First, our friends the Polden's who are serving on the Atlantic Coast in Pearl Lagoon came to visit us on Friday. Charley picked them up in Managua and they spent Friday and Saturday night here. We had a nice time chilling with them. And I took Pat to my hairdresser for his bargain $1.00 haircut. Mine costs more - she charges me $1.20 - disgraceful, eh?!
Then on Sunday morning they went off to Granada to go to the meeting in English, and to meet their hosts for the next two weeks. They're both attending Pioneer Service School for the first time. And in Granada for the next two weeks they're having one of only three (I think) English Pioneer Service Schools in all of Central America. We're looking forward to seeing them Saturday because we're going to Kathy's Waffle House with them in Granada at lunchtime - I can eat breakfast at lunchtime - no problem! And then we're going to the Laguna de Apoyo for a bit of relaxing.
Speaking of pioneer school - today we had the privilege of taking the afternoon refreshment to the Nicaraguan Sign Language Pioneer Service School, which, if I heard correctly, is the first one in Nicaragua. Correct me if I'm wrong Shelina - she was in the class. When we went they were teaching in Spanish, and translating into Sign Language for the two actual deaf in the class. I guess some of the deeper subjects they're doing in Spanish with translation, and then the ones that are more ministry-oriented they're presenting entirely in Sign Language.
So I made three banana breads which vanished in a flash, and we took a BUCKET of Jamaica Tea (Hibiscus) which you drink cold with ice, made by a sister in our congregation. Everyone loved it so we ended up leaving it for the rest of the afternoon. They were filling bottles and coming back for cup after cup! And we got a round of applause - a silent one - sign language applause is waving your hands above your head. I WISH I'd taken the camera - doh!
And the most exciting news of the weekend - NOELIA IS A PUBLISHER NOW!!!! I met her at the Kingdom Hall at 8:00 am Sunday for the Coordinator of our old congregation, which is the one she's going to, to see if she was ready. We said prayer, and then the Coordinator in an attempt to relax her told her he was going to ask her about 50 questions!!! Well, relaxation wasn't quite the result. She burst into tears!!! She's a nervous little creature, and when she gets really nervous, she cries. But she managed to calm down enough to pull herself together and answer the dozen questions that he asked her. And she was approved to start going out in the ministry! She was also left the homework of being able to quote 5 scriptures from memory by the end of the month! She already knows three, so later in the day when I studied with her, I gave her two more.
So, I left her there for the meeting, went out in service in my territory, then went back to go out in service with her. We just did an hour, and we actually only did two doors, but I talked and she read the scriptures. When we had our study later I showed her a simple presentation she could use for the August Awake. At the end of demonstrating it to her, she said, "Ok, well, I'm going to use the Watchtower and this is what I'll say", and she proceeded to do a presentation that she had already prepared! I was very impressed since I've had a hard time getting her to prepare for anything before!!!
She's really excited and says she's going to go out every Saturday and Sunday. She also surprised me by agreeing to join the school, something she'd told me she didn't want to do yet. I hope she can get up there and participate without bursting into tears!!
So, I had a very happy Sunday, knowing that I got to play a tiny part in helping someone to reach a spiritual goal. It's a lovely feeling!
Well, that's all for now. Here's a picture of me and Noelia taken a while back just as a reminder of who she is.
Congratulations on your student's progress! Isn't it beautiful to when Jehovah makes it grow?
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