Recent Service Experiences

Ug!! I now have 2 early morning studies, one is Tuesday at 7:30 and the other is Sunday at 7:00. I've managed to get by until now, convincing my studies to study at least after 8, but these two insist it must be early, before they open their businesses. The only problem with this is that they are not terribly reliable studies. Especially the 7:00am one. So far, more often than not, I get up early, wait for the Churoloma bus to take me to her house about 20 minutes away to find that she can no longer study that day. This has happened even when I've called ahead to confirm.

I guess this is a problem with studies back home too, but at least back home, I came and went in the luxury of a heated car with Starbucks in hand. Here, it's a bit more of a process to get to the bus, take the smelly, crowded thing to the next village over, and then walk the dirt roads, eventually arriving (on time!)

But I am glad that they have to desire to study, so I'll endure until the no longer want to study (or hopefully until they make progress and get baptized! I can hope...)

Another study I recently started is another fine example of persistence. She is the women in the park, remember? Who I've been calling on for months, and who's husband is either very hot or very cold to our preaching. Well, I handed over the women's son Victor, (also a call of mine, recently home from workng in Spain, who also wanted to stufy) to a Brother in the hall and they have been studying regularly now for about a month. After a few studies, he had a "family meeting" (this is according to my study, Rosa) and asked his mother what her motive was talking to me so often. He told her and his dad that their lives depend on studying the bible with us and as a family, they needed to commit to it. Well, the dad was not so easily persuaded, but it did wonders for Rosa. Every since, we have had a regular 30 minute study every Tuesday and Thursday in the Park. This last Thursday, we had to study after the family closed down the newspaper stand, (instead of earlier like usual) so they family had no choice but to wait for her to finish her study before they could all return home together. So they plopped down on the bench in front of us and just watched us peacefully as we studied. I was very imppressed that the husband was so patient and even said if she wanted to go a little longer, it was ok.

Now, here is what I like about this experience. The reason real progress is being made now in the whole family is due to the zeal of the son and his influence on the family. But that attitude didn't just come from his 1 month of studying here. In Spain, he had studied with an elder for almost a year and he says that is where his desire to learn about Jehovah comes from. Thus his desire to restart hs study once back in Ecuador. I think of the brother who studied with him before and I'm sure he has no idea that his efforts keep bearing fruit long after he stopped studying with Victor. So you see, planting the seed can be the most important thing. Especially here, people are constantly moving, and we lose touch with many of our studies. (that's why you are constantly hearing of us starting studies, but we never have more than 6 at a time) But we never know which brother or sister will be next to find them and how we will have prepared their hearts for doing more in the future.

Ok, one more for now. Today, we took the long trek to Santa Rosa neighborhood, which isn't actually even in our territory, but I have a 14 year old study who I starting calling on when she lived in Tumbaco. She still lives closer to me than the other congregation, so I've continued calling on her. Plus she is the cousin of a friend of mine from our congregation. Anyway, her family is from Esmeraldas, where the Black-Ecuadorians come from. She lives in a house with a ton of fruit trees and like 12 other small kids, all family. They are quite poor (and dirty), don't wear shoes, have oatmeal in their hair, etc... Real ragamuffins. But Jissela, my study always likes to study when she can, which depends on her mom's work schedule, as she is suppose to accompany her mom so she doesn't get lonley. Her dad pulled her out of school at 12 for some weird reason (he's kind of creepy) and so she's not a great reader and she doesn't capture a lot of points from the book, but her answers are always at least very honest and sincere.

Anyway, today we went to find her, but the gate was closed and the dogs were quiet, but then we heard kids laughing, so we walked around to the front and saw through the metal gate two of the younger kids, 6 and 7 years old, playing among the fruit trees. As soon as they saw us, they ran over and starting explaining why Jissels wasn't there, but where she could be found. I told them that we would go find her then, and started to leave. The older girl yelled out "Wait!" and then very excitedly said, "Le gustaria platicar un ratito conmigo? A mi tambien, me gusta estudiar la biblia." It's so much cuter the phrasing in spanish, but basically she said, "Wait, would you like to chat with me for a little bit. I like to study the bible too." So like a little adult, she shoo-ed the dog away, opened that gate, said, "please come in", and dusted off the cement curb of the driveway. She sat there with hands folded together, waiting to see what I would teach her. She apologized for not having a book, so we shared my Teach Book which is all I had with me. We studied 3 different pictures in the book and learned God's name, the difference between Jehovah and Jesus, what the paradise will be like and how to pray. When I suggested we say a prayer together to end our study, they thought it was the greatest idea in the world. They sat silently, hands folded the whole prayer and afterwards, thanked me for the prayer. It was so cute.

At that moment, my study Jissela came home, but immediately had to leave again, but before she did, the older little girl asked if she could borrow Jisselas study book, becuase she too now studies the bible but didn't have a book. So we ended up studying a few minutes more after that. I promised them Bible Story books, which will be a bit easier to study with them in. Before leaving, she asked me the date and time of our next study, so she could expect me. She's 7!

Well, that was kind of fun to get to study with these little adults who are so keen on studying the bible. I will have to ask permission from the Father, as he is very strict about that. I found that out with Jissela, but hopefully he won't mind. Oh yeah, the girl's names are Nayeli 7, Camila 6, and Maria 2 (with the oatmeal in the hair and dirt on her face!)

*Once I buy my new camera, I plan on getting pics of all our studies and more of the territory so you can have visuals. Patience please... they are coming!!!