Day 22 - Studies

Slept in a little because we didn't have our first study until 10am in Cumbaratza. Erik and Ryan had a "brief" elders meeting in the kitchen while drinking their coffee.  We had our breakfast and we were off for the 30 minute walk to Cumbaratza.  It was an overcast day and a little drizzly but that was ok as it cut down on the sweating a "bit".  Although by the time we got to Marisol's house (after climbing the steep, rocky, somewhat treacherous hill) we were both sweating like chanchos. But man is that study worth it.  She is truly a joy to study with.  It was very kind of Veronica to "lend" her for 3 months. Not only is she totally prepared with all the scriptures looked up, but she really gets it and can explain it clearly.  She is a teacher and it seems she appreciates the value of good preparation.  She is pretty regular at the meetings on Saturday, but her nightime teaching job prevents her from attending Thursday nights (for now). Today we finished chapter 11 on why god permits suffering & i got to use Diana Vivanco's illustration for 2 Pet 3:9. I thought Erik was gonna sit there all day and study with her. On the way back, in the "Quebrada", we stopped at another possible study, Merci, a 19 yr old girl I spoke with Tuesday who was eager to have us come back. She already had the ensena bk (thanks again Veronica) and really showed an eagerness to understand the Bible and a good ability to do so. Unfortunately she was on her way out but said for us to come back Tues at 8:30 - yeah that's right. I had to push it to 8:45 bc we meet for service at 8:30 (yes everyday, except monday of course).

Came home for lunch, a little blogging, studying and back out in service at 2pm. Erik went off to find a few of his studies and I went with Shawn on what was to be the first study with a woman he had called on for a while and left magazines. Her name is Eliza (short for Elizabeth) and her daughter Damaris.  We were on our way up (already having climbed the steep hill past Marisol's house) and on round 2 of the hill when we passed by a little girl Shawn studies with.  She asked "hermanito me puedes ayudar? Tengo que llevar estas cajas arriba."(asking if he could help her carry a few boxes up the hill) - with such innocence who could say no or know that "arriba" was spanish for 2 miles up this steep hill. Not Shawn. So we all 3 started back up the hill again, passing the new study's house, all the while, Shawn asking how much farther.We kept going, rounded the corner, passed a few more houses (still climbing mind u) when she signaled to the house about another 1/2 mile up the hill. At that point we realized it would be good if I went back and started the study, which I did. I went through the prologue and then asked which of the questions she has ever wondered. She picked the one about the condition of the dead so we went to pg 58, parragraphs 5 & 6. I demonstrated how a study in the book works with those 2 parragraphs, she got her Bible and seemed to understand well the texts in Eccl and Psalms. She said we could come back next week and start that chapter. (Shawn made it back in time to say goodbye)

At 3pm we met at the hall and Erik went with Shawn. I worked with Diana (see the photo from last night) We did another one of my new studies, Silvia and then visited one of Dianas studies for a little pep talk and then the study with Maria Ester. (I know what ur thinking and I was mentally psyched up to eat whatever-and starving enough by then too) But no food this week, actually, Diana was gonna go back at 7 to watch the video from last night and she said she would have something prepared.

We finished up with one more of Diana's RV's that had moved and finally tracked her down. She was very nice and Diana set up a visit for next Friday to go over info in the chapter about prayer in the ensena bk.

On a side note: I may have found out why the police stopped us and asked for papers (apparently that's very abnormal here). I had noticed this last call and her husband watching suspiciously as we asked their neighbor accross the street if they knew her.  And she explained that very recently there has been a taller woman with blond hair (in her 50's ) pretending to be one of JW's to scope out homes, and then coming back with 2 tall men to rob people.  Her father had a run in with this woman and then a local woman was actually robbed. So when they saw me standing there (i resent the age reference) and Diana had her back to them, she made her husband wait around to see what we were doing.  It wasn't until Diana turned around that they sighed relief. Great-just what I need, a look-a-like (or so they say) instilling fear in the people of Cumbaratza. As if people weren't staring enough before. Now I know how Erik felt when we first moved to Spanish and everyone in the territory feared he was "La migra".

It was amusing today because everyone you asked how they were they said "con frio" which means cold.  I guess all things are realive but 65 degrees and drizzly is far from cold for us. I had my sleeveless shirt on all day. Sorry, no pics tonight, but the papaya my RV gave us the other day was delicious!

Well, it's Friday night.....sweet dreams.....until 5am that is.