Room for improvement!

Hello friends and family!! I know most of you are busy with international convention in your area, it's really nice to see pictures and videos! Definately a lovely experience!!

Well things over here are great thanks to Jehovah. As mentioned in the blog title I put "room for improvement" because truthfully that's what happened to me this past week. Being in ASL is different as I have mentioned so many times before, lol. Asl includes acting, facial expression, movement, drawing and so much more. Well for meeting I would prepare by watching the assigned videos but I would also read the material and then write a comment out. However this posed a problem for me. Sometimes I would be hesitant to comment because I would translate the comment into sign in my head but didn't have the courage to comment because I doubted myself. Also I felt like I wasn't  connected to the information, you know you study you prepare and it just clicks in your head right. Well sometimes I felt like it didn't click, I understood it but for me to comment or bond with the info lol wasn't really happening. So I decided to do something different, instead of write my comments out word for word I started drawing and I must say in the first meeting using the drawings I felt so different! I felt in sync with the program for the meeting and my comments just kind of flowed from my hands... I felt really comfortable and good. My lesson is that there is always room for improvement. To think me a person who can't draw at all, has no skill, but I draw, it may not be the best but it's drawing that I understand and can properly carry out into a comment. Moving to Asl is a transition, because you go from functioning like a hearing person but in order to be successful you must adapt and think like the deaf. Definately a work in progress that Jehovah provides so much support for! Below you'll see my drawings for last week watchtower study and at the bottom for our congregation book study. 

Last Sunday I unfortunately broke the only mirrow I have at home. I moved it and dropped it lol. So after meeting I decided to take the local guagua and go to the store across town to purchase a new one. Well the pro is that the guagua passes right in front the Kingdom Hall, the con is that it takes forever sometimes lol. After the meeting pretty much everyone left and I stayed outside waiting, to my surprise I ended up with company lol. 4 gentleman stayed and kept me company.

In the picture you'll see our baptized deaf brother Robert who is wearing red, the third from the left is Starling who is deaf and unbaptized publisher, the other two are Starlings previous co-workers who are also deaf and attended the meeting. They are so sweet, and man they had me laughing!!! Really enjoyed my time with them. Side note- I love Starlings face!!!! Lol 

So the other day Francisca a sister from my congregation came over to my house to teach me how to cook a Dominican dish. So after service we went to the street market to buy what we needed literally for less than $5 I got a almost a whole chicken, 3 lemons, 3 onions, celantro, and a couple other things. Trust me it was a great buy. Well while at the street market it's not like walmart or target...it's literally a street market, no hygiene, everything is on the ground, dogs and cats running free....sounds bad because it is but I'm used to it. Honestly I dont go all the time but you do find things cheaper. Anyways well what I saw this time really had me shocked. I've seen chuncks of meat hung before.... But this time I guess they recently killed the cow, so the guy hung the meat and was cutting it without wearing gloves, the cows head was just put on the shelf, there was a huge bucket on the floor full of other cow parts I couldn't distinguish.... And to top it all off there was the entire cows skin still in tact lol laying on the floor like dirty clothes!!!! Trust me I stood still for like 3 minutes trying to making sure I was looking at this right. See below check it for yourself.

Oh and this is the chicken post at the street market. The lady in red with glasses is Francisca my friend. 

Well in service today my friend Jael and I were walking to my study. On the way there were these 3 little girls playing jump rope. They didn't have rope though, they were literally using like telephone line wire lol. What you see on the tall wooden post near your home which are for the telephone lines, that's what they were using, it wasn't connected to any current of course but that long piece did serve it's purpose!! JUMP ROPE! Well walking by I got excited and they invited me to jump... And of course I said yes!!!!

My studies!

So I have 3 bible studies. It's a great experience to be able to work with the deaf. 

Ana- she is 21 and never went to school to learn sign. She knows home sign and can talk a little but I've started studying with her and we are working on those signs! She actually learns pretty fast. On one study she learned God, Jehovah, bible, bird, water, tree, and all our names. Still more work to come but I have left her her own copy of the DVD Listen to God and we will see her progress in due time. 

Side note: excuse my hair lol it was windy that day and my hair went crazy! Lol

Ludres- she is 48 and never learned ASL. She knows very few signs, however she is independent and lives on her own. She is so funny because when we arrived at her house she had us sit down and wait for her because she was getting mangos from her tree...even though we waited a few minutes not only did she give us some but also we successfully sat down and studied. She learned on one setting God, BIble, and conversation.

Her sister Rosa lives next door and she has taken interest in the work we do. I hope to return next week and start studying with her as well. Rosa is not deaf, but to the ASL congregations they encourage us to study with the family of our deaf bible students. I also wanted to leave Ludres with her own DVD copy of Listen to God, but Rosa informed me that they don't have one. But assured me that they will work on getting one so Ludres can see the DVD. 

Victoria- she is in her 20's and her husband is also deaf. They have a baby girl who is only 4 months old. Victoria and her husband learned ASL and are fluent. They have studied before at sometime but the sister who used to study with them has not been able to due to circumstances...so currently I am studying with them. In their case they now the basics and I will be working with them with the broshure Good News.

(Sorry I do not have a picture of them)

I informed about their current status why? Well because just like in Spanish or English congregations depending on our studies each one progresses at different rates. Same with deaf it depends on how much sign they know, how much they can learn at each study, how much they can retain, how much they can focus....so many factors come into play. It's work, time, energy, and patience but knowing that every little bit counts for them to be close to Jehovah makes it worth it! All those sweaty days in the heat are easily forgotten when you notice the spiritual growth!

Also you may wonder, if a deaf person doesn't know any signs why leave them an ASL DVD? Well, we do that so they can get used to sign language. Just like a person who wants to learn Spanish what do they do? They watch Spanish channels or listen to Spanish music...being around that helps them learn. Same with ASL. A deaf bible student may not know any signs but if they watch the DVD with time they can recognize signs, remember them...this helping them learn. That combined with their bible study which includes visual pictures and acting will help them develop their ASL. 

It's hot!

Hey friends and family! Sorry I haven't been posting much. It's been kind of hectic. I just moved in to my apartment and still getting things arranged and I currently don't have internet. But soon that will change! 

This happened last Friday:

Today in service we did census! It was territory that is on the outskirts of town. Literally very jungle like and no paved roads and just very rural but we enjoyed it! The sun was blazing! 

  

Once we finished a sister got on her pasola and she have a ride to 2 sisters! 

La Romana Construction Work

La Romana is a town about 30-45 minutes away from Higüey. Currently they are remodeling one of the Kingdom Halls.

The construction work and how its organized is completely different than how it is done in the US. 

In the US we have RBC, there are selected brothers and sisters who are in the committees and then we have others which are volunteers. The volunteers of course sign up and get an account online. They are assigned to a certain department(s) and then are notified when there is construction work available in their area or whenever they are willing to travel. 

Well in the DR it's different. DR bethel assigns a certain group of trained brothers and sisters whose responsibility is the construction work. They are like nomads traveling at all times to handle the remodels or new builds. DR bethel has certain prepared designs of Kingdom Halls which they must follow. So this Construcrion Committee is probably about 7-10 people. This group is not only assigned by bethel but also receive monetary assistance. There are also other volunteers that travel with the group but do not recieve monetary help, for example these could be foreigners that want to work with the construction and have their own savings and request from Bethel a construction assignment and they are assigned to work with the committee. 

Ok well of course having more volunteers means more assisting hands. So instead of the RBC online account, here certain congregations are assigned on certain days. For example, the Kingdom Hall in La Romana is continuing for another month... Thursday the Spanish congregtion from Higüey is assigned to help. Friday the ASL congregation is assigned to help and so forth. Not just one congregation but various congregations which are nearby are assigned to help on certain days. Then who ever can go is much appreciated. Then of course if you are available to go any other day then you are welcome to. 

Also the building material is different too! Of course we are familiar with RBC involving carpet, tile, insulation, electrical, roofing, and so on. Well DR is simple, because of the weather and being near the water everything is concrete! Walls, roof, floor, everything is concrete. Of course electrical wiring is involved and having a gate surrounding the hall... We also paint. But that concrete work is tough! Everything is heavy. If you make concrete you need to lift rocks, dirt, and the cement mix into buckets and pour it into the machine to make the mixture. Then load it on a wheelbarrel and dump it and then shape it into what the design is. Then let's say you need to bring it down, you must break the concrete and shovel the pieces on the wheelbarrel and then take it out. Doesn't matter if you are building with or demolishing concrete it's a process and it's heavy! Plus of course there is no A/C so it's all done in the heat and if you are outside then your in the sun. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed my day, it's nice to experience a different type of construction work...but I must admit working there all day for 8 hours...the next day my back was in pain! Lol but the more I help the more I can get use to it. 

Lunch was nice too. Usually in RBC they set up the parking lot area for the food and everyone usually eats on site. Well not here. Since the property usually isn't big enough...bethel makes a prior arrangement to rent or use a home nearby the construction site. Then there are brothers and sisters assigned to cook and prepare the meals and clean up afterwords. And it's arranged as though you are at Bethel. When lunch is ready they announce it at the Kingdom Hall everyone then stops and walks to the house. Wash your hands with outside water hose lol and then find a seat. At the  table food is already served in the middle and covered with plastic to prevent bugs from intruding. Once everyone is set they do the prayer and say "grab the plate of food and pass it to the left". So it's just like bethel lunch. Which ever tray of food is in front of you, you grab it serve yourself and pass until all food has made its way to everyone. At the end we read the daily text and then concluding prayer then they announce "at 1:30 we will begin work again". (Time may vary depending on when lunch is ready, but usually we get a total of an hour break). So you sit and rest for a bit more but then off to work! The work starts at 8am- maybe 12 or 12:30. Hour break. Then resume until 5. 

Here in the DR there are many special pioneers single and married. If there is construction work in the town a special pioneer is serving in then they must cease all service activity and focus primarily on the construction work. Until the work is done and the committee has moved to work in a different area, then the special pioneer can resume to normal service activity. Keep in mind most of this construction work takes about 3 months maybe more. 

The work is usually Tuesday-Saturday, and Sunday-Monday are rest. The construction crew must attend local meetings. Even though the crew is constantly on the move, they are assigned to a congregtion and when their congregation has assembly then they attend but after that back to work. 

Well the experience is wonderful. Even things are different over here it's beautiful to see that we all have the same purpose...everything for Jehovah. 

One Week in Higüey

Well I've been in Higüey here for a little over a week! I have been enjoying it, service is definitely making me work! Going out in service since we are preparing the territories it's lots of walking

And drawing maps! Bethel estimates that there are 400 deaf in our territory. Our local elder estimates maybe about 200 or so.... Everywhere we go always a new deaf person, couple, or family. It's amazing! It's a variety of the kind of territory we work. We have close and far,

City and country, university, just lots! 

I was able to visit a deaf couple who have a 3 month old baby! And I started studying with the mom! I'm so excited. 

I've been in ASL here before in the DR but never formally established a study that I will be taking care of continouly' I'm excited! 

Enjoy the pictures and plan to share more soon!

Higüey

Well just as the Bible mentions in many occasions, we must be guided by holy spirit. Sometimes we make plans and Jehovah clearly lets us know exactly were we need to be and what to do. 

Therefore there has been a change. Starting this month of May I have been assigned to help in the Higüey ASL Cong. It's actually a recently formed congregation that started in Februry of this year. It's been a group for a long time now but thanks to Jehovah it has grown. The congregation is really small, about 25 publishers. And the territory is extensive! We pretty much cover the lower eastern part of the Dominican Republic. Below on the map you'll see Higüey to the bottom right. We also cover other towns like Yuma, Punta Cana, Bavarro, LaOtra  Banda, and many more. For now there is a recently formed group in Bavarro but we must support it and cover that area. The towns that are about an hour or so away we make arrangements to visit maybe every two weeks or once a month just depends on what can be prepared like if we go for one day or stay longer. 

The congregation consists of 3 elders and no ministerial servants. I believe we have about 10 pioneers which includes one special pioneer couple.

We have so many deaf people in our territory and I'm excited and ready to get to work. Saturday I had a conversation with one of our elders who is a good friend of mine and he said "We will accept and appreciate all the help we can get! Many more are welcome to come...please please please let them know that we especially need brotherly support."

So there you go! To all those reading this blog come on down to Higüey! To those brothers who have so much potential and can provide so much help to the congregation come on down! Higüey is waiting for you. Jehovah will support and bless all effort and work that is provided. 

Even though I have visited the town twice before I am not familiar with all the routes and where things are located. I haven't been able to take many pictures but below you'll see our Kingdom Hall. It's 2 floors: the bottom is where the meetings are held and the top consist of two missionary apartments for the two couples who support the spanish congregations here. 

So there you go! Let's share the Higüey experience! 

This is the Dominican Republic: 

On the far right where it says "Higüey" and then below it it says "La Altagracia" ...well the majority of that is our territory. Especially the southeastern area. 

The entire section is called La Altagracia but it's composed of so many different towns.

Mr and Mrs Rivera Arrive to DR

My parents are here! So my parents arrived Friday and have seen the DR! It's been different for them! Saturday and Sunday we went to service and they participated with the ASL and the Spanish. 

Monday I took them to Bethel and they loved it! They got a surprise because I had made arrangements to eat lunch at Bethel. And we had the privilege of eating at the main table. We got to meet the missioneries that started the preaching work here in the 1940's. It was definitely a lovely experience.