~The New Apartment~

(Living Room)

Jehovah really is GOOD!

This apartment spoils us girls.  It makes us feel safe, comfortable and happy.

(Dinning Room)


This table you will remember from my other apt.  Not all the furniture is mine like the living room set.  Some stuff came with the apt.

(Kitchen)

(Bathroom)

(Girls Bedroom)

(My bedroom)


It has a great built in closet!
Well, if any of you are wanting to come for a visit, I have room.  While I am back in the States (June 11th-Sept 6th)  I am looking for someone to rent the apt.  $300/monthly plus utilities. 
Let me know if you are interested.  :)

Isolated Territories!

Tomina, Padilla and Serrano

Wow!  What a three-day weekend!


A brother in my hall was assigned to give the talk in Serrano and Padilla so I asked to go with him, his wife and sister to help out.  The four of us headed out by bus to three of the isolated territories that our congregation is assigned.  Serrano is an established group, Padilla has a little place in town for the Sunday meetings and Tomina is still a working progress.  

First stop, Tomina.  

Tomina has at least 5,000 residents.  The four of us didn't even make a dent in the territory during the time we were there.  The couple that I came with, Jimmy and Keylet Tamay, have been coming to Tomina once a month for the past year and a half.  However, this was the first time that they had been back to Tomina in 5 months.  So they were anxious to see their studies again.  As soon as we arrive we head off to the first study to ask where they serve the best food for lunch since we were all famished.  She was so happy to find out that Jimmy and Keylet hadn't moved back to the states and to never return.  Unfortunately, the restaurant that she recommended was out of lunch so we had to search town a bit to find lunch.  On successfully finding lunch we were ready to start preaching.  I found that the little town was very receptive to the the good news.  Of course, the majority had never been preached to before and were eager to learn.  I only saw two churches in town.  Both churches did a very poor job at teaching their members.  I'd say about 80% didn't have a bible and 50% couldn't read.  However, the majority spoke Spanish which was a relief to me.  It is really hard preaching to some of the isolated towns since many speak only Quechua and can't read.  

Their was one very hospitable woman that is worth relating.  One of Keylet's studies is named Exhaltacion who has a husband and three kids.  As soon as she saw Keylet she about fell over.  She wanted to make sure that everything was ok since they hadn't been back in so long.  Then insisted that we ate at her house for dinner.   So the four of us went back to her house at dinner and stayed til 8:00 witnessing.  Then Keylet and I were just done and went back to the hostel.  But Jimmy and his sister had arranged a study for 8:00 and so they didn't get back to the hostel til 10:00.  Talk about a long, productive day!

The whole time that we were preaching passersby would stop us to ask what we were doing and some asked us to visit them next time.  I wish that we could work this territory more.  Keylet and Jimmy are the only ones that preach to this town.

Next stop, Serrano.  


Serrano has about 7,500 residents.  We arrived at lunch on Saturday.  I just wanted to nap all afternoon after walking the streets all morning in Tomina and the bus ride to Serrano but somehow I recovered some energy to go on some return visits with Debbie McKay, a sister that is from the United States that is living in Padilla.  She comes to Serrano every Friday and Saturday to attend the meetings and attend to her bible students.  
The above picture shows the packed meeting.  There were a lot of students there for the first time.  We had 36 in attendance!  Some that were attending for their first time gave comments and read scriptures.  It was cute, too, that some of the regular attenders were proud of the attendance as well.  There was only three baptized brothers in attendance so I had to do microphones.  Then since there were people still coming in during the Watchtower study I lost my seat.  There wasn't a empty seat in the house and some of the kids were sitting on parent's laps.  There is major need and good response in this group's territory!  

Last stop, Padilla.


Padilla has about 7,500 residents as well.  It has even more need then Serrano since there is only one baptized sister, Debbie, and two newly unbaptized publishers in this town.  
In order to get to Padilla from Serrano we had to take a "Micro" at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday.  A mirco is a dirty, old, mini school bus (the short bus).  It only is an hour drive in this dirty, cramped, smelly, and did I mention it was dirty, cramped and smelly.  haha!  It actually wasn't that bad of a ride.  No horror to stories to recount this time.  Debbie has some good stories since she takes this ride every week.  You can put up with anything knowing that it is only an hour.

Chicken anyone?

Or maybe a turkey?

The whole Serrano group of brothers and sisters came to help us in Padilla.   

After going door-to-door all morning we were beat.  So it was nice of Debbie to let us crash at her house during "siesta".  Siesta is the time period between noon and 2:00.  Everyone goes home for lunch and then takes a nap before returning to work or school.  I'm really getting to like this custom.  

At 3:30 starts the Padilla meeting.  Jimmy gave the talk here as well then, due to their only being two brothers, he read the Watchtower.  Guess who had micro duty??

Debbie with one of her students that attended the meeting.

This the is family of the two new publishers, Aime and Rodrigo.  The older girl, Aime, has been studying for less than two years and has the goal to get baptized.  I worked with her in the ministry during the morning.  I was impressed with how put together that she was.  She talked to the people at the door like she had been doing it all her life.  Her little brother, Rodrigo, is very mature for his age.  After the other brothers left to do studies at mid-morning, he took the lead of the group and took note of all the not-at-homes.  Very impressive!

Don't you want to be part of this group? ? ?
Apartments are cheap.  Roughly $100/monthly.  Or you have the option of renting a room for literally next to nothing.  Then, there is the option of staying at the hotel for $4-$5 a night.  Debbie isn't going to be able to stay in Padilla for a whole lot more time so who is going to keep an eye on the new publishers after she leaves? Why not try it out for a month or two?

Little this, little that...

Service Days...

This is one of my students, Segundina.  She is so sweet.  She really wants to know the truth and remembers really well.  Her son moved to Colorado after getting a scholarship to the Denver's University.  Segundina's first language is Quechua.  However, she speaks and understands Spanish very well.  She studies with me on the sidewalk step in front of  her shop.  She has some opposition from the lady that she shares her shop with and from her husband.  But she is determined to know the truth.  The lady she works with is nicer now but she still has opposition from her husband.  Even so, she is very bold and tells me that the things she learns from the bible she tells her husband even thou he doesn't want to hear.

So, as you can see, Segundina, has a little meat stand.  Yummy...
When she has a customer she hands me her book, chops up a piece and weighs it, and then returns to studying.  I offered her hand sanitizer and she took it the first time but after that she wouldn't use it.  She thought that putting it on her hands was more of a treat then a necessity.  That's a problem since now there is no way I can keep from getting all her raw meat and chicken germs all over my book.  Oh well....it's Bolivia.

Country Cooking...

Looks good, huh?
Yeah...we actually had no hand in making the...whatever it was that they were making.  It was just fun getting pictures of how normal life is for some.  But you can see one of the reasons why you need to think twice about getting food from the street.  It might be made at a place like this and then let sit out for hours in the sun to let who knows have access to it.

The old couple in the middle are the ones that were so nice as to give us a tour of their home and garden.  In their garden they have a natural spring that used to be used by the whole town to draw water and wash clothes.  But now there is running water available to most of the homes and thankfully more modern technology that they only use the spring to help water their garden.  It's hard to imagine everyone in town washing their clothes at the spring since it is only a 4x4 ft hole but I guess you do what you gotta do.

Rock Climbing...

I haven't gone recently but these are some pictures that I wanted to put up a while ago and never got to.

Sorry, no pictures of me climbing... I'm saving myself the embarrassment of everyone seeing my backside in a harness.  lol  Believe me, I climbed too!  Can't wait to go back.  :)

I'm leaving tomorrow for Serrano, Tomina and Padilla for the weekend.  Hope to be able to get some good shots to send.  Then I'll work on getting pictures of the apt.  Sorry for the delay.

Serrano

Serrano

Serrano is one of the isolated territories that my congregation supports.  It even has a group of 5 publishers.  My roommates and I had the chance to go along with a group from my hall that went along to support the visit of the circuit overseer and his wife.  

It is a 5 hour bus ride from Sucre.  I could handle any distance as long as they promised me that I would get the window seat so I could watch the breathe-taking scenery.

Joel and Rocio de Pecho, the special pioneer couple that have been assigned to Serrano within the past year. The group rents a couple of rooms in this building.  In the back of the little hall the owner serves lunch.  Therefore, it makes sense that he would put his Surena beer sign right under the the meeting sign.

Our fun group after the meeting!  The CO is the one kneeling on the far right and his wife is standing above him in the orange-tan jacket.  Jeins and Dina Theirfielder from Germany.

Elisnor, the sister in the white jacket lives in the back of where they hold the meetings.  (Since it's not a congregation and is still a group, it isn't called a kingdom hall yet.)  Elisnor has 22 bible studies and many attend meetings.  Wow!

We stopped at one of the famous stores.  The shop of the maker of the biggest, working charango in the world.  He was mighty proud.  But, I have to give it to him, his work was something to be proud of.  He let us test out his hand made guitars and charangos.  A nice charango is about 600 bolivianos or a little less than $100 but of course the price varies to quality.  The guitar that Courtney is holding is $200.  (Updated info)

So we had to try out the lunch spot behind the hall.  It was really good.  I asked for no salad and they gave me extra steak instead.  My kinda people!  :)

(Courtney, Me and Kandra)

The hardest part about visiting Serrano was saying good-bye.  I can not wait til my next trip.  Hopefully I can make the trip at least once a month.  My roommates want to stay an extended period of time sometime soon.  

  

So much spiritual activity!

Zone Visit!

January 22, 2012

The Zone Overseer, Guy Pierce, governing body member visited Santa Cruz, Bolivia.  Although I was not able to travel to Santa Cruz I was able to hear and see the program.  We met at the Play House in Sucre.  There was 26,000 in attendance for all of Bolivia.  

With fellow need greater, Ana, in Mesa Verde Congregation.  Some you may have seen her and her husband, Justin, before since they have family in Melbourne area.  They are an awesome couple.  Not only are they serious in the ministry, they are big rock climbers and they ride their bikes everywhere.

Circuit Overseer's Visit!
Pioneer Meeting!

We have 26 regular pioneers (including special pioneers and missionaries) helping the Sur Congregation right now.  Some are visitors that won't be here permanently.  We have 6 auxiliary pioneers as well this month.  These pioneers do not include those that are part of the Serrano group that our congregation supports.
Don't let all these pioneers make you think that there isn't any need in Sucre.  I reported 7 bible studies last month.  January is one of the hardest month for bible studies even since everyone travels in the summer.

One of my roommates is in this picture.  Kandra Painter is the sister with blonde hair and the green shirt.  She will be with me at my new apt til the middle of April.  She is from upstate NY, the town of Lake George, a few hours from Bethel.  I couldn't ask for better roommates.  I hope everything works out like they can come back again like they plan.

Saturday Service Group
(Just a few snap shots.)

Me and my little friend Natalie.

Amelie Horte on left from Canada.  She and her husband, Ben, will be here for 1 year.  Bolivian sister in middle.  Mexican sister visiting for 2 1/2 months.
There are always people coming and going to help out.  Which is great in helping our territory seeded but our congregation lacks watering.  I don't know how many people in the territory have told me that they had studied before and many have come to the meetings but then no one came back to visit them.  Our recent local needs was on doing return visits.  Then again at our pioneer meeting the CO gave the pioneers instructions to bring any extra pen and paper to give to our publisher partner to use to write down their calls.  Then we are to write down their call in our book, too, so that we can go and remind them to do their return visit.  Interesting huh?  I bought a call book when I got here and I have like 5 pages left in it.  There isn't a lack of interested people but the friends just have a fear of doing returns.  There is an average of 2 return visits per publisher per month.  I had 49 returns last month.  Hopefully all us pioneers can help them be more at ease.

~Coming soon....View of the new apt!~ 
  

Hiking with the Sur Congregation

Hiking up Seeka Seeka!

The group of young people that didn't leave for summer vacation for two months. 

It was a beautiful day!