[Guyana-Mission-Report] Mosquito Nets and Cassava Currie

Last Wednesday I personally delivered seven huge garbage bags containing 80 hammock mosquito nets into the care of the deputy toshao of Shea. When I told him how many were donated, he said that there would be just enough for each family to receive one. I had the privilege of giving each family their net. Wow! This will really help to prevent the present and future spread of malaria in the village. Praise the Lord! Thank you for those who helped with this project! This is the core of need based evangelism. When we scratch where others itch they are so grateful! It breaks down barriers and opens hearts to the presentation of the gospel. We're itching to do that too! For now we're trying to share our love in tangible ways. I spent some time on Thursday mosquito proofing the clinic with styrofoam. It's a pretty daunting task when you think of all the different ways those critters can come through the cracks and holes. I had a real eye opening conversation with the Deputy Toshao. He related to me the story of how he had started out dirt poor, farming peanuts. Through back breaking hard work, he worked his way up the economic ladder. Now he owns the best shop in the village, and has a herd of 22 cows. He says that he hopes to have 40 cows by next year. I asked him how many other villagers raised cows. He mentioned that surprisingly very few people in the village own livestock. My curiousity was piqued by this anomoly and so I had to ask a follow up question. "Why don't other people follow your example and build themselves a better life?" His answer was really sad. "As long as they can grow just enough cassava to make their alcoholic currie they're happy." Three weeks ago when I was working on putting in window screens into the health clinic we heard about a snake bite victim in the village. When I arrived at the hut the first thing I saw was a guy sprawled out face down in the sand. At first I thought that he was the snake bit victim, but the villagers assured me that it wasn't. As it turned out, the man sprawled on the sand had drunk too much currie and had passed out. About half of the villagers standing around the snake bite victim were drinking currie from old butter containers. One man was even slow dancing. The devil has some deep strongholds in this village. God's power can break these strongholds and we ask for your continued prayer for us because Joy and I know very little about helping people overcome alcoholism. A complete set of materials for a 12 step program have already been very generously donated. Would anyone be interested in conducting a 12 step program for the village? Seriously! James James & Joy Ash 121 Durban Backlands Georgetown, Guyana 011-592-227-2184 http://www.guyanaaviationevangelism.org/ James & Joy Ash Gospel Ministries International Project Name: Guyana Aviation Evangelism 874 South McDonald SW McDonald, TN 37353 1 (423) 473-1841 or 1 (423) 473-1842