[Notes from our family Google Hangouts call with Elder Doxey]
Elder Doxey: Did John really dye his hair for the State Championship game with the rest of the team!!?? No, way! Who did it?
John: A bunch of girls dyed it at their house. I told them to just do the tips, and I was going to cut those off. But, they ended up doing the whole top of my head, massaging it down to my scalp, so that is how it turned out amazing.
Elder Doxey: John, the Student Body President should not have half-dyed hair!
John: Full send or no send.
Liza: Nate, can I have your futsal cleats? Tell me in Spanish, and I reply in French.
Elder Doxey: (Herattles off lots of Spanish, mixed with Dule Gaya).Yes, but don’t use my leather soccer cleats. Those were like $100.
Caroline: What do you want for Christmas?
Elder Doxey: I don't need anything, but it would be nice to have my good knives.
Q: Can you remind us how you do your laundry?
A: Of all the San Blas Islands, Irgandi probably has it best for one reason—we have a river with fresh water from the hills. It's beautiful here too.
It is fresh, cold and not salty. Ukupa Island is more built out because it is more accessible by boat, but they do not have this river of water; they have to dig down in the sand to make a well for water.
This is one of the reasons we work a lot here in Irgandi. People go to where the water is. Right here next to our hut, there is a spigot that (when opened) sucks the water right out of the river and brings it right to our hut. It is really unique and nice! We fill up 5 gallon buckets to bathe with. We are so grateful for this water.
We just fill up a half-coconut with water from the bucket and pour it on ourselves. A different 5 gallon bucket makes a nice latrine in the night (we go bury it later of course).
In terms of laundry, we save ourselves a lot of time by paying someone here in the village $3 to wash all our clothes, except garments. We wash those ourselves in the same 5 gallon bucket we use for bathing—all because we have water.
Q: What missionary work did you do this week? Where? With who? When?
A: Lots. Everywhere. All the time. Preaching the word. In fact, I think we left that last baptism in the water. Maybe we should go get him. Ha ha.
No, for real everyone in Irgandi island seems like they are drunk at the moment. Too much Chicha Fuerte. This makes the work hard in Irgandi.
That said, they drink a lot and always say it’s OK because it is part of their culture, their heritage. It’s just part of their lives, and that we should respect their culture. They’ll even say, “God told us we have to drink this.”
They make it out of sugar cane, and store it in a 55 gallon drum. It starts as a clear liquid that they add to the drum. They let it sit in there and ferment, and when they take it out it is really thick and red and serve it to the whole village.
It literally smells like gasoline, or rubbing alcohol. It has to be 90% straight alcohol. Everybody, (and I mean EVERYBODY drinks it) from age 12 to age 95, dads, moms…everyone. Literally, the only ones not drinking Chicha Fuerte are the little little kids and dogs.
Q. How is attendance at your branch?
A. Well, this week we tried to do something new. We decided to hold our branch meetings at 1 pm instead of 9 am, so more men (who are usually out fishing, hunting or gathering at that time) could come. We hoped it would make a difference and they would all come, but only one man showed up with all the normal women and children. This is one more man than we've had before, so I guess it's a start. We are trying to figure out what it is going to take to get them here.
Q: Does your recent convert (Emerson) come to your branch?
A. He actually is more active in our Seminary meetings than our branch. He comes to watch the Book of Mormon videos. All together, there are 6 jovens, and 10 kids that sit there are watch the Book of Mormon videos. Because of the language barrier, maintaining their focus is much easier with the Book of Mormon videos than trying to teach them in Dule Gaya or Spanish.
Q: How is that guy you are teaching on Ukupa Island progressing?
A: This actually was a really good experience with him this week. He is super, super cool. Last Saturday we went out to Ukupa Island again to teach. When we arrived there was a party going on, and so many people were smoking and drunk. He was there with everyone, but he was not smoking or drinking. So that was super encouraging. We set a new baptismal date with him for next Sunday.
Q: Have you and your branch heard anything about the new Children & Youth Program?
A: No. We are pretty well cut off from the world here, it’s like we're living in a LOST episode. There is not a lot of paper manuals, books, no internet connection for everyone, nobody has devices on Irgandi. We only know what you’ve told us about it. Goal setting might be good for this branch at some point, but most people are just surviving.
Q: How are your Thanksgiving plans?
A: We are super excited. The plan is to cook 20 lbs. of rice, and add 6 bottles of ketchup that we have. The village is really excited for that ketchup.
Much love,
Elder Doxey
Elder Doxey: Did John really dye his hair for the State Championship game with the rest of the team!!?? No, way! Who did it?
John: A bunch of girls dyed it at their house. I told them to just do the tips, and I was going to cut those off. But, they ended up doing the whole top of my head, massaging it down to my scalp, so that is how it turned out amazing.
Elder Doxey: John, the Student Body President should not have half-dyed hair!
John: Full send or no send.
Liza: Nate, can I have your futsal cleats? Tell me in Spanish, and I reply in French.
Elder Doxey: (Herattles off lots of Spanish, mixed with Dule Gaya).Yes, but don’t use my leather soccer cleats. Those were like $100.
Caroline: What do you want for Christmas?
Elder Doxey: I don't need anything, but it would be nice to have my good knives.
Q: Can you remind us how you do your laundry?
A: Of all the San Blas Islands, Irgandi probably has it best for one reason—we have a river with fresh water from the hills. It's beautiful here too.
 |
| Irgandi is located under the letter 'n' in the word Guna of this image (Google Images) |
It is fresh, cold and not salty. Ukupa Island is more built out because it is more accessible by boat, but they do not have this river of water; they have to dig down in the sand to make a well for water.
This is one of the reasons we work a lot here in Irgandi. People go to where the water is. Right here next to our hut, there is a spigot that (when opened) sucks the water right out of the river and brings it right to our hut. It is really unique and nice! We fill up 5 gallon buckets to bathe with. We are so grateful for this water.
 |
| The 5 gallon bucket : it collects rain water, it's a clothes washer, it is a toilet ... different buckets of course! |
We just fill up a half-coconut with water from the bucket and pour it on ourselves. A different 5 gallon bucket makes a nice latrine in the night (we go bury it later of course).
In terms of laundry, we save ourselves a lot of time by paying someone here in the village $3 to wash all our clothes, except garments. We wash those ourselves in the same 5 gallon bucket we use for bathing—all because we have water.
Q: What missionary work did you do this week? Where? With who? When?
A: Lots. Everywhere. All the time. Preaching the word. In fact, I think we left that last baptism in the water. Maybe we should go get him. Ha ha.
No, for real everyone in Irgandi island seems like they are drunk at the moment. Too much Chicha Fuerte. This makes the work hard in Irgandi.
 |
| They love making their Chicha Fuerte |
 |
| The ancients teaching the young about Chicha Fuerte (Google Images) |
That said, they drink a lot and always say it’s OK because it is part of their culture, their heritage. It’s just part of their lives, and that we should respect their culture. They’ll even say, “God told us we have to drink this.”
 |
| Chicha Fuerte is a bit strong (Google Images) |
It literally smells like gasoline, or rubbing alcohol. It has to be 90% straight alcohol. Everybody, (and I mean EVERYBODY drinks it) from age 12 to age 95, dads, moms…everyone. Literally, the only ones not drinking Chicha Fuerte are the little little kids and dogs.
Q. How is attendance at your branch?
A. Well, this week we tried to do something new. We decided to hold our branch meetings at 1 pm instead of 9 am, so more men (who are usually out fishing, hunting or gathering at that time) could come. We hoped it would make a difference and they would all come, but only one man showed up with all the normal women and children. This is one more man than we've had before, so I guess it's a start. We are trying to figure out what it is going to take to get them here.
Q: Does your recent convert (Emerson) come to your branch?
A. He actually is more active in our Seminary meetings than our branch. He comes to watch the Book of Mormon videos. All together, there are 6 jovens, and 10 kids that sit there are watch the Book of Mormon videos. Because of the language barrier, maintaining their focus is much easier with the Book of Mormon videos than trying to teach them in Dule Gaya or Spanish.
 |
| Ukupa Island |
A: This actually was a really good experience with him this week. He is super, super cool. Last Saturday we went out to Ukupa Island again to teach. When we arrived there was a party going on, and so many people were smoking and drunk. He was there with everyone, but he was not smoking or drinking. So that was super encouraging. We set a new baptismal date with him for next Sunday.
Q: Have you and your branch heard anything about the new Children & Youth Program?
A: No. We are pretty well cut off from the world here, it’s like we're living in a LOST episode. There is not a lot of paper manuals, books, no internet connection for everyone, nobody has devices on Irgandi. We only know what you’ve told us about it. Goal setting might be good for this branch at some point, but most people are just surviving.
 |
| Just think of it...Happy Thanksgiving! |
Q: How are your Thanksgiving plans?
A: We are super excited. The plan is to cook 20 lbs. of rice, and add 6 bottles of ketchup that we have. The village is really excited for that ketchup.
Much love,
Elder Doxey
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