Living in San Cristobal, all the churches (including the one a block away from our place) ring their bells at 6 am, 7 am and then 4 pm (bottom line, several times a day), the town has a very small town feeling, there's local stands everywhere for everything you may need. Every day a truck full of propaine, drives with a chain the back announcing themselves and if you need propaine you just go outside and get them. Also, the fresh water truck announces they are here if you happen to need a big bottle of water, we don't drink in Mexico water from the tub, it's unthinkable.
People are really polite, they always say "Buenos dias, buenas tardes o buenas noches", if you take a "Colectivo" everyone getting on this public transportation will say a greeting and everyone seated replies, at the end they say to the driver "Gracias". To my amazement (Art) if you are lost, people will stop and ask you if you need help, even if you are on your car, they will knock on your window and beg you (so to speak) to accept their help, it's not uncommon to have more than one person helping a lost individual. If you are eating in a restaurant and the people next to your table finished before and leave they would say: "Provecho" (meaning Enjoy your meal). This is just a small taste of this beautiful city full of restaurant and beautiful people.
We have had a great time in Service this week, Art cause some laughter to our local brothers and sisters in FS, he approached several houses and said: "Buenos dias, senora.....Escupeme por favor" (which in english would translate: Good morning lady, spit me please), we laughed and laughed and laugheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed, especially the local brothers, myself I know what I have :). So he learned the hard way to say "Excuse me" o "Disculpeme" not "Escupeme".........back so service.
We've had many nice calls past week, we thought there wasn't much english to be honest but we have found many this week. Art found 3 very interesting parties that are interested in learning more about the Bible, for example, we were walking down a street -please recall we walk a lot everywhere- and there was a gentleman dressed like rushing to a boyscout meeting or something like that, Art said: "Habla ingles?" and turned out he did, and had a great conversation with him, placed the BT book, he asked his priest about alcohol and God's view on it, he mentioned our January issue and shared with him the account of Jesus making wine at a wedding, he was amazed on the Bible's balanced view on alcohol and couldn't wait to read the magazine, he gave him his phone number and name to continue further conversations. Myself (Sofia :)) found 3 english calls for Art with guys, very interesting calls, one was a missionary mormon who kept the BT book and agreed on further discussions, another one was a well educated guy who mentioned that he had been living here for 10 years and never been called on english by JW, he showed a lot of interest in coming to a meeting and receive a BT book there at the KH.
Another experience was with a teenage girl who we couldn't find several ocassions but last friday was great 'cause we found her and had a wonderful conversation, agreed that spiritual need brings happiness and express interest to come to a meeting and wants us to come back next tuesday, her name is Karla.
We have a funny story to relate:
We have spent all morning miles of territory, we were cold, hungry at 2 pm and of course a little grouchy, we came to the Downtown Square -where all the action is-, we saw another Pioneer from the cong.seated at the benches waiting for her partner. We invited her for lunch, in the meantime she started a conversation with a young spanish man seated next to her who turned out to speak good english, placed the BT book and continue the conversation forever, Shelly (her partner) had arrived already and of course I have to admit that day I was getting really impatient 'cause we had a small breakfast, Art kindly reminded me our purpose to travel 4000 miles so I decided to wait patiently at a bench, and without any intention of witnessing no one really, I just asked a lady next to me where was she from, turns out she was visiting, asked us what we were doing, told her our main purpose is to promote Bible Education and offer free home Bible Studies, she was totally amazed and asked us why we do that, when getting the answer, she mentioned that we surely are bringing a lot of comfort to people in need, she gave us her cell.phone number and I placed magazines in spanish, that taught me a lesson, even when you are rrrrrrrrrrrrrrreally hungry and no desire to preach you come accross a nice experience if you are willing to wait just a little bit more. We had a grrrrreat lunch afterwards.
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