THEY TOOK THEM AWAY !!!!
THERE'RE ALL GONE !!!
THE TELEPHONE POLES ARE MISSING FROM
THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD!!!
In the past 2 weeks they have been
removing all the telephone poles. But just in case we might get
homesick for the challenge of driving around them....... they left
huge holes in the road that are marked with a variety of traffic
cones and large boulders/rocks....... LOL
They have even moved one of my major
landmarks that I (used to) give to people for directions, (remember
no street signs of any kind). The electrical substation is gone too.
That of course required a number of days where the town had no
electric at all. Business was a little more difficult, but if you
went in to buy something and it was dark with no electric they would
check you out at the register on a piece of paper. To buy some nail
polish I had to present my passport. Total purchase 3 dollars. Why
the passport? I have NO idea. Perhaps to account for every customer
who came in during the blackout?
Gradually Boquete is beginning to look
more finished. The new side of the highway still has ruts and
unfinished crossover points (between the 2 sides) deep enough to jar
your teeth out of your head, but the finished sections are like
driving on a cloud (to make up for loosing your spine on the rest of
it).
On to better news.
The Memorial here was fantastic !!
Boquete English with only 27 publishers present had a total of 58.
David English with 17 publishers in the
file had 47 for Memorial. Spanish in Caldera, where there is no
congregation but a handful of brothers were asked to conduct a
memorial for the interest there, they had 55.
Alto Spanish had 107 and Bajo Spanish
had over 100
To illustrate how willing people are
to study here is an experience from this week in service.
A group of friends were in service in
Jarmillo Arriba (Jarmillo High) mapping with the GPS the territory
that needs yet to be censused and cataloged. This particular day no
one was home, typical of a Friday when all Panamanians work, but
there were 2 people waiting at one of the local bus stops. The
brothers were walking down the street marking down landmarks and all
5 are discussing what to write down. On this road there happens to
be a basketball court, not what you would see anywhere else but here.
Most of them have roofs, this one had just a fence.
A group of 5 gringos walking down a
country road draws a lot of attention from the locals, naturally, so
Jim walked up to the 2 waiting for the bus and asked if they spoke
english so he could explain why the strange site......
One DID speak english.
“My name is Jim and we are Jehovah's
Witnesses and we offer to study the Bible with people in english.
Are you interested in the Bible?
“Yes”
Would you like to study the Bible in
English?
“Yes, but I can't right now, I am
going to work.....” (as though we were going to sit down and study
with him at the bus stop, of course possible, but he was distracted
with work thoughts)
So Jim got his name and house location
and now has a new study to follow up on.
It's that easy here.
One brother and sister recently
visited Bocas Del Toro and came back ALL excited !! She started 5
studies in the ONE week that they were there. In that area of
Panama most of the population is Jamaican background and they ALL
speak english along with spanish. So 60 % of them are willing to
study. There are SO many studies the friends can not handle them all
and put them on a list in case one of their other studies doesn't
follow through. At one of our recent Circuit Events the Circuit
Overseer asked the brothers to keep their studies to a reasonable
number so that they could give them the personal attention they
needed. “Please Brothers keep your studies down to 10 so you can
take care of them”........,.!!!!!!!!
Can you imagine? A list of FUTURE
studies?
And in the category of informal
witnessing..... I recently took a quick flight to the states. I
caught the midnight bus from David. In the waiting area I saw my
former Bible Study-Deitha- and witnessed to her for 3 hours while we
waited for the bus. I arrived in Panama City at 6am and Deitha and I
rode the public Bus to the airport- 25cents for the 1 hour ride-
boarded the plane at 9am and was assigned to sit next to a man that
immediately started complaining about the ridiculous security
measures in place and how they are really ineffective. That led to
conspiracy theory’s and the book of Daniel. He talked to me for 3
hours. Spent 30 hours in Cincinnati picking up the puppies and
witnessed to the desk clerk, the puppy breeders, and then back to the
airport. On the first leg of the flight back to Panama met a fellow
passenger whose Mom still lives in Dominican Republic. Witnessed to
him also. And on the final leg of the trip I actually sat alone, but
the steward that served me on the plane is one of our Brothers- an
elder in a Georgia congregation- and he got contact info from me for
his sister THAT IS NOW COMING TO PANAMA IN AUGUST !!! She was
looking for a contact and he found one with me. And I got to witness
in the customs office when I reported that I was bringing puppies
into the country. I ran short on money and had to contact on of our
brothers in Panama City to ask if someone could loan me the necessary
funds so that I could leave the customs office. Brother George
Anderson came to my rescue. So everyone in Customs Office heard that
I was one of Jehovah's Witnesses and my “Brother” was coming to
rescue me.
I tried witnessing to the fellow next
to me on the return midnight bus, but he was strictly Spanish and he
slept for most of the trip.
All in all that was one amazing trip.
Never under-estimate where Jehovah will plant seeds by informal
witnessing !!!
We are trying to create income, and
are doing again what has worked for us in the past. We are breeding
expensive dogs and selling the puppies. This time we have gone from
the ridiculous ( in the past we bred Great Pyrenees (80 to 110
lbs)-and English Mastiffs-( 140 to 200 lbs full grown) --- to the
other end of the scale. We picked up 2 Coton De Tulear puppies.
Full grown they will weigh 10 to 13 pounds. Very very cute white
fluff balls.
So here is my sales pitch for this
month folks.......
Do any of you know SOMEONE/ANYONE that
would like to enjoy a “preaching trip/ pioneer month”? Just come
for 30 to 45 days and “taste” Panama.
We have a new congregation forming in
Bogaba. The congregation in Volcan needs help as well. They are down
to 2 elders shortly. The new group in Puerto Armuellas is thriving
and they need help. The Congregation in Bocas Del Toro can't keep up
with their studies and the new group in Almirante is growing and
can't keep up with all the interest there either !!! Changuinola
makes Bible study “LISTs” also. The last 3 in this list are on
the Atlantic Side of Panama. Puerto Armuellas is on the Pacific
Ocean. David is also in need of help. They are trying to work a
city of 125,000 with only 17 publishers and whoever comes to visit.
So do you like 90*F weather, fresh
fruit, sunny days, refreshing ocean breezes, snorkeling and swimming
in the ocean, sandy beaches.............. and BIBLE STUDIES?
Or do you like fresh fruit, cool
temperatures (60 at night), rainbows all day long, mountain views,
hiking in rain forests, refreshing water falls to play
in,............. and BIBLE STUDIES?
It's a “win win” situation no
matter where you visit in Panama.
There is much to adjust to, but so
much potential in these humble Bible minded people.
I have tried to include pictures of
anything that will entice you to visit. I am a shameless
“sales-person”.
I will share in the next letter the
field service call we found this week with the TRI-lingual Ngobe
couple here in Boquete.
PLEASE SHARE THIS LETTER WITH EVERYONE
!!!!!
Gracias,
Gail (Abigail-here-, Jim, and Lawson)
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