A real treat!

We have just returned from a night at the hotel we discovered and it feels like we have been on a holiday even though we’ve been gone less than 24 hours!  We got to use the gym, swim in the pool, have a HOT and powerful shower and a lovely meal in an air con restaurant, plus skyped all our family!  It was wonderful.  The only downside was that there was at least one mozzie in our room so we have been eaten alive in the night!  Note to self…next time take insect spray!   We’re going to try to do this about once every 5 weeks or so that we have a treat to look forward to.  Hooray!

 Helena Primary

 On Wednesday I went into Helena Primary and led two phonics lessons – one with a group of grade 4 children and another with grade 6, all of whom are struggling with their reading.  I was somewhat shocked that some of them couldn’t write their own names and couldn’t discriminate sounds at all.  So it looks like I have a lot of work to do there!  I am hoping to get a laminating machine so I can make resources to use with them and then leave there when we go.  It was a real privilege to be able to help them and I look forward to the coming weeks’ lessons.   Mark joined me for the lunchtime Bible club – we were told we’d have 75 children but about 115 turned up!  We were well prepared and have taken in extra children’s Bibles just in case that happened!!  Again, they loved the singing and colouring – wondering if we’ll have even more kids next week or if the novelty will die off! 

Planning more adventures!

On Thursday I had a meeting with my boss to discuss what I have done so far and what is planned.  Mark kindly drove me there as I am still not brave enough to drive alone in the city yet!  It was a positive meeting and I came away excited at the prospect of all that is planned for me to do.  I am going to be writing some devotional material for women, leading the annual district women’s retreat and chairing a committee to look at issues around family life.

I am also going to be leading some training days for people working with children and young people – firstly in the Mahaica circuit, (where we live) then another day in Berbice which is a drive to the East of here (Mark will be my driver and AV techie man!) and then the biggest adventure – I have to do a training day in the Essequibo circuit which means a trip across the Mazaruni/Essequibo rivers on either a steam ferry (which takes 3 hours) or a speed boat (which takes half an hour).  Apparently the boats sometimes collide or capsize (and the river has crocodiles and piranha!) so on that day I will be asking for lots of prayer!   That will be our first trip into the ‘bush’ and we’ll have to stay overnight with someone as the journey takes so long!  I can’t believe I am excited about this!  Who am I and what have they done with Carolyn!! 

Please keep praying for us to get a landline and internet – ongoing problem!  Also please pray for Mark as he preaches in the open air in the market place tomorrow and we offer to pray for people for healing.  We are planning to do this once a month.