Spending the afternoon in Cow Dam

What's it like to walk down a dirt road with little shanties everywhere and to go visiting?

Jade had been begging us to walk to her house for a visit during the day sometime. Friday was clear on our schedule so we set off for a walk through Cow Dam, especially to visit Jade.

And look what greeted us...besides Jade and her husband, Travis, all these darling little boys. She invited us inside and we visited while these darling little guys rolled and tumbled on the floor at our feet.

They are the 4 little brothers of Jade and Travis and Jade's baby. Most are wearing just their underpants. One little guy was wearing jeans with no snaps and no underpants!

You can see the plastic buckets that they use to either collect water when it rains or to carry to the water pipe (wherever that is) to gather their water supply. They have no plumbing or electricity, just like most of the people that live in Cow Dam.

Jade has become my special friend. She is 17 and everytime I tell her that I love her she quickly says back, "I love you more!"

Jade wanted us to let her pick some coconuts for us to drink but we ran out of time because we were to join the elders for an appointment at the Azeez family for their last lesson before their upcoming baptism on Saturday. Dad was relieved he didn't have to drink coconut milk from the coconut...again.

Meet the Azeez family...Anita, the mom, with Annette, Anthony and Andrew. Is this a cute family or what? Gosh, I had the worst time remembering which boy was which!

Here's another photo of them after their lesson. Dad took the photo and decided the tall elder was too tall so he cut off the top of his hair and head!

Notice that we are in a swing in an area underneath the elevated house that is standing on posts. It is cooler down here and here is where many families do their visiting and spend their relaxing time.

After the lesson with the Azeez family, we separated from the elders and began walking back through Cow Dam towards home. We kept running into people we knew...some members, some not. Each one would invite us to their home.

The first family we saw was Allison's family of mostly girls. We chatted a bit outside with her and the girls and when I noticed dad singing, "I am a Child of God" with them, I just had to pull out my camera fast.

We started for home but immediately ran into 20 year old Tasha, who is also my good friend. She asked, "When are you coming to my house?" So, off we went to Tasha's house to meet and visit with her whole family...mom, stepdad, 5 siblings and her husband...who isn't really her legal husband.

We took lots of family photos. Everyone wants their photo taken here in Guyana...and then they want a copy...of every photo you took of them...and they don't forget any of them!

Here's how their home looked as we started for home...once again. You can see the black hammock and the outside area under the house where we did all our visiting and picture taking.

As we left, it was starting to be a little dark. I wondered how they had such bright lights. I don't remember hearing a generator.

One church member came out to meet us and invited us to come to her house for Family Home Evening the next Monday evening. Though I recognized her, I was embarrassed when I had to ask her what her name was. I sure wish everyone wore a nametag!

What a perfect day we had visiting in Cow Dam...these humble, sweet families that we got to visit and take a peek into their lives and to be a part of them for a few minutes.

The next day, Saturday, was the baptism day for 12 in our zone. Here's Bedita before hers....No smiles for her because she doesn't have all her teeth.But, check out these smiles! A happy day for the 4 members of the Azeez family.

Are they photogenic or what?

Hurray for us!

Here's some photos of them in the font behind the church in New Amsterdam.

Anthony was the first to go of his family. They each waited their turn while the rest of us watched from the balcony above.

The mommy, Anita...

The sister, Annette...

And the little brother, Andrew!

He's smiling, not only because he got baptized, but because he got to dive down in the water after all the baptisms were finished and pull the plug (just like a sink plug) to let the water drain out of the font.

Dad interviewed all these 5 before their baptisms. They were all eager and excited to be members of the Church. And we were thrilled to know them, to be a part of their lives and to be there with them for their baptisms.

And it was another perfect day for us in Guyana.