Elder Langford Tries a Street Approach

You may think this man is as crazy as a loon, but actually he is as crazy as a fox. He dresses like this all the time and hangs around Nigel's Grocery Store. Elder Langford couldn't resist talking to him to find out why he looks this way. He says he looks natural. He is from Columbia and is a very creative beggar. Elder Guy and Elder McNeil happened along and rescued Elder Langford.

Trinidad

Here are pictures that we took in Trinidad. Port of Spain is much more modern than Georgetown. Notice the man is using a lawn mower to cut the grass.

In the small group picture, we are outside of Norma's Bed and Breakfast. From left: Sister Veronica Edwards, supervisor of Georgetown District, Sister Langford, Elder Langford and Sister Bibi Majid, supervisor of Canje District.

In the large group, we are in the Mission Office Conference Room. First row from left: Elder Naegle, CES missionary, President Gamiette, our Area Supervisor, Sister Gould, supervisor in Trinidad, and Sister Bibi. Back Row: Sister Naegle, Elder Langford, Sister Langford, Sister Veronica, Sister Rhamdamie, Supervisor in Trinidad, Brother and Sister Aroeman Supervisors in Suriname. President Gamiette is District President on Guadeloupe and speaks French. The Aroemans speak five languages, but live in Suriname so Dutch is their primary language.

We don't have any shots of scenery because we only got to see the inside of the office. I will not grumble. We are here to work, not be tourists!

Cat

This is "cat". I call them "cat 1" and "cat 2". Elder Langford just calls them "cat". He says if they have a name they will be pets and they are not pets. Well, he feeds them, and talks to them and they get under my feet.

Crabwood Creek

We went to Crabwood Creek for Sacrament Service today, Sunday, January 20. It is the newest almost branch in the mission. There are 24 members. Crabwood Creek is another hour and a half drive from New Amsterdam, which is an hour and a half to the ferry. We got to New Amsterdam in record time on Saturday (two hours total) and spent the night with another senior couple, the Larsons. The local CES supervisor wanted to go and see if there were any teenagers or young adults, and she wanted to take her two daughters. The Platts, another senior couple, went and took the District President, the District Primary President and the District Young Women President. Our cars were really full. Sometimes, we think that the major reason we are invited is because we have a car. Whatever, we enjoyed it. When we picked up the District President, he asked me to speak in Sacrament Meeting on families. I spent the hour and a half trip, putting that together. Things went well because the Holy Ghost took charge. It was a delight to participate. Elder Langford took pictures of us cleaning up before the meeting. One sister took my rice broom away from me because I was taking too long. I watched her for awhile and then asked for it back and I think I did a better job. The church sign is on a chalk board. Elder Langford got a kick out of the fact that the arrow was pointed the wrong way.

Horse

We have a picture of a horse that has been hit so hard by a truck that it was bisected. It is really gross. Wayne laughs and thinks it's cool. I gag and don't want to see it. He wants it on the blog, but I'm the blogger - so if you want to see the grossest picture you've ever seen in your life, you'll have to respond to this post with your email address and I will send it to you.

Shopping

This is an open-air market that encompasses both sides of the highway. We have to really slow down for this one because besides the cows, sheep, goats, dogs, horse carts, donkeys, there are people who step into the road-way. Wayne thinks this meat stall is the coolest. This is the road we take to get to the ferry. The market is just past the church building in Demerara.

Teaching Seminary and Institute

 

 

Here we are teaching seminary and institute to the Demerara students.

Cows in the Road

 
 
We have complained that there is cattle everywhere, particularly cows. What is really amazing is the herd that grazes on the median strip of the highway. How do they get there? Cars go around them. You never know when one will decide to cross the road.

Poor People

 
This is the squatter area along the road we take into Georgetown. These people do not own the land and their dwellings are made of whatever they can find. They all have bridges over the trench and they all have a gate that they can close and lock. The people who live here are clean, keep nice yards, do lots of laundry, send their children to school (if they can afford uniforms) and generally like everyone else. They are just too poor to purchase a house lot. They run the risk of having the government sweep them off - although I've been told that most of these houses have been here for 15 to 20 years. They also run the risk of major flooding. The trench you see runs along Lamaha Street. Behind the area is a big canal. Heavy rains send both the canal and the trench over their banks.