Ecuador Blog

The American elder who has lived in Ecuador for about 8 years was appointed as an elder in our congregation last week, so we officially have two elders now!!  I didn’t realize that the Servant who moved here the same time as us was never appointed in our congregation, so we only have two Servants, not three.  Also, that family is planning on moving back to their hometown (Chambo) next month.  We will be losing a pioneer and four publishers when they leave. 

Remember our study, Josephina?  The one who is in a wheelchair and can’t read or write?  Well, she wants to become an unbaptized publisher!!!  The only thing is that her house is not very clean.  She is extremely poor and can’t do much around the house because she’s in a wheelchair.  She lives in a concrete block house with dirt floors (which is extremely common here), but they do not have a door leading from the outside to the kitchen area and they don’t close the doors leading from the outside to the bedrooms.  So, pigeons, chickens, cats, and dogs have free reign of their house.  Needless to say, there is poop EVERYWHERE!!!  Nathan suggested to Tito that the congregation have a work day at her house to help get some things fixed up and cleaned up so she will qualify to be an unbaptized publisher.  Tito agreed it was a good idea.  So, tomorrow, Tito and Nathan will go to her house and make a list of all the things that need to be done.  We hope to have the work day the end of this month!  On a sadder note, Josephina’s mom died this past Friday afternoon.  She was 84 and Josephina (who is 49) has lived with her for her entire life!  But, one good thing:  The funeral was held in a Catholic church (of course) and when we talked to Josephina yesterday she said she felt a little weird being in the church, but she just thought of Jehovah the whole time!!!  That really warmed our hearts to hear her say that.

On a different note, a sister in the Sign Language group confided in my Sunday that she has to go to Guayaquil in July to have an operation.  Her and her husband will be gone for a least a whole month.  She is the one who basically does all the translating and her husband is the only Elder in the group.  He conducts the School and the Bookstudy.  They are waiting until July to have the operation because two pioneer sisters who have been in Sign Language for many years are moving to Ambato to help.  But, even with the two of them, Carmen is very worried to be leaving the group for a whole month.  She confided in me because she wants me to help the group as much as I can while she’s gone.  Plus, she is a true “kindred spirit”.  Those of you who are Anne of Green Gable fans will understand that.  :-)  So, I promised her I would really push myself to help as much as I can.  I’m going to start practicing and studying to see if I can at least translate the Watchtower.  Pray for me!!!

That’s about all the news I can think of for right now.

Love and miss you all,

Jennifer