Titus does "ok" in the ministry, too

There is a park in the middle of Bocas Town.  We make it a habit to spend one day a week in early morning service and often find ourselves talking to locals in the park.  Titus has developed a real love for ministering in the park.  He takes it very seriously. 

One morning a few weeks ago, we were speaking with someone about one of the tracts we were offering when I realized Titus was no where to be seen.  Where had he gone?  I set off to the far end of the park.  As I walk around the gazebo, what I see is both hilarious and heart-warming.  There are people everywhere-- sitting on park benches, leaning against walls, standing on sidewalks, or walking through on their way to work.  Every single one of them, perhaps 15 or 20 in all, is reading a "peaceful new world" tract either in English or Spanish at the same time-- every single person!!  I see Titus near the gazebo with one last tract in his hand waiting for the lone holdout to hang up his phone so that he could give him one too!  I wish I had a picture because words just cannot do the scene justice.

Titus also has a return visit at the park.  Mr. Machuco is an older man who specifically looks for 'Tito' and asks him what he has brought for him to read that day.  Ty is so proud and happy to have a return visit of his own.

Most recently, Titus has been wanting to share a scripture when he offers a tract.  So he has memorized James 4:8 and Revelation 21:4 while he has marked those two scriptures in his bible with the marker ribbons.  Ty is especially outgoing and loves talking with the locals so his act of placing a tract and reading a scripture typically ends up looking like this:

Julian is a worker who maintains the park.  Even though Julian is probably 3 feet taller than Ty and even though he was listening to music and in the middle of his work, he happily took time to stop and listen.  The two of them sat down for five or ten minutes talking about the Bible and some of its many promises.

It is great to see Ty identify an aspect of the ministry that he really enjoys!

Madison is doing "all right" in her ministry

Families with children often desire to serve where the need is great.  And then families often shy away from doing so because they worry that their children might suffer spiritually at the expense of their parents exuberance and sense of adventure.  Well, results are not guaranteed and your actual results may vary, but here is a remarkable story of Madison...

Things are different here in Panama.  Where in the US it is considered taboo to speak about the bible to a child without their parent's consent, it is perfectly acceptable to do so here (and in much of the Caribbean).  In fact, parents often encourage the Witnesses to speak to their children, even when the parents themselves are not interested.  It is not uncommon for children ages 8-14 to attend meetings without their parents!  All of this means that our young ones play a very important role in our ministry-- there are multitudes of children in Bocas and they are eager to learn about the bible.

The real weight of this fact was lost on me until last Thursday morning when we were preparing for our family's day in the ministry.  Every Thursday is "Bastiementos day".  Most of our congregation takes a boat ride to the neighboring island of Bastiementos where there is a large concentration of English-speakers and many bible studies are being conducted.  I asked Madison if there was anyone she wanted to work with in service.  "Yes," said Madison "but I have to make sure that I visit Myra." Who's Myra? "She's my bible study... I have to go see her after lunch because that is when she is out of school."  Oh, ok.  Somehow my daughter had secretly started a study without me even knowing!  "Oh and I have to study with Dianais too, after lunch today."  Oh, there is more?! "Yes, Dad!! But that is all today.  Oh, except there is a return visit with this other young girl up the hill- we are going to start on the Good News brochure today." Uh, Madison... how many studies do you have? "Well, Myra and Dianais today.  I think 'girl up the hill' is going to study, too. And then the only other study I have is Darlene in Bocas Town."  Ok.... so just four studies?!?  Wow, are the allergies bad today cuz my eyes are getting kinda watery?

Before thick-headed dad could even take notice, his 9 year-old daughter (I know honey-- you turned 10 this week but I am not ready for you to be double-digits yet!) has cultivated a fruitful, meaningful ministry that is all her own.  The hugely positive spiritual effect this has on her is remarkable and I thank Jehovah every night for giving her such a huge privilege and blessing.

So the day in Bastiementos was great.  Madison was able to find almost all of her studies home and conduct a study with them in either the Good News or Live Forever brochure.  Her service schedule is only getting busier... an 8 year old named Nayalis requested that Madison come back next week and study with her!

Here's a picture of Madi and Dianais on their study!

Other fun stuff

So after all the fun in February the month ended with Carnival.  That is NOT a celebration for witnesses.  From what we understand the celebration has to deal with the slave trade that happened in the past, that in itself isn't the problem...there are dancers who dress up in red and black very ornate costumes with bells on them.  They wear huge scary devil masks and carry whips around.  From what I understand these satans go around and attempt to trip people and when they fall the devils whip people during the week (they are not supposed to whip women, children, or gringos), then on the last day all the children get to put on masks and they whip the satans.  This is supposed to represent the white slave drivers during the week and the kids at the end of the week are when the slaves rebelled and won their freedom.  This is a huge party like Mardi Gras that lasts a week.  It is filled with drinking, drugs, and violence.  Witnesses steer clear of main street and are careful about our choices in going places during the evening times.  I was going to take a picture, because it is hard to put into words the yuckiness of these costumes and behaviors, but I didn't want any of it in my photo pages so you will have to use your imagination.  Another aspect I heard was that all of this 'merriment' coincides with Ash Wednesday and Lent that way the party-ers have something to ask forgiveness for and can get all the bad out before these days...

On happier notes, though when we were out in service I found a young girl 13 years old to study with.  She lives on Bastimentos.  She doesn't own a bible (I brought her an old one until we get new ones in) but loved the books of Esther, Daniel, and Revelation.  She even had already put together that Daniel and Revelation go together!  I started studying the Bible teach book with her!!

Marie found a young lady that I am still trying to track down. I know where she works and lives, but haven't been able to catch her at either place...I hope to find her on Thursday now that everyone's schedule is calming down with Carnival done with.

I also have found a study with another girl on Bastimentos too who has two children and works a lot.  She really likes what she is hearing about the Good news Brochure and had two questions:  How do we know the bible is inspired of God and not changed by men when they translate/copies it and How do we know that this is the end and when the end will be?  Two very good questions for next time.  She too doesn't have a bible, so I'm bringing her one too.

Another lady I found used to sit in on the study her daughter was having.  I spoke to the sister and she is going to study with the girl and bring Madi along (the girl is shy so we are hoping another child will draw her out) and I am going to let the mom have her own study.  She lives on Bocas.

Recently, I am also studying with the sister of Ricardo.  She is Catholic and keeps talking about all the mysteries in the Bible such as the Trinity and the mystery of how God can have no beginning...We study in the Bible teach book too.  She has an old bible, but some of the pages are ripped because of using it while her children were small and they grabbed a page etc.  I plan on bringing her a new bible too.  She lives on Carenero.

I also have another woman I am studying with when she is on lunch break at work.  We are studying the good news brochure and she is very happy to hear it.  I hope that she brings her bible from home so that she can read the information from her own book.  She works on Carenero but lives on Bastimentos...

I have a couple of good calls too that I hope will blossom into studies!

All of these make for a couple of busy days in service.  I'm sure you all want to see where we stop for break...

Just kidding.  We only just found this place.  It's not Starbucks, but it will do and is cheaper too.  Starting this week it will be where I go for a cuppa.  The owner, Ron, is actually a study of one of the brothers and even came to the Kingdom hall to hear the COs talk.  He runs every night all around the airport runway which is near the Hall. 

Everything on the island is shipped in including bread.  This is a Bimbo delivery truck..Ross and Dan will know about this:)

Some things just catch you as funny right...This sign tickled me because it sounds so gross if you just read it straight through:

 Yuck Seafood Milkshake...

This is the local firestation.  They are called Bomberos...the truck on the left is so old it actually has hand pumps on it...I don't think they use it anymore...

We see funny things in service too...

 He looked like he had no idea how to get down!

Even the birds get hot here...armpit air out:

Ty actually caught a bird about two weeks ago.  It was a little guy that fell out of his nest.  It had a few feathers, but some hadn't come in yet.  He found it jumping along the beach and caught it under a neighbors house.

We also saw some needle nose fish and a stingray in the water outside of Casa del Sapo

 There are interesting bugs too...Ty again found it, but this one was near the new house in the Marina.
This was giant probably the size of Ty's whole hand.

This spider was in a tree on Carenero Island.

There is a lot of beauty too. These are some of my favorites.

Well thats all she wrote for tonight.  It's time to head to bed:

Our new house and a bike update

After a hectic week with the CO and visitors, we also had things fall into place to move.  So Monday we vacated Casa del Sapo...for the record I do not wish upon anyone (well at least brothers and sisters) that place.  On the outside it looks very nice and when you walk in it is nice too...but out of 4 air conditioners only 2 were working when we moved in and by the end of the month only 1 was working. Thankfully there were fans in both bedrooms to help us stay cool and to circulate the air some. There are very few lights in the house.  Both bedrooms have a small lamp and that is it.  The kitchen is well lite, the bathroom when all lights work is ok, and the small hall way has a light but the living room which is rather big has a small lamp!  In the day there is lots of natural light, but in the night it gets dark!  Unfortunately, there was a leak in the bathroom before we got there and rot had set into the wood under the tiles.  I am sorry to say that Ray and I broke a few of the tiles just by stepping wrong.  The kitchen is well equipped and pretty nice.  We had no complaints there.  As well there was a lot of closet space and good cable.  The internet was slow and spotty and the laundry was a nightmare!!  For a couple it wouldn't be too bad, but for a family of 4 with a little boy...it was hard. 

That all said, our new place is much smaller, but very cute!  We have an air conditioned master bedroom and an adorable loft for the kids.  We still don't have much light, but Ray is on that after he finishes working on the boat.  He also is going to work on the fans.  The house has 3 ceiling fans that should keep the house cool, but we haven't figured out the trick for turning them on.  There is a beautiful staircase that goes up the loft and a very artistic kitchen.  We were told the internet was faster, but it wasn't fast enough, so we just bought a little box that is like a wireless router. It seems to go quite fast.  We are all moved in now and seem to be quite happy.  The Marina is very quite and full of English speakers.  Not so good for the kids to learn Spanish, but at least away from the worldly influences.  We do miss the island of Carenero...the people were nice and we were finally getting along with the boat drivers so that they sometimes charged us like we lived there:) and not like tourists.

Here is the new house and yard around it. 

As you enter the house, you are in the living room.

Turn left and look at the kitchen stair case up stairs.

At the kitchen take a quick right and there is the bathroom and another quick right the master bedroom.

Turn around and head up the stairs to the loft where the kids sleep.

If you go back out through the door near the living room you get to see all the boats in the marina.

That's it our cute little abode for a year.  It is less money so at least we will be able to save some.

Currently the marina is in the process of repainting so all the mismatched railing you see will be gone by next week.  It looks really nice.  We still have to take a boat to get into town and are right now working on getting the phone number of many boat drivers.  The Marina has a water taxi that costs $1 each way per adult to take into town but it only runs at 8am, 10am, 12noon, 1pm, 2pm, and 5pm.  Then you are on your own to find a ride.  It means on Tuesday night we head to town at 5pm and hang out until meeting at 6:30 then we find a taxi ride home after meeting.  On Sunday we have to find someone to take us and bring us home...hence all the number gathering.  Getting home isn't as hard, but getting into town is can be tough.  When the boat is done, we will be much more free to get into town for meeting and not as worried about it.  We will only have to determine where to dock the boat during the time we are there.  Working on that still... 

We also just rebought bikes.  A week after we bought bikes, two were stolen.  We just replaced them and now I've taken pictures.  When I took these though, Ray didn't have his yet.  It was getting a basket and seat put on.  I'll update later after I get a picture of it tomorrow.

 
 I guess last night there was a rampage through town and someone stole seats all the way down main street including Madi's...They tried to take Ray's, but it was too rusted in for them to fight it.  Ty and my bikes had a small lock keeping the seats on and to the frames.  We also bought huge chains for the bikes so it will be hard to steal them.  We will have to buy Madi a new seat tomorrow and a lock for it so that hopefully we are safe from stealing from this point on.  If anything else happens, we might be bringing our bikes onto the boat and taking them to the Marina.  It is a super safe place as it has 2 guards roaming around at night and all sorts of workers here during the day, including the marina office right below us! 

Massachesetts Brennemans visit

As I mentioned in the last post, Marie and the girls came down for a visit...I still am so sorry for their entry in!  After a major snowstorm on the east coast and their flight being delayed.  They flew into Houston just to marathon dash to the gate and watch their plane pull back...The airlines had planned on putting them up for the night, but could only get them standby on another flight in the morning which would mess up their connection to Panama.  Thankfully the attendant took pity on them and got them redirected to Miami where they had to get a hotel and stay until very early the next morning.  Here they were supposed to get a wake up call and have a taxi waiting to take them to the airport.  Wake up call--check, taxi--uhmm.  Well to say the least, they eventually got locked out of the hotel by one way doors and had to flag down some driver to get them to the airport, where they again dashed through to catch their flight.  As they enter Panama air space things are looking up, hopefully their ride will be there.  Poor Marie has been attempting to text, call, email, contact me  but to no avail because our internet had been down at the house.  I only get text, phone, or email when there is Wifi access.  The last text I get is we are flying into Panama at this time.  My flight to Bocas is arriving at 7:30pm...Ray and I scratched our heads for quite some time over that one.  We were worried because we couldn't get a hold of Marie (her phone didn't work here and John had changed his number), but we thought her original email said her flight would be in at 4 and we didn't think any flights came in that late.  Well we decided to go to town and take some paperwork to the coordinator.  Funny enough we were there at around 5 when a flight went overhead.  We looked at each other and said thought that was her flight.  Oh well lets go get a snack and wait for them to eat in case they are hungry when they get in.  We are sitting in the park munching away when we get a phone call from our neighbor, a brother, saying that he had them sitting there on his porch and where were we!

Marie's side of the tale is that she did send an original email saying 4:00 and a text saying 7:30.  In her delirious state of none sleep and travel stress, she had sent the wrong time in the text mixing up their leave time with arrival time.  Poor things got here on the plane we thought humm about.  Then they were going to stay i the airport until we came for them except that the airport closed at 6.  They were kicked outside.   A nice local saw them and said it wasn't a good choice for them the stand around in that spot and they should leave.  A taxi drove by and asked them where they wanted to go. They couldn't remember the name of the house and of course the driver didn't know us, but it came out they were Jehovah's Witnesses.  So he took them to the kingdom hall.  A young brother who lives behind the hall happened to be going by and he did know us and sent the ladies to the Carenero boat dock where the loaded up and went over to the island and met Tom on the dock of our house.  Enter us totally confused and soo sorry for not being there to meet them.  We ended up getting food and anyway, they made it and a funny story to boot:)  Super Thanks to Marie, the girls, and Natalie for helping me get the books I needed for this semester of school!!

During the week, we had a wonderful time working together out in service and having fun!  Monday Raymond took the group out and the rest of us stayed home, rested, and visited.  Tuesday we visited in the morning and in the afternoon we all went out in service there in Carenero.

 I think it was on Tuesday morning Kianna did Madi's hair.  She's full of braids and beads! She loved it and it was very cute.  It took like 4 hours though...poor bums.

Wednesday we went out in service but mostly not together.  We all seemed to get separated for studies and territories etc.  Right now there is a census work going on in the congregation.  A couple of the brothers are remaking all of our territory cards and we are searching for all English speakers in the area and making note of it.  I have never really done this sort of work before and with no street names or house numbers anywhere it can be a challenge at times.  The new maps are AWESOME though and are being made from Google Earth shots so that we can number the houses and keep track of not at homes.  There is some doctoring that has to happen though because not all the shots are clear and there has been a lot of new building so some roofs are not visible.

On Thursday we went to Bastimentos and had a nice day.  Marie did some phenomenal informal witnessing and has a couple of great calls I'm following up on.  I went on studies then we all met up for lunch.  That afternoon we headed home and had meeting also.

Friday, we went out in service part day...the girls worked with me scouting a tough territory.  Again Marie found a lady who really touched her heart.  We happened to be in a very poor area and it sort of started to get to us all.  We ended up finishing the day with lunch and a shopping trip!!  The kids all seemed to have a good time since so much is so cheap and they could get trinkets for a steal.  Then we headed home to play on our beach, lay out, fish, and dive for shells.

Saturday we went into service in a hoighty toighty area called Red Frog.  It's on the opposite side of the island of Bastimentos.  On the boat ride there though we had a GREAT experience!!  DOLPHINS sighted off the boat.  They swam along with us for a bit.

The people in the Red Frog development are very well off and these are private second homes for most.  We had to walk a long way to get there and were kicked out after about a half hour of working the territory.

Since we were there, we decided to go to the beautiful beach located on that part of the island.  It is a public beach with some breathtaking views.  Marie and I searched for red frogs, but didn't find any:(

But we had to take care since the undercurrent can be strong.  Notice Ray in the water with Ty holding on tight!

After we tired of this beach and needed some lunch we headed back to Bocas.  Then we grabbed a cab to head up to Starfish beach.  I don't have many shots there since A. My phone battery was getting low and B.  I was super worried about Raymond.  Here's that tale:  So after a 20 minute taxi ride at speeds of 55 around hairpin corners ( I thought I would get sick we were going so fast), we made it to a little beach town called Bocas del Drago.  We then were to catch a boat ride over to Starfish.  You can walk there, but we didn't because our feet were hurting from the long walk up hills on Red Frog.  As we were catching the boat everyone had gotten into the craft except Raymond and the driver.  Ray was helping him push us off the shore when he suddenly yelped and jumped into the boat.  His foot was bleeding and he was in a lot of stinging pain.  We weren't sure what had happened at that point and just were trying to stop the bleeding and determine if he would need stitches or medical care.  As he was holding his foot, the rest of us callously noticed the beauty of the birds.

The boat driver said it was probably a coral cut.  We worried about an infection.  When we got to the beach, we got Ray off the boat and onto a lounge chair, where we noticed his foot had a spreading red rash like thing on it and it was swelling a bit.  With the bleeding stopped though we were able to get a better view of it.  Strange thing, it wasn't a slice like you would expect from coral.  It had one cut then another little poked hole... like it had been hooked by something.  I was worrying about a stingray when the boat driver assured us it was coral.  He left and I went down the beach for some ice to help with the stinging and swelling.  The ice burned but helped a little.

The kids all played and swam in the gentle water.  Starfish actually abound here and are watched by a man that makes sure they are safe and not picked up or hurt by tourists.  We helped move a couple away from the shore as the tide went out.  Then while Ty played in the water, the girls did dance shots and took pictures of each other.  (I don't have any of those but they were really cool.)

 Later the bar keeper came down the beach...I figured he would know a coral cut etc...he told us yes coral and went to get some alcohol.  I think that helped the most.  After that we got home and did some research...it looks like it was fire coral from the descriptions.  The alcohol helped a lot.  For the first week Ray put alcohol and Neosporine on it all the time to take the sting out.  Now he still has a cut, but it appears to be healing.

That night we got ready and went to eat sushi (said shushi here).