Today was one of the best service days ever. I placed 9 magazines 1 brochure 1 book and possibly started 2 bible studies. We preached in this huge beautiful park in the city and then went through the Jade and Flower market nearby. The brothers have started to take a home-made literature display on wheels in the field to see how successful it is. It is loaded with the current magazines in 5 different languages. They just stand nearby and watch as handfuls of people take the magazines all on their own. I think they had to refill it twice today.
I had a cool experience at the end of the day- we were leaving the territory when I spotted a lady who looked very familiar. I ran up to her and said hello. It turns out she is a Filipina that a missionary sister and I had placed magazines with a week or two before. So I asked her if the sister had gotten in contact with her yet, but she said she had lost the sisters phone number. So I gave her mine and told her I'd like to bring her more magazines. She said "Yes okay!! I really want that book too.. the small one about the Bible", so I pulled out a Bible teach book in English and gave it to her. She was really excited, but I asked her if she would like one in Tagalog as well. Her eyes got huge, she couldn't believe she could have one in her own language. So I told her I would get one for her, and she was so thankful. After we parted ways, I met back up with the brothers and told them what happened, and as it turned out one of them had a Tagalog BT book with him, so once again I chased her down and gave her the book. She was so thrilled! And then told me she really wanted 'the big yellow book that had all the stories and pictures, I really like that one' (aka the My Book of Bible Stories) So I arranged to meet her at the park this coming Saturday to bring it and hopefully start a study.
After a full day of service we were invited to the missionary home for hot cocoa and toast. The missionary home is in what used to be the Branch facility, so it's reallllly nice. I got to meet some of the other missionaries that serve in the Chinese congregations and learn about their stories. Most of them have been here for 40 years or more. It was a great finish to an already awesome day.
Last weekend we got to spend the day preaching at the zoo. About 20 people showed up for service that day, it was a lot of fun. Pictures of that below.
Also, on every full moon the fisherman come in to port and the brothers go to the ports to witness to them. The response is phenomenal! The brothers go into the belly of the ships and give short talks to handfulls of Filipino and Indonesian fisherman, all of whom are interested in studying and coming to the meetings. They all keep their invitations to the meetings in their wallets and each time they come to port they look for the brothers so they can get the latest magazines. So, now they are trying to arrange some way to hold a small meeting or public talk down there each time the fisherman come in.
Our newly formed English group in Shulin is doing awesome as well. It has only been one month and already the bible studies are pouring in. There is a consistent attendance of about 45 each meeting. And the amazing thing is the bible studies are actually helping other bible studies to get to the meetings and supporting each other so that they all can attend or make their study times. So needless to say Jehovah is blessing the new changes. They are expecting it to grow to a full congregation by this time next year.
All in all... it has been really incredible to watch how Jehovah continues to draw the 'desirable things of the nations'
In front of the zoo with the new literature cart.
I tried to leave magazines with this guy but he just ate them.
Some of the Filipino brothers and sisters and two of our missionary sisters at the park.
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