Chaffee Road Church of Christ

This past Sunday, Martha and I, along with our daughter Rebecca, visited the Chaffee Road Church of Christ in Jacksonville, Florida. We attended the Bible class and afterward worshiped with our brethren there. The occasion of our visit was to touch base with the congregation, which has been helping to support us and enable our stateside ministry and foreign mission work for about 15 years. I was afforded a few moments following the worship period to speak about our six weeks earlier this year in Guyana, South America. Later, I showed the elders my PowerPoint presentation and added some additional details about our missionary labors, not only in South America but also in Asian countries. (On a side note, Chaffee Road appears to be an admirable depiction of a fairly evenly integrated congregation and eldership.)

A few weeks earlier, I was privileged to present during Bible class my PowerPoint presentation about our foreign travel to Guyana February and half of March in 2022. In the worship period, I preached one of the lessons that I presented 13 times during our Guyana mission trip; it was entitled, “Christianity in a Hostile and Challenging Environment.”

The theme of this year’s mission trip to Guyana was “None of These Things Move Me,” based upon Acts 20:22-24. Covid-19 has been and continues to be a challenge facing the worldwide community, though hostile and challenging environments also confront people on a personal level with significant difficulties arising within families, at work, relating to health, death, grief and economics. We all need encouragement from time to time. Our team of Martha and me, as well as Guyanese brethren Nigel Milo and Mohamed Ally, were afforded opportunities to present a series of lessons at 13 venues, plus additional speaking opportunities beyond our workshops.

We were and are thankful for Christian families and churches of Christ who make our work possible. Historically and pre-pandemic, we have traveled with the Gospel to various sites in India, Myanmar (Burma), Singapore and Sri Lanka. Through the generosity of fellow Christians, we are able to print and distribute tracts and books in a variety of languages, give away large print Bibles and facilitate funds for two TV programs (Hindi language broadcasting from New Delhi, India and English language airing from Georgetown, Guyana). May God be glorified and precious souls be edified with God’s Word!

March 2022 Gospel Gazette Online

The March edition of Gospel Gazette Online is available now. My daughter proofs GAZ, and we just made the corrections. She’s in Tennessee in the USA, and Martha and I are in Guyana, South America. We leave our base of operations in the morning at 4:30 a.m., headed to a small airport for a flight to Mabaruma. Upon returning to Ogle outside of Georgetown on Friday, we will make our way by car to the banks of the Essequibo River. There, we will board a boat and go upriver to Leguan, lodge in a rented house for the night and have a workshop during the day on Saturday. We may not have any communication with family, friends, etc. until we return from multiple venues Saturday night. Now, I’ll finish packing for the trip, shower, shave and get some rest. Enjoy and make use of Gospel Gazette Online. Share it with others, too.

To Monkey Mountain and Back

Martha and I returned Friday evening to Linden, Guyana, South America after spending Monday through Friday in the Amerindian village at Monkey Mountain. We conducted a workshop for two congregations Tuesday through Thursday. Speaking also on the program were Guyanese preachers Nigel Milo and Mohamed Ally. Saturday, we had a workshop with the Amelia’s Ward Church of Christ in Linden. The program ran from 9 a.m. past 3 p.m. This was our largest audience yet, and many congregations were represented. Tomorrow, we’ll worship once more with the Amelia’s Ward Church of Christ, where brother Milo preaches. Please remember us in your prayers.

Kildonan, Guyana

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Saturday, February 29, 2020, the World Evangelism & Media Team was with the Kildonan Church of Christ in Guyana, South America. Several area congregations were represented, and as before, Martha addressed the ladies and the male team members spoke to the combined group as well as separately to the men present. This was our final workshop for 2020 in Guyana; Martha and I have been in Guyana for 30 days. Our team of Frederick Darrell, Nigel Milo, Martha Rushmore and Louis Rushmore provided edification for brethren from all 10 regions of Guyana. We hope that our efforts will contribute to the future appointment of elders and deacons, congregations striving for a greater degree of fiscal participation in their presence and labors for our Lord, a move toward a greater role in self-edification and less reliance on foreign teachers, a greater and sustained evangelistic zeal even in the absence of missionaries on the ground with them, and heightened pursuit of modesty and moral purity. Always, Martha and I are likely more encouraged than those to whom we go, hoping to encourage them. Plans are already underway for the 2021 nationwide workshop in Guyana.

Mabaruma

Frederick Darrel

Wednesday, February 26, the World Evangelism & Media team flew from Ogle in metropolitan Georgetown to Mabaruma. That evening, brethren Frederick Darrell and Nigel Milo preached in a crusade or a Gospel meeting for the Church of Christ at Hosororo on a high hill above Mabaruma. The meetinghouse was full of members and their children.

Thursday, the team spoke to a gathering of several congregations in the church building at Hosororo. Nearly every bench was filled. Some brethren had traveled several miles by boat before finishing their trek by land. Brethren Frederick Darrell, Nigel Milo and I addressed brothers and sisters on the theme “If Not Now, When?” Martha spoke to the ladies.

Friday, the team flew back to Ogle. Martha and I did a little shopping in Georgetown as well as walked the ocean side of the seawall so my wife could collect some more sea glass. Leaving Georgetown, we paused at Hope Children’s Home, before continuing our journey to New Amsterdam, where we were to lodge once more in preparation for our final workshop of 2020 in Guyana, South America.

Enmore Church of Christ

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Our venue today for this year’s World Evangelism & Media Workshop was with the Enmore (Guyana, South America) Church of Christ; these brethren were gracious enough to host again in 2020. Many congregations were represented, some of which traveling far to be present. The auditorium was full. Martha Rushmore spoke to the sisters in Christ, while Frederick Darrel, Nigel Milo and I (Louis Rushmore) spoke to brothers and sisters or for one session to the men present.

A large contingent of members from the Amelia’s Ward Church of Christ in Linden were present—three vans full. Burnham Drive and Blueberry Hill churches of Christ from Linden were represented, too.

I have difficulty understanding Guyanese Creole, but I presumed that since we’re all supposed to be speaking English, Guyanese brethren could understand me better than I understand them when they converse with each other. Today, a sister in Christ informed me that this is the first year over the years I have been going to Guyana that she understood my English. She wasn’t sure whether I was speaking more clearly or if she had become accustomed to my speech.

It appears that all in attendance were please to be there and were edified. I know I was happy to be present, and I was edified also. After a long day, traveling to the venue, returning to Linden and approximately six hours of program, we were all tired. A stop at the mall along the way home was a welcome interlude.

Women’s Inspiration Day

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Amelia’s Ward Church of Christ

Congratulations to the ladies of the Amelia’s Ward congregation for a very special ladies’ inspiration day. Glory be to God for all the hard work that was done leading up to this day. There were around 340 ladies and young ladies at this event. Some of the ladies came a day early and stayed a day longer because they were from the Essequibo coast. They had to catch a boat to get back across the 20-mile-wide river.

The ladies of at Amelia’s Ward go all out for their women’s inspiration day. This year, the colors were blue and silver. All decorations were blue and silver. Most of the ladies and young ladies wore blue or white dresses with blue on them. Most of their shoes were sparkly silver or gold. They were all well-coordinated and looked very beautiful. Great job ladies.

There was congregational singing, solos, poems, skits, Bible games and three speakers. They all did a great job. My favorite talk was about “Let It Go.” They talked about letting things go from our past and moving forward. The young ladies did a skit of letting anger, lies, worry, betrayal, denial and doubt go. It was very to the point. Of course, these things are easier said to do than it is for us to do them. We need God’s help!

We had a snack, a nice lunch and then a small Jell-O salad for a second snack. These ladies and men did a lot of preparation for this great day of fellowship and worship to our God in Heaven.

The Amelia’s Ward ladies have a women’s inspiration day every other year. They have a lot of expense, and they pay for most of it out of their own pockets. They do this with loving and cheerful hearts. I also found out today that we have sisters in the USA that were a part of this body of the Lord’s church who send them items to use for gifts. What wonderful ladies! ~ Martha Rushmore

Paramakatoi Children’s Class

Wednesday, February 19 was a big day for the village of Paramakatoi. The first lady of Guyana was to visit. She was campaigning for her husband to be reelected for president. She was also dedicating the new water system for this jungle mountain community. There was preparation made for her coming all week and maybe the week before. There were hammers and saws going all day and evening long. Bleachers, stands for concessions and a large platform for the first lady and other government officials were built. There was a stand for the band and the emcee to play music until 2:00 a.m. for three days and nights.

On the same day, I had a very big surprise. About 200 or so elementary school children and their teachers came to the church building to entertain us. They were supposed to quote memory verses and sing for us; they program was supposed to take about 15 minutes. Well, I guess things got a little mixed up. Great for me! Louis came to me about 5-minutes before things were to start and asked me if I could teach the children a lesson. Sure, I can. He asked me how long my lesson would last. I said about 30 minutes.

This is how things proceeded. Brother Nigel led the children in two songs; Louis said a prayer, and then it was my turn. All the men left and had their own class on the porch of a neighboring shop. I introduced myself to the class and started the lesson. One of the men came in and told me about the memory verses. So, I had the children volunteer to say their memory verses. They did a great job!

I started my lesson on “Hear No Evil, See No Evil and Speak No Evil.” I had three children come up and help me. I told them that they were monkey helpers because the hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil were monkeys. (I have two sets at our home in Florida. One set has monkeys and the other has frogs.) They covered the ears, eyes and mouths. Then the whole class did the same thing. I tried to involve them all. Some got restless, but for the most part, the children did well.

Teaching the children has been the highlight of our work in Guyana so far this year. Another children’s class was in Monkey Mountain last year. When I finished, I had about 30 from age 1 to about age 11. I love the children here in Guyana. They want and give attention to Louis and me—maybe because we are white. They are all so loveable. ~ Martha Rushmore

Camping in the Mountains of Guyana, South America

Always before when our team went to Paramakatoi, we were able to lodge in the Amerindian guesthouse there, and over the years, its amenities have been upgraded. This time, however, government officials, who had come for the dedication of a water system, trumped our plan to reside in the guesthouse once more. Consequently, we camped in the classroom of the church building. Martha and I occupied one tent, while brother Nigel Milo slept in a pup tent. Brother Frederick Darrel slumbered nightly in a hammock. On the plus side, we didn’t have to walk to the meetinghouse—since we were already in it! The downside, though, was bucket and cup bathing in the shed for the ATV and using an outhouse.

We flew into Paramakatoi on a small twin-prop plane, and after five days flew out on a larger single-prop airplane. The flight to Paramakatoi in the mountains from Ogle on the coast was direct, but the return trip made stops at Monkey Mountain (a gravel airstrip) and Mahdia.

Martha and I were certainly out of our comfort zone, and our arthritis distinctly worked against us. I also battle low blood pressure.

The mountain village of Paramakatoi is the only place to which we go in Guyana where we get cold. Sweat clothes for sleeping at night and jackets at least in the morning are a must. We even bought a couple of blankets while there—extremely thin but unexpectedly almost too warm.

All four of us taught while visiting the Paramakatoi Church of Christ. Frederick Darrel, Nigel Milo and I took turns day and night, and Martha taught a couple hundred children and their teachers who graced us with their presence one morning.

A few excitements occurred during our time in Paramakatoi. Guyana’s First Lady officially commissioned a new solar-powered water system. Since it is nearly election time, her husband’s political party and the opposing political party were well represented in the crowded soccer field. Venders sold their wares and the music loudly blasted the village until 2 a.m. daily. The whole affair resembled a small county fair. There were more aircraft coming and going in one day than would usually arrive and depart over several months.

Near the conclusion of our time in Paramakatoi, we presented to attendees new Bibles. On our way out of Paramakatoi, we were able to give a preacher and his wife a ride to Monkey Mountain—saving them an 8-hour hike up and down serious hills; the plane was already going that way, so we quickly added them to our passenger manifest.

We believe that we edified brethren from the two congregations which assembled for our workshop. In addition, we encouraged them and commended them as well for their continued evangelistic outreach into distant villages. This little church, which hosted our program, in the edge and on the fringe of an otherwise busy world is self-supporting. Through their own initiative and ambition the congregation launched out with the Gospel comparable to the commendable achievements with the Gospel of the church at Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 1:8). This little family of God meets three days a week for worship and devotionals to praise God and fortify itself.

Martha and I fawn over the little ones. Little girls especially are drawn to Martha, and I enjoy playing with the children, too.

It was a hard outing for us, and we exhausted all the clothes we brought to Guyana. We were delighted to shower and rest in a bed once more. I hadn’t shaved for a week!

The Rushmore Newsletter

 

The Rushmore Newsletter for November 2019 has just been published to the Internet. Nearly 800 email notices are being sent at this moment to members and friends among the churches of Christ so interested brethren may access it online. An additional 1,000+ members of the church and congregations of the Lord’s church will receive printed copies through the US mail over the next several days. Martha and I welcome your questions, comments and participation in our labors for Jesus Christ stateside and abroad. You may access the November edition of the Rushmore Newsletter directly at https://www.gospelgazette.com/Newsletter/2019/November.pdf.