Exciting Exciting La Vega!

So as you are probably aware I live in a small town called Jarabacoa but what you probably don't know is about our weekly trips to La Vega. Every Wednesday we travel approximately fourty five minutes down the mountain to a nearby city called La Vega. La Vega has a ton of english speakers, including many students and others who have learned it for work and we have been having a ton of success finding these ones. It was even reported that we started six studies in one day! So we are doing a lot of indexing and at this point even have complete maps for working our territories. Anyhow, a couple in our concregation has been putting long days in La Vega doing indexing (where we count the houses and lots) everyday this week. So on Tuesday I was able to join their car group and it turned out to be a pretty exciting day. First off in the morning Cheyenne and I were able to speak with a Dominican man who had lived in the states pretty much his entire life and spoke English like an American! The interesting thing that you have to learn about service in the Dominican is how important personal interest is. I've been so conditioned to people wanting you to get straight to the point I have to force myself to sit and talk with people. They invite you into their homes and you start by talking about their families and themselves for a while before you can bring the conversation around to spiritual things. Anyhow, this guy was Evangelical and spent many years of his youth as a missionary with his family, ironically traveling around the United States. You would have thought he would have shut us down right away but we talked for about fourty five minutes and I was able to paraphrase some scriptures and even invite him to meeting. I'm excited to see how that turns out but that was not even the best part of the day! After lunch (at Burger King . . .its really sad how excited I was to eat a whopper!) Cheyenne and I returned to indexing and were standing at an apartment builing when a woman drove up on her moto. So we explained what we were doing and asked her the normal questions, how many apartments there were and if anyone spoke English, etc. She answered our questions but we didn't talk much as she only spoke spanish. So we continued our work and she kept passing by. Finally she came up to me and asked what exactly we were doing. So that led to me explaining that we were Jehovah's Witnesses and that we were looking for English in the area in order to share a very important message from the Bible. So she told me that her daughter had been taking English classes for years and that she both spoke and read English and than she asked me to study the Bible with her! My mouth almost dropped in shock but through it I was able to get her information, including her phone number and a time to return. So since we were in La Vega on an off day I told her that I would be back in the area on our normal day on Wednesday and would be able to return the very day next day. She told me that was perfect so on Wednesday afternoon I made the return visit and was able to meet her daughter who speaks perfect English! I demonstrated the study and than we went over the first five paragraphs in the Bible Teach book. It was so exciting! I am set up to return next Wednesday to continue the study so I cannot wait to go back! And to add to the excitement, the same day I found another one of my return visits and was able to demonstrate the study so that was two studies started on the same day! Than, this afternoon in service I found a girl who I had spoke to on the last time I was in the country . . . so it had been about eight months since I had seen her and she remembered me! I left the magazines and set up to bring her a Bible Teach book too! I can't help but thank Jehovah for these experiences, His blessings and the opportunity to be here in the Dominican Republic!

Its been so busy!

Wow, I just looked at the date of my last post and its been almost a month. That is insane! Things have been soooo busy here. Between all the visitors, going out of town and finishing the week of the Circuit Overseer its been nonstop! What an encouraging visit we had! The highlight of the week for me was by far the pioneer meeting. Here's where I insert the disclaimer . . .if you haven't had yours. No, I won't ruin it for you but it was a great theme exploring the need and effect of having zeal, endurance and boldness in our ministry. Just enough to whet your appetite. The Dominican Republic has built a reputation for being very welcoming to need greaters and you can sense that in all information provided. Information is tailored specific to our circumstances serving here from dealing with working with people in a small congregation to financial issues to dealing with discouragement. It really helps us to stay encouraged and also to do the best in our ministry. The circuit overseer mentioned how there are usually two groups of people that are here. Some can be here for months and have no calls and no Bible studies. The other group hardly ever does door to door because they have so many! So Brother Brown asked what the difference was? Is it the territory? Of course not! We are all working the same but he mentioned how the second group really looks for opportunities to preach and find interest so that their boldness in the ministry really yields results. Of course than it goes back to us having the boldness and desire to really speak to the people and we were encouraged to show that and pray for whatever we are lacking. The information applies no matter where you are at. We all need boldness in our ministry! Most of us are not naturally comfortable going to up to strangers, myself included. Yesterday on the way to the supermarket we saw two obviously English speakers and I had to convince myself to go up them. Turns out they were from Norway but spoke perfect English! They didn't take anything but we did have a nice conversation and now they know Jehovah's Witnesses are in DR!!! So its my goal to keep up that boldness and joy in my ministry!

More Waterfall Pictures

Amanda, Me, and Jackie

Taylor, Amanda, Jackie, Dayna, and Cassandra

(check out the rainbow in the background)

Tara, Me, Cassandra, and Kali

Resort Pictures

Fresh cut starfruit

December Pioneer Meeting

(we were busting out the room! how exciting is that!)

Our main mode of transportation . . .ha . . .yeah right!

 

Coconut Break in Service!

Getting a 'bola' (free ride) from a brother in the back of his truck.

(It takes real skill to take a pic and hold on at the same time!)

Our Dear Friends!

Angie, Natasha, Jennifer, Me, Raquel and Kali

The girls taking in the sights of the beautiful Dominican Republic! :)

Flashback Party!!!

The English Congregation officially celebrates its One Year Anniversary!

As December 2011 draws to a close Jarabacoa English celebrates its one year anniversary as a congregation. To celebrate our lovely and ambitious party planner Candice coordinated an elaborate affair consisting of our funniest moments of the year! Skits included shots at taking the bus, walking in the territory for hours, Antoine’s surgery . . .nothing was safe and many were given the opportunity to show off their incredible acting skills. We laughed and laughed all night long but even teared up a bit at a touching resurrection scene that was included! It was a great night! Shout out to all the actors and actresses and our hard working director, Candice!