2000-2003 – Term 4 – Guyana
2000-2003 – Term Three – Guyana
2000
In September we move to Guyana with 20 pieces of luggage. The church people meet us with a bus and help us get things unloaded. Our first project will be renovating the house. New roof, new plumbing, new electrical wiring, pouring floors in lower level, and scraping and painting the house inside and out. What a mess but what a relief when it is done. There is only one think left to do and that is remodel the kitchen. Next year’s project.
Book 1 – Perry completes his first book, his doctoral thesis, and graduates with a Doctor of Ministry in Missiology.
Jeff recieves permission from the Mayor to build a playground on the empty lot in front of the house.
2001
We were asked to help rebuild the bible school building. This meant tearing down the old building. Quite a process. In the midst of the work there was a protest what just a block down from the police station which is across the street. We were safe and spent the day working. Thankfully it all calmed down and we could return home safely.
Perry attends the Jibacam missions congress in Manaus, Brazil. It is a great time to meet all of the board members. He is assigned a title and task, Director of Missionary Training. The task is to determine how to start a training program.
John graduates from high school and we travel with him to Southern Wesleyan University where he begins his studies.
2002
This year we will see a large number of teams coming to help with the construction of the new bible school building. It will be three stories tall when it is finished.
Perry attends an international conference in Costa Rica. During the conference he proposes a unique plan for the continued development of mission awareness in the region. It is that he be allowed to travel to the member countries to provide seminars on missions. The Jibacam leaders approve the plan which is endorsed by the General Director of Wesleyan Missions. The conference schedule is modified to allow time to present the plan and discuss it. This will change the rest of our ministry in Iberoamerican and the Caribbean.
The first of many seminars is held in Puerto Rico. Don Kinde his former senior pastor, and former mission director joins him in presenting a seminar titled Introduction to Missions.
John decides not to continue school at SWU and with his dad’s help moves to Minneapolis, Minnesota where he enrolls in a construction program in Anoka County. He gets a job with a local contractor.
2003
Again, we host a large number of teams both local and international for the construction of the new bible school. We average about one team per month.
Perry has decided he cannot build, travel, and teach. He will continue building and traveling, but will only teach courses in the master’s program, mainly courses dealing with missions.
This year the seminar on missions is presented in Suriname, Guyana, Brazil, Antigua, Barbados, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Haiti and two locations in Jamaica. On the trip to Brazil Nancy, Jeff, and Jessica are able to join him. This past year Nancy started a puppet ministry with the youth at our church and she shares a seminar on puppet ministry while Perry presents the seminar on missions. It is at this time we realize that we will need to move one more time in order to learn Spanish and be based in a place that will make it easier to travel. We present this to the Mission board along with the request that we return to Guyana for a two-year term. This will allow for the completion of the bible school building as well as allow Jessica to graduate from high school with her friends.
Book 2 – Intro to Missions – Perry is asked to write up the seminar so those who could not attend can have a copy.
Book 3 – Perry writes Evaluation and Planning for missions to help churches understand how to develop a vision and plan for missions.
One other item is developing. Nancy has been invited to help a friend care for children with AIDS in the hospital. They along with our pastor’s wife decide that Guyana needs an orphanage specifically for these children. This means that on our return there will be a need to find land and build this special place. Another reason for a two-year term in Guyana. Our request is approved, and we begin working with Rick West, the area director, to determine where we will relocate. There are three possibilities Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, and Panama.
We both make a trip to Paramakatoi to visit our missionary there, Doris Wall. Perry goes to do a number of building projects. Nancy goes at another time to attend the dedication of the new bible school building.
Book 4 – We lead a bible study on the book of John for some friends. The attendees ask Perry to put the materials into a book so they can have the studies for future use.
The building is progressing, and the roof is on and floors have been laid. Walls are up and electricity is in place. One of the teams is a group of pastors from Brazil. God has been providing finances and labor. We also are able to buy the property next door for future expansion. We need it because the verandas for the school will extend into the new property.
Jeff graduates from Guyana International school and we head to the states for home ministry and fund raising. As usual Perry is traveling. Jessica is able to attend CLS and Nancy again is hired as the assistant to the Music Director of the school. Jeff begins his time at Southern Wesleyan and joins the soccer team.
While we are home John gets engaged to Valerie Nystrom and we get to meet her on one of our visits to Minnesota while visiting the zoo. Perry is also able to attend the next Jibacam congress which is held in Osorno, Chile.