Interview with Alwanda Carothers
Missionary Wife For Guyana, South America
By Nita Hammersmith

Though their ten-year dream had been to go to Haiti, God had something different in mind.  Through their home congregation and support of other area congregations, friends, and personal funds, Alwanda found that she was going on a foreign missionary trip, not to Haiti, but to Guyana, South America. She and William have been married 23 years and to this union two daughters were born, Kiya age 23 and Leah age 16. They are grandparents, as well, Jade age 6 and Jamel age 7, and another girl on the way.

Alwanda and William are also three-year attendees of the Annual National Lectureship representing 21^st Century Christian Bookstore selling brotherhood books, Bibles, study materials, and curriculum. If it is the Lord’s will, they will go to Los Angeles, California in March. Although Alwanda is busy with her prayer group, encouraging her brothers and sisters, doing one-on-one Bible studies, and speaking at ladies day retreats, foreign missionary work has always been her desire. Alwanda and William worship at the church of Christ at Lawrence Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee. William is the foreign missions minister, Bible teacher, and song leader. I admire Alwanda, and wish I were able to do what she is doing. I am delighted by her candor, and found her humility to be extremely refreshing.

Alwanda, were you chosen to go or did you volunteer?

I volunteered to go, as it had been my desire to go into the field as a missionary with my husband. I prayed that God would provide an opportunity for my husband and me to do this much needed work. When I was told that I would be going, I immediately began to prepare both physically and mentally for the trip. As I studied and prayed, my trust in God became stronger. It was an experience I will never forget.  I pray that as I share my experience with other women, someone will be encouraged to do foreign missionary work as well. If I can go and do this anyone can.

How long was the trip there?

We stopped three times by plane.  First we flew from Nashville, to Miami, then to Barbados to Georgetown, South America. We took a mini van from Georgetown to a ferry that crossed a river that connected New Amsterdam to Berbice. We traveled another three hours and we finally arrived in Crabwood Creek in Guyana. Travel time was twenty-one hours.

What religion do the people of Guyana practice?

Hindu is the dominant religion, followed by the Islamic religion. Christianity, however, is growing. There is a lot of work that needs to be done. As we teach, baptize, and encourage, we try to ensure that the new converts stay committed. Prayerfully, as missionaries leave, the teaching will continue.

Were they different nationalities?

Yes. There were East Indian, Negro, Amerindian (the native nationality), and a small population of Orientals. It was amazing to us how well these different nationalities get along.

Were you received well?

Yes, I was. I had some prior concern, because these people were not accustomed to women coming with their husbands to do this work. I was received well and treated as if they had always known me.

Where did you stay?

We stayed in the Crabwood Creek missionary house which also serves as the meeting place for the Crabwood Creek church of Christ. This building will also be used as a Bible school starting January, 2002. The school will be committed to teaching men and women to teach the Bible with conviction to those lost souls in their community and surrounding areas.

What language do Guyanese speak?

Guyanese speak a broken English, which they refer to as Taky Taky. Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South American, because they were once a British colony years ago. There are those who speak Dutch and Portuguese due to their migration from Surinam, which borders Guyana on the east.

Taky Taky?

Yes, it is their local slang. They speak it very fast and the only words you can make out are the last two or three. They would speak Taky Taky when they were around each other or if they didn’t want us to know what they were saying. When they did, I would jokingly ask, “Are you saying something you don’t want me to understand?”  We all got a big laugh from that.

Were there any conversions while you were there?

Yes, there were three people added to the Body of Christ. The night we were leaving to come back to Nashville, another five souls expressed the desire to come to Christ. Unfortunately, they had to wait until the next day because baptisms are done in the river and it was too dark to accommodate them.

What were the people like?

The people were warm and friendly. As we walked down the street, people smiled and greeted us with a good morning, good afternoon, or good evening. These people are very poor, but they were willing to share their best with us. The majority of the families lived in two or three room shacks with dirt or plank floors. The structures of their homes were so weak that on occasions I had concerns that the porch and the house would not hold my weight. But with the grace of God, I had no problem. These people are happy and contented. Even though their living conditions are bad, they are proud and take very good care of what they have. I saw a type of genuineness in these people that is rare, and I learned a lot from them.

Alwanda what did you think of the people who were members of the Church of Christ?

Nita, I saw the first century church exemplified there. The people loved and cared for one another. They opened their homes to us and were hospitable. They were open to the truth and had no problem repenting. When scripture was shown to them they were ready to obey. For example, there was a Christian couple that had been living in a common-law relationship. In this union, five children were born. The oldest was married, and the youngest was twenty-one months old. After several studies with this couple, there was a wedding. Our gift to them was the wedding rings. We were very happy for them, for now they can serve God as one flesh.

Why don’t more people get involved with a ministry like this one?

If you are speaking of personal involvement, I believe that foreign mission work is not for everyone. There are issues such as: being afraid of certain modes of travel, being faced with things that will take them out of their comfort zones, sacrificing much needed vacation time, and having fear of the unknown keep people from embarking on such a task.  I think those who may be interested in going hesitate because of these concerns. There are those, however, who are very interested in the work but will not go themselves. They will support it financially and will go to the Father in prayer for its success.

What do you feel our responsibility is in respect to foreign missionary work?

We must first realize that mission work is for every Christian. We are all missionaries whether it is local or in foreign countries. Our responsibility is to see to it that the gospel is taken to the world, whether we physically go or we support those who go financially.

How can we assist foreign missionary work?

Again, we must realize that the work has to be done. If we won’t or can’t go ourselves, we can support the work financially when petitioned. This financial support helps provide needed Bibles, study aids, medicine, medical supplies, food, and clothing, as well as, the missionaries’ expenses. If you can’t assist financially, there is always a need for PRAYERS.

How did they dress? Did the women dress different from the way we do?

No, the women dressed the same as the states. The children wore uniforms that were color coordinated with the grade level of school. The school system is very strict. If the girls went to school without their ribbons in their hair, they would be sent home. They may have had only one or two dresses to wear to worship services, Bible study, and home visitations, but those dresses were clean and pressed each time they put them on. It was quite amazing considering they washed their clothes on the cement ground or wood platform by beating them with a wooden paddle. We don’t know what washing is, and I know for me, I will never complain again.

What was the food like?

The food was delicious. We were given three meals a day which consisted of rice or noodles, dohl porie (a sauce made to go on top of the rice/noodles), and rotee (similar to pita bread). Sometimes they served chicken curry and fish, but the meat was not very sanitary. We did not eat much meat. We ate a vegetable mix which was a meat substitute that was flavored with curry, cheese toast, bora (a type of green bean), balanchi (a bitter squash-like vegetable), mango chutni (a spicy relish made from chopped mangos, curry and other Guyanize spices), fried eggs, a variety of chips made of plantains, bananas, and guava, and plenty of soda and bottled water.

How did they cook?

They cooked with a kerosene stove that resembled a Coleman camp stove. Food was prepared in a pan similar to a wok. Everything had to be cooked in stages; therefore, the food was never served hot.

How about fruit, did they have much fruit?

Oh, the fruit was plentiful. It was delicious and tasted nothing like in the states. We had papaya, mangos, plantains, bananas, grapefruit, pomegranates, and even coconuts. Nita, I drank coconut milk right from the coconut by using a straw. It was okay, but not my favorite.

What about showers, I heard that some people who love to travel have a round plastic tent with a bucket on top. They poured the bucket over themselves for a shower.

No showers! Nita, we had to use baby wipes. There were, however two occasions after a good rain that we had the opportunity to take a splash bath. Before we could use the water we had to purify it with bleach. One evening a rainstorm blew in and through desperation, I asked my husband if we could please stand in the rain so it could beat us clean. Of course, he told me no.

Did the mission house have indoor toilet facilities?

No, it did not. In fact, none of the homes we visited had indoor facilities. The experience kept me praying constantly. Oh wait, how could I forget this. There was one occasion when we were downtown and I was able to use an indoor toilet at the ESSO gas station (Exon Tiger Mart). It was also air conditioned. Boy, I sure enjoyed that. I asked my husband if we could pitch a tent and stay there. And of course, he told me no.

Were you building wells or reservoirs for growing food?

No, we did not do any work of that sort. Our mission was to meet, teach, and encourage our brothers and sisters in Guyana. And believe me, we spent the majority of our time doing just that.

No, but we did finance getting the power on and fresh water lines installed for drinking and showers. Of course, the water lines did not get installed before our departure, but if God blesses us to return next year, we will be able to enjoy these luxuries. Nita, even though we had power, we only had twelve hours of power the entire two weeks. One of those times was on September 11^th. We were doing some home visitations and when we arrived at the last home, the sister there asked if we had heard what had happened in the states. We told her no and she turned on the TV. As we looked at the horrible scene, William and I just stood there with our mouths opened. We both had to sit down. It was like watching a horror movie. People were jumping out of windows. After I got over the initial shock. I told William that this was a warning from God. We, the people of this country, need to get on our knees and ask God’s forgiveness - for we have left Him and we are raising up a generation who do not know God. I then looked at my husband and thought that we never know when God will decide to call one of us, so we had better love each other with the love of the Lord and live each day as if it were our last.

I bet when you laid your head on the pillow you were ready to rest after all your work?

Yes, Nita. We were ready for bed. Not because of our busy days, but because of the mosquitoes. As soon as the sun went down the mosquitoes came out. The mission house was located about fifty feet from a canal, so you can imagine how bad the mosquitoes were. The mosquitoes were ferocious. They bit through the repellent and our clothes. I was covered from neck to toe. I was surprised I did not have sores because of the scratching I did. I was thankful to be able to sleep under a mosquito net. 

Since the mission house was near a canal, did you see any crocodiles, etc.?

Yes, but only at night. While William and I were out gazing at the wonderful stars, we would shine a light on the water. We could see their red eyes moving up and down the canal. They stayed in their habitat during the day and came out at night to feed. They never came up to the bank of the canal. I was told there were also large snakes in the canal. Praise be to God, I didn’t see them. I did encounter a huge, and I mean huge spider. God kept him away from me, but believe me, I kept my eye on him until he vanished between one of many gaps in the wall to the outside.

Did you see any animals that were interesting?

No, Nita, just ordinary cows, goats and mules. They roamed the country as free as birds. No one owned them because some of the religious sects worship them. When riding in a tapier (taxi) the driver would wreck it before he would hit one of them. There was something I thought was unusual. In most of the homes, the pets included parrots, monkeys, and iguanas. Interesting, huh?

What was the best thing you liked about Guyana?

I was amazed that everything was green. Along the road there were bright colored lily pads floating on the water. The sky at night was something to behold. During the power blackouts, my husband and I would gaze at the sky. The stars were so bright they lit up the night. We saw shooting stars, and satellites crossing from time to time. It was truly a sight to see. Conducting ladies Bible classes and doing home visitations were great as well.

What was the worst?

Not being able to shower or use the toilet, enduring the heat (which by the way, I lost twelve pounds mainly due to water loss), fighting the mosquitoes, and the worse of all was being told by the airlines that all flights were canceled until further notice. I felt extreme anxiety at that point, that I had not felt the whole time we were there. But through prayer, God removed the anxiety.

What was the cost of the trip?

Approximately $3,500

Alwanda can you tell us of someone or somewhere we can contact for doing foreign missionary work?

Nita as far as contacts, the elders at the Lawrence Avenue church of Christ and my husband (William Carothers) may be reached at the following address and phone number.

Church of Christ at Lawrence Avenue
904 Lawrence Avenue
Nashville, TN 37204
(615) 292-7181  (if there is no answer, please leave a message)

What else did you take besides your clothes?

We took canned and pre-packaged food in case we were not able to eat the food there. We took medical supplies and biblical study material, which we left behind. We did not have as much to take back to Nashville with us because we left behind several items.

Yes, in a heartbeat. I loved it! Experiencing the acceptance of Jesus, God and His word is the most exhilarating feeling by far.

There was one other benefit to going to do mission work. God put William and me together for almost three weeks. We ate every meal together, were united in doing the Lord’s work, laughed together, and when we retired, we spent time talking about the day. We experienced the good and challenging times together. This trip brought a new renewal to our marriage, brought new friends into our lives, and gratitude in our hearts toward God for His love, care, and faithfulness. I thank Him for allowing me to add another memory to our twenty-three years of marriage

Alwanda is an amazing woman.  She is an example that should encourage us all, and the profile of a saint.

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