death of a 3 year old

Joe Potter is going to Edinburgh, Guyana today, then to a wake service this afternoon for a small boy of 3 years who died of Leukemia named Vishual. He is from a family with a Hindu background. Some of his family has trusted Christ to save them but some are still quite confused.

The wake house was attended by about 100 people. The women talk. The men play dominoes and cards. The men are mostly detached from the whole situation and are only there for the fun of group dominoes and getting together with friends mostly while being treated to a small snack of black eyed peas with Mango sour sauce—a little spicy served in a baggie with a plastic spoon with cool-aide to drink after a Christian leader got up to lead in some hymns for the family and a little praying too just before the snack was served.

Today there were a ½ hour’s worth of special TV programming with songs dedicated to Vishual’s memory. It started with Christian clips from current artists and then progressed to typical images of Hindu gods and goddesses with Hindu holy men and dancing rituals. The Christian clips were sponsored by the family and The Hindu ones were paid for by relatives and friends. The funeral will be Christian only tomorrow attended by over 200 probably.

We are so thankful that the mother and father wanted to make a change from Hinduism to Christianity a while back. Vishaul's death created a lot of heart-searching as they fought to find a way to help their child.

The Wild West of Guyana

Last week I was invited to the wild northwest Guyana area called Port Kaituma—like a backwards type of mountain town. (not very politically correct statement) We flew in at 10 in the morning greeted by the resident dogs at the airport, 4 wheel drive trucks covered with red dirt and plenty people that want to carry your bags or do just about anything to earn a little money from the “White Man.” Port Kaituma is a small town on the Kaituma River about 60 miles from the Atlantic Ocean close to Venezuela. If you remember—this was only 30 minutes from Jim Jones’s old area back in 1978!

The riverside Port Kaituma is located right on the side of a hill. Conversations have been had with local thieves taunting the missionary about the possibility of stealing his boat and motor. Stealing seems to be a local past time there. You don’t want to be out there after dark.

The house I stayed was tucked in between the jungle and the river about 15 minutes by boat from the port. We faced the river with boat shed right in front. Since school was out for Easter the Indian boys and girls starting at age 5 or 6 took their canoes out any time after 6 to play in their “front yard.” I saw moms out there too catching the family’s breakfast with nets too. We ate chicken and rice on all 3 days with oatmeal for breakfast and 3 eggs each for supper with bread. No wives around to catch fish.  I suffered through with instant coffee—reminded me of college days when I thought it was great!

I was invited to Port Kaituma by another missionary working there so that I could lead a seminar on Discipleship. Amerindian pastors and church leaders (both groups are original residents since the time of Columbus) from 3 different Indian Nations were the focus. All of the men came by a couple of small boats with outboard motors or dugout canoes for the 2 days of teaching. We met for 5 hours on Tuesday with break-out groups and discussion questions added in. We could have gone for 8 hours I am sure. This way they want me to come back.  I have been asked twice now but for now I need to press on where I am at.

The next day we went to one of the villages 30 some miles up the Kaituma/Cibu Rivers where we attended a Wednesday afternoon service. Since it was the missionary’s last time there it was quite touching how they loved him. I felt a little like Timothy in the New Testament when Paul left an area for a long time--tears and hugs all around. About 67 came to the send off service out of a village of 250 before we wound and twisted out way through lily pads and water type growth in the river as our “speed boat” tried to reach “home” before dark. I fly out the next day.

To quote the Port Kaituma missionary about another project he had going on:
“Another noteworthy thing going on is the Carib Project. People from the U.S. and Surinam have worked closely with a group of our Carib Indians from the jungle to produce a Carib version of the Jesus film. The results have been phenomenal. While they were working on the part about the Crucifixion one of the men had tears in his eyes and he said with great emotion, "When my people see this, they will believe!" Yesterday, on Easter Sunday, we showed that part of the film about the final days of Jesus and up to the resurrection. One of the other men, not known for emotion at all, sat and wept as he could see what Jesus had done for him. There is no way for me to adequately describe the emotion and impact this film is having on these Caribs...one can only imagine the impact this film will have on the thousands of Caribs who are still in darkness.”

Thanks for your prayers in my small part of the Great Commission. I would love to go back but I am really needed right where I am stationed at now so pray for these men to listen to God and allow Him to raise them up and keep them encouraged. Terri was fine without trouble from the mosquitoes and had a great time with the wife and 3 boys of the missionary’s family. She was a big encouragement to Wendy and the Lord protected us all around.

The Beard was after 2 weeks.

So it looks like blogspot still works so I am in again. I will inform everyone.

I am in Georgetown for 2 days to collect 2 barrels of things that we sent down since I was only able to take one suitcase. There was an "embargo" on luggage since Carnival was going on in the Caribbean and there was a premium on space do to the revelry going on. We traveled on the last day and otherwise had no other problems. Life down here does get interesting. But life everywhere is getting so. We think it is because God is seeking the attention of his thinking creation to prompt them to turn to Him for their salvation rather than their own devises.

Until next time, I am evaluating my priorites for my part in His kingdom.

Where in the world is Guyana Joe?

Well, I have been lost in South America for 9 months and in the states for 6 months since my last blog. I should post a picture too to show all the grey hair since the last time but I cut my hair short and shave my mustache so you can't see it. Actually, when Terri was in the States for a month before I got there I grew a month's worth of a beard. I will post that. There is too much to catch up on so I suppose I will start over. When Facebook started it seemed that the family got all caught up in that and this seemed antique. But I like the format better myself so for those that would like to keep up this way.

this is a test. Blogger .com may not work so I am going to try to post this first before any more comes down. See you in a minute.