Being a Christian is just so good! God helps us to walk with Him, and He gives us opportunities to help one another at the same time. I would like to tell you about a life changing experience like none I have had since I came to Jesus Christ in 1994. By the grace of God, I was able to write enough letters and get enough support to go on an 8 Day Medical Missions trip to Guyana, South America in July of this year!

The trip was developed over a period of about ten years by hard working members of the Churches of Christ. Under the organizational name, “Partners in Progress” our efforts and dozens like it, are staffed and funded by individuals, and autonomous bodies of the Church throughout the U.S. It has been such an honor working on behalf of God for the good of so many people thirsty to behold the marvelous deliverance God promises to those who will follow Him. I have seen and testify that this sort of international missionary work strengthens international ties, and produces prosperity and blessings for both our Nation, and one our work reaches out to. This work builds commerce, affluence and expands the horizons of safety and good will at an International level.

I should mention at the onset that our trip was greatly helped thanks to a team of some 50+ people from a church in Canton, Ohio, who had signed up to pray Every Single Hour (!) of our 8 day, 192 hour journey! The first hour for prayer was Monday morning at 3:00-4:00 AM. A zealous elderly woman of the Canton Church of Christ eagerly volunteered for the first slot, the brother from Ohio told us. The six sheets of names and prayer times were taped to the banquet hall of the Grand Costal Inn in Georgetown, Guyana where our group of 46 ate breakfast and dinner each day. Several times during the trip I recall moments when my anxieties were high about this or that, and there had transpired a painless and expedient resolution to what had at first seemed a serious concern. I recall my amazement and appreciation for the brethren I could only know by a signature, at how they were interceding for us. And so of course, God was also glorified through our work as you helped us with your prayers throughout the week! Christ has truly been magnified by this experience!

We arrived at the hotel in Guyana very late on Saturday night, June 9^th. Having risen early that morning in Lee, NH at 2:30 AM, it had been a long day: approximately 20 hours.

The next “morning” we went to church in Georgetown, Guyana, the Lamaha Gardens Church of Christ. The building had been erected only 7 years before by Steve DeLoche, former youth minister from Arkansas.

The church at Lamaha Gardens had just been through a spilt a week before we arrived. For discontented brethren and onlookers within the community therefore, our Five Day Outreach of proclamation and support was just what the community needed. There are six other churches of Christ in the immediate area of Georgetown, Guyana. When I asked Steve DeLoche (who had started ALL of them) how he chose the church at Lamaha Gardens for our current week’s work, he said simply, “I didn’t. God did.”

The congregational singing in the church was both chilling and tear jerking: that is to say, it was Phenomenal! It thoroughly lived up to God’s command to “teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” as Ephesians 5:19 says. All of the resident attendees and our 46 happy visiting souls truly did make “A joyful noise unto the Lord!”

Between the morning and evening services on Sunday our group “packed pills” from numerous 1000 count containers of headache, general anti-inflammatory, glucose metabolizing (for diabetics) etc. medications. We put the pills into small zip top baggies of 25-50 counts.

Each week day, we moved the pews around on the first floor and set tables between them for Bible studies. After the studies, we put them back in order for the nightly crusade. We began the week with only about 5-6 Bible Study stations, but by week’s end, we had 10 separate groups studying God’s word together. The people just kept coming in wanting to see what the Bible said!

One evening back in my hotel room, I made a note in my journal, “People want Bibles so much here. If you can imagine what would happen if you pulled a Dunkin’ Donuts up to a busy sidewalk in a U.S. city, with a sign, “Free Coffee and Donuts!” This is the zealous, almost frenzied full-court-press our Bible teachers enjoyed for Five Days!

I was downstairs where the registration table was, and did Bible studies all week. I studied with several Muslims and a Hindu. At first these people indicated a reluctance to have a Bible study, but after inviting each one to look at the text of the Scripture themselves, several remained for 20 or even 40 minutes.

Each person entering the clinic was asked if they would like a Bible study, and was then obligated to get at least a signature from one of the Bible teachers before heading upstairs to either the eyeglasses or medical examinations.

Our medical doctor was Dr. Mark Abbey of Ohio. He saw people for diabetes and pregnancy testing, and for various skin and digestive maladies. One boy passing on a horse cart had fallen off and badly cut his legs. He was admitted immediately and bandaged up. (See first photo below)

Our eye glasses were basic reading glasses of +1 through +3 magnification. There was such a need for all of the services we offered. I am sure our team made friends down there.

Sometimes parents (usually mothers), would have their 9 or 10 year old remain with them while we had the study, but most sent their children upstairs where there were many thoroughly engrossing activities ranging from coloring to making “crowns” out of construction paper.

Ohhh! Also! I was so thrilled to “fix” TWO Guyanese who were referred to me by our doctor, Dr. Mark Abbey. Both of these individuals did not need my help studying the Bible with them, but they both had painful and seemingly “incurable” subluxations (vertebra that were out of alignment)! One of them was a woman with pain in her shoulder and numbness in her hand, and the other one was a man who had “thrown his back out” lifting a water heater. Praise God I was able to discharge both of them with smiles and a hearty “Thank You!”

The streets of the city had many places where trash was just piled up: Empty boxes, various plastic pieces and appliance parts. Tires were very expensive, as much as $800 U.S. to replace. There were several steel-frame shops we drove past each day with piles and piles of used tractor and automotive tires. Gasoline was also very pricy at over $8.00 per gallon.

On our day off, I went to the Santa Mission in the rain forest. The water was Coke-Cola brown it was so rich in nutrients. We did not see much wildlife at midday, but a few people did see some brightly colored toucans with striped beaks. In the gift shop of the reservation, there were some large, 25 inch tall-hand made baskets for only $75.00. I could see some of them selling for $300 on the Seacoast.

For our total numbers, we had a grand total of 1091 registrations at our clinic. We had 441 Bible Studies, 261 children’s classes, and 66 at the ladies Bible Studies. Though faithfulness is difficult to instill in one crusade, we did see 25 beloved souls put on Christ in baptism (Galatians 3:27, “For as many of you have been baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ”). Our hope and prayer therefore is that these people would grow to love and be faithful to the congregation at Lamaha Gardens and to serve their broader community with the love of Jesus and a foundation for life.

This experience has returned me to the enjoyment of a simple faith. I see how these people enjoy a simpler life, and I realize how happy I can be with just God and my brethren. As I looked around, I saw none of these people with any of the concerns I live with day after day. They just didn’t even know or care anything about what I concern myself with on a daily basis. And yet they do alright. They still laugh and have families. They still love and are loved. Could it be they have more room for love….? What an opportunity you have helped me to have: helping my new friends. Thank You!

Note: The below is an email I received from one of the ladies above when I got home…:

Hi Chad,

Well, it was a great week for all of us here at Lamaha gardens. We were praying for the success of this crusade for months and God has answered our prayers. I'm glad you were able to be a part of the many blessings of this medical crusade. Lamaha Gardens is richer because of you and the the work of the rest of the team and most of all because of the grace of God. We certainly do not deserve any of what was bestowed on us in the space of just one week.

I will tell everyone you sent your love.

We are having follow up studies and also we are visiting all the new Christians. Its going good . We have lots of work. Keeping busy.

Yours in Christ.

Samatha.