Guyana- a country I had never heard about before visiting.
Crossing the border I immediately felt more at home. They drive on the right side of the road. .. the left hand side of course....the main language is English and just like in Africa we were squashed into two taxis and sent on our way down a seemingly never ending dusty road
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The only Road into Guyana from Brazil, through a tropical rain forrest which is a national reserve. Eleven and a half hours later feeling like I had been attacked by a gang because of all the bumps we went over we arrived in Timerhi!
We had 3 weeks allocated for Guyana and arrived just in time for the national elections. We had to lay low in case of hostility at this time which gave us time pray for the elections amd country, to meet the surrounding community and experience Guyana's famous hospitality.
I really enjoyed meeting some key members of the community, visiting a bible school and girls home in the middle of the jungle, being involved in the Joshua generation little lights club and allowing God to work deeply in my heart as we had a lot of time to think.
One of the most real moments for me in Guyana was when I went on a run around the airport. Some of my team members were walking behind me so at that moment I was alone. I met a man who wanted to chat so I stopped and chatted away. He cut me a coconut from the tree in his garden and continued the conversation about how jaguars and panthers walk through his back yard. All this while he had panga in his hand. I thought for a moment I might die... I realised what praying without ceasing is really like... and then I felt he was just a friendly man with a panga in his hand! My team members came around the corner... helped me finish off the coconut water and we carried on with our morning jog.
The people we connected with were gentle and humble, they were generous and open. I was inspired and encouraged by meeting and spending time with them. We would find out more and more things they were involved in and helping out with everytime we met with them or somebody that knows them. All of them were so "normal" hanging out with us in shorts and t-shirts, going hunting and coming back with pineapples or arriving at the church to pick us up with a sand truck, strapping 2 church benches to the back and driving through the rain forrest to get to the girls home. It was very refreshing.
God reminded us of all the blessings we have recieved on our trip so far in our own lives, the food, travel, finance, communication and leadership team. God is the ultimate trip advisor!
I learned alot in Guyana! Thank you Jesus!