It just gets better and better.....

It has been an exciting few days here in good 'ole Ecuador! Thursday is a usually full day of preaching, bible studies and phone witnessing, so it is always exciting! This Thursday I had my study with Joanna and Zoila (if you remember from a past blog, it is the girl who lived in rented rooms that I directly offered the study to thinking she wouldn't accept, but did!) Anyway, she and her mother have been studying very faithfully ever since! This Thursday morning, the mom called me to see if I could come for an extra study since she didn't have to work that day for some reason! So, after my usual 3:00pm study, Chad and I headed over to their house! When we got there, Zoila and Joanna were ready and waiting, and they also had the stepson visiting from the coast, who also got a book and sat down with us! Zoila is really picking up the information quickly and is a pleasure to study with! So, we studied about an hour, and then they have had some family issues they were venting about.

Well, maybe it was holy spirit, but we just sat around and chatted for a while, when the husband got home from work. I was a little nervous, because I had never met him before and I was worried he would squash the study! But, Zoila whispered to me, "He said that he would be interested in studying the Bible with you!" So, I decided to stick around another 1/2 hour and chat and get to know him better. He was really nice, a little frustrated with work issues...but who isn't here? So, I finally get up the nerve to ask him if he would like to study! "Thank you. Yes I would." He looked pleased as punch as we set up a study for this weekend. I think he has a little bit of a problem with alcohol, as a matter of fact, he said he does. So, I made him promise that if he was going to study with us, he could not drink beforehand. I had explained to him that in the past in the Bible, Jehovah has severely punished those who mixed alcohol with their worship of Him...Where I got the nerve to say all that I don't know...but, anyway, he had this huge grin on his face and promised to not drink before the study today. I have arrangements to go this morning with Chad, so we will see!

Also, last night 2 younger women walked in late to the meeting and sat across the aisle from us. They didn't have a song book or magazine, so they were obviously new. Anyway, Chad gave them his songbook to use. Anyway, after the meeting, they returned the songbook and Chad started asking them where they were from. They had come to the meeting for the first time on their own initiative! They aren't even studying yet! It turns out the one woman works or worked with one of Jehovah's Witnesses and so was receiving different literature from her. She studies it all thorougly. Her "daily text" book is thoroughly marked and studied every day and she studies all of the magazines! She really enjoys the information, but decided on her own that she needs to study with someone and go to the meetings to progress. So, she just came last night! Whew! She wants to study on Sunday mornings, which might be nearly impossible for me ( boo hoo), but Chad will find someone this morning to go with him to set up the study! Very encouraging!

Well, gotta go get ready for service! Just wanted to share! Miss you all!