Today (Monday, January 30, 2017), my Martha and I tagged along this morning with seven other church members from the Amelia’s Ward Church of Christ to visit Christians and non-Christians in the community. We divided up into three groups for studies as well as to visit ill members and non-members. The congregation goes into its municipality three times weekly—Monday, Wednesday and Friday—for about four hours each day. Even if brother Nigel Milo, the church’s evangelist, is unavailable—as he will be Wednesday as he and we attend to the nationwide seminars—Christian workers have the initiative and the training to go into the fields that truly are white unto harvest on their own. This church of Christ is exemplary in so many ways, including taking the Gospel to distant in-country locations at members’ expenses and teaching brethren from afar how to setup and conduct Bible studies and distribute literature in their own neighborhoods. In these matters, I am the student rather than the teacher.
After concluding the field work for the day, brother Milo carted Martha and me to the local market and surrounding businesses in search of a few commodities that we sought for ourselves and our treks in Guyana this year. I was pleased to find two pair of “cargo pants” that fit me—except for being a mile too long for my short legs. Befuddled I was when directed to try them on in the public market—sans fitting room! I found a corner that promised minimal privacy and to my amazement the only size available fit me perfectly—not counting the length of the pant legs. However, a seamstress on site immediately rectified the problem and hemmed my new trousers. (It became apparent that I could not cram satisfactorily into my regular khaki or jean pockets enough items beyond what I could carry in my backpack to be weighed—along with my carryon—in preparation for passage in small planes navigating the jungle interior on the way to distant, remote villages. Cargo pants to the rescue!)
Martha and I each bought a pair of plastic or rubber sandals, too. I was replacing a pair that I had bought the prior year at the same shop because the soles of last year’s purchase were split and winding down their usefulness; I wore them across the globe. While in the bazaar—resembling a small flee market in the USA—Martha took up with a couple of strangers and proceeded to tell them that she and I were recently married on New Year’s Day 2017. The ladies in the market were treated to a full disclosure of our wedding pictures right there under the awnings spanning little shops in the narrow pathway snaking through the marketplace! After a couple more purchases (corded eyeglasses retainer, bottled water, coca cola and fried chicken from Church’s Chicken), we retreated to the Milo residence.
Our late lunch concluded, Martha cleaned up from the oppressive heat of the day, rested some and rehearsed her lesson for teaching ladies’ class later in the evening—from around 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. On the other hand, I refrained from refreshing myself, refusing to soil additional clothes unnecessarily on the same day; perspiration dried and not too aromatically challenging to others around me or to myself, I persisted until end of day before bathing at bedtime.
Martha has turned out to be a real trooper! She is enjoying every aspect of our escapades in Guyana whereby we immerse ourselves in this lovely country and culture as we serve the Lord—encouraging and edifying brothers and sisters primarily and non-Christians, also. Mostly packed, we are anticipating an early morning departure to meet our flight from Ogle to Lethem by yet another small aircraft spiriting us over the jungles and to the border with Brazil. We will remain there for several days as we promote the seminar in yet another isolated village in which brethren joyfully greet us and assemble to feast on God’s Word.
We departed Miami late afternoon that day and arrived in Guyana around 10:20 p.m. local time. Brother Nigel Milo, as always, was there and waiting to greet and to cart us to his home in Linden—also our home away from home and base of operations for the following six weeks. As we were leaving the next morning—once more up and about before sunrise—we unpacked and repacked for the next morning’s flight to the interior of the country. Lastly, we bathed before retiring at 2:00 a.m., only to arise at 4:00 a.m. for our journey to begin.
Off to Paramakatoi, Martha and I were accompanied by a plane load of about six persons—including the pilot. A little over two hours of skipping through the clouds over the dense jungle canopy, we passed our airstrip, banked left and dropped from the sky to land at an Amerindian village for which I have a special place of endearment in my heart. Of course, aside from the mountain landscape that I adore so much—identifying with it because of having been reared in a similar environment—Paramakatoi is so special to me because of the dear Christian brothers and sisters that I have come to love more and more with each new visit.
Martha enjoyed the mountains and the people as much as did I. Yet, we were there for a reason—the first of 16 seminars that are to take us from border to border and parts in between throughout the 10 regions of Guyana. Hand in hand and with heartstrings securely attached, Martha and I can do anything nearly anywhere for our Lord Jesus Christ. Over the next three days with our brethren, Martha taught ladies five times and taught the children twice; I presented six lessons to either the men or to the entire group.
Martha had many “new experiences,” which she decided to document daily in her journal. Among the occasions reminiscent—but not fondly—of days gone by—not the good ole’ days—were outhouses. Of course, to add to the moments was the daily and spontaneous rain showers, but she braved even that—proudly—in her Steeler’s rain poncho!
These Christians are active, not only in their own village, but they have already of their own accord and owing to their own initiative begun evangelizing distant settlements. Brother Nigel and I participated with these Christian men in reflecting upon how to proceed further and in what ways either Christians from Amelia’s Ward Church of Christ in Linden or American Christians may be able to be of assistance. Whatever is undertaken, brother Milo encouraged the congregation to carefully consider “sustainable” growth that includes primary local Christian responsibility for continuity in these new works.
Sadly, Martha and I had to leave Paramakatoi on Friday morning for the coast, from which we began this jaunt. The mist each morning that rises from the ground upward in the hills is breathtaking; all of the scenery is spectacular. Not least, the local “Walmart-Post Office-Airport” counter is manned ably by Sam; upon learning that Martha and I are newlyweds, he gave us a “wedding present” of two free fruit drinks. Like me, Martha happily befriends especially the little ones, and after we amply spoil them rotten, we give them back to their parents!
However, returning is easier said than done, because one must travel first to another mountain town of Mahdia and wait for the little planes to finish shuttling freight to mining camps and hamlets before hauling passengers.
When we finally arrived back in Linden, there were duties awaiting, though for Nigel and not for us at this time. Brother Milo was called upon to participate in the opening of a new day school. Afterward, a package had to be delivered from Paramakatoi to a person in Linden; a mother had sent some Amerindian foodstuff to her daughter who is away temporarily. Lastly, Martha and I tagged along with brother Nigel as he taught a Bible lesson at the local youth hostel; high school age children come from the outlying areas to board while they complete public school grades that are not available where they live in the interior.
We received one complaint from our dear brethren in Paramakatoi—we didn’t spend enough days with them! They are jealous for our time, and they convinced us to spend several more days with them in 2018 when we return, Lord willing. Martha and I are devoting six weeks in Guyana to permit us to hold seminars with and for brethren in every region of the country, but especially Christians in remote areas hunger and thirst for “more” lessons, whereas often in metropolitan communities, even Christians seem to be almost “too busy” to take time for spiritual matters.
Honeymoon! What honeymoon? Yes, Martha and I wed on January 1, 2017, but we “have hit the ground running” with appointments in various stateside venues as well as 16 settings in Guyana from January 24 through March 9. Upon our return to the United States, immediately, we have appointments in Arkansas, Kentucky, Georgia and Florida. Since we will not have any “free time” until March 22, just maybe we will construe time spent in the exotic, tropical paradise of Guyana, South America as at least a precursor to such a thing as a “honeymoon.”
Today (Monday, January 23), Martha and I attended the first annual mission workshop hosted by the Somerville, TN Church of Christ. We set up a display to represent publications (books, magazines and tracts) of World Evangelism as well as our foreign mission labors. It was also my privilege to be one of the speakers, during which I made my PowerPoint presentation “2016 World Evangelism Media & Missions.”
Sunday, January 22, 2017 Martha and I worshipped with the Collierville, TN Church of Christ where our daughter Rebecca has been a member for decades. Consequently, the Collierville congregation is one that I have visited frequently over the years, and it is also one of my supporters in my stateside and foreign ministry. I say, “Our daughter,” because upon marrying the former Martha Lynn Noland on New Year’s Day, I added to the lot three additional sons and their wives, 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren (plus one on the way). Martha added two sons, a daughter and two grandchildren from me. Hence, Rebecca is “our daughter.” In no way, though, do we intend to diminish in the least my dear late wife Bonnie—the mother of my daughter and her two brothers.
Triaging everything, it was finally time to devote the bulk of our available time to finishing preparation of our lessons for overseas in Guyana, South America. At least minimally, Martha and I are prepared, finally! Next, we directed our attention to packing our bags.
However, before leaving Winona, MS on Friday, January 20, brother Jerry Bates and we packed, marked, stacked and made a manifest for an upcoming shipment, chiefly of literature, to churches of Christ throughout Guyana. We amassed nearly 2,000 pounds or about two pallets. The first opportunity, though, for Martha and me to haul this freight to a shipping agent in Nashville, TN probably won’t be until late April or May 2017.
By the way, there’s been no time for a honeymoon since Martha and I wed on New Year’s Day. We did stop by an old, old cabin—with no electricity and lacking a mattress atop the bed’s rope lattice. No toilet either, and no running water. The real reason, though, that we did not rent it is because it sits in the town square of Collierville, TN as an exhibit. Honeymoon, maybe later! Just perhaps I can convince Martha that trekking through the jungles of South America, riding fast boats up humongous rivers and cloud hopping in teeny airplanes classifies as a honeymoon to remember.
Whew! What a whirlwind romance! Martha Lynn Noland and I raced from friendship to engagement—skipping right over DATING. On the 14th of December, I proposed, and she accepted! Within half an hour we had selected the date, place and time for our nuptials. Just 17 days later—on New Year’s Day—we plunged into wedded bliss at her Ocala, Florida home in her living room, in the presence of family and Christian friends.
I practiced my “pucker power” on the way to Florida at the State Welcome Center by getting a little fresh with the dolphin ambassador. A few days later, the experience came in handy!
As a joke, we staged a “shotgun wedding.” To symbolize the blending of our two families, we interjected a sand ceremony into the wedding. We all had lots of fun.
Martha is exactly the cure that I desperately needed for my despondency—comforting me and giving me direction and purpose in my life. I offer the same to her, too. We both lost our spouses (i.e., Bonnie, Bob) to pancreatic cancer in 2015. Bob and Martha had been married for 48 years, whereas Bonnie and I had been married for 42 years. Bonnie and Martha were best friends, and the four of us were friends for more than 35 years. It seems that I have “inherited” Martha, and I am so fortunate for having done so.
There is no time for a honeymoon in the near future as we are attending various preaching appointments in Arkansas and Tennessee prior to our departure from the USA on January 24 for Guyana, South America. We will return from the mission trip, Lord willing, on March 9. At that time, we will resume appointments in Arkansas, Kentucky and Florida. Incidentally, one of our 14 to 16 venues in jungle-bound Guyana is Monkey Mountain! Time spent there will be nearly akin to outdoor camping—without amenities commonly enjoyed stateside. There’s not much chance of Monkey Mountain folks reading my blog entry since no radio, TV or cell signals reach that remote location along the Brazilian border.
Martha Lynn RUSHMORE and I conscientiously purpose first to help each other make our way to heaven above. In the course of the doing that, we resolve to serve the Lord to the best of our abilities stateside and abroad as long as God permits us the strength and health to do so. Together, we expect to waddle throughout what future days may yet grace our lives, all the while comforting and upholding each other. We are truly blessed to have each other as companions and best friends as we trod the pilgrim pathway toward the heavenly horizon ahead of us. Along the way, we are having a BLAST in place of our former despair as we immerse ourselves in Christian service, made possible by prayers, moral support and generous gifts. Thank you!
Well, though the days leading up to it drug onward endlessly (it seems), we’re now—Stuck! Together!—willingly and happily in wedded bliss. Martha Noland is now my loving wife, 
We fulfilled Martha’s childhood dream of marrying on New Year’s Day in her living room. Several family members and Christian friends graced us with their presence and well-wishing. Martha added her thanks to sisters in Christ who fixed her hair (Lynelle) or served food and cleaned up after the affair (Dottie and Susan).
Louis & Martha Rushmore 
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