Ministry updates.....

Things have been picking up around here....more studies, more established studies...it has been really nice. I think total we have about 11 bible studies, some more regular than others, but some have been doing really well. The young guy Wilmer continues to make good progress. He has been attending the meetings regularly on Sundays after he gets off work. Last Sunday Chad went with him to introduce him to some of the brothers and he said that Wilmer had studied his lesson ahead of time! He is now studying 2 times a week and HE calls US to set up the time for the study! What a change! Normally, of course, you have to hunt your students down! haha

Some of you might remember the ¨troubled married couple¨ from the last visit, Jef and Katy. Well, they are pretty high maintenance if you know what I mean, so the couple that was studying with them when we were gone, handed them right back when we got back! They didn´t seem to have a very regular study while we were gone. She is very into Christmas, so I think she had a hard time during that period. We had visited them once before Christmas and all she could do was give excuses for why she has about 27 Santa´s hanging around! Her conscience seemed to be bothering her and so she thought that we would be bothered by it too! We explained to her that as long as she understands why we don´t celebrate, it is her decision what she wants to do...we would still continue to come and study! So, finally Christmas passed....and now we are back in a pretty regular routine with them! It is always very interesting to go to their house...you may remember, they have a 6 year old, a 4 year old and twin 1 1/2 year olds! So, can you say MAD HOUSE? We usually have to be their for about 2 hours settling the kids down, making food (they always insist on feeding us)....and such before we actually study, but once we finally start, it is always worth the wait! It was funny because they have a little sitting room with glass doors that they can close and lock. Last week they actually locked the 4 of us in this room so we could concentrate without the kids....but the kids kept coming up to the glass and pressing their faces against it with such sad faces. It was so pathetic!! It was amazing that Jef and Katy pretty much just ignored them and we had a really good study! Last night we went at 7:30pm because the kids are all in bed, and we had a nice study. We were studying about the blessings to be experienced in the new world and we read Dan. 2:44. Of course, as always they have a million questions, but we briefly mentioned that this kingdom has already been established and that the end is very close. They got so serious and surprised and were like, ¨We always wonder why you guys have left your family and friends to come down here and bang on doors when most people don´t listen to you! Now we know why! You guys want to save everyone before they get destroyed!¨ She was very serious and looked at Jef and said, ¨We really need to start doing more, because I want to live in this paradise pictured here!¨ So, we shall see. I mentioned to them the illus. about if your neighbors house was on fire and they were inside, what would you do? So, a few times after that Jef called us ¨Bomberos¨or Firemen. It was funny. But, how nice it has been to get back together with them and restart their study!

We also have been studying with a ¨pharmacist¨ that another sister in the hall gave me because their schedules didn´t fit. She lost her husband, a doctor, about 8 months ago, and of course is really struggling with that. The usual things...did God take him? Why does he permit this?...so we have been really trying to help her cope. But we study with her at the pharmacy, she takes us to the back and we study there. She rarely lets the phone or other things interrupt and she has sooo many questions. So, we have started in the Chapter ¨Why Does God Permit Suffering?¨ It is really encouraging to see her interest in the Bible and that she makes time to study although she has an incredibly busy schedule. She teaches at the University in the morning, then goes to the pharmacy to work and stays there until 10pm. Poor thing. It is really nice to be able to give comfort by means of the scriptures to people who otherwise wouldn´t have any hope!
So, that is just some of the nice experiences we have been having! We can fill you in on some of the others next time!
Hope things are going well for you all! We miss you!