Circuit Overseer Visit

This has been the busiest week of our lives. Even more than that time we decided to move to another country and I couldn't figure out how to pack our stuff. (Yes, I know that was a month ago. No I don't want to relive it.)

So, what have we been up to?

I don't remember Monday. But nothing ever happens on Monday anyway, so no big loss.

Tuesday was the first day of the Circuit Overseer visit. We had meeting at 4:30 that afternoon. So we arrive early and I decide to walk to the pulperia to get a water. As I'm walking out, a sister comes in with a woman who looks like she is from the islands. Great! A study! So I introduce myself, and ask where she is from. She says Belize. Hey, I know people from Belize. Like our new CO. What a coincidence! Also, her English is very good. Turns out that's because she A- is from Dominica (an island), B- is a native English speaker, and C- is the CO's wife. Probably shoulda seen that coming.

So the cool thing about the new CO- they are great friends with Zach's cousin, who has been living in Belize for several years.

We also had some visitors from Canada this week, so we had a nice, large group at meeting. Also, they had copies of the revised Bible so we finally got to see one in person. It is so nice. We can't wait to get ours in January.

Wednesday, lots of service. Thursday, more service. Friday, we continue this pattern. It was a very successful couple of days. We worked a territory that hadn't been done in a while, and I got four new calls in one day. Plus we found the best pulperia in the world. They sell home-made ice cream- basically it's just milk mixed with fruit and frozen. They had so many flavors, including guanabana, so you know what we got. Plus, it was only 10 lempira. The perfect service snack.

Thursday afternoon we took the CO and his wife to the calls we got when working with the Sign Language congregation the week before. Zach's got a really awesome study started. This guy has so many really deep questions. He started right in on the hope for the dead, so the campaign tract and new Watchtower is going to be perfect for him.

Friday we went to try to find a lady we had talked to a couple weeks ago. She wasn't home, but her nephew was, and he said most of the family speaks English and we had a nice conversation with him as well. As we were walking down the street after, a man called out in Spanish "Atalaya, Atalaya." So we stopped to give him a magazine in Spanish. then he asked for something else. I thought maybe he already read that issue, so I pulled out a tract for him. Then he asked for something else. Finally, I realized he wanted as much as I could give him to read. Unfortunately, we didn't have any different materials for him. I'm going to get a BT book and go back, to see if I can find him. He was just sitting on the sidewalk, so I don't know if he actually lives in that area, but it's worth a shot.

Meeting Friday was really good. During his talk, the Circuit Overseer was talking about how those in the congregation are our family. Mother, sister, father, brother and so on. So I was like "Aw, (little girl in our hall) can be my little sister." Then he said, "When we see someone younger than us, we say 'Hello daughter.' " And it occurred to me, I actually am old enough to be her mother. Suddenly I feel so old.

I'm also fuzzy on Saturday, but I know service was involved. In the evening, a sister had a congregation get-together at her home.After a delicious dinner, Zach interviewed the CO and his wife, then we all played a Bible game. I love me an excuse to yell "Mahershalalhashbaz" repeatedly. But most of you know that already. It should come as no surprise that the CO won the game.

Sunday, we had more service and found a young girl to talk to. Then we had our last meeting with the Circuit Overseer. We had 30 in attendance, which is great.

So that was the week. It went by so fast, and we are so tired. But we made it out every day, and we are really happy about that.

We learned this week that we have 173 territories, and over 100 of them haven't been canvassed yet. A reason for this is that many of the territories are very far away. My understanding is that we go almost all the way to Tela, which could be a three hour bus ride away. I don't know how far west we go, but it gets really rural, and the bus system leaves a lot to be desired. There are only two cars in our congregation, (one is always busy with studies, and one is only supposed to be used in town) so getting to the territories is difficult.
Because of this, Zach and I are thinking about trying to get a car. We enjoy walking, but there's some places that are just a bit out of the way. Looking online has certainly produced some interesting results. I don't know that we need an armored 4x4, but I can see where it would come in handy. And of course, we still have to sell our car first. But if a car is what this congregation needs to complete our territories, I'm sure Jehovah will provide.

Anyway...I'm gonna go take a nap and not wake until til next week.