Internet Cafe

When I started working, I would use the internet cafe on my way home. There is a lady (Rocio) that works Mon-Fri and she often would have her little boy, Jr. with her. I gave him a few Eng. classes, of which was very difficult because 5yrs old normally don´t have a long attention span. So I would help him with his homework for about 15 mins or a little more and I would stay a little longer and talk to his mom. I learned early on that she did not accept our literature. (She`s Catholic) So, I did not pressure her. However, from time to time, she would ask me questions. One in fact was about a little sister in our congregation that had died from a type of cancer. Sister Morocho was only 11 years old. ¨How could her parents just let her die by not giving her a blood transfussion?¨ she asked. I took this opportunity to explain to her what really happened and what we believed. She appeared to be satified with my response.
Some time passed, and she would ask other questions. Here and there, she would ask, but not accept any literature from the friends. Yesterday, I made plans to go on a study with Alicia, but Fany did not have a partner. So, I asked Alicia if Fany could accompany her and I could continue to take care of some of the things I needed to do before Saturday. On my way home, I stopped by the internet cafe and checked my email for my ticket home. It did not arrive yet. So, I took a moment to talk to Rocio and she had a lot of questions. She asked, ¨What do you do if they don´t read the magazines.¨ I said, ¨If someone tells me they will read it, I believe them... and if they don´t read it then they won´t benefit from the information that`s in the magazine.¨ This opened up a conversation that lasted 2 hours. Why is there so much suffering?, Why do missionaries come from the the US come to Ecuador and buy big houses and cars and have a lot materially? She had many other questions. I was able to cite much of the information from the Què Enseña and bible text, and at some point I read directly from the book, chap. 11. I was able to give my personal experience about being here under a missionary visa, of which she knows a lot about the problems I have been having with regarding to changing my visa. Then she asked, about hell fire, to which I told here I would be back.
I was so happy. I did not leave the book with her because I want to show her how the Qué Enseña can answer many of the questions she has in my next visit when I return to answer her question on hell fire.

Doña Luz

I am still having my Saturday morning study with Doña Luz. We did not have the study last week, due to the assembly. I have invited her to the meetings, but she is really affraid to attend. She lives by herself, but she has family that lives across the street from her and appear to be very abusive. They have already taken her Què Enseña, of which I have already replaced, and have threatened to cause her physical harm. Despite their threats, she continues to have her study... but only after they have gone to the market, of which is on Saturday mornings.... 8am.

another update

Sorry friends for the delay in updating my blog. A lot has happened so let me give you some brief updates.
I no longer work at Porvenir. The laws here in Ecuador have changed and made it very difficult to obtain a work visa. Besides that, the owner of the school was not too cooperative with regards to providing certain documents. So, I had to give my notice and Friday before last was my last work day. (The economy has even effected fingding available teaching Eng. jobs. Besides, if I found a company that offered me work, I would not be able to obtain the necessary documents before April 12th, the expiration date.) I went to the school the following Tuesday to correct the semester exams and to log the information in the computer, but other than that... no more work. I was really sad. I am going to miss the students in each of the levels I taught... 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 3rd level (the equivalent of 11th, 12th and 13th grade). However, another part of me is very relieved. It has been a difficult battle trying to get my visa. The various governmental departments are not as cooperative as I would like. Just think, it would be like going into a DMV for everything that one would need to do.... at least that`s what it felt like to me.
Since I am not able to work,I have no work visa and my current visa expires on May 12th. I have a return flight home on May 5th. My family is very excited since they have constantly asked me to return home. A part of me is sad, since my initial goal was to stay for 2 years. But, even though I must go home, I don´t regrete coming to server by myself. It was difficult, different, and I had many trying moments, but I have grown and become much closer to Jehovah.

a little old lady

One day, about 2 months ago, a little old lady stopped me and asked me for a bible. I was heading home from work and did not have one. I reassured her that I could get one and if we could meet the next day at 1:30pm in the same spot. I did not understand her directions to her house, so I opted to just meet at the same location. The next day came and I got there late because she I had a meeting to attend. Well, she was not there. The next day, she was not there either...and the next and so one for several days. So, whenever I walked down the same street and saw a little old lady, I immediately would think...could it be her....and it would turn out not to be. So a long time passed by and on my way home, I run into a sister who had just finished with service. She asked me to accompany her to get some leaves she needed to make tomales. And guess what.... it was the little old lady. Her name is Luz. Her family is opposed to her studying and we have to study on Saturday mornings when they are not there. So far, we have had two studies. Last week, she asked me for another Que Enseña because her family stole the other. She tole me that if I could get her another book, she would keep it in her clothes so that they would not be able to take it from her. I will keep you updated on her progress.