Guyana Graem's Red Table Wine

Hello Everyone,

Our Neighbor

How are you all doing?  We are doing good.  Time just keeps on flying by.  Next week we already have to go back to Suriname.  This trip we are going all the way to the capital.  We are really excited.  From what we have heard, Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname, is a beautiful, fun city.  The population of Suriname is very diverse.  That means a variety of delicious food from different countries.  Yay!  A break from curry.  I even hear they have a Tapas restaurant.  And a McDonalds!  I usually don't eat the old Mickey'D's, but I am going to crush a big mac.  In addition to eating our way through Paramaribo, we are going to go to the Sign Language meetings there.  It will be in Surinamese Sign Language, but no doubt will be fun.  We are going to stay with a couple we meet at the branch office of Jehovah's Witnesses here in Guyana.

Jamun wine on the left, Pineapple wine on right.

I have channeled my hill billy roots and started making liquor at home.  To be exact, wine.  My first batch is some pineapple wine which will be ready for drinking in one week.  My second experiment was Jamun wine.  Jamun is a small fruit that resembles a grape but grows in clusters on a tree.  We have a tree.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get enough fruit to make more than a glass of wine.  We all tasted the jamun wine and the verdict was, a little tart.  I want to do it again, but try a different recipe.  I will let you know what happens.  But, don't be surprised if you see a bottle of Guyana Graems Red table wine in your local purveyor of fine foods & libations.  Here is a link to an article about Jamuns:  http://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/the-scene/10/17/it%E2%80%99s-purple-it%E2%80%99s-grape-like-it%E2%80%99s-jamun/

Renny

The Bible studies continue to be good.  We want to go and try to meet more deaf in some other villages, but we just don't have the time.  We need some help.  Come on down.  Teaching here is a mixture of frustration and joy.  Frustration in that at times we struggle to explain ideas or concepts.  It took 2 weeks to explain the concept that God made everything.  Really, it was the concept of 'make' that Renny didn't get.  He would tell me he understands, but it was obvious he didn't.  You can tell on a person's face and by their body language when they really understand.  So after explaining 'make' in as many ways as I could, with as many different pictures I could draw, it finally clicked.  Before, he would sign it right.  "All around God made."  But this time you could see ii in his eyes, face and body. He got it!  The light bulb flicked on.  And in true Renny fashion, after he gets a point or answers right, he shakes your hand.  Not sure why, but that hand shake brought me the joy and satisfaction in knowing he got the point. 

Guyanese word of the day:  Pickni.  Translation: Children.  For those who got our emails 3 years ago you will recognize this word.   Recently I had a auntie tell me that I was "a bad pickni", meaning I was a bad child.  That was Renny's mother.

Love,
G&J

A call to duty

Hey Everyone,


Hows it going?  We are doing good.  We saw a croc!  In the trench in front of our house, just sitting there on the surface.  We left it alone but took a photo.  See below for picture.

Okay, its time for some recruitment.  We need help in the Sign Language field down here.  Our trip is half over, and the work still to be done is massive.  Plus, we need someone to take over when we leave.  Honestly, being here is wonderful.  There are challenges, and it is hard work.  But, the ministry more than makes up for it.  It truly is a privilege to be here.  This is the best way of life.  Your whole life and time is focused on spreading the good news about God's Kingdom.  And really helping people.  Not to be overlooked is the joy of hammock time.  The stress of work and a busy schedule fades away, replaced by satisfaction and joy.  If you are even thinking about coming, please email me.  My email is: graemb@hotmail.com.  Our house will be available to rent.


One thing I love about Jaide is how she handles drunk guys.  We seem to be magnets for drunk dudes.  Of course, they always want to hug you or shake your hand.  When this happens to Jaide she just stares at them.  Gives them one of the classic Jaide stares, you know, can melt ice.  One guy even said, "What, you don't want to touch me?"  Usually they smell and don't appear to be that clean.  Yesterday, this one man stopped us.  He was making no sense, and was wanting to discuss the Bible.  After a few minutes of patiently listening to him, Jaide said, "Allright." and started walking away.  It works, normally they are so drunk they don't mind.


 The pictures, a croc, get it?  Its not a pair of crocs, its a croc.  Its lame, I know it.  The top is a Christmas card Haresh family had hanging.  Notice anything familiar?  Yup, that the picture from the cover of God's Friend.  The last is Ashtyn's first Guyanese meal.  Cook-up rice and roti.  She loved it!

Guyanese word of the day:  Maamu.  Translation:  Your uncle on your mom's side.  Now you have something to call your uncle and surprise him.

Love,
G&J

Garden of Eden

Good afternoon everyone,

How are things?  I have found it!  The Garden of Eden.  Its here in Guyana.  It doesn't quite look the same as the pictures in the publications.  I never saw a chicken farm in those pictures.  But, Garden of Eden, Guyana, has a chicken farm and some run down houses.  Tropical, yes, but Paradise, no.  There is also the village of Land of Canaan, Good Faith, Paradise and Fairfield.  At least those names I can pronounce.  The cities that have names from when Guyana was under Dutch rule, I can't pronounce.  Like, Beterverwagting and Blygezygpht.

We have had two bats come into our house.  The first time, Jaide and I were watching a movie, and I noticed
something moving.  At first I thought it was large moth that often come in the house.  But, then I saw how it was moving.  That ain't no moth, its a bat.  I told Jaide," Jaide, don't panic, but there is a bat in the house."  She got up and went into the bedroom with her head peeping out.  I armed myself with a box.  That wasn't going to work.  Next, I armed myself with 2 brooms.  One Guyanese broom (made from frawns of the coconut tree) and a normal broom.  I managed to knock him down, then sweep him out the door.  He wasn't happy with this, with beady eyes glaring at me and his hooks digging into the porch, he tried to scramble back into the house.  Like a seasoned warrior, I stared him in the face and screamed like a little girl.  Once I composed myself, I sent the bat flying with a swing of the broom.  The other bat showed up a few days later. This one was more skilled at dodging my blows.  I failed to knock him down with the broom.  He flew into the kitchen and I hear Jaide say, "No, not the bok choy!"  Yes, our little friend decided to hide behind the bok choy on the counter.  I began to move things around him and he crawled into the corner, (see photo) where I was able to trap him in a bucket and throw him outside.  This time no screams from me, just whimpers of fear.  I hope our experiences with bats are finished.

This weekend, we went to Linden.  Its a village about 3 1/2 hours from us.  There is a small, official sign
language group in Linden.  Saturday was the full sign language meeting.  There was 10 in attendance (see photo). They have the only deaf baptized Guyanese brother in the country.   It is a new group, less then one year.  It was fun to go and see a new area and meet the friends there. Linden is more hilly than where we are, and had white sand everywhere.  As with us, they need some more help.  All the friends are really new to the language and are trying.  I felt so rusty giving a sign language talk.  For the past 5 months I have been giving English talks.  When we interpret and are on Bible studies, we sign very simply because most deaf here don't know any sign.  Now, to try to sign true ASL, I felt awkward and sloppy.  We will have to learn ASL all over again when we get back.

Guyanese word of the day: duck chicken.  Translation: baby duck.  I don't know why a baby duck is a duck-chicken, but a full grown duck is a duck.  At first I thought it was like the turducken that John Madden always talks about.

Also, our friend Ashtyn from back in Sac, just arrived Wednesday.  She will be here for the next 2 months.  Yeah!!  More help.  We need help.  If interested please contact me.

Love,
G&J