Monday: This morning I was still not feeling very well. I got up to teach and was about halfway through my first class when the internet went out for a second. Unfortunately, I had to reset the modem and restart my computer, which ending up taking too long and I was unable to rejoin my classroom. As a result, my next assigned class was rescheduled to another teacher, and I instead spent 30 minutes online with the IT guy only to confirm there was nothing wrong. His conclusion: "Probably just a connection glitch". Nice. So, I got up and began preparing dinner for some friends at the hall who have been a little under the weather. The one brother is a young pioneer and ministerial servant who'd been running a 100+ fever. The is other a visiting sister who is having to make some extra adjustments due to the altitude. She is visiting here along with her son, but we hope they will become a permanent part of our congregation! Our dear sister is 70-years old - but you would never know it - not in looks nor in actions! What an inspiration to all to reach out!
We actually have another two gentlemen visiting our hall; friends who are travelling together - the one brother is in his 20's, but the other brother is 73!! Its so encouraging to see these faithful brothers and sisters who let nothing slow them down in their service to Jehovah!
So, I prepared a rosemary/ herb-roasted chicken for each party, along with some roasted potatoes, onions and green beans, some Spanish rice, chicken gravy and NY-style cheesecake with a mixed berry compote. I finished around 11:30am, packed everything up in a laundry basket and caught a taxi outside my house to take me down the hill where I could catch the bus. I arrived a little after 1:00pm.
The sister and I got to talking (as we sisters often do!) and before I knew it, it was 2:40! What a pleasant afternoon. Isn't that always the way, though, you try to encourage someone else, but instead they encourage you?! It was starting to drizzle outside, so I quickly ran up to deliver the brother his food (fortunately for me, they live in the same complex!).
Then, it was back on the bus to the north end of town. I was back home around 4:30pm. I reviewed my upcoming talk again, worked on my TESOL certification (again) and did a little studying for the meeting. By 9:30, I was beat and headed off to sleep.
Tuesday: This morning I worked for a couple hours and then my roommate and I met up with the service group, who were working the territory a couple blocks from our house. We had 15 out again this morning - it was great!
Around 1:30, my roommate and I went to the office where she was to pick up her Visa. We had to wait a long time, but fortunately, we found English-speakers to talk to who were waiting also. Finally, around 3:30pm, she had her (6-month extension) Visa in hand!!
We then each did several calls we had in the area, one of which a brother had given her to check back on. The woman was so pleasant and explained to us that she previously attended an evangelical Bible study group, but that they recently dissolved. She also opened up to us about some health problems in her family and strained family relationships. She told us how excited she was about resuming a Bible study again and arrangements were made to start on Saturday at 2:00pm! I encouraged her to let any of her other friends know that we would be happy to study the Bible with them as well, and she said she would invite one of them to Saturday's study! I love the referral system :)
By the time we finished, it was 5:15pm, and I would soon be meeting my other friend in that area for our regular calls/ study. Unfortunately, most of them were not available, so we finished around 6:15pm that evening. I couldn't find any English speakers on the bus ride home, but I was able to contact my Bible study and make arrangements to study on Friday evening. I also contacted two other calls, and set up one to study at 1:00pm the next afternoon.
It was 7:00pm when I arrived home that evening and I was beat, but happy! I had some dinner, did a little laundry and my roommate and I had our own "Family Worship" night and did our weekly Bible reading together.
Wednesday: This morning I worked for several hours, then did some cleaning and laundry and preparing food for the weekend. Then it was off to meet a Bible study at 1:00pm. While at the mall, I ran into our visiting brother and his mother (who had previously been ill) and chatted with them for a minute while I waited for the student to arrive. I had only met her once, and it was many months ago, so she agreed to call me when she got there. She came, and brought a friend along as well. So we talked, I gave her the November and December magazines, along with an invitation, then showed her many of the features of the new Bible (which I assured her was in the mail and would arrive soon!) as the three of us had lunch.
At 2:30pm, we each had to leave, so we said good-bye for now and she said she would contact me on Saturday. I stopped at the grocery store quick for a few items, then walked to the bus stop and went home. I arrived home around 3:30pm, completed a game of phone tag with my assigned householder for my talk that evening, who was ill and would not be able to attend. So, my roommate was kind enough to fill in for me. I finished studying and then we were off to the meeting.
We had three Bible students at the meeting tonight! Plus some new visitors! One of which was kind enough to bring my phone from the US!! They are a beautiful family; a husband, wife, a teenage daughter and a young son! How we love to have families/ children in our congregation!! The meeting, of course, was not without bloopers. During the final 30 seconds of my talk, I reached into my folder to pull out a pen so as to write down the contact information of my householder. The pen was stuck so I had to yank hard on it, and while doing so, I bumped a button (or set of buttons) and my tablet began to read my talk/ document from the beginning! "Excuse me, do you speak English?..." I quickly turned it off and continued, but not without many snickers and chuckles from the audience. Later in the meeting, during the part about effective introductions, when the speaker asked what topic might be of interest to an older person, our visiting brother commented "the resurrection" and everyone began laughing. Even still later a brother mispronounced the name of one of our sisters, twice, before finally giving up. I love my Quito English meetings!
Once home, it was straight to bed... well, almost. I did try to start setting up my new phone, but finally decided at 11:00 that I needed to get some sleep. After all, I had signed up to start teaching at 5:15am the next morning, so I'd be getting up around 4:30am!
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