We had a final interview with Clif on
1-20.Below is a brief summary of how that interview went.
Interviewer: What language and Bible
translation does this church in Guyana use?
Clif: They use KJV Bibles in the English (American) tongue.
Interviewer: Are you missing Guyana yet
and why?
Clif: A little bit...the people are friendly, nice, open
hearted. Yes I miss it a little.
Interviewer: How many new friends have you
made there and will you be able to stay in communication with them?
Clif: Several friends and one or two I will be able to keep in touch
with. Some have the means to have access to the internet and I
will be able to keep in touch.
Interviewer: I know it is early and you just
got home from your trip but can you see yourself heading back any time
soon?
Clif: Yes. I can. Maybe sometime this year and even in the
next month or two.
Interviewer: Have you had time to reflect on
anything you would do differently the next time you go down?
Clif: Yes. I would probably go to a location where I would have
some more mobilization where I could get out and do some
visitation. I did get out some but not like I would like to have
had. So yes. Get a place where I could function
independently.
Interviewer: What was the first thing you
did when you got home?
Clif: Slept quite a bit. It is very exhausting traveling between
cultures.
Interviewer: Is there anything you would
want your supporters to know or anything you would like to say to them?
Clif: I am fired up to go back on the
mission field, whether it is Peru or Guyana. There is that fire
in me now. I have been talking to some now and there is a
possibility of me going back for a much longer term. So that I can
actually have an impact and help others there in the field.
We had an extensive interview with Clif on
1-2.Below is a brief summary of how that interview went.
Interviewer: Are you happy with the way
things have been
going since you arrived?
Clif: Yes. The Lord has given me a
satisfying heart and perspective on
the work here.
Interviewer: How would you compare Peru with Guyana?
Clif: Right now, Guyana is a new work and
that is exciting. In
Peru the work is already established and you are building on that
there. In Guyana you are helping to lay a foundation for the
future work. And that has a great excitement.
Interviewer: What is the same and what is different in comparing the
two mission
fields?
Clif: The opportunity makes
a huge difference. Paganism and idolatry
are everywhere here. There is a lack of education, a lack of
Bibles, a lack of Christian workers. Truly the field is ready for
harvest.
The same is true in Peru, but here you are
at the foundation of it all.
Interviewer: If some of your supporters came down for a visit what one
thing would
we find the most difficult to live with?
Clif: Probably the environmental
hygiene. You need to be cautious of so
many unhealthy foods and water...and sanitation is not a high priority
here.
So you need to be cautious and know what to
buy in the markets.
Caution is always needed. The entire environment does not come
even close to our standards in the states.
Interviewer: For what would you like us to intercede to the Lord on
your behalf?
Clif: My communication skills. I
need to communicate as with a grain of
salt. I need to know where and how to communicate effectively.
There is a huge contrast in the way we live
at home compared to here.
Therefore the way we communicate is very different. So pray for
my communication skills that I would know how to make the truth known
effectively.
Interviewer: Do you have any disappointments?
Clif: Not really. Probably, though,
mostly with myself and being
emotional about and somewhat disappointed with myself. The
ministry work here is a process and takes time and I do not see this as
a disappointment, but rather as a challenge. The work
is slow but I am confident in the Lord.
Interviewer: Are you still planning to come back on January 15?
And are you
ready for that?
Clif: Yes. The ministry here for me
now is for a season. The
prospects are very fertile and ripe. Everything is for a season
and
I am looking to return back to Guyana at some point. We will see
where the Lord leads.
Interviewer: Is there anything else that you want your supporters to
know?
Clif: One of the things I see a great need
of is the accessibility of the Word...so many of
the people here do not have any Bibles!!
And as you know,
this is
a very needed thing pertaining to spiritual growth. I am working
on that. I have purchased two Bibles to leave here and am looking to
buy 5 more before I come home. However, they are expensive here
so I cannot buy as many as I'd like. These will be left here for
the
people...I
would like to leave them something solid pertaining to literature and
that PRIORITY, OF COURSE, IS THE BIBLE. That
concerns me very much and I want to see what I can
do when I come back home to get more Bibles. Brother Desmond will
be coming back to the states for a month and I hope I can get some for
Brother Desmond to
take back with him.
It is difficult to do much without any
good literature. So that is one
of my great concerns as well.
This is the interview
from 12-19
Interviewer:
Do you have any personal needs or concerns?
Clif:
For wisdom on the teaching that I am doing
For wisdom as I mingle and get to know the
neighbors and have opportunity to evangelize
For our visits to church members in town
For a trip being planned for next week to a
town about an hour away
Christmas Day Vigil
For the beginning of a new Sunday
School year and all the prep work
Some additional touch ups on the church and
house
Health
wise I am pretty good. I
have some equilibrium issues but am not concerned
Interviewer:
What is your internal voice saying to you?Any
ideas?How do you feel the Lord is leading you?
Clif:
I
am spending some thought of my purpose here especially going forward.
I
am noticing some conflict as a result of attempting to apply some
application to what the Lord is laying on my heart to teach.
I
have had opportunity to spend more time studying and reflecting on some
issues.
I
am also seeking the mind of the Lord for direction as to teaching the
Word and then the application.
Interviewer:
Are you glad and excited about being there?
Clif: Absolutely!There
are many avenues opening up and opportunities to be used.I
am very happy at what I see the Lord doing.I am
quite excited as I see how the Lord is preparing me especially for the
next three weeks.
We
are hoping to go out on the rivers and stay for a week,
Interviewer:
What are you observing about the church?
Clif: They
are doing the best with what they have. How
they can walk not only a victorious life especially within the family
unit.Believers are being persecuted in the home
and neighborhood as the Christian movement is attempting to reach out.
They
are also battling poverty here as the country is very poor.The work is slow and at times challenging.
Pastor
Desmond has other commitments in the States, but here in Guyana it can
be discouraging as we Americans want to see progress quick.But God's timing is not ours.He is moving
in His ways.
Are
the people open to the gospel? No.They are very resistant as most of the people are Hindu.
Interviewer:
What is your ministry schedule this week?
Clif: We
have a Bible class on Tuesdays.Witnessing
daily as the opportunity dictates.This is where I
need wisdom to know what to say and when.People
can be very cautious of strangers.
Interviewer:
What kind of persecution do you see in the home?
Clif: Wives
and women attending by themselves will be criticized when the get home
from a church service.
It
was asked if the Word of Life Ministries that I will be working with
is part of, or
an affiliate of, the Word of Life in Schroon Lake, NY?
Answer: No, this work is not assosiated with NY. It
came out of a work from Virginia originally.
