I just thought I would take a minute to share what is new here with you all. We are getting pretty well settled in our new house in San Roman village. The local people have been exceedingly warm and encouraging to us. If you stop by to say hello they will ALWAYS invite you in, give you their largest (most comfortable) bucket to sit on, and offer you something to eat or drink no matter how little they will have left to feed their own, often large, families. Many will only buy enough food, usually corn for tortillas, for each day. While the reason we are here is to teach them they are clearly teaching us as well. It has been their warmth, hospitality, and response to the truth that has completely overshadowed any sacrifices we are making to live here. It is also impressive to me that they do not in the slightest way give evidence of resenting us for having more in the way of material things as I feared they might. I hope to imitate THEM in so many ways.

 

 

The ministry has been invigorating and very faith-strengthening. There are more ones requesting Bible studies than there are workers to accommodate them. As a result we are giving priority to those attending the meetings. There is one family in particular that Jehovah is clearly drawing to Him. Made up of about 8 fleshly brothers and sister they each are married and most have kids of their own now. The brothers have told me that growing up they would all get together and talk about scriptures and what they thought they meant. This continued into their adulthood. They attended church in an effort to learn the truth in the scriptures. But they said doing so would only leave them frustrated and confused. They said they knew something wasn’t right about what they were being taught. But they persisted in there quest for truth, studying the Bible themselves and having discussions with each other about what they thought certain verses might mean. So when one of these fleshly brothers met someone who was coming right to there house to teach the scriptures to them he readily agreed to a Bible study and asked for them to come back soon. He began attending meetings right away and would thoroughly read any literature left with him, drinking up the truth like a dry sponge soaking up water. He gave his first talk on the TMS last night! Of course, he shared what he was learning right away with his brothers and sisters who themselves had been seeking understanding for years. Currently 15 of his immediate family members have joined him and each have their own Bible study finally learning the truth they have long been searching for. All of them, as well as others they have invited, have been regularly attending meetings. One of the brothers told me last week on our study about how someone at his work was trying to tell him that Hell is a literal place of torment. He was able to share what he has learned from the scriptures with them. With a smile on his face he then told me, “TJ, no one can fool me now. I have learned the truth!” Seeing first hand Jehovah draw such like ones to him has been, by far, the greatest blessing we have enjoyed.

Yesterday proved to be a day of some very highs and some very lows. The highs came because our group here in San Roman has passed another exciting milestone. We had our first full midweek meeting out here. Up until this week we had been driving 45 minutes each way to join the Hopkins congregation for their TMS and service meeting. But now we will regularly have that meeting here, in San Roman. Everyone is very excited and it appears we will have around 20 brand new students enrolled in the TMS this month. But as I said, while yesterday had its highs it also had its lows. At 4am I heard a knock on my door. A bible student who we already knew was ill was having difficulty breathing. Since I am the only one who has a vehicle they asked if I could bring her to the hospital, about 1 hour away. Her father and sister came along as I rusher her there. From there they sent her by ambulance to Belize city because it appeared she would need an emergency surgery. A few hours later I got a call from her sister who accompanied her in the ambulance and she said they needed to do surgery but the hospital would not operate unless they had $500 cash first. We immediately arranged for someone to bring the cash by means of a 3 hour bus ride. But that took too long. She died last night. I don’t know if the surgery would have saved her life, but clearly a terrible injustice occurred. How Jehovah must long to set all things straight very soon and end death and suffering.  It was horrible news to hear. She was just 35 years old and the fleshly sister of the brother I mentioned earlier who gave his first talk last night. She herself was studying the Bible and attending all the meetings. We spent the night hours with the family until about 2am who wept. We just tried to console them and be with them. Amazingly they all still attended the meeting last night as well.

Now, back to a high note. Lacy gave the talk 2 last night and did great! She was breaking it down with her Maya! I have included a picture of her as well as the brother mentioned earlier giving his first talk.

http://tjandlacy.blogspot.fr/