and still is the former slaves lived deep in the rain forest. along with the bible the moravian brethren brought education medicine and practical knowledge. that's the syrian river. moravian missionaries came up this regard anything bringing us churches schools and doctors when our ancestors escaped from the plantations they came here you have to cross the rapids so it was a difficult journey that hasn't changed how do you know no. to. the moravian brother and arrived in suriname in the eighteenth century by then fugitive slaves from the sugar plantations were living in the rainforest the missionaries began baptizing converts building schools and setting up tenets. in seventeen twenty two a german count nicholas found since and off had given refuge to moravians fleeing religious persecution on his estate in saxony the evangelical christians founded the community of han haute. the pious count encourage them to become missionaries and to take the gospel to the four corners of the globe when he learnt of the plight of the slaves in south america he sent moravian brethren to the caribbean and to syria now and works on the polish german border became the center of an international missionary enterprise the syrian army river is the only link between the capital part of maryborough and the interior of the country. johann joseph had regularly goes home to the village of bottle pasi deep in the rainforest i care about him while i was talking with you. this is where i grew up i think you will live in what the moravian brethren did for us still has a positive effect on our village new when i walk it back a fool i like to come here and see that their hand at their new rock you know are just so many when if and i i can if walking. the missionaries first challenge was to learn shrine and tango the creole language spoken by the local communities that allowed the missionaries to provide the education that helped the freed african shape their own future. their data their job the moravians built a church they just and a school like this one without the army say they provided doctors i myself went to school here until sixth grade it's their class they go go says their class you know him can look like you know after that i went to paramount evil to say sorry i stock you back a certain thing. on sunday some of the villages attend services at the local chanche the architecture is typical of a moravian charge so is the service moravians practice the same liturgy in their charges throughout the well out. of the parish was the was the. war. the salmon and community pratt are at the heart of this religious celebration so i woke up. let our faith not fail we are prepared and know that jesus will return all the come back. lesson learned a blessing in honor and glory to him who is seated on the throne. and to the lamb forever and ever. after the service in a palace has work to do in the office. she looks after the parish registers including the registry of births and deaths and issues certificates when required this function is traditionally passed down from mother to daughter. mary there. are. the descendants of the africans who escaped the colonial dodge plantations well known as maroons after they established that independent communities in the rainforest they maintained many of that african traditions. the women of surinam have played a vital role in preserving their culture and passing on the faith from one generation to the next. ever. just. when ina has finished the housework she reads from the bible to her daughter and granddaughter. and begin god has appointed his son the heir of all things through whom he also created the world glory for god he is the radiance of god's glory and the exact imprint of his nature and he upholds the universe by his powerful word. the father then. men. when you're. not good i want you that now do. so right even brethren help the local community become self-sufficient the former slaves and their descendants build boats and simple houses for their families the women also took up handicrafts including traditional wood carving. patterns decorating the bowls and calabashes are handed down within families from one generation to the next. there. are no minority afeard skeer. in her small shop had a lean sounds plastic kitchen utensils that are brought up the river from paramount ribault and items that she makes herself. just. we return to panama fast on the river. and then by wrote. the bible sharp is a treasure trove for the faithful and a meeting place for people interested in christian literature. the bible. was founded in nineteen sixty six when referenced from the more if a church came from the netherlands finishing your study and started the bible society. with a small amount of one which he received from the dutch bible society. and the task of the bible society is to reach everybody with the word of god in the language that this was close to his heart the official language of syrian army is done but the various ethnic groups in the country also speak their own languages here johan use of that and his coworkers translate various writings of the moravian brethren from dutch into various local languages most important of the bible verses of the day three hundred sixty five old testament verses that serve as a motto for each day of the year. so you know it's a murder culture a country so we want to work and to torrie each everybody from the different ethnic backgrounds with the word of god. driving through part of maryborough with powell daughter it seems as though there's a church on every street corner. the moravian church has more than forty thousand members here have you have the wine and church you have the marquee a key you have the notice that's going to give the combi church then you have the you have to offer also the hindustani church which is just before dawn not just have to care. for the us there are quite some churches in the in a in a very small surrounding. paramour ribeiro is home to many different religious communities. the moravian church in suriname is not only the largest protestant denomination but one of the most influential forces in surinamese society. oprah's hilda hello there are various cultures and religions in syria now living together in peace with muslims hindus christians because the street is a good example what if you know home here you see a synagogue there may also an agressor that's right next to one mosque we found in africa after their neighbors and it's not a problem. other than older. black on the could have even share a parking lot. news we live together in harmony here we're still in the hole over bell but. leave her the quarter chance kaka's a wooden clapboard building in downtown panama ribault affectionately known as mama kathy mother church the theological seminary and the city mission which operates numerous social programs are also located here. text around the church which says brace and must try you me see. the sea side gave. me any more praise i have santana which is a. praise the lord of all my soul and all that is in me a shout praise his holy name. pop song on the tree first one to. basically all the more reason churches are white from the inside if you go to the other churches and through them you will find white banksias white churches so i think at this very similar. for before that for them or even church the building of a dam to produce hydroelectric power in the early one nine hundred sixty s. had a devastating effect on many local communities in the country's interior. before the dam bust belt all this was forty s and there were some villages in the forest and this is what is left over after a day half built the dam more than two centuries of history sank with outranks when the waters rose. am seventh did thirty five hand who thirsts the motif in broad. piece of bull don't come into a game to sit in the mob and they get permission from the government to work on the decide that the ran over the more room once and is that at the both the in a village somewhere here in seven hundred sixty five and they built a school a church and a medical bowls and gonzi and guns they was one of the village serious one of the twenty five villages that were here in this league when they know what the started to go did them and believe. they didn't believe that the what the would come so high that they wouldn't be able to live if. the waters rose until they covered more than fifteen hundred square kilometers the local maroons demonstrated in vain against the destruction of their homes and way of life they were moved to government established villages in a resettlement that tore apart the fabric of their community. so when the demonstration that if i delayed it were the women who were in. iran the women go and demonstrate take children with them so it was very heartfelt to see women and children fighting for something what they thought that was not right. at the bottom of the timeline the remains of the twenty five villages built by the descendents of escaped slaves many of them were christians they lost their challenges as well as their homes. the church of gansey latest special part in this it was the last church in which the residents gathered before being forced out of their homes with assistance from the moravian brethren the surinamese government provided the evicted maroons with new houses and churches and these included a perfect replica of the gansey charge pound odd grandfather was the country's first afro surinamese bishop. in one thousand nine hundred sixty three he consecrated the brethren's new church yeah there's. this if yes that's the church we saw in the film. my grandfather bless the church. to. the mirror when the dam was filled the people of new gansey and new lumbee came here and i knew a long day. for power daughter and his wife accompanied by a senior member of the congregation it's a heart wrenching experience he hasn't been here for twenty five years. this picture is the church of. the ceremony conducted here by powell daughter grandfather in one thousand nine hundred sixty three it was recorded on film. my granddad was standing here. a bible in the shrine and tongo language rescued from the old church is opened at the same chapter. they are. my are being. buried. oh. yes they made the laden for power daughter the film of his grandfather is one of his greatest treasures with oil. suriname is one of the world's poorest countries many members of the church struggle to make ends meet and feed their families tending to the local community many of whom are deeply religious is one of system miriam's many responsibilities. was. that there was. so they're living here she said we're going to have the church in my yard so she built at them and here is the church and you can see it if they love money because the last time that i was here there was no bell and no doubt it's a bell. many young christians in suriname express their faith in practical ways they get involved in social projects. where poverty and suriname began in the colonial era and the population continues to suffer from poor infrastructure and governance women and children are often the victims of domestic violence. many seek refuge with the moravian brethren here they are helped to find solutions to their problems from unemployment to a child being faction. so stuff that you know the topic is female empowerment instructor explains the gender issues are all about power encourages the women to take responsibility for their lives and pursue their goals with confidence. and that march twenty eighth scene will mark another important step in achieving gender equality christian women in suriname are organizing the well day of prayer. if you bring the issue from gender. o. . only from a women's spine to feel don't get the results that we want because we want the man to understand that god said that men and women equal made them looking like me. and we hope from the eyes of the lord they are equal that is a balance between man and woman they are not the same. but really have the media if you have the same failure for don't know what maybe i'm crazy or you could be pleased. as one of the police station loss. i was. was that. i was that serious that i was. was there are. ready. most of these women will be attending the inauguration of the new bishop in the main church on sunday the gallery across the street shows works by young syrian amaze artists muriel held tries to make contacts with them especially the artists involved in preparing for the world day of prayer. erotic roma whose family came from java was commissioned to design the official poster it highlights a theme close to miriam's heart. a mother and her daughter. and there's a mood and understand when he. says and i'm not at all what if you know this is for the who. is the one when the bundle who like this i happen to. me by this moment. you know the well day of prayer led by the christian women of suriname aims to embody the values of justice peace and gender equality in the charge and society. what oh master reynaldo say pouncer checks on the preparations for his ordination. and i ask is the rent for an open field. and about anything ceremonial will be celebrated here at seven o'clock to see. the people from many of the churches where . the street outside will be called and offered to be a big celebration with the quiet tone of the lord i was in here and i am grateful to the lord that he has chosen me and i hope god will give me his blessing. quite see. the church is packed for the inauguration of the new bishop. as protests open the ceremony which is a big social event and kind of maryborough representatives of papa judges and congregations as well as high ranking inis upon officials are in attendance. and. in the big one the climax of the ceremony is the ordination of the new bishop. and it won't. be. don't get caught on a little. bit of money i. know katie but oh he . was was the guy. he. was a big or would he be my. hero. i think if you opened her. heart high net. cost. was. these paper stars are a tradition of the moravian church almost as familiar as the brethren's bible verses of the day. the reagan brethren in suriname are an influential charge they haven't suppressed the role they played in this country's history while their attitude toward slavery in the colonial era and now they want to shapes or an arms future and be part of a modern society proud of its traditions. for many years this small country was the object of greed and plunder forty landed at the mouth of the suriname river where the capital parliamentary vote was eventually belt is a reminder of the rivalry between the european powers and their insatiable greed for new territories there was a lot of war going on between the british and and the dodge and the watergate and the spaniards they all were fighting for their for different colonies and. so now and then a ship probably from them will come in and then they will attack their ship from the forty. it commemorates the. history of a country. and of course. the. who . me. they. place people scurrying. in the lanes to close an aging story. leap into the fray claiming a loaf likely up in fifteen minutes falling below. learn german with w. . any time any place. whether with joe joe and her friends. colleagues discuss it in. spitzer's inspire chicago's a work with spread all over the world. online and interactive. german to go. and learn german for free brits d w. w moments of them like. it's all about the struggles in some place it's all about george chance to discover the world from different perspectives. join us to be inspired by distinctive instagram or yours at g.w. story topics each week on instagram playing the family feel. the scars on her going to the pain still tangible. some flavor go. for city and. they have survived do they also have a future. i really understand people who say they don't want to stay here. but i also admire people who want to stay here and who decided to create something . new a new beginning in peace time for the people making it possible what needs to happen if tolerance and reconciliation are to stand a chance. if you wanted to really difficult complicated difficult forgiveness reconciliation forgetting they get stuck in your. darkness cities after war. starting march tenth on t w. four people have died in a massive winter storm that's been pounding the u.s. east coast the so-called nor'easter has knocked out power in nearly two million homes and caused thousands of flight cancellations coastal areas are at risk of flooding while heavy snows have hit further inland. the world's major steel producers are edging closer to a trade war after u.s. president donald trump announced plans to impose punitive tariffs on.