We are currently in Georgetown (hence the ability to post up pictures. We will be here through the weekend. It makes a nice break in the routine and allows us to pick up things that are available at Matthew’s Ridge. Today I bought a piece of laminate to do the counter tops with in the house. I only hope I will be able to cut it to fit without chipping and breaking it up. The tools I have for working with it are very limited.
We left the young brothers from Colorado in the Ridge to do the meetings while we are away. It should be a fitting climax to their visit, to be responsible for handling the School and Service Meeting as well as the Public Talk and Watchtower. Terri, I, and Aletha will be flying back to the Ridge Monday morning. The brothers will be at the airstrip, as they are flying out on the plane we come in on. Stephan also came out with us, but he will be staying in town for awhile since his folks are flying to Barbados for a little vacation with him. He will be returning to the Ridge towards the end of November. So I will be handling everything alone for a few weeks.
I have a program on my computer to assist with scheduling the school. So last night I entered in all the student information and hit the button to make a new schedule. A little window opened up and informed me that there are not enough students to make a schedule. So I guess I will have to do it the old-fashioned way.
As of now I have 10 bible studies I’m conducting. But with the three boys leaving, I am going to have to pick up their more promising studies, as well as cover for Stephan while he is away.
One of my more outstanding studies is with an older man who lives an hour walk from the hall. Stephan had taken me there shortly after I arrived, since he had as many studies as he could handle. After walking all the way there, the man told me his eyes were bad so he couldn’t read. At that point I was thinking I didn’t know as I wanted to walk an hour to try and study with someone who would not be able to read. Then I learned that back when the old Hall had been in the Ridge, he used to walk four hours each way to attend the meetings. I decided if he had been willing to do that, I could exert myself a little to try and help him.
I decided that what I would do was to share a teaching, and then give him a scripture to remember in connection with it. The first time I talked about the importance of God’s name and ended up giving him Ps. 83:18 to remember. When I returned the next week I reviewed what we had talked about, and the importance of being able to share what we learned with others, but making sure that rather than just tell them bible truths, we were able to share it from the bible with them. I then asked him what God’s name was, and as expected, he replied, “Jehovah.”. I then asked him where he could find it in the bible, and he paused for a minute and then said, “Psalms 83:18”, that made the hour walk all worthwhile. Since then we have discussed the future of the earth (Ps. 37:29), the condition of the dead (Ecc. 9:5), why the world is in such a mess, (1 John 5:19), and this last week whether all religions are just different roads leading to God (Mt. 7:21) and he has been able to recall them all (well, we will have to see about the latest).
To make it even better, the third week, when I got there he was sitting there wearing spectacles. I was very surprised and after reviewing his scriptures and giving him a next teaching with accompanying scripture, I asked if he wanted to do a little from the book, because I had seen a large print Bible Teach book in his house (I was able to see it because the house has no walls). He said he couldn’t read so good, but I encouraged him to give it a try. He read very good!! I asked him how he had learned to read, and he said he and his brother had taught themselves. This last week I had reminded him how he used to walk four hours to get to the Kingdom Hall, and mentioned that it is much closer now. He just kind of smiled, so I will keep after him and expect he will be there, ‘just now’.
It is amazing how many of the ones in the Ridge are very poorly educated. Another man who regularly comes to the Hall, with a 45 minute walk, studies with Stephan. I had conducted the study when he went to Barimita, and would ask him if he knew the meaning of words that we take for granted, but I thought might be beyond him, He asked me what the word ‘additionally’ meant. I mentioned it was related to the idea of adding. I said, “Like two plus two.” I then asked him if he knew what two plus two was, and he said, “No brother.” But when I asked if he had two mangos, and then he picked two more, how many would he have, and he said, “Four.” So he understands the concept, but he is not familiar with the expressions.
As you have already seen, I am able to post up pictures so I have chosen a few for your viewing pleasure. One is a Saturday service group. We had 100% participation that morning, which is not that unusual. I also included a picture of the group while the sisters were with us Cameron is in the middle with Hannah on her left and Chian on her right. Aletha is behind Chian. Derrick must have said something funny to Stephan. Seth is behind Derrick and Keith is behind Stephan. I also included a shot of Terri and I on our way to some studies Saturday afternoon. It’s the only ones I drive to. Also, so you know it's not all work and no play, I have included a picture from a hike we took to a falls here. As we found out, it's called falls for more than one reason, But don't worry moms, everyone is OK
I will go through my pictures more and post more up before I leave Georgetown. As they say, “Feast or Famine.”
We left the young brothers from Colorado in the Ridge to do the meetings while we are away. It should be a fitting climax to their visit, to be responsible for handling the School and Service Meeting as well as the Public Talk and Watchtower. Terri, I, and Aletha will be flying back to the Ridge Monday morning. The brothers will be at the airstrip, as they are flying out on the plane we come in on. Stephan also came out with us, but he will be staying in town for awhile since his folks are flying to Barbados for a little vacation with him. He will be returning to the Ridge towards the end of November. So I will be handling everything alone for a few weeks.
I have a program on my computer to assist with scheduling the school. So last night I entered in all the student information and hit the button to make a new schedule. A little window opened up and informed me that there are not enough students to make a schedule. So I guess I will have to do it the old-fashioned way.
As of now I have 10 bible studies I’m conducting. But with the three boys leaving, I am going to have to pick up their more promising studies, as well as cover for Stephan while he is away.
One of my more outstanding studies is with an older man who lives an hour walk from the hall. Stephan had taken me there shortly after I arrived, since he had as many studies as he could handle. After walking all the way there, the man told me his eyes were bad so he couldn’t read. At that point I was thinking I didn’t know as I wanted to walk an hour to try and study with someone who would not be able to read. Then I learned that back when the old Hall had been in the Ridge, he used to walk four hours each way to attend the meetings. I decided if he had been willing to do that, I could exert myself a little to try and help him.
I decided that what I would do was to share a teaching, and then give him a scripture to remember in connection with it. The first time I talked about the importance of God’s name and ended up giving him Ps. 83:18 to remember. When I returned the next week I reviewed what we had talked about, and the importance of being able to share what we learned with others, but making sure that rather than just tell them bible truths, we were able to share it from the bible with them. I then asked him what God’s name was, and as expected, he replied, “Jehovah.”. I then asked him where he could find it in the bible, and he paused for a minute and then said, “Psalms 83:18”, that made the hour walk all worthwhile. Since then we have discussed the future of the earth (Ps. 37:29), the condition of the dead (Ecc. 9:5), why the world is in such a mess, (1 John 5:19), and this last week whether all religions are just different roads leading to God (Mt. 7:21) and he has been able to recall them all (well, we will have to see about the latest).
To make it even better, the third week, when I got there he was sitting there wearing spectacles. I was very surprised and after reviewing his scriptures and giving him a next teaching with accompanying scripture, I asked if he wanted to do a little from the book, because I had seen a large print Bible Teach book in his house (I was able to see it because the house has no walls). He said he couldn’t read so good, but I encouraged him to give it a try. He read very good!! I asked him how he had learned to read, and he said he and his brother had taught themselves. This last week I had reminded him how he used to walk four hours to get to the Kingdom Hall, and mentioned that it is much closer now. He just kind of smiled, so I will keep after him and expect he will be there, ‘just now’.
It is amazing how many of the ones in the Ridge are very poorly educated. Another man who regularly comes to the Hall, with a 45 minute walk, studies with Stephan. I had conducted the study when he went to Barimita, and would ask him if he knew the meaning of words that we take for granted, but I thought might be beyond him, He asked me what the word ‘additionally’ meant. I mentioned it was related to the idea of adding. I said, “Like two plus two.” I then asked him if he knew what two plus two was, and he said, “No brother.” But when I asked if he had two mangos, and then he picked two more, how many would he have, and he said, “Four.” So he understands the concept, but he is not familiar with the expressions.
As you have already seen, I am able to post up pictures so I have chosen a few for your viewing pleasure. One is a Saturday service group. We had 100% participation that morning, which is not that unusual. I also included a picture of the group while the sisters were with us Cameron is in the middle with Hannah on her left and Chian on her right. Aletha is behind Chian. Derrick must have said something funny to Stephan. Seth is behind Derrick and Keith is behind Stephan. I also included a shot of Terri and I on our way to some studies Saturday afternoon. It’s the only ones I drive to. Also, so you know it's not all work and no play, I have included a picture from a hike we took to a falls here. As we found out, it's called falls for more than one reason, But don't worry moms, everyone is OK
I will go through my pictures more and post more up before I leave Georgetown. As they say, “Feast or Famine.”
