Saturday, January 21, 2012

Field Service

Granada
Service is why we are here so we were really excited to be out.  There were 14 out today.  We split into 3 groups.  We went with Marcello to a rural lake area.  This is the poorest section of Granada.  I realized that the water constantly flowing down the sides of the street is open sewage.  (Definitely don’t want to step in that for fear of getting parasites through your feet.)  The houses nearest the lake get washed away every year.  So they are made of minimal materials.  We went door to door searching for English speaking persons.  “Conosce alguien que habla Ingles por aqui?”  is what you ask.  Bree preached to a young boy learning English.  We covered the first paragraph in the Truth Tract and he responded in English.   After 2 hours we were beat.  Service here breaks for 2 and ½ hours for lunch.  The afternoon group meets back at 2:30pm.

Managua
The capital is densely populated which makes for horrible traffic and even worse bussing situations.  To get to the Kingdom Hall we needed one bus.  But both times it past it was so packed we couldn’t dream of getting on without being violated.  The bus pulled off with people hanging out the door trying to climb on a nd everyone inside were packed like sardines.  Instead we took 2 buses that were less crowded but we still were standing.  At the hall we waited for the English friends to show up.  We were passed by spiffy dressed sisters in high heels that were also preaching in English.  They were doing business territory only.  You have to dress the part and you only do business.  In our plain skirts and open-toed sandals we waited for the rest of us regulars to show up.  We took a bus into the territory, we rode for about 25 minutes.  The brother handed my partner and I a map and RV slips with names of people and all the notes about the previous visits.  We called on 8-10 houses and spoke with 4 people at length.  I left a bible teach book with a woman from Pearl Lagoon who spoke English with a Caribbean accent.  She was from the East side of Nicaragua.  There, there is a community of English speaking people who are dark-skinned (my people lol, well at least according to the people on the street who keep asking if I am from Blue Fields.)

Back to Granada
In Granada English we are constantly doing census work.  This entails searching for English speakers and notifying the brothers.  Friday, we were in a territory that had tons of alleys that snacked through the town and revealed tons of houses that are unseen from the main street.  2 brothers found an English-speaking girl.  Marcello called me over and we switched partners.  I started a bible study with her in the Bible Teach Book.  The only thing is, she doesn’t live there!  So I have to find her next week near the lake where she lives.  She gave me her phone number and directions though, I am excited for next week.










1 comment:

  1. Love the blue skirt Alana! You look like a model in that photo. Just got my ticket to Ceci and Logan's wedding from LGA so its a no go for Mexico at this time, but talk to Jen Sparks. She might be your new travel buddy.
    Ciao!

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