What Would We Talk About If Our Cars All Ran Smoothly?!

I suddenly felt in a writing mood despite it being around the time we usually go to bed. I feel hyper this evening. We just said Goodbye to a family who came over for dinner, so I’m all wound up!

Well, what’s new? Let’s see. Thursday I took the morning off as usual and Charley went out as usual. In the afternoon we did a few calls. It’s been really hot this last week or so, wears you out really quickly. We didn’t stay out too long because we had a big day ahead of us on Friday.

So, Friday we got up super early and headed off to Las Banderas where the oldest Robleto son lives. We’d already been so that Charley could give the talk, but this time we went to spend a whole day out in service in the mountains, or hills I guess they were. We also were delivering a piece of furniture that they bought from some needgreaters who moved back to the States. It was a rather top heavy piece of furniture (a kind of kitchen counter thing made of plywood & tiles), and in hindsight we should have put it top down in the back of the truck, but we didn’t! So we took a wrong turn on the way there, and when we turned around for a split second we both forgot that the countertop was back there and it fell out, on its tiled top! So, after we picked it up off the side of the road and collected the pieces of tile that fell out we were on our way. I think that’s the last time anyone will ask us to transport anything!

Anyway, so we arrived, rather ashamed of ourselves bc it was a bit damaged although still usable. We reimbursed our dear special pioneers for their damaged furniture – if we hadn’t I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night! Then off we went to meet for service, then waited for the bus. The group you see in the picture below split in two directions.

Here is the group of us that went to the hiking territory. We sat on some rocks for our lunch break, all very glad to rest a while!

And yes, that’s a 3-year old girl in the group. She got through the day very well without too much crying and a bit of being carried. We walked, and walked, and walked, and preached along the way at the houses that were scattered throughout the area. I think I only talked to about 4 people all day because a lot of it was walking, but it was a great experience and good exercise! We walked from 9am until 4pm. And it was HOT in the afternoon. It must have been at least 90. But the locals were all wrapped up to protect themselves from the sun. I couldn’t understand how they didn’t pass out with all those clothes on. The sisters even had shorts or pants under their skirts. And they couldn’t understand how I wasn’t on fire with bare arms and legs!! I had a nice layer of 70 Sunscreen on and that was all I needed. I didn’t get burned at all. Here are some of the sisters all covered up!! I'm getting hot just looking at them in the picture.

There were moments that I got a bit nervous about a climb, or a descent since I have a bit of a phobia of such things, but I’d read this week’s study WT the night before, so throughout the day I asked for Jehovah’s holy spirit to help me stay calm, and not be afraid, and it was amazing how I got through it all that way. I have a habit I think of relying a bit too much on myself, and so then I get afraid of things and it sometimes paralyzes me, but this trip down here has taught me a lot about relying on Jehovah more, and my experience on Friday confirmed how he helps you. It’s a beautiful feeling to have Jehovah’s help that way.

There are more pictures from that day out in service in our web album if you want to see them. Or click here to pull up the album and they're at the end.

While we were out in the middle of nowhere that day, Charley got a phone call from the School Overseer asking him to do the Bible Highlights that night. And reminding him that he had the part from the Benefit book on the Service Meeting. We didn’t realize until today that it was a "reminder" – they’d put Charley on the program but since they hadn’t assigned him anything before, neither of us noticed his name on there! Anyway, so after our long day we got home about 5:45 and the meeting is 6:30!! We were about 10 minutes from the house when the stereo starting turning itself on and off, and the headlights and inside lights started dimming.  NOT a good sign! So we got home ok, but to get to the meeting we had to roll start the truck! Charley did an EXCELLENT job on his two parts, especially considering he prepared them during the Bible Study and gave them without notes! I was very impressed.

After the meeting the truck wouldn’t start, so the brothers pushed it and got it going. But it died again before we got on the highway. Thankfully a brother with a vehicle (one of very few in the congregation who have one) pulled up behind us. And then another brother on his motorbike stopped. After much pushing and fiddling about under the hood nothing worked, so they ended up getting a tow rope and pulling us home! That was an experience in itself! Going downhill, trying to figure out when to brake and when not to. It was a bit of a jerky trip at times, but we got home safe and sound.

So, we spent the weekend using the bus travelling skills that we thankfully learned in our first few weeks here. It’s really easy to get around, but we did miss the convenience of the truck. Anyway, so the weekend was the usual, field service, housework, and the meeting this afternoon. The truck now has a new battery as of this evening so hopefully that will solve the problem. We hope it’s as simple as that. And we had coincidentally, but very conveniently, invited one of the elders and his family for dinner after the meeting and since they have a vehicle we rode home from the meeting with them this evening.

I can’t remember if I mentioned that Piedra Quemada (the congregation we’ve been attending) had a new ministerial servant and a new elder appointed last week. The new elder (Leonardo) is only about 25, but a VERY capable young brother. He’s a regular pioneer too. He conducts the Theocratic Ministry School like nobody I’ve ever heard before. He’s so good at finding good points about everyone’s parts on the school, and his introductions on his meeting parts are always really good. So that was exciting to see them have a third elder appointed. It also makes us feel better about leaving the congregation since they have 3 elders and 7 servants now. However, Leonardo just told us some VERY exciting news this evening. He got an invitation to the Bible School for Single Brothers on Friday!!!!!!!!!!! It’s in Guatemala, starting April 10. He said he’s had the goal since he heard about the school when he was about 18. And he can hardly believe he’s been invited. So I guess Piedra Quemada will be losing their new elder soon!! But for a good reason. We’re so thrilled for him. And jealous at the same time!!!! Imagining him getting his invitation makes me wonder if we’ll ever get to enjoy that thrill of getting invited to the Bible School for Christian Couples. Just imagining it gets me all excited!!!

So the landlady arrives tomorrow afternoon and will be here the rest of our time here. I’m slowly finding people to take over my Bible studies, but still need someone else to take the last two. The Service Overseer suggested someone though so hopefully I can get that all organized this week.

Well, just wanted to share those stories. It was an exciting, eventful couple of days! Oh, and today they told me that this coming Saturday they’re having a get together so that everyone can dance!!!! So I’m hoping to take my Scottish music too and teach them some dances. They sounded like they were up for it!!! YAY!!!! I get to dance AT LAST!!!!