Dear Family and Friends,
We write this newsletter to you on Christmas Day, 2018, a day we could relax and smell the roses. December has been a busy month with several activities at our AWA Learning Center (Worship Center). First, we want to thank all of you that contributed to this year’s projects. We finished the concrete project for the front entrance, steps, and walkway, which has been a goal to complete in 2018. Previously, we had a temporary wood ramp but for the safety of parishioners, it was important to build a more permanent walkway. It was a significant undertaking since our structure is built on a steep slope, which meant we had to incorporate an appropriate drainage system that would keep large volumes of water away from the foundation during rainy season. Last week we completed the stairs to the entrance, a concrete retaining wall, and concrete gutters for drainage. This made a huge difference in functionality and appearance when entering the Center. Now when we have more visitors than we have seats, we have the plastered concrete wall just outside the entrance that is a nice place to sit and visitors can still see and listen to the program or worship service. In 2019, we plan to paint the concrete after it fully cures.
Last Sunday we had a community gathering for our Hobo community at the Center. Our children directed by two of our youth ladies had a reenactment (skit) of the nativity scene. We sang Christmas carols and had some light snacks and age appropriate Bible trivia contest then culminating with a pinata for all the children. We had nearly 100 visitors. Much coordinated work took place with our small church community to host this event. It thrills our hearts to see members step up to the plate to not only help but to lead out with various parts of the event like making costumes, youth directing the play, ladies cooking food, and adults leading out with the Bible trivia contest. I will say it again: God is good!
We wrote previously about taking on an additional mission, which is, working with the Warao tribal people that are migrant/refugees from Venezuela. One of the challenges we face with this new mission is we do not speak Warao or very much Spanish. God is so good — He led us to a woman who is Guyanese and speaks Warao and English! She helps us with translation every week. Now, as we teach them English, we are learning some basic Warao and I am trying to quickly brush up on my Spanish (high school was a few years ago…). As of today, we have been working with the Waraos for just over a month and we are building relationships with them and them with us. We pray God will continue to help lead them to wanting to know more about Jesus and us to be able to communicate with them in Warao, Spanish, and English.
Every Sabbath afternoon we visit the Warao people and conduct a branch Sabbath School type of program and at the end of the meeting, supplement their provisions/needed items. For our first meeting we distributed toothbrushes and toothpastes for each person. The next meeting, we gave ½ cup pinto beans for each person. Next, we gave stuffed toys for children 12 years old and under. Our next meeting focused on giving, plantain for each person. This coming Sabbath we plan to distribute a pint of peas for each family. This may not seem like much, but to the Warao people, this is a wonderful gift.
Folks, we have stepped out in faith financially to support this mission. There are approximately 120 Warao people in Khan’s Hill; about 28 families we try to serve every week. A pint of peas cost $0.70 USD, which provides for a meal for a family. If you would like to support our outreach with the Warao people, please prayerfully consider sending a contribution to the Wilkerson Project with a note saying Warao.
Monique and a few ladies began sorting all the donated clothes in the barrels sent from donors in the States a week before Christmas. During the days that followed, we had various groups of needy people from Hobo, Barabina and Khan’s Hill come to collect two items of clothing per person. There were many happy faces! We plan to distribute the remaining clothes to a few river communities like St Mary’s and Hotoquai. Thank you for helping us create a special Christmas and giving occasion for so many! We praise God for the prayers, support, and gifts from so many of you. In James 1:17 it states, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
Sincerely your friends-in-Christ,
Bruce and Monique
