Week 64 (Nov 7th-13th 2017) & Week 65 (Nov 14th-20th)
How much do you know about Tobago? Did you know that the limbo originated there? Or that anteaters, porcupines, leatherneck turtles and the great crest toad live there? I didn’t know these things either, until I got the chance to serve with the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association.
The PWSA had its national convention in Orlando on Friday and Saturday and missionaries from the nearby zones were invited to serve a whopping 9 hours both of those days. So people with Prader-Willi suffer from a birth defect with a chromosome disorder, and it manifests in a couple of ways similar to autism or Down syndrome, but the most distinct part of this syndrome is that they are always hungry. There is like a missing link from their stomach to their brain that is supposed to communicate when it is hungry or full, and so even if they have had enough to eat they are still hungry, no matter what.
Every other year PWSA has a national convention where about 150+ individuals with PWS and their families/caregivers come together. During the two day conference these parents and caregivers attend seminars about how to care for someone with Prader-Willi, new research and share experiences and stories etc. And for those with PWS there are a bunch of fun activities, events, and games planned. Here’s where the missionaries come in.
For the past 4 conferences the PWSA have had missionaries come and help run the activities and attend & participate in the events with those with PWS. They love the missionaries. So. Much. The conference used to be held on Saturday and Sunday, but then they changed it to Friday and Saturday so that the missionaries could be there! The families and members of the association adore the energy and spirit that the missionaries bring and get so excited for us to come.
The theme for this year was “Caribbean Nights: Together in Paradise” and everything was decked out and decorated to fit the theme. There were several groups sorted by age and they rotated to different rooms with different activities waiting for them throughout the day. Every room was named for a location in the Caribbean: Bahamas, Barbados, Aruba, Bonaire, St. Martin, St. Thomas, and you guessed it, Trinidad & Tobago! Sister Bullard and I were stationed in the Tobago room where on day 1 we made gods eyes out of yard, but that looked like turtles, and day 2 decorated foam picture frames with stickers and glue-ons for them to keep their “passport” photo booth photo in as a keepsake.
It was honestly such an amazing experience and it was honor to be apart of it. I feel so blessed with the service opportunities I have had in this place at this time. I was so humbled by the sweet and caring nature of each individual for each other and the love and joy that was found in their presence.
At the end of the conference there was a finale where all of the people in the program and the volunteers (that’s us) went into the conference hall where all the parents were and did a big dance number for them that was choreographed and practiced in one of the rooms as the activity. It was such a blast. We did the dance to Shakira’s “Try Everything” from Zootopia and that song has been stuck in my head since. If you’d like to see the video, it’s featured on the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association USA Facebook page. The missionaries are the ones in green t-shirts. You’re welcome.
To add to the excitement of community service was when Second Harvest (the food bank we go to each week) caught on fire. There we were sorting through bins of sweet potatoes when the fire alarm goes off. The best part was one of the Elders immediately falling to his knees with his hands behind his head saying, “I didn’t do it!”
Apparently there was a grease fire in the kitchen and one of the ovens started up in flames. So everyone in the building awkwardly scrambled to the parking lot awaiting further instruction. On a positive note, the fire departments response time was absolutely fantastic. I think they were there within 5 minutes. They put out the fire quickly and everything was fine. We were all back to work in the building within 20-30 minutes. Still, wasn’t exactly what I expected to happen that day.
Thursday night we were riding our bicycles after dark from one sketchy part of town to another (which we try to avoid doing, but when you have an appointment and no car you gotta do what you gotta do), and a car pulls up next to us and briefly flashes red and blue lights.
“Are you ladies from around here?” The officer asks. We tell him that we are (kinda) and we live not too far and he asked us if we were aware that we were in/heading to a bad part of town. We told him that we did know, but that we had an appointment and we were being careful.
“Look, I know you are well intentioned and I admire the work you do, but there are evil-doers out there that don’t care. I’m sure that whoever that you are going to see is a good person but I’m concerned for your safety. Now I can’t keep you from going, but you gotta think that there is a reason that God put me in your path.”
I told him we were the right people to say that to and we went wee-wee-wee all the way home. So don’t worry everybody, we’re being watched over by some way or another.
November is an exciting time in my family, and a large part of that is due to my mothers birthday my parents anniversary! Happy Birthday, Mommy! Happy Anniversary, Parents! 25 years down, eternity to go. You’ve got this. I’m so grateful for the righteous example my mother and father have always been for me. I’m especially thankful that my mothers health has been so much better! That’s what I am most thankful for this season, so thank you all for the many faithful prayers offered on my family’s behalf.
Good times ahead,
-Sister Olivia Petty🇹🇹
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