Beautiful Feet: January 6, 2016

Is it safe? (That is a famous line from the movie Marathon Man starring Dustin Hoffman) When we went outside this morning about 8:30 there were police and police tape just past our house and the street was blocked off there and at the other end. We found out later that a young man who was visiting Juayua for the festivities was shot by one of the gangs here about 6:30 this morning. I told the landlady I thought we were in a safe area and she said we were but the holidays were dangerous. At 9 I ran over in the car to pick up Arnoldo and on the way I saw Mario and Sara and kids in the street. I said we had missed them Sunday and they said that Sara had worked and their little girl had been sick but they would be home for a study at 3 and would come to the last Wednesday night service at Regina's. We parked in front of our old house and Charlotte and Arnoldo walked up to Suleyma's to study with Alba who lives across the street. From Charlotte….this was a great study. Alba is the lady who stopped me in the street and had asked where I went to church after our first event. She is so eager to study and we are hopeful that she will come to church as she does not live too far from the building. We are studying about Jesus and salvation and often her oldest daughter sits in on the study and reads the verses. Her mother-in-law also joined us for prayers. I cannot wait for each day to return to her home. Next, Suleyma, Arnoldo and I went to Wendy’s. She had gone out of town for a couple of days, so we said we would return on Saturday. We handed out invitation along each way. We finished about 11:30 and decided we would walk up one more street with invitations. First, we talked to one man. He was reading his Bible, 2 Kings, so we talked some about Naaman. I asked if he would study and he said he would. So, I will have to take Dwaine back with me. Next, we stopped at Celia’s. We have gotten up quite a rapport because for our first invite, she asked if we would have ice cream. I will have to bring her some. I asked if we could read the Bible sometime and she said I would be welcome to come back and do that. She has come to both events, so that will be another opportunity! From Dwaine…Cesar and I began passing out the invitations and finished with all that we had by about 10:30 so I walked back home to wait for Claro. Amazingly, they arrived about 11:30 and got our internet going. After lunch we went by to visit Sister Ana and then had a study with Mario and Sara. At 5 we had our last Wednesday night service at the home of Sister Regina. When we first arrived only Cesar and I were in the front room waiting for others to get there. Cesar said that Eliza was home preparing dinner for Carlos and Linda to come over after service because they had said they would be coming tonight. I asked if he had spoken to Carlos and Linda about that and he said no it was a surprise and I said well I have another surprise we had called Carlos and Linda last night and asked if they could go out with Charlotte and me for pupusas after services. He called Eliza and they decided to invite Ricardo and Yoli instead (but they had to work and did not come so in the end it didn't work out and I felt really bad for them). Charlotte taught the children and I started a series on the 4 Gospels. Mario and Sara and kids did come. Afterwards we talked about having a study during the week on this side of Juayua and decided to meet in homes on a rotating basis every Thursday evening at 5 starting next week. We did not discuss the children's class but afterwards Charlotte said she might like to continue them during the week as well as Sunday and we decided she would have to use her creativity. I was glad to know we would not have to change our Tuesday evening study with Don Santos and family. We also decided to discontinue the Saturday evening service because in February the ladies will begin their class during this time. Lots of changes! After service Carlos and Cesar dropped Suleyma off at her house and we ran by our house with Linda and the kids so she could see it. Then we went to the pupusaria and had a good visit and all had our fill and it only cost $10. Carlos and Linda still had to make the fun drive back to Ataco that we made so many times before we moved here in September but they have seen one house in Salcoatitan that they are hopeful will work out.