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.

What`s going on....

Hello Friends and Family,
All is going ok on my end. I still am fighting a cold and I believe the cold weather is affecting me...no matter how much I try and deny it. I am trying to have more self-control when it comes to junk food which is very hard because it´s so delicious. Service is going slow this month as I am trying to get the rest I need so that I can fully recoop. from this bug. I have been doing a lot of studies and have not been out much in the door to door work. I can´t remember if I told you that the Ponton´s were in a car accident in Decemember (I believe). They are healing well from their bumps and bruises and Patricia is recovering well from her surgery. I have been conducting 4 of her studies who live a little out of the way. For about 3 or 4 weeks, I was putting in long Sundays and trying to fight the cold at the same time. I would start service at 7am with Angelita, who also has a study who is very regular at this hour and then I would meet for the group so that I could get a partner to accompany me to the 4 studies. I would typically finish service around 2 or 3pm and would be exhausted. This week, Patty is back in the swing of things and will be conducting the studies herself.
I hope you are all doing well. Until next time....

The water bombers

Hello Again,
Well, let me give you an update on what has been happening here within the last few days. There is a celebration that many either love or hate. It`s called, Carnival. I, for one, do not like it one bit...besides the whole pagan thiny. Children seem to really enjoy this time. It starts some time late in February but for some reason, many kids have started throwing water balloons now. And guess what? Yup!.... you guessed it, we had some water balloons thrown at us (Alicia and I had just finished a study.) I actually water balloons thrown at me twice in the same day. I realize that self-control is an area of weakness for me. And, I seriously try and work on improving in this area. However, I failed the test yesterday. Yup, some kids with a water hose and balloons were geared up to drown us with water. We had no where to go but down the hill. No matter how close I tried to get to the curb, I just could not get farther away from them. So, I had water balloons thrown at me and also got sprayed with the water hose. I tried to keep my cool, but lost it. I picked up light weight piece of wood about 4¨ x 4¨and threw it at them. Of course, it came no where close to them, but in some small way, it helped to subside my frustration. Yeap. I felt guilty afterwards and had to ask Jehovah for help.... especially as we get closer to Carnival.

Jehovah heard my prayer for help.

Thanks to Jehovah, I have found a place to live. I have to move out quickly because the daughter of the family where I currently live is DF´d (explusada) and will be returning to the home to live. Guillermo and Cecilia have offered me an apartment they own downstairs from their home for $50 per month, utilities included. You may recall, my original agreement with the Valdivieso´s was for $100 per month to rent a bedroom with an attached bathroom insdie their home. Due to their kindness, for the past two months, they have returned part of the rent money to me to ensure that I had enough to live on...food, and other expenses. Well, Guillermo and Cecilia have the apartment furnished. I just have to buy cookware and dishes and odds and ends that I will need. Things can´t get any better than this! The room that I currently rent has no windows in the bedroom nor the bathroom. The apartment is nice, spacious and furnished .... all for only $50. Jehovah truly is a hearer and answerer of prayers!