To continue with the update from our meeting in Volcan last Thursday, the local brothers (with letters of recommendation) saw in this group of 9 a prime opportunity to have some fresh faces on stage. So this past Wednesday Jim conducted the Congregation Bible Study, Lawson did the reading, I gave talk # 2 with Valora as my house holder, and next week Harriette will give a talk with Zoe and Aidan will give the Bible Reading.
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| Volcan Kingdom Hall, quite small |
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| 3 congregations in Volcan- English, Spanish, Ngobe |
`In service this past week we served in the most Paradisaic valley I think I have ever seen. Covered in lush greenery of every variety from banana trees to coconut palms, unless the land has been cleared for cattle to graze there is not a square inch that is not producing something.
In some of the fields that we have seen the “posts” have grown in size to fair sized trees and are nearly touching their neighbors for a solid wall. In many cases they put up barbed wire to keep the cattle in, but within not too many years the fence has taken on a life of its own.
In all of this beauty Harriette met a Spanish man at the door who (as usual here) spoke no English. But when he figured out that Harriette spoke no Spanish he went inside and brought out a young man, his Son-in-law.
Come to find out that he is from Daphne AL here with his wife and his new baby, only 20 days old. They are here so that they can afford to have the baby since they have no insurance. He said he would like to have a study when he gets back home to Daphne in a few weeks, so it is being arranged for someone to follow up on that. As Harriette waited for him to write down his name and address in AL for a follow up call she looked to one side and saw a Spanish Bible Teach book on the shelf. After getting the Dad's attention she asked him was he a witness. HE IS STUDYING here in Bugaba. (pronounced Boo-gaa-ba, accent on the center syllable)
So we came all the way to Panama to find someone who wanted to study in Alabama.
We have also met our share of weirdo's in service. It seems that they exist in every country. Lawson met a Baha’i man, an odd religion. Most of them look more like hippie's from the 60's that never grew up. This one was typical, and impossible to reason with. Valora met a New Yorker that was philosophical genuis/idiot. He said he is taking Bible courses through the internet, but does not consider himself a Christian, but a reformed Catholic. Go figure on that one.
Jim and I worked the blocks near and around the 6 studies that Peggy and Doug have scattered throughout Bugaba. We had a blast!! However we did not find any English speaking people. But the up side was very good.
We are getting better by the hour with our Spanish. They say when you dream in Spanish, or any new language that you are trying to learn, you are on your way to getting it. We also met some very sweet brothers and sisters in each of our neighborhoods that we worked in.
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| One of our Spanish Brothers and Sisters |
In another neighborhood we met a very sweet older Spanish brother and sister that invited us in and showed us their house and their 3 sons (in pictures on the wall) and told us very slowly and patiently their ages and how long in the truth and how long they had lived there. We got their whole history and a glass of cold water.
One brother saw us going door to door (3 rd neighborhood) and escorted us around the block on his bicycle, for each house, helped us find a cold drink ( bottled water), and at the water stand he announced to his Spanish neighbor that we were his brother and sister from the United States and gave us big hugs.
Sunday we helped double the attendance at the meeting in Volcan. With 9 of us coming all at once we rather leave a wide wake. (More on that later)
This Tuesday the meeting was moved up to 2pm in the afternoon to allow time for the Circuit Overseer to take up his needed Tues and Thursday with the Spanish Congregation. So because the day was cut in half we decided that it would be a good day to do laundry. But we have no washer or dryer so it is necessary to use the “laundry” in town.
When we were booking our rooms to rent here the owner told us that she always used the “Lavanderia”. So Harriette and I made plans to do the same and then thought better of it out of concern for some of our more soiled clothes. So we bought laundry soap and bleach and headed into town for the Lavanderia.
In the states it is little problem to find a washing machine and dryer. Here, such DOES NOT EXIST, as far as we can tell. All Lavanderia are run by a Spanish woman or perhaps her entire family. It is a source of income and you are not allowed to use their washers or dryers. And trying to get them to understand that we wanted to use their washers or dryers was beyond our linguistic abilities.
So now we are proud owners of laundry detergent and bleach that we will be leaving behind........
But on the upside they do a beautiful job of the laundry here. For 3.50 a load they wash, dry, and fold it for you. I suppose if we lived closer they might put it away for you too...(just kidding).
It took us till 12pm to get the laundry to 2 different locations. And at some point around 1pm the town shut off the water for about 2 hours. This is not uncommon either. We finally collected all our laundry at 8 pm that night.
Enough of laundry.
Yesterday (Wednesday) we took the bus to
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| Service in Bugaba |
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| David is a large city like any other with everything you need.....if you can find it. |
Since there are 9 of us they rented the entire hostel to us which is 4 bedrooms and 2 baths in the main house. There is more rooms elsewhere, but in secondary areas.
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| Hostel in Alto Boquete- Spanish by the River |
Our schedule this week is to do whitewater rafting, and horseback riding on Friday, and service on Saturday.
So this morning we went to the “corner” to catch a taxi. We are getting used to this procedure. Taxi's here are extremely cheap. Here in Boquete it runs .60 cents a head. Taxi's are a social affair and if you do not “fill” the taxi others will join you until it is full.
No problem with our 9.... So this morning we caught a Toyota 4 door (Tacoma) “taxi”. We had to get to the whitewater rafting office asap, SO WE ALL PILED INTO ONE TAXI !!!! 9 people in a Toyota..... maybe a new record. Zoe, Aliah, and Asa were in the front, along with the driver-- Lawson, Harriette and Valora and me with Aidan on our laps sat in the back. At one point just before takeoff I had shoved Aidan all the way up against the far door to make room for the next bottom and Valora in an effort to help came around the far side to climb in, and opened the door on an unsuspecting Aidan who started grabbing for air as he fell out of the truck !!!!!
This afternoon on the way home we did the same pile procedure and just explained to the driver that we were “loco gringos”. He didn't even bat an eyelash in surprise !!!!
The Whitewater rafting was the most exciting and beautiful afternoon I have had in some years. 8 of us went, our youngest whitewater rafter was 8 years old. Having done this once before I thought I was prepared, but as far as I can figure their “rating” system here for rough water is different than in the states. Level 3 in Colorado is mildly exciting and you might get a little wet in the raft. Level 5 is considered rated for experienced rafters.
At several points we were nearly at or at, level 4. We all had a screaming good time and no one fell out and we managed not to “dump” ourselves over. Our guide was a very mischievous young Spanish fellow who felt it his mission in life to see that everyone took a “dip” out of the raft. He nearly managed with everyone.
Tomorrow we go horseback riding. That will balance out the “workout” we are getting. Today the upper body, tomorrow the lower......... (hahaha).
Last night (Wednesday) was the scheduled meeting for the English Boquete meeting.
Jim is giving the talk this Sunday. And we were present for a very important announcement........ The
Boquete English Group has been approved to have a weekly Watchtower meeting every Sunday. They currently have their own Congregation Bible Study, & Theocratic School. They will continue to meet with the Spanish congregation for their Service Meeting (they will continue to do this until there are more publishers). When they can get a brother from another congregation to give the Sunday talk they have a Public Talk. I understand this is not every week. And now they will have their own Watchtower Study. Wonderful forward progress.
This coming Sunday we hope to double the size of the congregation meeting here by nearly 200%. They meet for their meeting in the back Library. The room is approx 8 feet wide by 20 feet long with one wall taken up with the K.H. Library. With 11 people at the meeting this past Wednesday the room was full and we were nearly sitting in the lap of the Brother conducting the meeting. When the rest of us show up (6 more) I'm not sure where Jim will stand to give the talk..... !!!!! (lol) This promises to be a lot of fun......
If any of you are at this point thinking of helping out here in Panama they could certainly use the help here.
In Boquete the English are moving in more and more everyday. The rents here are around 4 to 8 hundred, unless you look around and find a small house that needs some paint and some fixing, then places can be found for less.
Most of the houses here are done completely in concrete block and tile. They are truly beautiful and unique. Air conditioning is not needed in Boquete as the temp remains around 70-75 all the time. At night it may drop to 68 at the lowest. Electric (in Volcan) seem to be around 30 for the average month. Water is nearly free. Boquete is somewhat higher. I will learn more as I go. We have found one place for rent for under 200 in Volcan. Most seem to run around 250 to 400 per month. If you prefer the warmer temps you simply go a few feet lower. David is a huge town with all the stores one could need, and the usual American prices to match. They are somewhat cheaper, but higher than the rest of the stores elsewhere here where we are now.
But we are finding that the best way to shop is the local fruit stands. Today on the way back from Whitewater Rafting we stopped at one stand and picked up 25 bananas for $1 dollar !!!!! We bought a 11 POUND ACORN SQUASH for 4 dollars !!!!! I had no idea that acorn squash could grow to the size of a large watermelon !!! The other day I picked up 35 pounds of white onions for $7.50 !!!! If you can't find it on one level of the mountain you can find it either higher or lower from where you are. This place is amazing. Oh, and we also found fresh milk that I pasteurized and separated the cream and made butter. All for $2.50 a gallon. If I can locate the rennet, cheese is next. Any cheese product or milk product here is VERY EXPENSIVE. So this is a treat to be able to enjoy it for only ½ the price.
OK so all for this letter. So much happens here in the space of 48 hours that I will be taking notes and sending the next letter along before to many days go by.
All our love,
Hope we have lightened your day.
Gail, Jim, Lawson, Harriette, Aidan, Valora, Aliah, & Asa and Zoe
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