I was so eager to return to Fidea since she attended the assembly. We went to do her study on Thursday and it went so well. She told us how much she had enjoyed the day and asked when there was more! She also told us that when she had her stroke she thought that she was going to die and she felt guilty because she didn't know God well enough. She prayed and told God that if she survived she would find the truth. Then we arrived at her door!
She told us that she realises how important it is to study and that from now on she will be at every Sunday meeting. She lives almost a 30 minute walk away from the kingdom hall and she is quite frail so i aked how she was going to get to the meeting. She said with determination, 'my feet will take me'! I made an agreement with her that if she made it to the Kingdom hall that i would find her a way home. I was trying not to get my hopes up too much but sure enough on Sunday her feet brought her! After the meeting she told a few different ones that from now on she would be here every Sunday. What a joy!
The Sunday meeting was such an encouragement to us all this week. We had 81 in attendance! Only 14 less than the special assembly day!! 21 bible students attended!
Nate has had a wonderful experience with a bible study also. Jamali came running down the street to catch us when we were out in service a few weeks ago. He explained that he studies the bible in his home town but he's visiting Arusha for a few weeks and wants to continue his study. He recognised us as Jehovahs Witnesses and knew we could help him. He's such a kind person who really appreciates the truth. Nate has had some wonderful studies with him and he also attended the meeting on Sunday. He goes back to his home tomorrow where he plans on finishing the book.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Special Assembly Day!
It goes without saying that our assembly was a huge success. 95 were in attendance which is excellent for such a small circuit. We had a member of the branch commitee, the C.O and a few visiting brothers who gave parts on the program. Nate did 2 interviews. One was about making spiritual progress in the ministry and the other was about families and how they encourage and support their children to pursue spiritual goals. Both went well.
A huge highlight for us was having our bible studies attend. Fidea (photo above) was there before we arrived and sat and listened intently. At lunch i thought that she would want to leave because she was tired but she stayed the whole day. Donna studies with twins that live next door to Fidea so they also came along with her and her son, William. I had made pasta salad for lunch which is good because we ended up feeding many more than intended!
When the program was finished i asked Fidea if she was tired and she said, "no is that all there is, i could listen to more"! The brother from the Dar branch came to talk to her afterwards and asked how she felt about us travelling all the way from the States to study the bible with her. Fidea replied, "i prayed and she came."
Before Nate and i came to Tanzania we made it our goal to try to find one study each that we could leave making good progress. I really think i found mine!
Sunday, February 03, 2008
An Encouraging Week.
We have had such a busy week full of lots of encouraging things so we thought we would take a few minutes to tell you about some of them. Tuesday Nate and i were out in service together. We had Emanuels study at the craft market. When we arrived he had a friend there who wanted to join in the study with us. We had such a good study. He had so many questions and it was awesome when Emanuel started to answer them! We had done the part in the bible teach book about prophecy and Emanuel explained it all to his friend. He studied us so closley when we spoke, just absorbing the information. He told us that his parents had sent him to the craft market to help Emanuel to 'keep him out of trouble'! We told him that he could join in every Tuesday if he wanted to. He asked about the meetings also as he wants to attend. So we'll see how that goes. It is just such a pleasure to help young ones understand the bible and see their enthusiasm for the truth.
Later in the morning we were stood in the street waiting for my afternoon partner to arrive and a young man walked up to Nate and asked for a bible study! Arrangements were made and they had their first study the next day! He wants to study twice a week so Nate will be kept even busier.
Wednesday Nate and i were doing some NH's over lunchtime. We called at a house and spoke to a young man. As we were leaving the house his brother, Timothy was coming down the drive way. He stopped us and asked us if we were Jehovah's Witnesses and told us that he used to get the magazines and talk about the bible with a witness and was very interested in what we believe. We offered to return to his home and start a study but he explained that his father was opposed to religion and would be very upset if we studied at the house but told us that he could come to our meetings and we could study afterwards! We left him directions and hope that we will see him soon.
Thursday morning i worked with Avril (from England) and we did a study of hers in Swahili. We squeeze into a little shop and study with the lady there. In the middle of the study Avril starts to look at the floor and talk and point. Anyone who knows me also knows how afraid i am of mice and rats and when i saw her do this my heart about stopped! I asked her what it was on the floor and then felt really stupid when she explained that she was describing how the angels look down upon us and take an interest in our lives. Needless to say we all laughed when she explained my fear to the student!!
Later in the morning i took her on Fideas study. (The lady i mentioned in a previous entry.) Fidea has been doing so well with her study and it was so nice to have Avril there so that she could speak Swahili with her and see how much she was really taking in. We had a very good study and Afterwards Avril commented on how well she does at absorbing the information. I also found out that just round the corner from where she lives there is a bookstudy group. She was eager to attend so after the study we took her son to show her the house so that he could take her.
Later in the morning we were stood in the street waiting for my afternoon partner to arrive and a young man walked up to Nate and asked for a bible study! Arrangements were made and they had their first study the next day! He wants to study twice a week so Nate will be kept even busier.
Wednesday Nate and i were doing some NH's over lunchtime. We called at a house and spoke to a young man. As we were leaving the house his brother, Timothy was coming down the drive way. He stopped us and asked us if we were Jehovah's Witnesses and told us that he used to get the magazines and talk about the bible with a witness and was very interested in what we believe. We offered to return to his home and start a study but he explained that his father was opposed to religion and would be very upset if we studied at the house but told us that he could come to our meetings and we could study afterwards! We left him directions and hope that we will see him soon.
Thursday morning i worked with Avril (from England) and we did a study of hers in Swahili. We squeeze into a little shop and study with the lady there. In the middle of the study Avril starts to look at the floor and talk and point. Anyone who knows me also knows how afraid i am of mice and rats and when i saw her do this my heart about stopped! I asked her what it was on the floor and then felt really stupid when she explained that she was describing how the angels look down upon us and take an interest in our lives. Needless to say we all laughed when she explained my fear to the student!!
Later in the morning i took her on Fideas study. (The lady i mentioned in a previous entry.) Fidea has been doing so well with her study and it was so nice to have Avril there so that she could speak Swahili with her and see how much she was really taking in. We had a very good study and Afterwards Avril commented on how well she does at absorbing the information. I also found out that just round the corner from where she lives there is a bookstudy group. She was eager to attend so after the study we took her son to show her the house so that he could take her.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
