La Paz-12-8, Dolores 12-9

Here is an old cowboy, wife went to get some ice cream for them.

Ice Cream vendor!

Another ice cream vendor. The ice cream here is more like an icey/sherbet combo. Isn't creamy, can give you a brain freeze, if you eat too rapidly. Asked for mango but they were out, so settled for a scoop of chocolate, and vanilla.

Here is a construction job going on, on a sat afternoon about 1:30. No OT here. actually pretty fair workmanship.

here is an older couple enjoying a Sat afternoon bench in the sun.

Our chicken place Tom showed us, and eggs too.

Had a interesting experience today. Met an old Bible study of a brother from several years ago. He drove up to the house, got out and asked if I spoke english! Much to my surprise. Invited us in, Tom L & I, and we heard his story. He had studied with a brother from states who moved here. He is an architect. Had a good discussion. we see what develops. Went to meet a young man for study, but we didn't make connections. so did a little camera work, and met 2 JWs who had been in service.

David is learning english, and comes to english congregation, Jasmine is in spanish hall. We joked a bit, because David's english is about as good as my spanish! But we have fun trying to communicate. 1 night after mtg, I was going to meet a couple of friends at the "potato' place, and thought I knew where it was. Wrong. Elaine had went with other group, so when I was trying to find it, saw David, waiting to catch a bus home, and tried to see if he could tell me where restaurant was, was a pantomine. Finally I just laughed, and he did, because we just couldn't figure out what I was trying to get him to understand.
  Anyway took some other pics, of people in the centro. One thing here is you see more babies per capita than anywhere we have lived.

grandpa, dad, Baby son

couple with tiny baby!

The school/church sometimes makes the little girls maybe 10-12, not sure, carry a baby doll, around with them for a week, to teach them how a baby changes everything. They have to keep it 24/7. If it is meant to slow down birth rate, doesn't seem to be working. The #1 business here is Babies. from clothes to food. The emphasis is the welfare of baby, even tho many times its wrongly directed. They feed the baby sugar water/soda early. But you can't fault the love and protection the baby is afforded by everyone, and everything. The baby isn't farmed out to daycare. The parents/or grandmas, take child to school and pick them up.  They are protected and made to feel completely safe.

Thursday we were in La Paz again. We were able to finish a territory this week, so we are averaging 1 per week so far, which is great. In a year we may be able to get majority of town worked, make our data sheets, and have went a long way to see if there is enough interest here to look forward to establishing an english cong. Will see if that is Jehovah's direction.

Here is a  pic of the back yard of a house, with animals we saw from fence. 

You can see the cow in foreground, but there is a goat in background. 

Found a very well dressed woman at a large home, with Big yard and yardmen at work. I asked her,

"Hay personas hable ingles en su casa?" Are the anyone in the house that speaks english. She said in english, "No I don't'. That is always a dilemma, because obviously she did , at least to some extent. But here people in many cases don't want you, or others to know they speak english. Its may be looked down upon by the friends or relatives, so you have to gently prod somewhat to see if they really do. Or don't want to tell you at that time for whatever reason. She may of not wanted the help, to know she did.

So that is one of the challenges.

Foreground, Elaine, Debbie Eiseman, Joyce McCracken.
See the layers Elaine has with her? Thats what sisters do here. starts out in 40s, then as sun goes up, about 11AM, you start shedding.
Was somewhat of a fruitless morning- results wise. Elaine & I brought our "brown bag", other 2 sisters joined us at KH mtg. So for lunch, they went to the mercado, had a food court, so they walked around, was not too crowded, and the various food stall folks wanted them to join them as they walked thru, but for some reason they didn't go to the first ones, and ended up at 1, that hada young girl, maybe 12 or so, that tried to talk to them. She wanted to learn english. Her mother owned the stand, so they had a good call. and got an individually prepared quesdailla, that the mom cooked for them. She didn'y have a flour tortillas, so she went and bought some especially for them!

Large hacienda on a La Paz street.
So after lunch we< Elaine & I, went to jardin to see if a call I had with enchilada vendor materialized, he didn't show, so we walked over to a close street where we had the address of an older man who had given his address to Tabitha Portell last week. We had the other 2 sisters work the market, and we were to rendezvous back at car at 2:30. So Elaine & I walked to the address, knocked and The gentleman welcomed us, and we were invited to come in and have a chair.
His english, was a little, limited, but he was friendly, and asked us some questions about JWs. In the course of our discussion, he told us how they, Catholics were starting the celebration of the Virgin, and pointed to his wall. Really hadn't looked around, but then saw his images of her on wall. Mary has many names in Latin America, Mary, Guadeloupe, Pilar, are some of them. His Bible he had, when we looked up a couple scriptures had all the prophets together, as one of our lessons mentioned recently.after Chronicles, came Isaiah, Jeremiah, smaller prophetic books, then came  Salmo(psalms) and proverbs, Canticles, etc. Not sure where that will go with him, but as Elaine said will have to be patient, he has about 70 years of thinking 1 way.
After his call met, Debbie & Joyce back at car, tried to have study with our young lady  Carla, for Eve, but her Mom said she had went out, but found out mother was warm and friendly. Wasn't sure how she felt about daughter having doorstep study with her daughter. She said to try back in 15 minutes we did, but missed her.  Headed home, tired but glad we made trip.
Love Tom & Elaine.