Something Better Ministries grew out of a longing for just that-something better. My wife and I met while studying at the Uchee Pines Institute of Health in Alabama USA. A second companion and classmate Olga Gurney joined our mission and came with us in ministry and has continued to be a vital part of the work in Guyana. We were totally enamored with missions and were self-pledged to work in ministry. We moved to Guyana, my home country and started working on a mission project with my relatives. My wife (Kerolyn) and I made an addition to our family (Zara, our daughter) and she also became our mission project. Our project with my relatives did not work out the way we planned and we ended up moving to the city of Linden where we soon got ‘fired up’ again on our passion of medical ministry.
In 2015, we launched our health food store- The Green Pharmacy and clinic from which we could see patients and have the necessary foods, herbs, and supplements to work with them. We managed to make a difference in the lives of our patients but did not have the impact and speed of recovery that we had grown accustomed to whilst working in United States. We needed a place where patients could come to and receive ‘hands on’ care in an atmosphere that was health promoting. We were also interested in training medical missionaries in the healing art. We were now in search of land out in the country to build a Sanitarium (lifestyle center) and training school where we would see our vision become a reality.
We located land in 2017 along the Mabura Road as one journeys from Linden to Lethem and on to Brazil. The Place was virgin land and had many white-water springs which flow into the creek that divides the land into two sections and was endeared with the name “Seven Springs”. In late 2019, we started the exciting and pioneering work of raising an outpost ‘from the ground up’ for the advancement of the Three Angel’s Messages. We are acquainted with the fact that “the usefulness learned on the school farm is the very education that is most essential for those who go out as missionaries to many foreign fields.” As such we started with a farm, 2 acres of bananas and plantains, 1/3-acre pineapples fruit trees (atemoya or custard apples, annoya or sugar apples, avocado) and more.
Along the way, we met Elder Del Kassim and family, with whom after working together and studying the bible in one of the communities of Linden, we were able to plant a small church which is functioning as a Seventh-day Adventist Church to meet the needs of the community and foster a growing congregation. We have an active literature evangelism program every first Sabbath where we have a designated community that we target in distributing The Great Controversy, Steps to Christ, Desire of Ages and many others. We also joined the television and radio ministry “The Advent Hour Proclaim” which was orchestrated by Elder Kassim. Our radio production came to an end during the Pandemic, but the Television ministry has continued to broadcast after a hiatus during the Pandemic.
Our mission is simply to follow the Saviour where He leads. It is of little use to try to reform others by attacking what we may regard as wrong habits. Such effort often results in more harm than good. In His talk with the Samaritan woman, instead of disparaging Jacob’s well, Christ presented something better. “If thou knewest the gift of God.” He said, “and who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldst have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.” He turned the conversation to the treasure He had to bestow, offering the woman something better than she possessed, even living water, the joy and hope of the gospel. CD 459.2
This is an illustration of the way in which we are to work. We must offer men something better than that which they possess, even the peace of Christ, which passeth all understanding. “Something better” is the watchword of education, the law of all true living. Whatever Christ asks us to renounce, He offers in its stead something better.
