Ok so here it is … a month ago we had to change our schedule, for the week we went back to the US for work … so we asked the lady at the furniture store (remember her?) if she could change her study day that week, so we wouldn't miss it … she was good with that … of course when we got there, she proceeded to tell us that she couldn't study that morning, why she didn't call and tell us that she couldn't, we don't know …. but it was a good thing she didn't! After being rejected, just kidding,…. the area of town we were in, has a number of eye care places and I was in need of some contacts..… so we wandered around looking, and finally found what we were looking for. After finding out that the price of contacts here is double of what it is there in the states…(one of the few things) we decided to look for a taxi…. well we kept passing by different taxis and finally settled on one in particular… we got into the car, and we were off….
A little down the road, I noticed that the taxi driver had some religious relics on his dashboard… so I mentioned that he appeared to be a person with interest in religion and the bible….. he muttered that he really wasn't that religious …. but none the less, I figured there was a door that was opened a crack, and decided that I would try to go through it..…. So I asked "what it is that the angels can do, you and I can do, but God cannot do"? Right off the bat, he said "God can do everything" …. "No the bible says God cannot do this one thing" ….So he says "tell me that again" … so I do..… then he says after thinking a while ….. "SHOW ME what it is" …. at that point we are at a stop light and I share Titus1:2, …. he says "God can't lie" ….. "that's right" …. as I amaze myself at my teaching prowess…. JUST KIDDING! …
We let him digest what he just came to realize, and a bit later Carol mentions that, that fact, is the assurance of all Gods promises…. And when Jesus taught us to pray for Gods will to be done on earth …. she reasoned that we have a guarantee that it will happen …. and that Gods Kingdom will bring that to a reality …. after thinking a bit he asked "how we know that the bible is from God"? He mentioned that the writers say they were inspired by God but is there anywhere that Gods says he is talking to us…. well we shared a few different scriptures and they had no affect … finally we shared Prv. 2:1 where the bible says "My Son" …. for some reason that verse clicked with him and he said "there it is" …. as time moves forward, he mentions that he didn't know what he did wrong to offend God… we asked what he meant… he then told us that his 24 year old son had died (lung infection) leaving behind 3 children, just 3 months ago…. We told him he did nothing wrong…. he assured us that he must have done something, to offend God, for Him to have taken his son…… We then shared James 1:13 and showed him that God, does not do things that way…. he said "if that's so why did his son have to die"? We shared Pauls comments in Romans 5 and 6 as to why we die, and explained that some unfortunately die early due to imperfection and the illnesses that results from it… that seemed to be a very satisfying answer to him… we went on to explain that Jehovah purposes to raise the dead, and restore them perfect life in the not too distant future….(yes of course we used the bible) NOW he was really interested … we got out our study copy of the Bible teach book and shared a few points about the resurrection with him, and offered to get him a copy…. (no we didn't have any on us at the time ….. WE WERE out of them at the Hall…. I know you were thinking … You were out of them?… Flakes, …..what's the matter with you guys you should always have one with you!) …… So we said we would like to get him the book, and we told him as soon as we could find one, we would get him a copy and and then call him, to make arrangements to share with him, how we use the book to share what the bible really teaches about where, his son is, and what hope there is, to see him again. He liked that idea…. well we got the book that same week, into the hall …. FINALLY (we had been waiting for them for some time) We called to make arrangements, to get him the book, before we left for the US …. but we couldn't make the schedules fit to make the delivery … so we promised to get in touch with him after we returned…. which we did… and of course we had problems getting together with him due to scheduling …. finally a few days before going to Santiago for the International Convention, we called him and he came to pick us up for a ride back to our part of town…. we made a bit of small talk and he asked about our trip to the States and how family was (all the usual latin stuff) finally he asked about his book …. we gave it to him and then Carol mentioned, that if he was interested in studying the bible, we could make arrangements to have someone study with him, in the town he lives in about 35 minutes from Cuenca …. he said he was interested in the study, but would prefer studying with us and that he would make time during the workday, to come to wherever we wanted him to come and have the study …. further he gave us a day and time, when he would like to do the study… of course we were on our way out of town that same week and could not study for a few weeks, and he seemed a bit sad … but he told us that when we got back from Chile, he would be ready to start his study… further he told us that he would like to have his wife study with us also, but she is very Catholic … and then mentioned that he would be sharing what he learns with her, and that in time, he hopes she will join in the study, but by then, hopefully, we could come to his house to do the study (yes I know it's not in our territory, but let's get to that point, then we will worry about that)
So of course we are now back and today we will be making contact with him to have the study this week ….. keep him in your prayers and we will do our best to help him ….. This is a classic Angelic direction story… there are many other details, that time does not allow me to include, but the Angels are definitely at work here… that is a great feeling to see how Jehovah directs us to what would appear to be sheep like ones.
On another note, we had a wonderful time at the International Convention and then we went onto Buenos Aires ….. it, BA, has plenty of wonderful parts of the city we visited and we saw a Tango Show one night with the Brix-Hansens from Reno…. we had a very nice evening.
Santiago is a beautiful city, and the brothers from Chile were soooo warm and inviting…… As one brother on our bus said, price for the tour arranged by the society $…., meals out after the program each night $…… taxi rides $ …… , …….Memories ….. PRICELESS.
In addition to all the friends from Chile, there were brothers form 18 countries.... we met a couple from the Turk Islands very nice couple... we walked into a restaurant, saw the lapel badges and started to talk, they came and joined us and we had a very nice evening, exchanging stories about where we live. They decided to move there, where the need is greater, in Spanish, after as I remember several trips to the islands. While at first, it might seem that the life there, living on the islands, would be like being on perpetual vacation, they indicated that even though they live 150 feet from the beach, they seldom have time to enjoy the waters as they are soooo busy in the work there. Nice example!
Our love to you all!
Great story Bill. Keep up the good work!!!
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