Cute kids!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Last four days in St. Lucia!!!!!!

Leaving St. Lucia was a hard thing to do; we had the call to serve in Linden, Guyana and knew that this last week had come rather quickly; we kept our regular schedule, visited extra, met our new couple and wanted to have things ready for them (!) At one point, we were wondering if we would ever find time to pack!

Monday morning we went to get fruit at our favorite stand and to tell our special lady that we would miss her.


With not much notice to anyone, we squeezed in a quick P-Day on Monday at the apartment with Elder Morris, Elder Christensen, Sister Girdharry and Sister Camejo. The elders helped the sisters decorate their planners.


D'Anne, Sarah, and Kacy joined us-- we served supper and dessert!


Tuesday brought District Meeting and the Vieux Fort gang to join us for the meeting and then to Dominos for lunch--one of our favorites! We will especially miss seeing the Faux couple!


That same day, our replacements, the Treseders, arrived. Really nice/enjoyable couple.


A party at the Branch that same night.......a group of them sang songs and ended with "Till We Meet"--shame on them :)............an extra hug from Sarah and D'Anne!--they have their applications in for attending BYUI and we are all waiting for their results.

Kimberly and Kaitlyn...........................................D'Anne with Kaitlyn. Should there be any doubt why we love these people sooooo much!


Elder Christensen came in that night, sporting this! (He took a real tumble on the islands' hilly terrain)-------and Sister Hygina, our Young Women's President.


Our Branch President Marquis and wife, Myrla. (they lived down the gap from us; we became especially good friends)-----in his office, with their daughter, Kimberly.


Wednesday night--the night before we were to fly out, we had another couple get-togethers at the house until late; 'twas what it was supposed to be. The Marquis, all the kids in our neighborhood, the Sisters, Sarah, and D'Anne came visiting!


AND OUR GIRL, KACY! She has been accepted to BYUI for the winter/spring semester and will leave the island sometime in December. Our family is planning on meeting her at the plane in Salt Lake City---she is going to need a coat! a blanket! a fireplace! need we say more (?)