I can't believe it's been almost 9 years since I spent my adventurous months deep in the jungles of South America. While small in comparison with eternity, these months have dramatically impacted my life!

Looking back I still have many fond memories! Teaching little wild Amerindian children, playing guitar and teaching them songs, hiking through the rain forest, cooking over outdoor fires, beating wild vermin out of my outhouse, washing clothes in the river while listening to monkeys, picking swarms of flying termites out of my cooking (finally gave up, cooked it....turned out the lights and ate!!!), getting lost in the jungle, praying away evil spirits, delivering babies and sewing up spear wounds....and etc etc etc. I just stumbled along this cute list of a friend of mine that recently spent some time in Guyana...and I couldn't help but laugh and be reminded...Yep...I've been a missionary in Guyana....because I understand everything that she says here!

In fact, just for fun, I added a few of my own thoughts as well...see if you can guess which ones!!

You might be (or have been) a missionary somewhere in Guyana if...

…Your definition of running water is: grabbing a bucket, running down to the creek, filling it up, and running back up the hill

…You’ve ever had someone try to barter with you for your sibling while you were in the market place (for the record I refused=)

…You are now qualified to write a cookbook called “101 ways to cook pumpkin”

…You’ve ever been tanning out in the jungle

…You have become an expert at cooking over fires

…Your idea of hitchhiking includes boats instead of cars

…You’ve ever uttered the phrase “ hey, look, there’s white people” (and you’re white yourself)

…You remove your shoes before entering any house without a second thought

…You discover that your favorite music comes from the Howler monkeys across the river

…You’ve ever had the thought cross your mind that it might be cool to get malaria once just so you could say you’ve had it

…You beat the walls of the outhouse before entering, and look down the hole before sitting...you know...just in case there might be something alive inside!

….You can now nonchalantly pick a worm out of the piece of fruit you’re eating and continue eating it

…You've been awakened in the middle of the night to go settle drunken brawls and pray away evil spirits

…You’ve nearly been stoned for preparing a meal one day that did not include rice

…You know the difference between a star apple and star fruit

…You find that a favorite pastime is picking "jiggars" out of your feet

…You are aware that a pineapple plant will only produce one pineapple…ever!

…You no longer care when people hang in your windows watching your every move or constantly asking questions

…You’ve ever turned the room upside down looking for a giant centipede that disappeared under someone’s bed

…Your idea of entertainment includes running to the airstrip to watch the mission plane land and take off

…You love talking on the ham-radio and can't wait to hear the daily news from the village across the valley

…You’ve ever put buckets out to catch the rainwater

…You’ve ever climbed up into the rafters trying to extricate bats in the middle of the night

…You find yourself using words like vexed, jeer, fatigued, and gaff in your everyday vocabulary

…You’ve ever gone to the internet and been disappointed because you didn’t get a single email

…You cry with joy when someone decides to be baptized and accept Christ...After all, that's why you came!!

…You find that when you finally come home...you don't know what to do! Western culture is now the real shock!

What fun!!! Now I bet you ALL want to go be a missionary in Guyana!!!!