At the end of the university semester and the beginning of the summer vacation in the May 2007, the Catholic Students Movement (CSM) of the University of the West Indies had a service team retreat.

At the retreat I got a glimpse of the glory of God! Wow! It was mind blowing! At the end of the retreat I felt fired up and I wanted to devote my vacation to God! I was ready to do whatever he said.

While at the youth secretariat one day, Fr Christian Chambers came up to me and said, “There is a mission trip coming up in August, I want you to be there.” This is how the story begins!

Missionaries: Back row from left: Antonio Rodriguez, Stephen Jones, Anna Mc Cartney, Bishop Francis Alleyne, Jodi Gonzalves and Jerome Fourniller. Front row from left: David Constantine, Shaun Lindsay and Joseph Wells.

The canoe, the major means of transport for the people.

Fr Jaime Laguna celebrating Mass at one of the river communities.

Visitation was part of our mission. At this home we got a taste of the world’s sweetest tasting coconut water! Uncle, we coming back for more!

The theme for the retreat that we held for the community members.

Praise and Worship in the chapel

In preparation for our trip, we had to attend training sessions conducted by Sr Kathy Joseph OP, Kyle Dardaine and Mikkel Trestrail for a period of two months.

On August 7, we left Trinidad to go to Guyana. When we arrived we spent one day and one night with Bishop Francis Alleyne in Georgetown and then went to the interior the next day.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by Frs Jamie and Edwin, both of the Philippines, the two priests stationed in that region who were serving 31 communities.

The group spent four days together in Hosororo. This is the main community in the region, the roads are bare natural earth, and electricity is only available for five hours per day from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.! I enjoyed the peace, as a result of the non-existence of electricity!

On the fifth day, we were told our respective mission areas. Stephen and I were sent to separate river communities, Hobodeia and Hotoquai respectively.

Anna, Jodi, David and Joseph went to Wauna, further up from Hosororo. Shaun and Jerome went to Port Kaituma a gold mine community.

To each of these areas a Guyanese missionary went with us, Paul, Marc and Umri.

Fr Jaime dropped Umri and I off at Hotoquai. I began to feel lonely; I was in the middle of the jungle! I wouldn’t see or hear from my colleagues for about two weeks!

I turned to the heavens and said, “Jesus! I know this is your plan for me, you put me here and you will see me through, Jesus! I trust in you!” So said, so done! God took care of me.

At Hotoquai, the people were very receptive. We taught the faith to the people, both the young and the elderly.

This took place during the morning and in the evening we decided we would do visitation to the different families and homes.

At night, with torch lights and lamps the whole community would come out for prayer meetings which would start at 7:00 p.m. and would go until 10:00 or 11:00 o’ clock.

We would often have the prayer meetings in the school or just sit under the trees and let the moon be our light provided by God!

Our accommodation was very simple; we slept on board and used our travelling bags as pillows which were most comfortable! At first, when I saw the accommodation the scripture text that came to mind were “Provide yourselves with no gold or silver, not even with coppers for your purses, with no haversack for the journey or spare tunic or footwear or a staff, for the labourer deserves his keep.” (Matthew 10: 9, 10).

Jesus was truly present in the midst of our mission; there were no sicknesses or mishaps. We could not have stocked up on food because there were no shops, but he provided for us through the people, ensuring that we were fed.

The food also was very simple. Although we did not get to eat macaroni pie or potato salad, we ate cassava bread and pepper pot almost every day with a cup of bush tea. Oh! What an experience!

If I had to make an analogy of my experience I would relate it to the gospel of Matthew 10, which gives the instructions to the twelve apostles on mission. Possibly everything there mentioned was a reality in my mission experience.

If it’s God’s desire for me to go on another mission, Jesus! Here I am! Ready to do your will!