2nd Adventure for the memorial and special talk

Hello everybody.  Hope you are all well and are finally getting some spring weather. 

First of all I have to say I was in the jungle for 2 weeks!!!!! The jungle!!!!!!  What a great great experience.  I will try and keep this blog as brief as possible as I have also sent you all a link to another little movie I have made but wow how to do this trip justice.  What a wonderful blessing again from Jehovah.  I am just buzzing.  So I went to 2 different towns.  It was a 2 week trip.  First we spent a week in Baramita which is deep in the interior of Guyana.  We had the memorial there and some amazing jungle preaching.

I know sometimes you read blogs from different bro and sis and they say we are living the yearbook.  Well actually I have, for real. Some of you may already of looked up the 2005 yearbook on guyana with me going on about it all the time.  Well please look up when you get a chance page 178 through to 181.  The story of Ruby Smith and progress of the baramita cong.  We were there.  We were guests in her home.  We lived the yearbook.  

So when you see the video you will see our little plane. 


You literally get on, buckle your seat belt then off we go.  Then the plane lands and we get off and collect our bags.  New passengers get on and the plane is away again within about 10 minutes.  We flew over about 100 miles of jungle and gold mines.

So we landed on Monday 25th March and the Memorial was the next day so we all helped get the outdoor kingdom hall clean.  Wow the memorial was an experience I will never ever forget.  People just came from everywhere.  To clarify my last blog I was given some wrong information.  So there are about 2500 carib speaking people in guyana.  And the memorial had official count 1393 but the special pioneer elder Bonny said there was at least 1500.  Yes that is right I typed 1500.  Carib people just flocked from all sides of the kingdom hall.  And as it got darker we could see under the light of the moon people all through the bush.  The carib people are painfully shy so they like to hide away.  Hard work for the brothers serving the emblems.  Later on we found out how far some of the caribs had travelled.  Some walked for over 2 days through the deep deep jungle from the borders of Venezuela just to hear the memorial in their own tongue.  And a large group walked over 5 hours including small children from deep in the bush.  The are a isolated village that never mix with others so it was a brave thing for them to come out that special night.  What a praise to Jehovah and his name and a real appreciation for the ransom sacrifice.

So it was an amazing privilege to see.  The congregation has 65 publishers and on average can have up to 200 at the meetings.  The potential in this area is phenomenal.  Jehovahs Witnesses are the only religion the carib know. No other church wants to put in the effort of translation.  They have a translation office working mega hard to publish literature in the written form of Carib.  On the movie you see a clip of a language course.  The brothers and sisters from the translation office are teaching the carib people to read their own language.  The plane that we came in on had copies of the Listen to God brochure.  When we saw the brothers and sisters faces as they learnt that this wonderful brochure was in their language it brought tears to our eyes.  How we can take for granted all our spiritual food.  You can clearly see Jehovahs blessing on this lovely congregation of faithful zealous brothers and sisters.

So then onto our jungle preaching. We spent 2 days following unseen tracks trusting the local brothers and sisters.  Then all of a sudden you would see an opening and a tent or 2 with families living off the land and mining gold.  And now armed with the listen to God brochure the congregation will be able to teach the people better.  The sisters all just had flip flops on and me and trisha and shannon were all kitted out with wellies.  White girl overkill but the jungle is full of who knows what.  WE came home both days full of joy and amazing pictures and stories to tell. We were all encouraged to speak a little carib so armed with my notepad I was raring to go.  The carib people dont make eye contact with you but what a lovely blessing to see them raise their chins off their chest when they hear you trying to speak their language.  The general greeting is JAFFEY LA LEY POH.  Apologies for my attempt to spell it.  When they understand you and are happy they make a MMMMMMMMMMMMM sound in the back of their throat.  That is their way of agreeing with you and saying thankyou.

One local brother in his 60's travels about 1 hour through the jungle to get to the group and then often you have to walk upto 2 hours to get to the territory.  Then he preaches for the day then its a 2 hour walk back to baramita town then a hour back home through the jungle.  What a fine example they set and wow I can tell you I got alot fitter over these long days of preaching.

Brian conducted a bible study with a family of 4 who walk 1 hour each way each week for their bible study.  True appreciation.

And we had our tour of the local gold mine and I got to keep a little nugget.  Its going to be a gift for my Dad.  Im having major Only fools and horses flash backs "One day we'll be millionaires Roddas".  The brothers that work below me in the gold shop said I should crack it open and who knows it could have a huge gold nugget hidden inside.  All I can see is a minuscule dot of gold but hey you never know.  Each ounce of gold they find is worth $250,000 GYD which is about £750 so its a lot of back breaking work.  All in the pursuit of riches.  The gold miners love hearing about the truth and chance to get true spiritual riches.

So after our amazing week in Baramita it was off the Matthew Ridge about 2 hours drive away.  Our driver was drunk and still drinking and the clutch wasnt working properly on the bus but with alot of prayer we got to our new home behind the kingdom hall safe and sound.  We actually had to use the local bus 3 times and we weren't charged one $ which was really kind of him and a great saving for us all.  So Trisha and I stayed in an apartment behind the kingdom hall and Tom and Michelle Sanches were in the apartment next door.  They are missionary's from California and I went with them to Lethem.  We had no electicity and not much running water and our apartment was home to alot of fruit bats and cockroaches but we had a really great time.  Its amazing what you find out you really need and dont.  Actually a lovely spiritual brother made this comment THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT YOU NEED AND WHAT YOUV'E GROWN ACCUSTOMED TOO and that was very true of our trip.

So the brothers and sisters are only classed as a group for now.  They still come under Baramita congregation.  They have 15 zealous publishers including a new publisher Dominic who is 8 years old and full of enthusiasm for the ministry.  They have 1 pioneer and no elders or servants.  So the 2 local brothers have a lot of work to do.  Sisters do the microphones and alot of the extra duties.  Bro Kennedy has only been baptised 1 year and conducts the WT.  We heard while we were there that the branch in Trinidad is sending 2 special pioneer couples to help them out as soon as they can find homes for them to rent and then the 2 back apartments will be refurbished for them.  So that got a huge round of applause.  So as you can imagine Tom Sanches was very busy for the 2 full weeks he was assigned there training the brothers and Lucas (who is trisha my flatmates boyfriend who has come to guyana to visit) was really busy too.  Tom also said he was grateful that we as sisters came along to offer training and example to the many new sisters in the group which was really touching for us to hear.  

The congregation although small was so warm and friendly. Lots of hugs and kisses.  But for their memorial they had 208 which is incredible for 15 publishers and for the special talk they had 98 so Jehovah is showering his holy spirit on them.  The family in this picture are all studying and come to all the meetings even though it is a 45 minute walk up a huge hill.  Matthews ridge has 2 massive hills coming in and out of it.  HEAVENS HILL AND HELLS HILL Dont worry the kingdom hall is on heavens hill.Hehehehehehe

So we had some great ministry days when we were there as you can see on my video.  Tom wanted to go to Port Kaituma which is about a 2 hour drive away as it never has been properly preached.  Every single publisher volunteered to come along even though the costs were really high for the bus hire.  So off we went 6AM to 8PM with 7 boxes of literature.  We preached and preached and preached until we had no literature left at all.  We placed all together 95 BROCHURES 182 BOOKS 20 BIBLE 937 MAGAZINES AND ALOT OF TRACTS.

Tom prayed for us at the beginning of the day that we all cope with the long day and keep a happy positive spirit and as you can see we kept smiling all day.  The front left is Sister Scott a 81 year old amerindian.  She was full of stamina.  We walked and walked and walked but always kept smiling.  WE all had so many addresses and phone numbers for the local brothers and sisters to call back and start studying with the spiritually hungry people.

 

Then our final mega preaching day

was on ATV which as you can see on the video I actually drove for about 30 seconds.  But hey I drove it thats the main thing.  So again a early start and the again so many volunteered so the ATV had to do 2 trips.  Again the gold mining area was full of people actually begging for a bible study.  So we tried to answer ???? where we could and again took down phone numbers.

By the end of our week in Matthews Ridge 2 married couples have said they are seriously considering and praying about starting regular pioneering and 2 other single sisters too.  So watch this space.  Both congregations we visited over the past few weeks are blossoming constantly and will continue to expand under Jehovahs watchful eye.

So now our trip has come to an end.  WE had a great flight out back to georgetown and a safe 3 hour drive back to Berbice side and home.  What a trip - What an adventure - How many more joyful memories I can take!!!!

We found out since coming back that our hall had 233 at the memorial which was great.  And I had some of my bible studies come along too which was so nice to hear.

So its back into my ministry here which is really really wonderful so my next blog will give you an update on my studies if you can cope with reading all of this.   Sorry if its a bit long and boring but as you can see once I start gushing I cant really stop.

Take Care and Hope you enjoy       Love Natalie

Adventure Number 2 How many more can I handle!!!!!!!

Hello All

Hope that you are all doing OK.  I will try and send you some sunshine.  Well we have all been really busy everywhere with the memorial campaign.  We have just finished our territory yesterday so it will be great to see the attendance in Skeldon.

BUT  I wont be here to see it.  Adventure girl is back again.  The 2 missionary couples that I went to Lethem with Brian and Shannon (from my hall) and Tom and Michelle Sanches (from brighton cong) are being assigned to the interior for the memorial and special talk.  And guess who is invited to go with.  Little old me.  Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.  And my fab flat mate trisha.

I was offered to go but after just being away I had to be balanced with my fragile budget and then this week I have been generously offered enough from 2 wonderful sources so here I come.  Jehovah is an amazing God and Im so happy to serve Him.  

So we all leave from Corriverton (as you see on the map) next monday about 3am.  And drive to Georgetown to Ogle airport.  Then we get on a Erm shall we say cute plane for the journey across the jungle to land in Matthew Ridge.   

So we will have the memorial in Baramita about 20 miles from Matthew Ridge.  For any of you that have been following my blogs I talked about Baramita during my really really long blog with my zone visit notes.  So the language Carib is spoken there.  Actually the only place on the earth that carib is spoken.  It has only become a written language because of Jehovahs Witnesses.  So now on the our website there are the 2 listen to God brochures.  So the brothers and sisters have to teach the people to read their own language to study with them.  The congregation has about 70 publishers and the memorial attendance for last year was wait for it..........

                       2500 

The people walk for miles through the jungle to get to Baramita hall to hear the memorial in their mother tongue.  

So I will look forward to update my blog in 2 weeks when Im back and tell you all the fabulous experiences.  We are going to stay in both towns and have some carib lessons too.  We are going on an interior preaching trip to a place on the map called Port Katuma so I promise you my next blog will contain plenty pics and a movie or 2.  Be prepared to read alot guys.

When I was offered to come along I said to the brothers and sisters I don't know if I can take any more joy.  What spiritual experiences I am having.  It is all so so wonderful.  My new moto here is Go with the flow and never say no.  So in line with my motto here I go.

Take care and speak to all of you soon

Love Natalie

Some little lethem facts

So I thought I would just send you a few facts and little spiritual gems to add to the movie.  Let me know also if anyone has any problems in watching it as I could send it to you a different way.  Look at me little miss computer nerd who knew eh!!!!!!!

So as you may of seen on the video we broke down due to an electrical problem.  Well 3 different buses that passed by us in the middle of the jungle all had qualified men on them to help us fix our problem.  Jehovah really did send us who we needed.  And as you saw as the truck was being fixed we preached to all the passengers of the buses.  Well the ferry crossing as you see above is on a strict timetable.  It opens at 6am till 6pm.  So by the time our bus was fixed we missed the crossing.  So we were going to have to sleep at the crossing and wait for the 6am ferry.  We stopped by a village about 2 hours from the ferry for fuel.  Then the driver (who was a lovely brother called paul crawford) lifted the bonnet (us translation hood) to check the wiring and something snapped.  So we were told we would have to stay longer in the village while it was welded back.  So we were in a good pattern now so all just picked up our ministry things to start preaching.  That is some of the pictures you see in the video.  Alot of literature was placed.  Once back on the bus Tom Sanches (the experienced interior missionary) filled up with tears and announced to us all that he has made that village a matter of prayer so much to Jehovah because that village never ever has been preached because any bus full of witnesses is always racing through to reach the ferry.  So again we all felt Jehovahs blessing and direction.

Well that night most of us slept on the bus but the brave (including me shock horror) slept under the stars on hammocks.  What beauty we all saw.  Well beauty mixed with a musical symphony of snoring.  Mmmmmm. My first night on a hammock.  Being the littlest I got the narrow hammock and of course fell off twice so there was alot of giggling mixed with the snoring that night.  One more memory for the box.

Also on the video do you see the older sister in the curlers.  She was all prepared for the assembly to look her best.  She is 74 and had more energy than me Im sure.  The pictures of us all at Moka Moka and Kumu falls she went in the water with us and had a great time.  She was the best.  Called Sister Winnie. She is already signed up for next years trip.  What an example. 

I want to give you a bit of information about the villages we went to preach.  So the first village Yakapari hasnt been worked for over 2 years but over half in the village have never heard about Jehovah.  We carried in 2 boxes full of literature and placed every bit of it.  Over 250 magazines  over 60 books alot of brochures and memorial invitations in both english and the tribal language of Mokushi.  On the way to that village we stopped at a small village with a local school and michelle (toms wife ) courageously took the lead and approached the headmaster and asked permission to speak to the children. 

 After we gave all of the kids tracts and their faces of joy was really touching.  So when we reached the village and got permission from the toushou Shelly and me went straight for the school.  The headmistress was really lovely.  She wanted a bible teach book as did the other 3 teachers.  And we had a lot of old magazines with us and the subject was teaching children about God and the awake on music so we left her with a huge pile.  She promised to read them through with the other teachers and change the lessons for the next week to include our magazines for the children to learn to read.  The classroom was divided into 3 sections by ages of the kids.  So to the young we gave tracts.  The older kids got truth tracts then the oldest got magazines.  They were all so proud of them and as you saw were happy to pose with their arms stretched high.

Then we went outside and the school across the grass had just got out and that was the oldest kids.  And that is where you saw me being surrounded by them all wanting magazines.  There were screams of me miss me miss thankyou miss thankyou miss thankyou miss.  We both walked away from that experience with hearts full of joy and tears in our eyes.  Then we had to return to the bus to fill up with more mags and books and head through the rest of the village.  So you saw the other pics of us going through the village.  It was beautiful.  Like paradise will be.  Stunning views all around and everyone living a simpler life.  They really were so starved for bible truths.  Each village has a church somewhere but they as you can imagine dont give satisfying answers to the people at all.  

And the second village we went to was Shulanab.  That is where they have built a beautiful kingdom hall.  The toushou under the ruling thumb of the local church has banned the witnesses from publicly preaching in his village which we have to respect but they have a meeting each wednesday evening.  And a jeep full of bro and sis travel there each wednesday and any and all are welcome from the village to come and have a bible study and then a meeting.  There are only 2 unbaptised publishers but over 20 come to most meetings.  Many study in the teach book or good news brochure and the potential in that village is tremendous.  Jehovah is clearly blessing their efforts.  The journey there was really rough.  The brothers vehicle was taking a good battering.  And they can only travel there in the dry season.  In the rainy season the only transport is boats and bike in between so they are on their own from about May till July.  

As you can see the brothers and sisters in lethem really do work very hard.  A cong of about 60 with only 2 elders and 1 ministerial servant cover a territory of over half the size of guyana.  We have heard that the Governing body are making plans to rearrange how the territory is being worked to spread the load out more.  So watch this space.

So hope this information hasnt bored you too much but has added a bit of meat to my little movie blog.

Any questions just ask away.  Wednesday our cong skeldon and fyrish are coming together to help brighton cover their unworked territory called black bush.  Its rural territory so we are going to go in a blitz it all with memorial invitations so I will let you all know the lovely experiences that we share.

Take Care and miss you all.

Natalie

1500 mile journey

Hello All

Hope that you are all keeping well and enjoying the special month of ministry.  Well I am back from my lethem trip.  It really was a trip of a lifetime.  Such a spiritually life changing experience.  We all had a great laugh too.  Guyana really is a beautiful country.  

So as you can see I have made a little movie.  I just thought it would be the best way for you to see my trip.  I hope that you can all watch it ok and like it.  You will see we had some fun along the way too.  So not to do my usual mega mega mega long blog I thought you could enjoy this video and then any questions or information you want to know please be free to ask anything.  Dont want to put you too sleep.  Believe me the things that I have seen and done I could start typing and not stop.  Hehehehehehe.  

So hope that you enjoy and I look forward to answering any of your questions.

Thankyou all for all of your love and support and emails that you keep sending me.  It gives me a lovely boost to know how many friends I have and makes me feel very loved.

Take Care and stay warm and keep happy.  

My New Blog

This is going to be my new blog from now on.  I've just found out that my old blog website will be closing down the end of April so I thought I would go on a hunt for a new blog and here it is. I know shock horror that I have managed to do this all myself hehehehe.

Well next time I blog you all it will be after my Lethem Trip so be prepared for a long one. 

Sorry in advance



Take Care and stay warm

Natalie 
xxx

My trip to the interior

Hello All

Hope that you are all doing ok and the weather is improving abit now.  Well just wanted you all to know of my upcoming adventure.  Ive been invited to go on a trip to the Special Assembly day in Lethem.  It is in the interior of Guyana Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

It is a nice town that borders Brazil and yes we will all be going over there for a day trip.  Is Brazil ready for Geordie Girl.  So we leave next Wed at about 3 am and its a bit of a long journey.  Pointless guessing now.  I will blog all the exciting info and facts when I come back.  A lot from my area are coming including the missionary couple who have been here for 3 years and never had the experience.  We will be helping set up the assembly hall and will all be involved in a special invitation work to get the local tribes to come to the assembly.  We are apparently having some fun days too.  I've been told there are some beautiful waterfalls to visit and I am staying a little extra with 2 pioneers from the states who were missionaries for a long time and have a lot of experience preaching in the interior. So my dream of canoe witnessing is hopefully going to be fulfilled.

Im so so excited and I will be doing the journey with a local sister called Shelly who will be sharing the guest house with me so that is so nice.  She is a local pioneer in our hall and a really nice friend.

Cant wait to blog with all my pics and adventures.  Im sure it will be a long one so Im sorry in advance if it bores you but Im going to love it I know.

Thankyou for all your comments and support and emails.  It means the world to me.  Im so far away and soon to be farther away for my trip but feel so happy to keep in contact with you all and for your prayers and love.

I'm such a happy bunny to be here.  I've come home from the ministry 2 days in a row totally gushing about how wonderful the ministry is.  The blessings from Jehovah really do make rich.  Im loving living here in guyana and am really settling into my little flat with my room mates and my lovely congregation.  Sure we will bond further on our journey to Lethem.  

Take Care and stay warm and miss you all

Love Natalie 

Great CO visit

Hey all

Just a few little bits of encouragement from our CO visit.  First we had almost half of the congregation out each morning for field service which was really nice.  Over 34 studies have been started in the past week.  We have 72 publishers in our congregation and the attendance for the meeting today Sunday was 174 so that shows the potential here for growth.  Actually after the CO finished the meeting today he asked all of us to keep our eyes open for land as he can see we are running out of space at our hall.  Guyana now comes under the Lands with limited Resources plan so the Branch covers the costs of building halls and our hall is one that has already been built under the arrangement but today proved we are running out of space.  The second school has already been opened up as space for extra and today we had over 50 sitting outside in the hot sun.  Yesterday the local brothers had to build some benches for the meeting today so most had a seat.  Cant wait to see the attendance for the memorial.  Last year was over well over 200.  Exciting times.  And to finish off a great week I had 5 studies come to the meeting today and one of the little boys actually answered up in the watchtower so you can imagine I'm buzzing right now.  They all seemed to enjoy it and the talks by the CO were really encouraging and he pleaded with all new ones to keep coming.  They actually want to come on thursday so I will keep you informed.  I know its a random blog but it just so encouraging to here of the growth all over the world.  

Take Care all of you.  Tomorrow its off to Suriname so please pray on tuesday for me and trisha as we face immigration.  

Bye for now  

Sorry its so long

Hello all from the sunshine to the snow.

Sorry I havent blogged in a while guys.  Dont forget me please and I havent forgot about you all.  And I apologise in advance that this will be a long blog. Been really busy which I suppose is a good thing though eh. Also we have had 4 guests staying in our house for the past 3 weeks.  They are a married couple Scott and Laura and 2 single girls gayle and ashley.  They are friends of my flat mate trisha from Massachusetts.  So we have been having so much fun.  The one lone geordie girl and 5 americans but you know they are learning my lingo more than the other way around.  Hehehehehe.  They have had so so much fun learning the ministry introductions and guyanese "speak".  The house has been a bit full but weve made it work and all that bethel training was put to good use.  Seeing there reaction on the ministry has made all of it worthwhile though thats for sure.

We had a congregation dance party which was so so nice.  We all met at a sisters house at the back of the kingdom hall.  A brother reversed his truck down the drive and the back of his truck was a music system.  The american brothers have these fab group dances like line dancing but not country style.  So trying to get all the cong going was so much fun.  The personality of most guyanese is really shy but we were surprised by how many just went for it including one of our elders.  They are all abit mad.  So the night ended with all of us doing Gangam Style with a sky full of stars.  We never stopped dancing from 4 - 9pm.  

A summary of our ministry in guyana.  A typical door is walking up to the gate and yelling "Inside!" several times. When they yell back (something they and sometimes me can't understand but assume is Hello) We say - "How you do? Have some time?" They say yes, open the gate and let us come in. Most homes are built up on stilts and the bottom floor is open with chairs and hammocks.

They invite you in to sit. Which we are so thankful for because it is so hot and you are just walking and walking. We have hats and umbrellas  but coming in out of the sun and sitting down is such a blessing!! Something strange was you then say "Cooking? or Chores?" which is basically asking them what they are doing and if they have finished their work for the day. Anyone older than you is called "Auntie" or "Uncle".  You then can have a wonderful scripture conversation. Using your Bible all the time. The Good News Brochure has been working beautiful. After sharing the first couple paragraphs. You ask if you can come back to continue and everyone says "Sure. No problem." When you ask when? They say "Me home." So you could easily go back the next day.  So in a week you can return twice and can start a proper study with them.  Really this place is a pioneer's paradise!!! Something else that is strange is asking people if they can read. Which would offend someone in our country. But you just ask 'You for read?" For those that can't the Listen to God brochure is perfect.

Yesterday we started witnessing at the Market at 6:00 then met the brothers and sisters at 9:00 and didn't get home until after 6:00 - most of the entire day spent walking. Several people appreciated our visits so much that they gave us fruit. One woman picked us mangos, pomegranate and star apples from her trees. We came home with three bags. During one Bible study the "Bread Man" came by, hepedals his bicycle around selling fresh baked bread, the Bible study sent me home with a fresh loaf of wheat bread for our dinner. What's amazing is how poor these people are and yet they are generous.

I spoke to a Hindu woman for quite awhile. She was so amazed that we would travel from so far to teach in Guyana. She said that she has only seen that from Christians - not her religion. She agreed to study and when I left she hugged and kissed me.

You walk home tired. But you are so happy. We all get home and we are just beaming and gushing over the tremendous response. AMAZING!!! That the people here share food is great for us all at home. So the help with the food is great.

The week in the ministry was again amazing. Not one single person has not been interested or refused literature. I am sending along pictures. One day we worked at a village further away. We all walked to the main road and then caught a car to take us to the service group. Thankfully no matter how many times that driver beeped and tried to get people to get in the car - no one was going our way. So we actually got to ride with only 3 people in the back seat! One afternoon we were squished in the back of a "tapier" - we all started to laugh because we complain back home when we have to sit three in the back seat in the ministry. Scott was so folded up and bent in the back of that thing that when we had to get out he just looked up and said "I don't think I can move." We eventually pried him out. When we arrived in the territory they actually conduct their meeting for field service at a bus stop. It was great! So everyone standing there for a bus, listened to a full 15 minute meeting for field service and prayer!  

Being with the american brothers and sisters has been so nice and encouraging.  They have been so kind and generous to us both and helped us both realise the amazing blessings of being here in guyana.  So an update on my studies.  Shannon is now back from the states so I passed her 4 studies back to her but the lovely family I study with John and Tina and the boys she has let me keep.  She comes with me but told me she could see we have a nice bond and since I've started the separate studies with the boys I can still keep taking it.  I tell you what its so intimidating doing a study with a gilead graduate sitting by listening she is so experienced so I just pray to Jehovah as always begging him to help me. /I study with john and tina on wed pm and we do the learn to read and write brochure first with john then the teach book with tina and john listens and comments along.  Then sat pm we do the study with the boys which is usually 2 chapters of the bible story book and then a small section of the new YPA book for the 2 older boys.  They know there bible stories well but each week they learn something and we try to help them get a principle from the stories to help them in the family.  And as Ive already mentioned the bible study tools we have from the faithful and discreet slave are so so amazing its also that you have to change the way you teach here.  You cant presume they will know whatever you read so you have to go really slow and keep asking them little questions all the time.  So it takes some time but already I can see the bible truths reaching the hearts of my studies.  The study I started that is on my street is going really well with anita and she has asked me to call by twice a week and her friend has now also asked for a study.  I went by our local chinese take away ( by chinese take away I mean rice and noodles only) and offered the lady some magazines.  She said she had already read them and also read the great teacher book that was left for the owners son.  So I told her about our bible teach book and she asked me to give her one asap.  So I dropped it off on a monday and then passed by her shop on tuesday and there she was sitting at the front table of the takeaway reading it.  Pick me off the floor again.  So I asked if she would like to study and she said yes now.  So we had a study there and then in the restaurant since it was a quieter time.  I pop in at least once a week for a study and she always tells me she cant put it down ever.  She keeps reading and reading every chance she gets.  So that is so great.  I've been working on getting studies locally to our place so that is great for getting around and for getting locals to come along too.  If the studies are up or down the coast you need to use public transport and that is costly for the local sisters.  I also met a great girl called Jessica who is in a village up the road.  We started in the good news brochure and just covering the first page she said Wow if this is a promise from God for the future what can I do to get it.  Goosebumps again.  Its a constant occurance for me.  To come home overwhelmed by the reaction on the service.  Right now I have 14 studies which when I write that down is so strange.  But as I have already said and will continue to say this is really pioneer paradise.  Remember I met that young girl called cami.  Well Ive been struggling to find her at her relatives house on sundays so Ive been praying alot as she is a great girl and seemed to really enjoy her studies.  Well I passed by her house with ashley and gayle and her aunty wasnt at home but a neighbour was watching us.  3 white girls do stand out.  So I asked her did she know where cami actually lived and she walked us around to her home, she lives with her grandma.  So we have our study again.  It has to be after her chores on a saturday but her granny is really happy we are teaching her about the bible and Im much happier meeting her at her home so that is great.

So guyana had a really special treat of a zone visit.  We are under the branch in Trinidad now but large groups of guyanese met up in different schools all over the country and it was streamed via the internet. We rode in a small bus with all of Trisha's deaf Bible Studies. There were 15 of us. Wetravelled 1 1/2 hours to get to a school that we were using. You will see in the pictures. The brothers had to carry out all the school's desks and then pick up chairs from several congregations and deliver them to the school. You will see how they transported them in the pictures. It was a packed full house (or school) of brothers and sisters. The program was amazing. We heard reports on Trinidad, Tobagoand Guyana.

Guyana had a 5% increase last year. They had asked brothers and sisters in Trinidad and Tobago to consider moving over to Guyana to help with the great need for preachers there. The brother calledGuyana a "preaching paradise". That is exactly what it is.

There are 23 missionaries in Guyana. They interviewed 9 of them. One couple that are in thetravelling work spoke about the preaching in the interior of the country. They talked about all the different modes of transportation they have to use. Like air plane, speed boat, canoe, horse cart,bus, BMW - the brother interviewing asked "BMW?" Yes the missionary said "BMW - Better Me Walk!" We were laughing - because that is our favourite way to travel in Guyana - "Better Me Walk" otherwise you are taking your life in your hands with these drivers.

One very touching and exciting report was from the Carib People that live in the very interior jungles of Guyana. They only have a spoken language - not written. Until now. The brothers have worked on developing a written language for the people and have printed the "Would You Like To Know The Truth" tract and "You Can Be God's Friend" Brochure in their language. So the brothers and sisters that go to the interior must teach them how to read their own language and then teach them the truth found in God's word. Isn't that beautiful! There is only one congregation of 65 people. Almost all are the Carib people. That one congregation makes up its own circuit. When the Circuit Overseer Visits they will have over 200 people attend. When they have a Circuit Assembly 500 attend.  The memorial was almost 2000 attendance so there is huge potential in the area.  So almost everyone that goes areCarib people that want to learn more about Jehovah. When the brothers go out in service they will bring a English Bible with them even though they can't read. They have memorized the Bible verses and then they share them from memory. We were told that the "Would You Like to Know the Truth" tract will be available on line in Carib shortly. So this unknown, unwritten language will now be on the world wide web!!!

One missionary sister made a comment that she learned at Gilead. It touched us because we could relate to it. She said that when you look around you can concentrate on the bad - how poor and dirty and hot it is - but she says she will always remember the counsel - "Don't look down at the dirt. Look up at the faces." That is so true. It is the people that you are teaching that you see. That is why you are here.

Brother Walls from the U.S. Branch Committee then gave a fantastic talk on "Open Your Eyes and See". Guyana has 2,756 publishers and 5,459 were tied in throughout Guyana listening to the program!!  All together there were almost 18 000 in attendance.  

The program ended with singing song #134 - which was very, very emotional. We couldn't get through singing the last verse we were crying so much - as were many, many there. The local people sing out very loud and strong, especially the children. They sing the loudest. So in that large gathering we heard the children singing the most and it was so touching!!!

You will also see pictures of the "beach". The beach is called 63 beach but the locals say "tree" instead of 3.  So ashley my room mate heard something different.  So around the dinner table one night she said can we go to "SEXY TREE BEACH"  Sad to say she hasnt lived it down.  Laughter is the best medicine.  We spent the afternoon there. The other need greaters warned me not to have the same expectations of a beach that we would have at home. You can see the debris everywhere in the pictures. The water looks like chocolate milk because the Amazon River runs into the ocean and makes it all murky. You also can see the many, many jelly fish that were washed up. All of us had a great swim.  It was so warm and refreshing.  

As you can see by the pictures we had a great time playing games and racing. We had a picnic lunch. And best of all - the COWS!!! Where can you go to the beach and share it with cows? Guyana!!! You might wonder why are there cows on the beach? Well at night there is a "religious" group that practices black magic and sacrifices on the beach. When we got to the beach we saw what was left over from their ceremony. We saw what was left over from a sacrificed chicken, and they lay out fruits and vegetables. So of course the cows come down and eat the fruits and veggies. And thankfully with the gentle tide, Jehovah just wipes away all that horrible Satanic stuff.

So the guests leave wednesday and we have our CO visit which will be so encouraging.  We are feeding the co and his wife on thursday.  They are from the states too.  And then next monday we both are going to suriname to get our visa renewed so say a little prayer for us both on tuesday am as we have to face immigration.  Only through Jehovahs blessing are all of us need greaters allowed to stay in guyana.  Then Trishas parents then also come for 3 weeks.  So its going to be mad but great.  Scott has been our bob the builder these past few weeks.  He has fixed all our lights and fans and our 2nd shower and all our light sockets and then trishas dad is bob the builder 2 so we are getting plenty of jobs done which is so great.  Scott works alot for the rbc and branch in the US and also has done alot of work for the disaster relief including hurricane sandy.  He said after sandy hit within 4 days there were over 26 000 volunteers ready to help and that all the branch building work was put on hold for Warwick to focus on caring for the brothers.  What he said was just as was said in the DVD last thursday.  The most important work is not rebuilding homes and kingdom halls but caring for the spiritual welfare of the brothers and sisters.  He has had us all in tears a few times sharing his stories so we have all been upbuilt by that a feel even closer to the world wide brotherhood. 

WEll I did apologise in advance about the length of this blog.  Any queries you have on the pictures just ask.  And yes the first one is of a baby alligator.  My studies dad caught it in the back dam and gave it to the boys as a pet.  It is quite cute in a weird way.

Hope you aren't too cold and managing to stay healthy in the cold UK weather.  For those of you that know me you will understand when I tell you that I am so so happy here.  I'm happier here than I thought I could ever be so thought you would like to know that.  Keep me up to date with your life and everything else.  Miss you all.  Time is zooming by eh.

Love and hugs Natalie  

The Barrel has landed

Wow what an exciting sunday night turned out to be.  Ring ring ring on the mobile and hey presto my barrel appeared at 7 pm last night.  What fun my and trisha my room mate had.  Squeals of delight.  Then hysterical laughter when at one point I actually got stuck in the barrel.  The things you do for fun in guyana.  Dont know if you can read the label but according to the company my name is now Natasha Wallsend.  Sounds not too bad.  So that is why there was a bit of a delay as my name obviously isnt Natasha Wallsend.  But finally it came and as you can see all of my stuff was piled high on every surface.  So today is unpacking day and finally making everything a home.  So trisha is really happy and amber is getting an email back in the US so I think all my nice kitchen bits and bobs will definitely tempt her back to guyana sooner rather than later.

Anyway just wanted to spread the barrel joy with you all.

Take care and speak to you all in 2013.  Wow time is just zooming by.

Love Natalie

Wow 3 weeks already

Hello everyone,

Hope you are all doing ok.  I keep hearing reports of bad weather back home so all be safe.  Well there will never be snow here and the only ice is in peoples drinks.  Hard to believe I've been here almost 3 weeks.  Well the time has just flown by and Im really having a great time.  I feel really welcomed by the congregation and the girls I live with and the ministry is a true blessing from Jehovah.  I seem to be coping better this time with the heat and also the mosquito's.  Well Im am getting bitten up but Im not reacting as bad which means I can sleep better.

So this is the first time Ive ever lived with girls and its really great.  So there is amber who is from Seattle and Trisha from New England.  Amber has just left to go back home and earn more $ to be able to come back hopefully for another year.  And this is Trishas 4th time here and she is here till June so that is great for me.  They have made me feel so so welcome and relaxed and helped me get to know the real guyana.  They are both in the sign language field which is huge here.  Many deaf come to the meetings and they sit at the front left of the hall and for every talk and comment given by the local bro and sis they interpret for the deaf so its lovely to see.  So the cong all expect me to be in the deaf field so as they have found out Im in the english field they are all so happy and I have plenty pio to go out with after the groups finish.  There are almost 20 pio in the cong including 2 missionary's from florida called Brian and Shannon.  They are also back in the states at the moment getting medical checks and visiting family.

So a few nice min experiences that I have had.  Where do I start.  Well my first min was after the meeting on sunday.  I was invited on a sisters bible study and when there I noticed a little girl sitting in the corner of the yard paying close attention.  So I felt the need (angelic direction) to go over and help her follow along with us.  Well she started asking so many ?'s.  Really mature ?'s for a girl of 11.  Her name is cami and so I started to show her how she could get the answers all from the same bible teach book her aunty was studying.  She actually asked me if I can come and study it with her and help her find the truth about all her ?'s as many at school have been telling her lies about God and the bible.  So I have been back to see her each sunday since.  And she loves to read and has read alot of the book already as she has school holidays right now.  

Then my next ministry was on tuesday in my village just near my house.  I met 2 lovely women about my age and as its the tracts this month left them both with the truth tract.  I asked if I could call back the next day and they both said yes no problem.  Pick me off the floor at that point.  So I went back on both and the women Anita that lives just a few doors down my street was so genuine and had so many ?'s we just went into the bible teach book and I offered her a study and she said yes please can you come back friday.  She is hindu but doesnt really understand her faith as many do and has so many ?'s.  She has 2 small children a baby ryan and little toddler maria so asked me if its ok to call by early in the morning as she is up with her kids so that is great for me to start early before the group.  The other girl is called allison and she is happy to have a study but works in the market so is really busy before the Xmas hols but still she is having a study but we can only cover a few paragraphs at a time.

The groups start at 9am Tue Wed Fri and Sat and there are later pm groups for people finishing work and a 6am group Mon and Sat to catch people setting up their market stalls and all groups seem really well supported and the brothers and sisters are a great example to me as they stay out a full morning till past 12 even though the sun gets mega hot by then. Its always over 30 degrees here and the humidity plays crazy with my hair but there is always a breeze which is so gorgeous.  All have an umberella and carry water bottles so that is practical.  And then most pm bro and sis have bible studies.  In fact the co encourages that all publishers in cong should have a study as its so easy to get one here.

So I mentioned about Shannon.  Well she has given me 4 bible studies to care for when she is away which fills in my pm until I can build up more bible studies.  Well I went on 2 of them yesterday pm with a lovely local pio sister called valerie.   And first study is with a nice women called Neeshie and she always gives us drink (sugary pop) and something to eat (sometimes its yummy other times ah well just close your eyes and chew and swallow) well her 2 girls were there and they have a bible story book and learn from the great teacher book.  So they were hanging around so I asked if they want to do a chapter each from there books and they say yes.  So that was so nice and good for neeshie to see that in time she can help her girls learn about Jehovah.

Then up to the next village in a tapier (local bus that is really a kind of jeep with benches in the back) to John and Tinas.  Also shannons study.  John cant read at all so she does the read and write brochure with him then studies the teach book with Tina and he listens and can answer from memory.  They were seventh day adventists so they have a strong bible knowledge but got sick of being asked for money all the time and not getting real answers to there ?'s.  So John has his study and does homework to write down a full page of the letter he learns in the lesson in upper and lower case and is just so humble and grateful to be able to learn.  The brochure is really really good and he is learning so much each time.  Well they have 3 boys Samuel Sam and Joey.  And they have bible story book,learn from great teacher and oldest has both new YPA books.  Well when we arrived the parents were still at work as they have to do alot of over time before holidays and we had travelled so far to meet them so I said to the boys would they like to study their new books.  So we sat in their porch and had 3 separate studies as they all have diff books but all sat at the table and got involved.  All 3 of them love the bible story book and its the new addition with the excellent ?'s at the back.  There knowledge of the bible is amazing.  The family are a new study of shannons but I can already see them coming into the truth.  They are so loving and really appreciate all that they learn about Jehovah and have a good base knowledge of the bible already.  So we came home doing some street work both shattered but really boosted.  So shannon will have more studies to come back too.

Today went on Veta a hindu lady that is almost half way through the bible teach book.  She says shannon and her husband are an answer to her prayers and she is so grateful to Jehovah God to offer even a hindu a chance to learn about him.  Now she calls herself a christian an seeing the way the truth is making her feel almost made me cry today.  I cant wait to study with her again next week.  And her daughter and husband seem keen too so who knows what 2013 will bring for the rest of her family.

Every morning on first call you call INSIDE at the gate and wait for the householder.  Many doors you are invited in and the bible is opened up with almost all who show interest.  Ive also been given more contributions of people here in 3 weeks than probably all  my time as a pioneer in the UK and that is no exaggeration.  Really shows how much the people here value the bible.

Just had the end of year pioneer meeting on sunday and that was so nice to see the pioneers and elders together.  We had such an encouraging outline and then after that we had a little party and sisters brought local dishes and everyone really relaxed.  The bro and sis here are so so funny and easy going and the meetings are so so funny with the expressions the bro say off the platform and they way they go on.  Not always how things should be done but there heart is in the right place and I think they must make angels laugh alot.  

Well we serve a happy God and Im so so glad to be here and feel Jehovahs blessing on my choice to come here and sample a real pioneer paradise.  Sorry if I bore you with a mega long email but now you know the names of my studies I can give you an up date in the new year and as you can see Im just a bit too excited by the ministry.  

Love you and miss you all so much and love to hear how you are all doing too.

PS Im getting so many freckles and the kids love to look at them as locals here are black or indian so they dont see many freckles Ah well got to entertain the kids some how

PPS I got butted by a goat today while I was trying to cross a bridge over a dam and when I say bridge I mean a plank of wood.  So that was a first.

PPPS Ive been proposed to by 4 local shall we say drunk men already.  Amber and trisha say after a 100 you soon forget.  Our name through skeldon area is White Girl Ive heard worse eh!!!

PPPPS The photo is of all of us at the pioneer meeting and also a group for field service which they have at the road side or the entrance to a local shop.