I woke up this morning in a lousy mood. We didn't get home until late after the meeting the night before, didn't rest well and to top it off, it was raining. So needless to say, I wasn't in much of a mood to go preaching. But, I pushed on and went out anyway. However, as we were heading toward the territory, I was just complaining to Mark "why I am doing this? I do not want to talk to anyone, and anyway no one wants to listen." Mark was trying to cheer me up but I was having none of it.
We get to our first door. I told Mark to start. A lady peeks through the gate and Mark starts his presentation. She says her name is Camilla and asks us to wait until she brought the key to open the door. She opens the door and Mark continues. Then she says to step in to get off the street. Okay, we do and Mark continues. Then she says, please come in the house and sit down. Wow, this is different. Mark starts again and she listens. Then she starts to cry. I won't go into all the problems, but we ended up preaching to her for about an hour. Then she tells us that she would like to offer us some coffee and invites us to the table where she serves us coffee, cheese and bread. Then she tells us "I want to be honest with you. I never talk to Jehovah's Witnesses. I usually say I'm too busy or tell my daughters to say I'm not home. But, today something impelled me to listen and I'm glad I did. I appreciate the encouragement and hope you gave me today." She told us that her brother is a Catholic priest, but she never learned about what the bible teaches. She accepted the Teach book and agreed for us to come back again on Friday to begin the first chapter.
I hope that I learned that I shouldn't complain about the territory. Regardless of how this return visit may turn out, Jehovah lovingly corrected me and gave me precisely what I needed to keep going. I hope I remember this lesson in the future. I probably won't, but I hope so.
About Me
- Rebecca McCleskey
- In October, 1997, my husband Mark and I, decided to move to Ecuador. We settled in Cuenca, the third largest city. It is nestled in a valley surrounded by the Andes Mountain range. It has been an amazing aventure.
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So the day changed for the better for Camilla & you both. Jeh or angels must have seen her heart condition changing. I always tell my wife to have a 'positive' mood when in service.
ReplyDelete3 cheers for you.
Nice reminders for me to Rebecca - I have got to remember that the work needs to be done all the way over here in New Zealand - even if I want to be doing it back in Ecuador!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Charles.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I are making arrangements to move to Cuenca April of 2011. We are looking to be in the English Congregation. We are hoping to work up to pioneering. We are also learning Spanish but having a hard time of it. We are thinking that Expats that live far away from their families should be more receptive. What city are you in? and are you in a Spanish or English hall? My wife's name is Laura and her email address is eclh2011@gmail.com
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