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Published: November 27th 2014
Hello, family and friends! Guess it’s been a while since our last post because we’re getting complaints! So, here it is. We’ve had a few more preaching experiences since our last post. We’ll start with the day of the cows.
Juan and I dropped off Raquel, Rebeca, and Maria near a house with sordos (deaf) then made our way down a long, extremely rocky road in a very low car. In hindsight, it may have been better to leave the car because I was outside guiding Juan over giant rocks most of the trip.
We eventually got out of the car and walked up a hill to a small house with a woman and a couple boys living in it. One of the boys reminded me of myself when I was around two years old: Chubby and rambunctious. (Panamanians are not afraid to call people fat. It seems to be a compliment, actually, as Juan kept calling the small boy Gordito.) The other boy, a skinny deaf teenager who I only know the sign name of, was sleeping on a porch hammock.
The woman met us and Juan began witnessing to her. I tried to pay
attention to his presentation and not be distracted by mini me throwing rocks and stumbling around like a drunkard, half naked.
Mid presentation, Juan stopped to bring me up to speed with the conversation in English. He’s considerate that way. He told me that they were discussing the resurrection because she recently lost her sister and brother-in-law, the deaf teenager’s parents. She took the boy in. And, one better, she woke him up for Juan and I to witness to him (which Juan told me his parents were never willing to do).
Juan gave me the reigns in order to present the “Why study the bible?” video in Panamanian Sign Language and stress the resurrection with the teenager, as is his custom to do. All went well and we left.
On our way back to the car, we passed a couple men who seemed to be pretty busy. So we passed them without a word. One of the men shouted to ask us whether we had literature. We were able to show him the same video in Spanish and place magazines with him and the other worker. I've never experienced a householder approaching me as I was
trying to leave before.
Soon, we were back in the car. Or, at least Juan was while I guided him over the big rocks. While I was guiding him over the last rough spot, he pointed forward. I didn’t know what this meant. He pointed sharply at me then behind me. I didn’t understand, so I continued to guide the car. He didn’t move. He motioned me to come to the car. After he did this a few times, I finally came back to the car.
I stood just outside the car and asked him what was up in sign language. He pointed forward again. This time I looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a herd of cows rushing toward me just a few yards away. I got in the car and the cows went around. We laughed off my near death experience then picked up the girls, whom the cows also passed. Raech got some photos for you.
(Raquel: It was interesting because the three of us were sitting on a wooden tree bench and the cows came from up the street...and there was a guy on a horse so I assumed he was guiding them. But no I guess the cows were just on their own, the sisters said they know where to go all by themselves! Crazy!)
Look at the weird white one with the giant hump! I have no idea what purpose that hump serves.
We also have lots of pictures of preaching in Las Quebradas with Hilaria, Jafer, and Rebeca. It took an early morning, two hour bus ride to get there. Then there was lots of walking in beautiful scenery, notably a wobbly bridge over a beautiful river. There were many obstacles to cross by foot; unbelievably steep hills, small ponds, and a relentless sun. Kudos to Hilaria and Jafer for making the trip!
Rebeca witnessed to someone on the bus. I placed un tratado (tract) with a man on the bridge IN SPANISH, so you know holy spirit was involved… We found a deaf man working in the field. His crew let him stop to watch the “Why study the bible?” video. He was very interested and appreciative. We found a deaf woman and were able to show the “Why study the bible?” video. We witnessed to two hearing
families and witnessed to a woman who owned a small stand we bought juice from for lunch. Also… Jafer touched a horse. And we saw baby cheeks.
On the walk back, a truck stopped and let us hitch a ride. CHECK IT OUT IN THE YOUTUBE COLLAGE!
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Hilaria left un tratado with the truck driver. We went to meeting a couple hours after the bus brought us back to Santiago. It was a spiritually rich day.
We had Rebeca and Juanito over for cards, dinner and a movie. CHECK IT OUT IN THE YOUTUBE COLLAGE!
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We finally got to meet Miguel and Zully (Sooh-Jee).
(Raquel: They are the homeowners of the house we have been living in.) They are the nicest, most down-to-earth people. He looks like Jeff Goldblum and Zully is ironically not Asian. Though they invited us out to Chinese food with the Barreras. Even foreign food tastes different here. The orange chicken had maple syrup in it! WHAT!?!? It was amazing.
Miguel and Zully told us we have air conditioning! (You’ve had two sets of gloves…. This whole time? I’m
gonna kill you, Lloyd.) Rachael is now able to wear her onesie to bed.
(Raquel: O onesie...how I've missed you.) We have more cool bug pictures, one of which was fried alive in our back porch light.
And we also went to the asamblea regional in Panama City! It’s smattered all over Facebook, but we have even more pictures and videos for you! The Barreras set up a place for us to stay. We stayed with Elisabet, Noemi’s sister. Noemi was the sister who picked us up from the airport our first day in Panama. Elisabet is the sweetest, smallest sister. She made us breakfast and lunch for two of the convention days.
(Rachael: Which was really a blessing because the food we bought turned out to be weird and gross. It got spoiled on the bus ride over here...note to self, cheese and meat should be refrigerated at all times =) We got to watch Rio 2 with her and her son, which felt natural in Spanish (though I was missing Jemaine’s voice). We also saw Interestelar (Interstellar) al cine with the Barreras! Also good in Spanish; they did a fantastic job dubbing
Michael Caine’s voice.
(Rachael: Aaaaand! It's only like $3.25 to go to the movies!!!)
Jaky, whom we also met our first day in Panama, drove us to and from convention all three days. Panama City is so cool. There’s something thrilling about the city scene with its hot dog stands and crazy traffic. I especially love the way houses look when they’re squished beside and atop each other on hills. We saw so, so many friends at convention, old and new. It was amazing. The entire Sign Language community (at least those that were able to make it to convention) of Panama fit into a small section behind the stage. We met every single brother used in the videos, and most of the deaf within the brotherhood in Panama. We had a lot of fun. I enjoyed meeting the Deaf and young children because they understood me.
Asamblea Regional highlights:
The assembly was interpreted with the use of a small stage just below our section.
Juan, Juanito, Pablo, Isabel, Casey, Jeremy, Miguel and Zully were recorded in the drama at Bethel! We got to see them on the tele.
There were SIXTY
baptized on Saturday!!! We have a picture of them standing.
There was a small trashcan sitting in the middle of the floor… we think to catch water from a leak.
The rain was so loud at one point, we couldn’t hear the speakers.
There was a blackout our last day!
I actually drank coffee in the morning. I’ve been doing it a lot! I like the coffee here.
(Rachael: Cause it's amaaazing!!) We realized Rachael has amazing muscle definition lately!
Rachael fell in a ditch and scraped her elbow. 😞
Pablo and Isabel (a couple Raquel stayed with last time she was here), Edwin and Luis (small boys), Edinson (Deaf brother who clung to us like glue during convention), Carlos (sweet Deaf brother), Casey and Jeremy (brother and sister in Volcan, so you’ll probably be seeing more of them), Jaky (our taxi driver), Miledis (Deaf sister), Spider-Juan (a brother used in the songs who looks like a Panamanian Andrew Garfield), Noemi, and Alysia (A WHITE GIRL!) are featured in photos.
We have C.O. visit this week! Narciso and Cristina. Narciso gave us a wonderful pep talk this morning
at the meeting for service. He told us that we need to have love because it shows. And though we may be new to the language, they will sense that we care. He gave an experience of a Gnobe woman who preferred to have him teach her, though he didn’t know the language as well as the sister with him, because she felt he cared. Just went out with Cristina for the first time today. She’s nice, reminds me of Amelia Haynes from White Salmon.
We finally had a meal with tortillas last night! Fajitas and pork fried rice. Left overs today with Rachael’s frijoles con sebolla y ajo. It amazes me that there is no MEXICAN food in a Central American country.
We’re very much enjoying ourselves here. We love having a full share in the ministry and seeing Jehovah’s support and love everyday through the brothers. Sure, there are bugs. There are dirty taxis and busses that must be ridden in. And there’s no Mexican food. But there’s so much room to teach willing souls about Jehovah. There’s no greater feeling in the world.
(Rachael: I second that.) We love you- Clay and
Rae
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Big Sis
non-member comment
Love it!!!
As usual love, love your blog and pics....this time I looked at all the pics first then read the blog...which was cool because you explain the pics in your blog and I know what you were talking about!!!! Its good to have fun in your work!!! Love, love u!!!!