Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
mmm the color of chocolate...
Our water comes from the river, so when it rains hard this is what comes out of the faucets.
It shouldn't last too much longer but until then...we will be showering out of the bucket:)
Sunday, April 11, 2010
The Tienda Nueva Congregation is growing!
Since we love our little congregation here, we thought you guys should get to know them too.
We will start introducing you to the brothers and sharing their stories little by little. I hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as we are!
We had 3 new unbaptized publishers go through their questions Saturday night. They were all out in service on Sunday morning for their first official day in the ministry.
This is Rafael and Amanda. Amanda is a continuous auxillary pioneer, and was elated to have her husband join her on his first day in service. Their two daughters are regular pioneers (all of three sisters were baptized two summers ago). It was so encouraging to see Rafael's zeal and boldness. He not only talked at every door, but read scriptures and used detailed illustrations!
This is Olmedo and Yornay, also unbaptized publishers as of Saturday, and their daughters who are studying too. This is the family's first day in the ministry. Yornay was very excited to become a publisher; she was nothing but smiles after the meeting and told us how happy she was to be able to preach.
We will start introducing you to the brothers and sharing their stories little by little. I hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as we are!
We had 3 new unbaptized publishers go through their questions Saturday night. They were all out in service on Sunday morning for their first official day in the ministry.
This is Rafael and Amanda. Amanda is a continuous auxillary pioneer, and was elated to have her husband join her on his first day in service. Their two daughters are regular pioneers (all of three sisters were baptized two summers ago). It was so encouraging to see Rafael's zeal and boldness. He not only talked at every door, but read scriptures and used detailed illustrations!
This is Olmedo and Yornay, also unbaptized publishers as of Saturday, and their daughters who are studying too. This is the family's first day in the ministry. Yornay was very excited to become a publisher; she was nothing but smiles after the meeting and told us how happy she was to be able to preach. Thursday, April 8, 2010
Bogota
We went to Bogota for about 5 days. Here are the highlights. Went to Bogota Beer Company on Thursday and I had an honrary beer even though I've been able to drink for 3 yrs already in Colombia.We also went to the English Congregation Sunday, which was very exciting. We actually understood the entire meeting for a change! It was an especially good day to go because the speaker was a MTS graduate from NJ (originally from Colombia). Plus, I got to see the friends that I made two years ago.
The pic of Jameson playing is a game is called Zapo (Frog). You throw rings into holes and try to get to 100 pts first.
Other pics are of friends. The pic on the right near the bottom is Monserrate. And yes, that dark ominous cloud above our head is a rain cloud. It rained hard very shortly after this pic was taken.
The brothers in the bottom right corner are brothers that went to the English with us. The one on the left was visiting from Italy, and the other two are Bethelites.
A highlight of our trip was spending the weekend at the Colombian Bethel (Branch Office of Jehovah's Witnesses) in Facatativa.
There is a pic of of the group in front of the famous tree.
Saturday night we had a little gathering in one of the Social Rooms at Bethel. On the left, there are pictures of a lively game of Mimica (our version of Charades with Bible characters).
Jameson's arm with the stamp displays our Bethel "tattoo." There is a brother in jail in Facatativa (he used to be a police coronal, and he is in jail for things he did before becoming a Witness). He is a regular pioneer and has his own special territory-the jail. Brothers from Bethel go give the talk in the jail and the brother conducts the Watchtower study. We had to get stamped and numbered to go in the jail. It was an awesome experience though. He studies with several people in the jail, one of which is a publisher now.
More to come soon...didn't have much time tonight but I wanted to post again since its been so long. Chao pesca'o!
Jessica
Monday, March 22, 2010
We got a Puppy!
It has been quite a joyous weekend!
Friday night we were extremely thrilled to welcome t0 the house, what I will confidently label, the cutest puppy in all the land! They say the needed another dog to protect the house and keep the other dog company, but I think they just finally gave in to all our pleadings:)
Saturday and Sunday were long service days, which is always wonderful. Sunday was basically a two hour hike up a mountain in the blazing sun, but the service group was large and we had fun. We did stop at the top for a Coca-Cola and chicken flavored potato chip break, so I can't complain:) We played basketball for three hours that night too, so Jess and I agreed that our exercise quota for the month had been filled.
Today, the Marquez family came to visit and joined us in service. We officially finsished all of the territories as of this morning with one week to spare! The rest of the campaign will be spent going back over them and hopefully finding new people.
I would also like to point out that in the bottom picture we are standing on, and next to, manuere. I wish I could make the photo scratch and sniff so you all could enjoy the aroma as much as I did.
Estefanie
Friday night we were extremely thrilled to welcome t0 the house, what I will confidently label, the cutest puppy in all the land! They say the needed another dog to protect the house and keep the other dog company, but I think they just finally gave in to all our pleadings:)
Saturday and Sunday were long service days, which is always wonderful. Sunday was basically a two hour hike up a mountain in the blazing sun, but the service group was large and we had fun. We did stop at the top for a Coca-Cola and chicken flavored potato chip break, so I can't complain:) We played basketball for three hours that night too, so Jess and I agreed that our exercise quota for the month had been filled.
Today, the Marquez family came to visit and joined us in service. We officially finsished all of the territories as of this morning with one week to spare! The rest of the campaign will be spent going back over them and hopefully finding new people.
I would also like to point out that in the bottom picture we are standing on, and next to, manuere. I wish I could make the photo scratch and sniff so you all could enjoy the aroma as much as I did.
Estefanie
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
A Post...Finally
Sorry for not posting in so long! We just realized its been over two weeks. We are posting two days in row (gasp!) to make up for it. This one is a little overview of service in Tienda Nueva, and the one below has some pictures of our week.
It's been in the back of my head to write about the differences in preaching here and preaching in Florida, and I finally sat down and did it.Here it goes:
~You preach the same territory every week, like the people in NYC who only have a few territories and say "We are making our weekly visits." In the Nueva territory where we are, we go to a different territory every day of the week(Tienda Nueva on Mondays, Potrerillo on Tuesdays, Barrancas on Wednesday, etc) and on the weekends we do one of those territories again or La Bolsa or La Cascada (La Cascada is where we live). They have some meetings in the afternoon and evening, but generally its door to door in the morning, and then studies and return visits in whatever territory you are in that day. This means walking for most of us. Two of the above mentioned territories have some nice hills with rocky roads. As I grew up in Florida, I find these hills to be more like mountains. Did I mention we are not driving up the hill in a car with A/C? No, no, no, we are climbing this rocky, unpaved road in hot weather with only umbrellas to shield us from the sun.
Really though, its not that bad, and its good excercise.
~Here when you get someone home, they generally will give you some time to talk, or at least share a scripture. They have the same problem with return visits not being home or not having time though. In general, they have have more studies thanthe average person in the US, but half the time, the study doesnt have time when you come. And you come once a week, maybe twice, but generally when you are in that territory that week. For comparison, today we went to three studies and five return visits. One of the three studies actually studied, and 2 of the return visits were doorstep studies, two were busy, and one wasn't home.
~Here they take 2 hours for lunch! It's crazy. They have to go home and make lunch, or bring lunch (there is a a few brothers at least in every territory, so if you need a place to chill for lunch, it's available). And even if you eat a small lunch, the rest of the world is preparing and eating lunch for those 2 hours. If you goduring lunchtime, chances are they will be busy and not able to talk.
~Something to appreciate about Florida-the endless amounts of territory and avenues of service. Telephone, letter writing, early morning, tons of (not home usually haha) return visits to drive around to. There is no telephone witnessing here because phone calls are expensive on cell phones and you have to call land lines (Fijo) from a Fijo phone. In Cali (a bigger city), there is early morning, but here there isn't.
So those are some of the highlights of what service is like here compared to my experience in Tampa and Bradenton. Amazingly, as many times as you do the territory, you meet different people at the same houses (because families live together a lot of the time-grandparents, cousins, etc.) so you still find interested people even after the 27th time working the same territory.
Jessica
It's been in the back of my head to write about the differences in preaching here and preaching in Florida, and I finally sat down and did it.Here it goes:
~You preach the same territory every week, like the people in NYC who only have a few territories and say "We are making our weekly visits." In the Nueva territory where we are, we go to a different territory every day of the week(Tienda Nueva on Mondays, Potrerillo on Tuesdays, Barrancas on Wednesday, etc) and on the weekends we do one of those territories again or La Bolsa or La Cascada (La Cascada is where we live). They have some meetings in the afternoon and evening, but generally its door to door in the morning, and then studies and return visits in whatever territory you are in that day. This means walking for most of us. Two of the above mentioned territories have some nice hills with rocky roads. As I grew up in Florida, I find these hills to be more like mountains. Did I mention we are not driving up the hill in a car with A/C? No, no, no, we are climbing this rocky, unpaved road in hot weather with only umbrellas to shield us from the sun.
Really though, its not that bad, and its good excercise.
~Here when you get someone home, they generally will give you some time to talk, or at least share a scripture. They have the same problem with return visits not being home or not having time though. In general, they have have more studies thanthe average person in the US, but half the time, the study doesnt have time when you come. And you come once a week, maybe twice, but generally when you are in that territory that week. For comparison, today we went to three studies and five return visits. One of the three studies actually studied, and 2 of the return visits were doorstep studies, two were busy, and one wasn't home.
~Here they take 2 hours for lunch! It's crazy. They have to go home and make lunch, or bring lunch (there is a a few brothers at least in every territory, so if you need a place to chill for lunch, it's available). And even if you eat a small lunch, the rest of the world is preparing and eating lunch for those 2 hours. If you goduring lunchtime, chances are they will be busy and not able to talk.
~Something to appreciate about Florida-the endless amounts of territory and avenues of service. Telephone, letter writing, early morning, tons of (not home usually haha) return visits to drive around to. There is no telephone witnessing here because phone calls are expensive on cell phones and you have to call land lines (Fijo) from a Fijo phone. In Cali (a bigger city), there is early morning, but here there isn't.
So those are some of the highlights of what service is like here compared to my experience in Tampa and Bradenton. Amazingly, as many times as you do the territory, you meet different people at the same houses (because families live together a lot of the time-grandparents, cousins, etc.) so you still find interested people even after the 27th time working the same territory.
Jessica
Monday, March 15, 2010
Our Weekend
Here is a little collage of our weekend. Rebecca and her parents had a party at their house Friday night for us while Mel was here. Dancing and empanadas until 12am, what more can you ask for? Saturday we went to Brother Rodriquez' finca in the mountains. Some might remember him. He stayed with my dad for bit over 10 years ago. He makes amazing art pieces our of rocks, pistachio shells, pinecones, etc. Dad gave a talk at his hall and also at a little congregation way up in the mountains (see next pic). Dad and Mel left Sunday morning and, later, Rebecca's family had a going away dinner for a young brother who is leaving for France. The dinner somehow turned into a karaoke/dance party until 12am again. All in all, a very enjoyable weekend.
This is this a new little conregation out in the mountains. As you can see, the hall is small, seats maybe 30 people. Normally you wouldnt have a congregation of 20 publishers, but these brothers live pretty far from the city, so its a special arrangement to make it easier for them to attend meetings.
Philip and Gladys drove down on Monday so that they could spend time with Melany. We went to a restuarant called "Siga la Vaca" or "Follow the Cow." There have a covered area with 10 hammocks separate from the restaurant for naptime. And lots of little cows everywhere.
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