The Memorial in Villa Charcas!

Serving in Bolivia is a never ending adventure that never ceases to amaze me. In these last days there is always more to do, another door to knock, a new language or new town to preach in... and that is exactly what is happening in Culpina and Villa Charcas here in Tarija, Bolivia! This was the second year the congregation goes to Villa Charcas to do the Memorial. A group of about 40 of us drove the 7 hours to Villa a few days before the Memorial to start inviting as many as we could to attend. As you can see below the brothers set up a table close to the plaza and market. There was an amazing response! Many people took literature and stayed talking and asking the brothers questions. Various even filled out the "Bible Study Request Forms" that the brothers had made.
In addition to the town of Villa Charcas and Culpina we were also able to get out to numerous of the small surrounding towns. It was so beautiful being out in the country! As I left the invitation with numerous families I wondered if any of them would make the trip down to Villa for the Memorial... and they did! Paula (my roommate) and I had the opportunity to talk to a young girl who had made the trip to get to the Memorial. She didn't have a Bible and was overjoyed at the idea of being able to have one as well as a Bible study. Ok well I'm getting ahead of myself haha ... As usual Satan always tried to put a wrench in Jehovah's plans to have the Memorial in Villa. The catholic priest called a last minute mass at 7pm that very night. We had already rented and invited everyone to the Stadium for the Memorial but when we all got there at 5pm to clean and get it ready... a man was standing in the doorway and directly told us that they weren't going to let us have the stadium... all of the brothers and sisters stayed calm... we knew Jehovah would find a way... We had all been staying in another function hall (our hotel ;) So the brothers decided that that hall would do just fine so with very little time left before the Memorial we rushed to the hall to make it a beautiful house of Jehovah! Two sisters stayed at the Stadium to direct the people to the new hall... Everything was set and ready as we all stood looking at the door waiting... hoping... praying that many would soon walk in... our eyes welled up with tears as 132 smiling people walked through the doors and sat down ready to observe the most important occasion for our loving God Jehovah and his son Jesus. Satan didn't win. The literature table the brothers had set up was completely wiped out in a matter of minutes after the Memorial ended and the guests stayed for almost an hour and a half talking with us, asking questions and exchanging addresses and phone numbers so we could visit them at their homes. The brother gave the talk in Quechua and Spanish. Quechua is the native language and for many of them it is their first language. How beautiful it was to see the happiness on their faces hearing the truth in their language... One of the brothers who was passing the emblems said "It brought tears to my eyes to see the joy on their faces to be able to take part in such an important event"
All thanks goes to Jehovah...

The table that we set up near the market






Ready for another day of preaching!



Happy faces on a cold day



Los Tres Amigos :)



Mario with Paula and her parents



Want a ride?



Downtown Villa Charcas



Mario and I holding some of the flowers
we were given by householders
to use for the Memorial

 



Like our hotel?



The literature department




Flower arrangements Mario and I made
from donated flowers for the Memorial :) 

 

 

Culpina...Soon to be my new home

Culpina...

 Hello Everyone!

Sorry it has been a while since my last post, everything has been super busy and my internet wasn’t working really good but… I am very excited to tell you all about Culpina! J After returning home from our last trip to Culpina and Villa Charcas in October I was very excited to see how Jehovah would carry out his will to have a group formed in this town 8 hours outside the nearest city… the 13,000 inhabitants living in these towns could be nearly forgotten by many but are most definitely not forgotten by their creator Jehovah.   Swelled with excitement upon returning I called my roommate Paula (who was working in the States at the time) and told her all about our experience, she also quickly became very excited about the idea of helping in Culpina. She told me that on her way to the States she had stopped to visit some friends in Santa Cruz, Bolivia and met a Japanese sister who just happened to be praying and looking for a small town to move to where there was a greater need for kingdom proclaimers… Paula of course told her about Culpina. It’s amazing to see Jehovah’s hand in action. He has made it so clear to all of us that he wants this group to be formed, he is gathering workers from all around. Wakako, her friend Nina and Paula joined us on this trip to Culpina and absolutely loved it.




Breakfast anyone?



Literature! We always need a lot :)



Janise, Lena, Paula and I

We were only able to spend two days in Culpina this time but with 35 of us working the territory we were able to reach quite a lot of people.  We started early Saturday morning with the goal of starting bible studies and returning THE VERY NEXT DAY to conduct the studies. It was amazing! Considering that almost every door is a return visit the number of bible studies conducted was outstanding. The experiences that were had by all were so encouraging, the group was aglow with excitement.

 

Feild Service Meeting



Bruno and Mario preaching in the town of Culpina




Lena haveing a very heartfelt conversation with a woman
in the market...
 

Haha I Love Bolivia



Aww Paula and Sumi in the plaza (after finishing our assigned
territory for the morning we go and preach in the plaza)

 

We met a man who on his own has started preaching using his Bible and our publications. He said he sits outside his store in the market and as people go by he begins talking to them. He said he realizes that preaching is the most important work and he needs to take part in it. He said “Other religions have come by and left me literature but the literature from Jehovah’s Witnesses is different, it’s easy to understand and always based on the Bible, I look up the scriptures in my Bible and can see that what you teach is the truth. I only wish you had meetings here, my wife and I would definitely go.” I joyfully exclaimed to him that very soon there will be a group formed and meetings will be started. I could see him being one of our brothers one day… Jehovah has definitely not forgotten these people…

That is one of many amazing experiences that we had and the beginning of many to come… At the end of this month we are all going to go back and this time the elders told us that they want to do a meeting so a small group of us are going to go a few days ahead of time to find somewhere to hold the meeting.



Wakako and I tired and wet from walking in the fog at 5:30am
on our way to a return visit. It was all worth it :)




Beautiful...

Wakako and I plan on moving to Culpina at the end of February/beginning of March. My roommate Paula plans on coming in April. There is also another couple who want to rent a room in Culpina so they can come and help us work the territory once and month and are making plans to move there permanently in time. There is also a brother Mario who is making plans to move there to help as well.

“The harvest is great but the workers are few.” (Matt. 9: 37,38)… We have full faith that Jehovah will send more workers to help us cultivate the territory in Culpina, Villa Charcas and the other many surrounding towns. If you have set the goal to help where the need is greater or think that you would like to expand your ministry just comment on this post! J The blessings are endless and the joys abound in Jehovah’s service.




We will be back next month...