I seem to be at a loss as things to write about, but as I get going, hopefully things will come to me. Yesterday was to be my day to go to Kaituma. Terri expressed a desire to go, since with having house guests, she at times likes to be able to ‘get away’. Because of the change of my usual routine of getting ready to go, (yeah, I’m trying to shift the responsibility) I didn’t pack my tool kit and after about five miles, I had another flat on the front of my bike. But without tools, there wasn’t much we could do but wait and hope for a passing vehicle, either going to Kaituma or back to the Ridge. After a bit, I said if nothing came in the next fifteen minutes we should start walking home. Nothing did, so we did, and ended up walking an hour and a half back home. When we got there I asked Stephan if he would go to Kaituma for the study and drop me off at the bike on his way by.
I fixed the tire, (without leaving the tool inside this time) and drove back home. When Stephan got back, he remarked on what a nice study it had been. The one woman, Naomi, was there again, (third week in a row) as well as another new one. He mentioned there had been quite a bit of discussion after the study, generated by the subject of the study, namely dedication and baptism. One of the women had asked if a woman could get baptized if her husband was an ‘unbeliever’.
When I was studying with Mr. Gaskin on Tuesday a vehicle stopped by the place we study and the driver spoke to Mr. Gaskin and mentioned he was showing someone around Matthew’s Ridge. Another man then stepped in and introduced himself. He said he was with Church Of Christ, and he had been here ten years ago. Mr. Gaskin acknowledged remembering him. The man said he was just looking around, but might possibly be coming back next year. Mr. Gaskins told him he would be there. The man laughed a bit and said, “The Good Lord willing.” Mr. Gaskins said, “Yes, with Jehovah’s help.” I wondered what the man thought of that.
This last week I was standing in the back of the Kingdom Hall after the Sunday meeting. I couldn’t help but notice Juliet stop and push some money in the contribution box as she went by. I don’t know if there are any much poorer than she, but she was moved to make a donation none the less. It certainly called to mind Jesus’ comment about the widow’s mite.
We have received further word of James. He had an appointment with an eye specialist, and is scheduled for some sort of procedure in the middle of next month. So it seems like they think they can do something for him. It will mean staying in ‘town for a good bit longer, but he will get a lot of exposure to the brotherhood while there and this weekend is the Special Assembly Day program, so he should get to meet many more.
We are very much looking forward to the arrival of more brothers, Andrew, Jonathan, and Jared Forman. We have received word that they will be flying into the Ridge on Friday, so this weekend’s meetings should have plenty of helpers. But then next week Stephan is leaving us. He flies to Miami to spend a few days with his father, then to Norway to spend a couple of weeks with his grandfather, then to Mexico to spend a few weeks with his mom, brother, sister, and step-dad, then finally on to Peru where he is planning on serving next. He will be very much missed here in Matthew’s Ridge, but as Jesus said, the field is the world.
We are once again without the services of a Post Office in Matthew’s Ridge. As you may recall, it had been closed for several weeks due to fraud on the part of the local Post Master. They hired and trained a replacement and reopened the Post Office, but I was informed that they had problems with the new one and it has been closed again. You would think that someone who got the job due to the wrongs of another would be aware that they were watching that sort of thing and not try it themselves, especially when jobs are so hard to come by in these parts, to get a decent job, and then lose it due to dishonesty. Someone once said that the mind of a criminal does not work like a ‘normal’ person’s mind.
For this week’s pictures I’ve included one of our papaya tree which has grown up next to the Kingdom Hall. This week we were able to experience the ‘first-fruits’ from the tree. The other is a picture of a couple of white girls out walking to a study in the middle of the jungle. The hike back involves a fairly strenuous uphill climb, and I was waiting a little way past the top to get a picture of Justina when she reached the top. But she was too quick for me and threw her hand up to block the shot.
