Kuswava kli aima wala lait balam

lit: llega tarde la tortuga otra vez.  

These will be monthly updates as they have been so far. I'm not very good at this but I DO think about all of you all the time!  Our month here in Puerto has felt both fast and yet our first day here seems so very long ago.  Claudia Diaz from back home joined us right before convention which was just an amazing experience, our attendance on Sunday 623, way more than expected.  9 were baptized and many came from very far to be here. But there was so much work to be done in preparation, cleaning of the place, the brothers dug and built outhouses for the ladies, and some university dorm rooms were washed and scrubbed to house the friends from various congregations. Everyone's house was filled to capacity but oh how we loved it!  The brothers who spoke at convention were excelent and each had about 4 talks throughout the 2 day abreviated program. A few of the talks were interpreted in Miskito.
Monday after convention we went to Tuapi, a river nearby to relax, play, and swim. We had fried fish and sugarcane and coconut water. A much needed day after so much  late nights, early mornings, hard work and lots of walking and preaching. Jehovah is good.

After about a week or so More friends from back home arrived, David, Annie and Noel. David and Annie's stay was SO much fun and we appreciated their positive attitude and zeal in the ministry, along with the jokes and dancing and great conversation. Just too short of a stay! (Miss you guys).  Last week Jasmin, Arelid and Sarai arrived.  It's been so wonderful having them here!
Service has been amazing, Gaining new bible studies thanks to Jehovah and about 30+ rvs, the conversations door to door are amazing and leave you so happy and grateful to be used to reach them with the good news, oh how so many are in need of comfort and the liberating and refreshing bible truth.
 Jess, Olga and I have all given householder parts in the school in Miskito and last thursday we had demos on how to present the brochures for this month. I feel a slow and steady progress with the language which is encouraging.   A Japanese couple arrived a couple weeks ago: Megumi and Hiroki.  They are so smart and picking up the language as well.  They are pioneers who will be here in Puerto til next August.  They are very brave and seem to dive into conversations with the Miskitu using all they know.
We had our annual pioneer meeting with the elders recently, both from the Spanish and Miskitu we had 22 pioneers total.   One point I loved dealt with the apostal Paul.  based on 1Tim6:20 Guarda lo que ha sido despositado a tu cuidado.  The apostle Paul was so grateful for his ministry, he saw it like a treasure and though his gratitud was very much linked to his passed, he didn't let those feelings of regret/guilt related to his previous actions get in the way of his ministry. Instead it made him stronger and more determined to show his gratitude. So the brother mentioned different ways to show our gratitud in the ministry: Improving the quality of our teaching, using the tools the slave gives us which are the best, and in our manner of dress and grooming-never creating with it and obstacle for the householder.  He moved on to what is devocion piadosa and how to train for it.  Awesome, awesome, awesome..

Our family study is something we all look forward to now that it's a solid habit here at home. last week we invited the Antonios and their guests over for ours and we sang canticos and played "perspicacia" and ate yummy chocolate cake Claudia made. Prior to that we went to the beach in the morning and played "panuelo" or some kind of capture the hat game, had lunch, I went with the Japanese sis Megumi to do some studies and then it was adoracion en familia in the evening, a completely paraiso day;)

I will be traveling to Mexico in a couple weeks for one of my favorite's wedding: Olgeeta! SO excited!!! I'll be able to see my two sisters and brother Raul too, which is just an amazing plus.  Then I'll be back in Puerto  Cabezas after a week for more work and fun!  Love you all, I'm sure I missed a bunch of details but I'll try to send more pics. These again are all out of order, assembly hall cleaning, pioneer meeting, our guests, kingdom hall cleaning, baptism, our little brother Asael giving a PT etc. Cuidense mucho! Please write me when you get a chance

Late, Late, Late Post!

So much has happened since I last wrote.  Let’s see…. Mine and Olga’s last few weeks in San Dionisio went by passing over studies and return visits to the special pioneer sister Ana who was to inherit EVERYONE since we were leaving the couple all by themselves in the town as the only Witnesses.  Though convention is about 2 weeks away and we all have hopes a few of the publishers will get bapitized.  Plus, we got amazing news the week before we left that 14 pioneers from the pioneer route will be passing thru San Dionisio and Esquipulas a couple months at a time starting in Dec/Jan.  Just what we were all praying  for, more workers!

The Monday before leaving, the congregation had a party for Olga and I down the Flores’ house with good  food and dancing and games, and singing canticos and everyone expressing their goodbyes and warm thoughts and memories from our time there, it was so sweet! 

Packing didn’t take too long but man were we exhausted when we finally arrived by bus to Masaya, Olga’s hometown,  on Friday with all our things.   We didn’t know who’d be waiting for us, but then again we never do and somehow it always always works out!  Jehova takes such amazing care of us!  Saturday we’re off again by bus to Managua and to pick up my AMIGASA Jessey from the airport! 

Our Miskito orientation was Sunday morning and we were stressed  the fact that when learning a new language, the more mistakes you make, the more you will learn.  And basically to remember to laugh at ourselves, have a good sense of humor and not to take ourselves too seriously.  The instructors were Hamilton Padilla who serves with his wife as a special pioneer in a Miskito congregation in Bonanza.  And Abner Matamoros, also a special pioneer with his wife who serve in Puerto Cabezas, our next destination.   They made the two weeks of class fly.  It was SO fun! They both had a great sense of humor, the class was quick and there was always movement, juggling scarfs or hitting balloons up in the air as we conjugated different verbs.  Every day starting with day 1 we went out to the territory in Managua after class to preach to Miskitos.  We used the written presentations we learned that very day.  It was exciting.  Complete reliance on Jehovah is needed.  It really makes you humble yourself as you read from a paper a very simple presentation and hope they understand you.  You know it’s ALL Him at that point.    Fortunately the Miskito people in the territory were very supportive, impressed even, and grateful for our efforts.  

The two weeks in Managua for the class we stayed down a sister’s house.  Her name is Angelita and her daughter Mariana who’s about 21.  This sister is above and beyond hospitable.  When we arrived, a family who came to the city for a doctors appointment were just leaving after staying a few days and the day after we left a group of friends were staying a week for  some other reason.  She is constantly housing everyone who needs a place and she makes you feel completely at home.  We were so blessed to stay there.    

We took a whole 3 days of preparation for our stay here in Puerto, buying things we’ll need in bulk, even 3 bikes to ride around in,  we had it all boxed and ready to come on the congregation bus that will be heading here on Dec 9^th for convention.  Meanwhile we only brought the bare necessities.  Jess and I flew here on Tuesday the 20^th and Olga came by bus with the Matamoros, our elder Abner and his wife Daisy. 

Our adoptive parents are Conrado and Jackie  Antonio.  They are renting us this house right next to theirs and have been taking THE BEST care of us,  the first 5 days without our stove, they had us eat with them every meal  AND they bake coconut bread!!!   Oh my goodness!  The smell of fresh warm bread everyday is so wonderful!   Plus they have a cat who resembles my lola and many loving dogs… needless to say, Jess and I got used to this place REALLY quickly.  They are a loving, and so very generous, spiritual family.

Puerto Cabezas is breezy, rainy, humid, hot and cold, the weather is all over the place right now.  But their “cold” is actually quite perfect for me.  Their dirt is red and it gets blown all over the place.   Houses are on stilts and many are painted brightly.  Sometimes out on service we get a nice view of the beach.  The people are hospitable,  and respect the bible.  We get to practice Miskito door to door so we’re hoping to learn quickly, with Jehovah’s help.

This week is CO visit!  Hugo and Margarita Hernandez from El Salvador.  It’s been so nice getting to know them.  We had our pioneer meeting yesterday.  Our congregation has 8 pioneers, including us 3, and 2 special pioneers.  I’m sure we’ll learn so much from all of them.

 The Miskito congregation has 29 publishers 3 elders and 2 servants.  There is a Spanish congregation here too we share our hall with. A much bigger congregation with only one elder, a special pioneer couple from the states, Isaac and Laura Matos, who live on the KH lot. Today I accompanied a 10yr old little sis from the spanish on her studies for 3 hours this afternoon, she is a nonbaptized publisher with 6 studies, one of which is a teacher. 

Door to door has been awesome, great conversations and many return visits gained this past week, can’t wait to start studies!  Sorry these pics are all out of order and scant, will send more soon!  Much love, Juli

 Moving Day!

 Our Miskito class

 Miskito service in Managua

 Getting to the territory in Managua

 Studying hard every night!

 Angelita's kitchen, hora de almuerzo

Con mi favorita

 Hamilton and Mariela Padilla, our instructor with wife

 Class pic!

 On our way to Puerto Cabezas, our boarding pass

 Lovita(Cora) our little sister

 Mom and pop Antonio, Conrado and Jackie

 Rayando Coco

 Rainy service day

 Daisy and Margarita

Olga and Cora taking refuge under a house

Esta semana pasada...

Nuestra amigasa y companera de casa Nina se nos fue:( A otras experiencias y aventuras, despues de ano y medio en San Dionisio, todos la extranamos muchisimo, pero bueno, adelante en la obra!

 Mas chanchitos por el territorio

Viernes, dia de Olga de hacer pizza en Esquipula con los hermanos King.  Dia largo de trabajo para los tres, pero permite que sigan como precursores, el mayor trabajo.

 Congregacion Matagalpa Sur nos vinieron a ayudar con un territorio rural llamado El Cobano, llegaron con mucha energia y entusiasmo y listos para trabajar.  Y nosotros MUY contentos de tenerlos, disfrutar de su compania y animo.  Llegaron como 18 en una camioneta!

                         
 <<Futuros precursores especiales

Olga atras aprovechando predicar informalmente

Hora de almuerzo despues de mucho caminar y predicar

 Nuca habia visto el salon del reino tan lleno, era muy bonito!

Adios amigos! Hasta luego....