SEE PART 2 HERE: https://thoughtsofredemption.com/2016/05/27/guyana-lets-eat/

On Monday, April 25, my family and I flew from New York towards Guyana as our destination, by way of Trinidad! This trip was incredibly special for me because of the meaning behind it. My mother is from Guyana, which makes me half-Guyanaese, yet I never got the opportunity to go to Guyana. I also never got the chance to meet some of our family as a result. To add to the significance of this trip, this year is the 50th anniversary of Guyana’s independence!

Guyana is a country located on the upper portion of South America –with Brazil, Suriname, and Venezuela as its surrounding neighbors. It gained its independence on May 26th 1966. Although it is a South American country, it is considered a West Indian country, which can be confusing if you’re hearing this for the first time — but it’s awesome to me!

The flight is six hours nonstop, but like I mentioned, we had a connecting flight through Trinidad. Upon landing in Guyana, we met up with our uncles who came to the airport to pick us up. As we drove from the airport to the house, we were able to see the houses and the river that was along the way, as well as different parts of Georgetown.

Once we got to the house, we settled in and had curry chicken and roti of course! Roti is a type of flat bread and the chicken is made with curry powder and other seasoning.

Throughout the week we traveled to a few well known spots in Georgetown; from the lighthouse that allows you to see virtually all of Georgetown, the Cuffy statue, the sea wall, the Demara bridge, and the Giftland Mall which opened last year. As we experienced these different places, we had a deeper connection with the country my mother called home for much of her life.

This trip was special for me and my entire family, because we were all blessed with the opportunity to go together. My parents both went years ago, since my mother is from there, but this was a significant moment in the history of our family.

This trip was long overdue, but with us coming in the same year that Guyana celebrates their 50th year as a nation, I take this as more than a coincidence. It may seem extra to some, but biblically, the term Jubilee in the Bible proclaimed a year of liberty and restoration. It was the release of economic debt, and slaves that willingly entered into slavery for debt repayment — plus the return of families. So, while us going to Guyana to see/meet family isn’t EXACTLY like the command in Leviticus 25:8-13, the concept of freedom and the return of family is such a powerful thing.

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There’s so much more that I want to share with you concerning this trip, and the next two blog pieces will be dedicated to other aspects of this trip. Until then, I’ll post the pics in a slideshow below! If you haven’t seen your family in some time, or there has been a lack of contact for whatever reason, don’t let time slip by and you miss the opportunity for memories! Just like in the year of Jubilee, know that the time for restoration is now, don’t worry about what has been, and make the future what God intends it to be for you.

Guyana’s Parliament Building