Moving On

Since our last blog a lot has happened.  

From the months of January thru March we spent the majority of our time working on the new Kingdom Hall.  Here are some picture.

These two pictures show what the property looked like when we first saw it.

This is about month into the project.

Me working feverishly on the dishes in the kitchen, as for what Crystal is doing...???

All the work is done free-hand. This talented brother does this for all the new KH's.

All done.

 We finished the kingdom hall at the end of March than we immediately had to get ready for the Circuit Assembly that was to be held the following weekend which meant also getting ready for the Pioneer meeting prior to the assembly.  Ah, but remember the Memorial which fell on the Thursday before the Pioneer meeting, needless to say the first week of April was a flurry of activity.  

But once the pace slowed down we could begin to enjoy some down time which allowed us to get back into our ministry routine and begin preparing for our back to back Circuit Overseer visits in May. Even though we were busy we still had time to enjoy the company of some good friends who came and stayed for a couple of weeks, Vinson and Janet Jones from Pensacola, FL.  They helped out on the construction, got to do some ministry, went to the zoo and unfortunately got really sick.  The flu was going around and they spent the week trying to recover. 

Crystal and Janet at the zoo.

Vinson with a sister who sells ice-cream at the market.

Vinson doing what he does best, getting more on him then the wall.

Something we did about a year ago is move into a new place and we really have enjoyed being closer to the congregation and the neighborhood is more quiet so I've been sleeping better which is always a good thing especially for Crystal, (I tend to get a little moody when I'm sleep deprived).  Here are some pictures of the outside of the house, we live in the bottom apartment.  The woman who owns the place lives in New York and she only comes to stay for a couple of weeks out of the year, so it's nice having the whole place to ourselves.  On the property we have a Guava tree, Banana trees, Guyanese Cherry tree, Lemon grass and Coconut trees.

So, let me explain why I entitled this blog, "moving on".  Last year our daughter got married and was hoping to have a baby within the next couple of years but life is a fickle thing and so it goes with all well laid out plans, it changed.  We're happy to say the baby is doing great and all is coming along as it should.  So, with this new change in our lives we feel it's time to recalculate our current direction and point the needle north.  We have decided to move back to the United States in order to be closer to my daughter and our first grandchild.  We have our Regional convention in July 10-12, shortly after we'll be "moving on".  Our goal is to move to Vero Beach, Florida, to support the local congregation and continue to Pioneer.  We have had an amazing four years in Guyana and will never forget the deep connections we've made with the congregation and the lives of those we touched in our ministry.  Many tears will be shed by us in the coming days but our eyes are now fixed on the coast of Florida and the wonderful memories we'll make in that new chapter of our lives.  Yes, we're moving on and we're excited to see what it will bring.  

Thanks for all the support and encouragement that we have received over the years.  Crystal and I are forever grateful for the prayers and love that has been shown to us.  We hope that our blogs have in some small way strengthen your love of the ministry and maybe prompted some to taste for themselves the incredible blessings that come when you take that leap of faith and serve in a foreign land.  

With much love, 
Scott & Crystal Shoemaker

Below are just a few of the Deaf whom we have had the privilege of knowing and helping along in their spiritual growth.

My buddy, Errol (Junior).  I will miss his mood changing big smile.

Robin and Michael, both of them will surely be of great value to the Sign Language Group in the years to come.

Gave their wedding talk, hopefully they will make the truth their own.

Naiasha and Anthony.  They are two young people who could do anything they want in Jehovah's organization, the door's are wide open. 

Sorjini and Rosie. 

Patrick.  He is on the Theocratic Ministry School and could progress to baptism if he stays on track.

We love and will miss them all.

Plenty To Do

I wanted to begin this blog by telling a nice experience I had in my ministry. I have a deaf bible study who just turned 73 and is someone I always look forward to spending time with.  In our study we've been discussing how Jehovah went about creating the world around us as described in the Genesis account.  Now you have to understand Sign Language here is not ASL, it's usually more about how they grasp the thought in their own special way and convey it their own signs.  When we completed our lesson I wanted to do a review and ask him to explain to me what he learned and this is what he signed.  He looked at the sky and covered his eyes and wiped his brow, (Jh created the sun).  He then made a sign of a rocket going into space and landing, (Jh created the moon), at last he held up both of his hands and rubbed the tips of his fingers together in the direction of the sky, (Jh made the stars.)  I just hugged him and said, "you got it man."  I'm constantly amazed at how I can learn from those I'm supposedly teaching.

So as the title of this blog indicates we've been very active lately because there is "plenty to do."  For instance, Crystal and I been working with an NGO (Non-Govt. Organ.) called the Special Needs for Life Learning Center.  One of it's objectives is for local teachers to attend a 4-6 month seminar (twice a month) in which they learn how to be more effective in the classroom when they have Deaf students.  We're filling the roles of instructors till others can make themselves available.  So far we have had about four sessions and the 25 to 30 teachers present expressed a real appreciation for what there learning.  Here are some pictures of the classroom and our students. 

 

This keeps us busy and it helps to make a little income because the organization pays us a small amount for our time and travel expense, every little bit helps. 

 

Another project that has been keeping us busy and physically wiped out is the work we've been doing in connection with our new Kingdom Hall.  Here the work is labor intensive and reminds me real quick that I'm not a young lad anymore.  Though the work is hard the end result will make it all worth it.  Here are some pictures of what the property looked like and the progress we've been making.

 

 

So we were tearing this structure down and frankly it was taking to long so we had a brother with a car and a tie-down strap, the rest is history.

 

 

 

We're going to stay steady at it and hopefully by April we'll have a beautiful new Kingdom Hall. 

 

In addition to what has already been discussed there are those things that demand your attention in other unique ways, like fixing the toilet at the Kingdom Hall.... 

 

 

.... taking pictures of yourself with big cheesy smiles...

....relaxing in the hammock....

 

....keeping the beast looking good.....   

 and then my favorite pastime, spending the day with my wife doing cart-witnessing.

Yes, even though we have little time for the dilly-dally, we are ever determined to make the most of the precious time we do have.  Crystal and I truly have plenty to do but rest assure we will always find time to take a moment and think about all that we have been blessed with and those with whom we have enjoyed those blessings. We send our love to all and dream about the day when we'll be together on a better planet earth, staying equally as busy with plenty to do in that amazing new world. 

Scott & Crystal