Farewell to France

I'm listening to Sous Le Ciel de Paris by ZAZ as the sun rises in fair France. It's incredible to me how quickly these 5 days have FLOWN. Wasn't I just walking off the plane awestruck, in jetlagged disbelief of actually being there in person? Didn't I breathe in the city until my lungs filled with the perpetual air of je ne sais pas?

Travel is robbery. It takes whatever 4 walls of familiarity surround you and breaks them mercilessly if allowed. Beyond the physical aspect of leaving home, it's the fact that we are cradled within the arms of our worldwide brotherhood that makes it truly unforgettable. Ribz and I (along with JJ) have been accepted as family with the friends we've made this week. The nearly 800 pictures and videos testify to that affection bridging past language barriers and time differences.

The next few posts will be dedicated to our time spent within Paris, while we gear ourselves for the intensely exciting week ahead of us for Special Convention in Milan. It's finally here!!! Incroyable!!!

Short post, I know. Pardon moi. I haven't had much time to just sit and write; been too busy absorbing this experience! Much love to you all and stay tuned for the next post!

Love,

The Adventurous A.

Squad-Ala! We're Off!

My lovely readers!!!

We are now officially at the airport awaiting our flight. It's amazing how the time from hearing about getting accepted as delegates has absolutely FLOWN. The three of us (Ribz, team captain JJ and yours truly) are situated right by our gate awaiting patiently.  My mind is spinning and my heart is racing; IT'S HERE IT'S REALLY REALLY HERE!!!

Travel buddies!! KC the Koala and MEPS

Three amigos back at it!

The anticipation is streaming through my veins as I attempt to chow down my jalapeno- flavoured popcorn. I had been planning a far more eloquent pre-flight post but alas, you'll have to deal with the excited travel-buzzed giddy A. CAN'T BELIEVE IT WHOOHOOOOOOO!!!!

Ok, I'm going to finish this off here, they're about to call our plane soonish. If this is my last post ever,  I am sorry/not sorry that it was oozing with unbridled joy and enthusiastic energy. On a less macabre note, I'll talk to you all overseas!

SQUADALA OUT! Toodles and stay tuned for the next post!

Louvre, (ba dum tss)

The Adventurous A.

P.S. if you understood the squadala reference, THOU ART A GIANT NERD

*Mr. Popo voice* byyyyyyyyyyyyYYYYYYYYyyyeeee...

TRIP REVEAL!

Hello fellow Adventurers!

If you follow my travel Instagram (@the_adventurous_a), you would have noticed a few posts recently that look like this.

*cue IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN*

Today marked the last of said posts. The reason? Welllllll, it is an exact month before my next trip! For the big reveal...

Ribz and I were accepted to be delegates for the Special Convention in Milan!! This is a first for us both and we are excited beyond description. Now that the cat is out of the bag, I can finally tell you all how this good news came to be.

Now, you may recall from the last blog post that I mentioned a potential trip to Nicaragua. Last July 4th weekend,  I took a girls road trip up to Toronto to visit the Canada Bethel Branch. While up there, we befriended a troupe of very friendly Canadian friends and hit it off immediately. Upon our return, we began planning a needgreating trip for the following March, having about 8 people total planning on going to Nicaragua from New York, Canada and Texas.

During the late summer/early autumn harvest at Wallkill in October, the opportunity to apply for this year's Special Conventions came up. I had applied some years ago for the Convention in London, but my friend and I were not among the chosen delegates at that time. 5 of us got together and decided to apply for the 2017 Convention series. Our applications were submitted, and then the waiting began.

Now, I can be patient if need be, but it's definitely a quality that I'm working on personally. When it comes to waiting for news, any kind of news, I have to actively just keep praying to Jehovah to help me stay patient. I had not asked for the time off from work for the Nicaragua trip, and quite a few friends who had applied for other Special Conventions had already gotten confirmation. The cutoff time was fast approaching, but we strove to apply the wise words at Proverbs 3:5 to "trust in Jehovah with all of your heart."  Waiting is TOUGH, I will be the first to admit it. What I do notice, interestingly, is that when it's least expected and you leave things in Jehovah's hands, you will find the BEST surprises.

Skip forward to December 17th (YES I know the exact date). Ribz and I had finished a long day out in service and were finishing up some chores before finally relaxing. I was folding clothing when I heard my email alert go off. Not thinking much about it, I opened my phone to check. LO AND BEHOLD! I could hear Ribz gasping in shock as he received the same message: a confirmation to go to the Special Convention! We ran out of our rooms jumping with delight, unbridled joy and utter shock. It had been two months since we had applied, but that mattered not as we began contacting our other travel mates. After sharing the good news with our nearest and dearest, we had to say goodbye to our Nica plans and set our focus on this trip to Italy.

Here we are, a month away from this trip, and the fact that we are attending is still surreal to me. The inevitable Cloud 9 sensation has trickled in as we organize our packing, spend long hours with our mom in front of the computer doing research and making reservations, and figure out what to give as gifts to the friends over there. I thank Jehovah on a daily basis for this exciting privilege!

We will be gone a total of 3 weeks, starting from North to South. I will not be spoiling our route just yet, since I will be updating the blog as we go along. The poll that is still up (for now) on here is to figure out my posting schedule whilst we are out there, but more than likely I will be posting with more regularity when we return. I cannot wait to tell the incredible experiences that I'm sure will take place!!

Well, that's it for today! I appreciate all the love you readers have given the blog; it really has been fun and a real pleasure being able to write and share these theocratic travels of mine. Have an adventurously adventurous day and stay tuned for the next post! Ciao, famiglia!

Love,

The Adventurous A.

I ALMOST LOST MARK!!!

DRAMATIC TITLE FOR GRABBING ATTENTION!!

Hello beloved readers!!!

I apologize for the long absence. I've been obviously inactive on this blog, not having left on any other adventurous adventures in a while. I actually had plans to travel internationally this month to Nicaragua with some friends for about a month's time, but other travel plans came in the way.

NO DETAILS! At least not yet. You will all find out soon enough.

To start this post, some of you may know that since the summer of 2012, I've had the privilege of being able to assist at the Watchtower Farms in Wallkill, NY for the past 5 summers/autumns with the Farm Department. My assignment in particular has been the harvesting of blueberries, peaches, apples and grapes. It's one of my favorite crews and a real privilege to work side by side with some pretty incredible people.

It's this very harvest that sets the stage for this near-traumatic experience from this past summer.

It was a crisp, warm Thursday morning in September. I arrived at the A residential building along with another sister from my congregation in order to enjoy Morning Worship and breakfast with friends. We had a jolly old time prior to the day's work, and each headed to their appointed work spots. Every harvest season, Mark accompanies me at some point for photo opps.

Bearing Good Fruit

The day went as it normally would,  filled with laughter,  sunshine and good times. The REAL dilemma occurred once I came back home from work. I stumbled sleepily back into my bedroom, ready to drop.  I casually glanced to the spot Mark usually sits, only to suddenly notice his absence. A quick look around proved futile, and panic replaced my tiredness. I attempted remembering where he was, but to no avail. I asked Ribz and my family,  but they hadn't recalled seeing him at home either. This began a few terrible days.

You may ask yourself, why all the fuss? What kind of (then) 24-year-old woman gets distraught over losing/misplacing a stuffed animal? To paraphrase.... I'll leave the link to the "Introduction to MEPS" blog post I did last March. http://welcometotheadventurousadventure.blogspot.com/2016/03/an-introduction-to-meps.html?m=0


I kid you not,  I had full teams of friends on the lookout for the fuzzball at Wallkill.  I appreciate that no one made light of it or thought it weird to be on a wild goose chase for a toy. In the meantime, my family was kind and proactive in the most comforting ways.

Now fast forward to the following Tuesday.

I was at work at the time, at the point of trying to accept that my beloved tiny travel companion was possibly gone forever. Going through the motions of my job,  I almost ignored the text message from one of my breakfast buddies "Steve",  with only this caption: "We came across someone you know. " attached to this picture.

Faces covered to protect the not-so-innocent.  Just kidding, you know who you are.  #bluesushitrio

I will not deny that tears started to flow copiously on sight. My Mark was in safe hands!!!! I was hungry for details, and "Steve" was more than happy to fill me in.

Apparently, i HAD  brought him to breakfast, only to have let him slip out of my little harvest backpack right outside of our car. We'd left him behind in the pavement, all alone.  He was subjected to the rain and summer nights, until some unknown kind soul lovingly placed him on a nearby sign. Fortunately, he did not submit to the elements,  staying the strong little guy he is.


I mean,  come on,  he survived Canada AND  Guyana,  no way a little NY weather would bring him down, right?

The next day after my midweek meeting , I picked him up at Wallkill, ready for him to come home.

A sopping wet Mark posing with "Steve"'s ...whatever that thing is

Poor thing needed a MAJOR shower

He's on the table in front of me, his calm mouthless face staring back at me.  I know not to get overly attached to material things,  but still I am beyond relieved that he's safe and sound.  Call me ridiculous, but I love him. We have waaaaay too many adventures to go on, neither of us can afford to get lost now!!!

In all his fluffy , bowtied goodness

We shall bid you a goodnight, and stay tuned for the next post!!!

Love,

The Adventurous A.

Surprise Blog Nugget

This post is completely unplanned.

I'm sitting in a warm Starbucks keeping my ears from freezing off. Taking full advantage of the free WiFi, I decided to upload this amazing piece of art.

Isn't this neat?!? I had wanted to have a caricature of "The Adventurous A." It even includes Mark the Travelling Bear!!!! If you are on Instagram, please check out the artist's work at @say_geronimo11. She did a phenomenal job with the drawing, I'm very pleased with it!

Heading back outside now, stay warm and have an adventurously adventurous day!

Love,

The Adventurous A.

The Wet Hammock

To kick-start this post, a HUGE thank you to  my awesome Instagram followers at @the_adventurous_a for voting on the last poll I put up. Because of you who voted, here is the lineup for the next several posts:

Wet hammock
Travel tips
Collab blog

I have not figured out a time schedule for all of them yet (since some do involve legwork eg rounding up fellow bloggers, research, etc.), but fear not! They will be up eventually.

Onto the story!

This may be one of my favorite Guyana stories to tell, probably because it did not happen to me. The protagonist of this adventurous adventure is no other but fellow Guyana travel buddy Ribz, aka the World's Worst Anchorman!

*virtual applause*

Legend has it that every long trip has at least one bad day. I was not inclined to believe this traveler's folklore, not having had much experience travelling myself. I figured that hey, as long as you plan accordingly, even spontaneous incidents would not dampen the experiences or be considered "bad."

I was wrong.

Let's take this opportunity to travel back in time to November 26th, 2015. This was our last day living in Orealla. We busied ourselves that whole day saying goodbye to our new-found friends, visiting family after family before our boat back to Skeldon left that very evening. It was most definitely bittersweet; when you travel and get to know the friends of any area and congregation, you can't help but become attached to them.

Last day in Orealla. Danced in the rain. One for the bucket list

Ribz and the munchkins

My beautiful babies!!

Now that you have the background setting, fast forward to about 8 pm. All tearful goodbyes said to Tete, Josh and Charlie on the stelling (dock), we boarded our boat, hammocks already strung up for the night ride.

Fortunately, we had a few from the congregation also heading to the city on the same boat, so we felt less lonely. Ribz settled in for the night fairly quickly, while I stayed on the roof with my wonderful hostess Sherine.  It was a cooler night than expected, so by around 10 ish we both went down into our hammocks.

This is where it gets better.

Or worse. Depends on who you ask.

At approximately 1 am, I woke up to the startling feeling of being watched. In the dark, I struggled to adjust my vision, only to find Ribz sitting on a nearby rafter, hovering above me. He seemed fidgety and upset, mumbling incoherently to himself. I shrugged it off and fell back asleep.

2 am. The boat jarred rudely.

"Attention, passengers," alerted the captain in his creole-inflected accent. "The tide is too low to keep going, so we will be stopping at this harbor until 7 am. Then we'll continue to the main dock at Skeldon."

Oooooookaaaay, we were not expecting this in the least bit. I was fully awake at this point, and I could tell immediately that Ribz was VERY agitated. This is where his story came out. Enter the Wet Hammock.

There's a rule on these boats that STRICTLY says that NO DRUNK PEOPLE ALLOWED ON DECK. It's painted throughout the rafters and ceiling. However, one inebriated fellow snuck on board and inconveniently set up camp right above my brother's hammock.

IT GETS BETTER/WORSE.

Ribz had wrapped himself partly with the hammock fabric and topped off with his mini travel pillow. Thank goodness he did, because right afterwards, he felt a piddling sensation on top of the pillow. "Must be raining" was his first thought. If only. He woke to find his drunken upstairs neighbor completely emptying his bladder right atop of him and his bedding.

AHHHHHHHHHH!!! WE ARE NOT DONE YET!!!

He is telling me his experience as he's getting off the boat, blindly walking in the general direction of the city. Here we are, dark o clock in the wrong part of town, with a (literally) pissed off brother, no luggage and nowhere to go. I attempted to get him to pause and think about what we should do, but he was understandably in no mood to chitchat. The other friends who were on the boat disembarked at the same time as us, and pulled us from the direction we were heading in. "Don't go there! That's where the drug dealers hang out! Come with us and we'll take you to the hostel instead." I do not want to think about what would have happened had we kept going...

We walked a good half hour or so with the group (at this point, it was Sherine, another sister named Anita, Ribz and myself) to the Amer-Indian hostel, where we had to wait outside for another half hour for a couple of rooms. When we go inside, we see that NONE of the beds have sheets. The landlady proceeds to procure some damp fitted sheets for each bed and nothing else. The three of us ladies spent the next 3 hours or so fending off the giant bloodthirsty city mosquitoes that were buzzing about. Only Ribz, urine soaked, stinky and sleep-deprived, was offensive enough to the pests that they avoided him entirely.

STILL NOT DONE.

Did I mention that we had a very important mission to take care of? Our beloved Josh (http://nutso42.blogspot.com/) needed his passport and fee to be delivered to the capital via taxi by 6:30 sharp in order to make it to the Georgetown Visa office on time. His extended stay in Guyana depended on it, so it was paramount that my brother and I made it on time to the Skeldon Kingdom Hall to meet up with the taxi driver. The two of us left the hostel and walked about 40 minutes to reach the Hall.

He was late.

Sleepy, peed on, restless, upset, hungry. I can think of a few adjectives we felt at the moment. After some time, he did show up, and the passport was delivered safely and on time.

When we met up with the rest of the group and Ribz had shared his terrible night story with them, he vowed to chuck that hammock in the trash and NEVER use it again. Br. Chacon, a sweet married brother, gently reassured him that the hammock would be usable after a good wash. He then thoroughly cleansed the foul article twice with bleach, all signs of the odorous mess finally gone.

It now swings peacefully in the front of my house, a silent reminder of that night.

Urine it to win it (badumtss). Hap-pee nonetheless (BADUMTSS)

It was perhaps our legendary "bad day,", but what a story came out of it! We both laugh heartily in retelling it, and it has served as hilarious conversation fodder in group settings. Like the other adventures we had on that trip, I wouldn't change it for anything.

Well, I hope you guys got a laugh out of this as much as I did writing it. Thank you so much for reading and stay tuned for the next post!

Love,

The Adventurous A.

It Takes A Village (Tenisha and the Tablet Part 2)

"Coming together is the beginning.
 Keeping together is progress.
 Working together is success."
                       -Henry Ford

Within Jehovah's wonderful organization, we are able to witness regularly the tight-knit unity, even among friends you previously had never met before. There are very few events that bring as much joy to us as seeing those who have come to love Jehovah symbolize their dedication by baptism, thus joining the great and united spiritual family.

If you've been following this blog since its humble beginnings last year, you may remember an iconic blog post entitled Tenisha and the Tablet (if you haven't read it, I would HIGHLY suggest that you do and then return to this post, because spoilers... http://welcometotheadventurousadventure.blogspot.com/2015/11/tenisha-and-tablet-blog-nibblet-1.html?m=0 ).

That post involved the very moving story of a young Guyanese girl who struggled against parental opposition to keep on studying faithfully. At the time that I met her last year, she was a newly appointed unbaptized publisher, armed with the zeal of someone discovering Jehovah. Sweet and quiet, she immediately won me over. To think of this young woman standing for what was right despite her circumstances filled me with admiration.

Well, it is with the greatest of pleasures to present Tenisha, one year later, as our BAPTIZED Christian sister!!

Happy day, indeed!!!

I found out the afternoon of Sunday, October 9th when her previous Bible teacher (Michelle Sanches, Guyana needgreater extraordinaire) posted the above photo on Instagram. Happiness is an understatement for the emotions that welled up in me. The feeling of pure satisfaction, in tandem with pride and soaring joy, filled my heart and tear ducts.

Tenisha, congratulations and welcome to the best life ever, my dear dear sister. Jehovah saw your fine fight, your unadulterated love, your endurance and perseverance and He has certainly blessed you for it! Your decision has brought praise to His mighty name and happiness to a slew of your fellow brothers, even those you have not even met yet. Your example has been shared for the last year since we came back home, a real highlight of our time spent down there. I pray for your continued efforts and progress to all your goals as you grow more and more. I love you so much!

Thank you for reading and joining in this special event. Your support of such ones like Tenisha is one of the uniquely beautiful things that bring us together as a theocratic family. May you all have a great day (or night depending on where you are) and stay tuned for the next post!

Love,

The Adventurous A

Retrospect. Reminiscence. Remembrance. (Guyana One Year Later)

It is truly a fascinating feat to be able to remember. Memories, like fossilized amber, capture moments in sealed fragments that glimmer and warp with every turn of the wrist. You hold onto them, appreciating the passage of time.

Today marks a year since my very first post on this blog. This, in turn, marks a year since my brother and I left the States to serve in Guyana. Nostalgia is nipping at me like the New York autumnal chill, so I felt it fitting to just sit at my leisure and just WRITE.

For any of you fine readers whom I know personally, you are very well aware that if the word "Guyana" is even remotely uttered within a mile radius of my earshot, I can't help but slide in to converse about our adventurous adventures. How could I not? It was life-changing. It was fantastic. It stretched my horizon to the point that it will never be able to reduce to its original size, but only keep reaching out in the direction of the sunrise.

Many things have happened since our return to the States. Living conditions have changed, friends gained, tears shed, laughter shared, prayers spoken, and other adventures have ensued. It honestly took the better of several months to even acclimate back to American lifestyle. Nevertheless, we did not stay frozen in that incredible time period, and continued to  grow and do things here.

Beginning shortly after coming back, I had the insurmountable privilege of being able to work on the World Headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses project in Warwick, NY for several months. I had worked there previously over the course of two years, but returning to that energetic atmosphere post-trip helped  bring me back to speed with being home.

During the summer months, I then transferred to working at the Wallkill Bethel complex with the Farm Department for the harvest season. Having worked there every summer since 2012, I felt more at home and at ease with the idea of staying in my home area. I had been plagued with longings to return to Orealla for months, and I truly believe that Jehovah answered my prayers to help me to be mentally content with whatever assignment received (even if it wasn't need-greater).

Do I miss Guyana? Beyond what words can describe.
Do I want to return? Of course!!!
If given the choice to either travel elsewhere or go back....there I'd probably have to say elsewhere. Goodness knows, I love love LOVE Guyana. However, there are still SOOOOOO many places to serve in and visit and experience, and I want to try out as much as I realistically can. I attended my second round of the Pioneer Service School in August and it relit a fire for the ministry that makes me hunger to go somewhere again. Maybe someday I will see my beloved Guyana again.....

Before I finish up this post, there are several people that deserve serious acknowledgement and thanks.

Mom and Dad, you above every other set of human beings deserve the highest praise and countless thanks. You aspired for nothing else for Ribz and me but the full-time ministry and loving our service to Jehovah. There are not enough words to thank you for all the sacrifices made and prayers and efforts poured out for us. I love you so much and I thank Jehovah God for the blessing of having you as a nonstop cheer squad, best friends, tireless pillars and eternal supporters.

Ribz! My brother from....my same mother. You stepped up to the "travel companion" plate without a shred of hesitation. I am so so grateful that we shared our first needgreater experience together. You are ever the ultimate teammate, favorite sibling and ready-made Broadway musical singing partner. May we continue to enjoy soggy hammocks and gigosmic mosquitoes for a long time.

Beloved "Fruit" (you know who you are)!
Whoever says they have the best aunt in the world....is obviously wrong. Why? Because I DO have the best aunt in the world! Your support through everything  (from birth onwards) has been most constant and loyal. Your own travel adventures helped kindle my original dreams and your continued support still does the same thing.  I love you so very much!

Josh, who would have thought that singing Bohemian Rhapsody in the middle of a busy blueberry field would have resulted in our friendship, hmm? Your wacky and weird lanky self wriggled into my Favorite Humans list. You were the catalyst for one of the greatest times of my existence. You pulled strings and made our stay a real joy. We'll see who makes it to SKE first!!!

Tom and Michelle, my wonderful far-away Guyana friends!!! Though we only spoke once over Skype, the many upbuilding emails and insightful words bolstered me and helped me feel better prepared for the trip. It is my sincere wish to finally meet in person someday.

Kayla, dear Kayla. Fiery, beautiful, and zealous, what's not to love about you? Between guiding us through the streets of Skeldon to nursing me back to health when we were leaving, you proved to be a capable young woman and a real asset to wherever your life takes you. Jonatán and I can't even say the words "child" or "babes" without hearing that irresistible Trinny accent.

Sherine and Phoebe, I MISS YOU!!!!!! I fell in love with you both instantly. I was so nervous about the new environment, and you made me feel right at home. I arrived knowing nothing and left, having gained a sister and little niece. You are very often on my mind and I pray that I will see you physically again.

To the Orealla Congregation, thank you for welcoming us with arms spread wide open. You embedded into our hearts and are most definitely never leaving. May Jehovah keep blessing you all as the growth and progress there continues.

Everybody else who encouraged us, supported us, cheered us on, prayed for us, and followed our adventures, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. It meant so much to us and was/is very much appreciated.

Before I finish, here is a quote from the 2005 Yearbook that captures our sentiments (and the sentiments of any who have gone to serve there): Most count themselves blessed for having served in Guyana. Especially have they appreciated being able to discuss spiritual matters with people who, in general, have a high regard for the Bible. Even many who do not profess to be Christian enjoy discussions with Jehovah’s Witnesses. What is more, householders will sometimes share a meal with the brothers. “So it is no exaggeration to call Guyana a pioneer’s paradise."

Paradise indeed. If you can make it, do it.  You will not regret it. Take care, wonderful readers, and stay tuned for the next post!!

Love,

The Adventurous A

How to Lose Your Bible in the Best Way Possible

A word to the wise: DO NOT TAKE YOUR FAVORITE PERSONAL BIBLE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY UNLESS YOU PLAN ON NOT KEEPING IT.

I do not mean to sound selfish or dramatic, I promise!!! (Well, maybe a little dramatic) The following experience was a personal eye-opener, in all honesty.

It was the day Ribz and I got offered to go to the remote village of Siparuta, about an hour-long boat ride from the Orealla stelling. (For a different set of personal experiences from that same service day, check out my favorite Guyana "white bai" Josh's post on http://nutso42.blogspot.com/2015/11/kingdom-proclaimer-vii.html ).

The faces of pure non-innocence...

The token non-Mexican Mexican

Gino and Dowlan, our trusty guides!

When we arrived onshore, our group of six got split up into three pairs, resulting in my getting teamed up with the fantastic Br. Dowlan France to scour the territory for interested ones.

*cue time jump to nearly the end of our service day there*

At this point, Dowlan and I were walking towards the string of houses by the Correntyne's waterside. It was one of those service days that felt like everything was right in the world; magazine placements through the roof, Bible studies started at each door, receptive people, it was PERFECT. We made our way to a call of his, an older gentleman with his daughter-in-law and grandchild. While Dowlan stayed outside with the man, I went in to "gaff" with the girl. I do not remember her name at the moment. However, I do remember that her little girl's name was Fenisha.

I was highly tempted to keep her but alas...
I love my Guyanese babies!!!

She was a young thing, only about 19 years old. Immediately inviting me into their humble home, I sat on the floor and proceeded to start a study with her while holding her infant. Midway through the conversation, she mentions how hard it is to obtain goods in Orealla or Siparuta. This is quite true, seeing as the coast is the 5-6 hour boat ride and costs $1000 GYD, PLUS shipping to Guyana is difficult period, that fact does not surprise me one bit. My brother (who had visited them only a few minutes before we arrived) had gifted her his charcoal-filter water bottle for the baby since she had asked for it. Knowing this did not stop me from feeling internally shocked when she eyed my Bible and asked upfront, "Can I have it?"

To explain my position a little better, the Bible in my possession was the mini revised edition we received on October 4th, 2014 at Annual Meeting. I was not able to be present at that particular Meeting due to work, but a Bethel friend had procured one for me the day of so that way I could enjoy it. I had my name in my best cursive with the date and location and everything on the inner cover. I had brought new Bibles on the trip in order to give to the local friends but had not planned on my own being placed. When I looked at the tiny Bible in my hands and back up at into the girl's big honest eyes, how could I refuse? She was in need, I had the power to give her something far more beneficial than any material gift, who was I to be selfish? I started handing it to her and she responded "Can you sign it for me? Write my name in it?"

The intense joy I felt immediately replaced my prior inhibition. Here I am, citizen of the cushiest material country in the world, practically neighbors to a Bethel facility. I can drive and within minutes pick up any literature at my ease, no problem. Jehovah knows exactly who is longing in heart and searching for truth, and He will find a way of getting His Word out to them. If in this case, Jehovah saw fit to give this woman a Bible by any means possible, I wanted to be like Isaiah and respond "Here I am, send me!"

After signing her book, she gave me the biggest hug and with tears in her eyes whispered a grateful thanks. We left her house shortly afterwards and joined the rest of our group to go back to Orealla. There was just such a sense of satisfaction and sense of accomplishment among our group that impregnated the air and spread contagiously from one happy face to the other.

If there is a moral to this story, I suppose it is just...just give. To quote Colossians 3:23, "Whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled as for Jehovah and not for men." Keep your hands wide open and your heart even more so, and watch how Jehovah blesses in overabundance. Even if it is something dear to you, just keep displaying the spirit of generosity, imitating the fine examples laid out in the Bible for us.

That's all for tonight folks! Hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned for the next post!

Love,

The Adventurous A.

Blog News!

Good morning readers!

Today, I just wanted to share some news regarding the blog. I have in mind to do some updates to it, but still looking for the time to do so. What I REALLY wanted to inform you was that I have a new Instagram account JUST for the blog!!!

It's in its preliminary stages naturally, but if you would like to follow it,  the account is @the_adventurous_a. I'll be uploading pictures there from any current or previous need-greater trip/service/unassigned territory trip.

Regarding any questions or suggestions you may have, feel free to contact me at TheAdventurousA@outlook.com.

That's it for now, I'm off to go out in service  soooooooooo I shall talk to you later. Jehovah's blessings and have a great day, Theocratic Mafia!

Love,

The Adventurous A.

The Most Beautiful Night

I have no picture evidence for this next anecdote. I have no evidence save for a memory, a memory that has now been seared into my ever-changing brain as the most beautiful night.

The most beautiful night was not romantic. The most beautiful night was maybe not the most unique of all the beautiful nights. It had all the qualities pertaining to other beautiful nights: darkness, stars, tiredness, senses engaged. This was, however, the most beautiful of all beautiful nights in the most personal of ways.

Day: Monday, November 2, 2015.
Location: A dock in Skeldon, Guyana
Destination: Orealla, Guyana

This whole Monday had been abuzz with activity. Buying necessary goods from the local market, making sure that all needs were taken care of and luggage safely on our boat.

I will confess that that was my first real boat ride. Ever (ok maybe not ever. My mother says that I apparently rode a boat as a child while on vacation at Virginia Beach. I do not remember this..). Being a nearly native New Yorker, I did not consider the occasional NJ to NY to Statue of Liberty ferry route to be validated as a true boat ride. Truth be told,  I was nervous of possible seasickness or feeling claustrophobic, surrounded in the boat's interior by a sea of brightly colored hammocks. We'd hung up our personal hammocks hours earlier to ensure the best "seats" inside. After lugging all possesions on board, three of us (Josh Westfall, Charlie Brohard and yours truly) decided to spend our evening travel atop the vessel's roof, while my Ribz opted to stay inside the boat.

Dusk started falling, the horizon fading from a turmeric orange to a splendid cerulean before finally dripping into inky darkness. Our captain beckoned all passengers onboard, marking our final call of departure. We literally walked a plank "shiver me timbers" style onto the boat and settled in our chosen spots.

A chill ran through my core as I sat on the cold tin roof, with not much cover save for a borrowed jacket and my unhung hammock. It was not so much actual cold that made me shudder, but rather the solemnity of feeling the boat tugging away from shore and heading towards our new assignment. Even writing this has transported my senses back to that moment.

Now to the reason behind the title!

Pulling away from Skeldon, our boat chugged along rather gently. I positioned myself in between my fellow roof buddies, purposely away from the precariously unsafe-looking edge  (if you're reading this Charlie, I'm sorry for almost pushing you overboard; I promise that it was surprisingly unintentional). Brohard passed out almost instantaneously, leaving Westfall and I to either continue conversation or fall asleep as well. Needless to say, my boding excitement made me chatter away more than usual, leaving Josh no choice but to cheerily "gaff" along. We laid on our backs, faces heavenward, when we were treated to a most fantastic sight.

By this point in the ride (maybe an hour or two in), our boat was snaking along the Correntyne River and past the neighboring Suriname landmass. In what felt like no time at all, all land and dock lights had melted away into the night, leaving nothing but the literal sky from horizon to horizon and the water below. How did the sailors of old ever doubt the "circle of the earth" (Isa. 40:20)? It was a cloudless evening, and the welkin was littered with stars beyond count, sprinkled in artistically placed precision like a celestial snowglobe. Tears pricked my eyes, stunned by the sheer magnificence.

But wait, there's more!

As if that wasn't enough, my most favorite stargazing event happened: METEORITE SHOWER! Faster than either of us could register, they fell speedily across the universe in dazzling display. If either Josh or I had entertained the idea of sleep, it was GONE by that point. I kept shaking poor Charlie awake, shrieking in delight with each falling star. What a visual feast! What a blessing!

I do not know what incredible nights my further adventures will hold. I may enjoy an aesthetically more beautiful evening sight. However, this most beautiful night was special because it was my FIRST astounding night on my first needgreater trip ever. I pray that I never get jaded or too used to the gorgeous wonders during these spiritual adventures. It will remain irreplaceably special in my heart and memory.

Well, I hope you enjoyed tonight's post, because I know I enjoyed writing it for you readers! As opposed to simple fact writing, I want you to be as equally enchanted and transported into the experience as I was and still am. I pray that your nights, no matter what your circumstances, continue as bright and beautiful. A virtual hug to all of you friends!

Stay tuned for the next post.

Love,

The Adventurous A