Border crossing!

Some of you may have been wondering where we have been..... Well, as predicted, I have sort of run out of steam to keep this post super up to date, but I am still trying my best! And it certainly does not mean that our service here has changed at all. In fact, it has only gotten busier.
The brothers are really wanting us to try and have a balanced ministry, ie: door to door ( "kay nan kay" in creole) the first part of the morning, then, around 10:30/11, taking off to do return visits. This worked really well for Ashley and I the first few weeks, as we quickly built up a nice log of visits to go back too. But now, especially this week it seems, I found myself almost holding back as my partner and I would approach a new house so that my partner would be the one to speak. Not because I didn't want to speak, but I seriously have had anxiety in the evenings when I am going through my list of studies and calls that I need to get back too! It seems impossible to get to all of them! Thankfully, all of the ones who we talk to, even if it is call that you had told you were going to come back the following Thursday but you don't actually make it back till Saturday, are grateful for whatever time we can spend to them, encouraging them.:)
One of the things that makes it difficult to return is that, obviously, we cannot work alone in the territory, so we are always paired up with someone else. Someone who also happens to have a load of studies and calls that they want to do that morning too. It turns into a juggle of trying to fit all of them in together, or at least get back to the ones that you have not seen for the longest time. And our group here is so small, maybe around 10 including Ashley and me, so when we leave we really don't have anyone to turn our studies over too! (ok, so I am being a little dramatic here. There happens to be a couple from Canada arriving mid November and Ashley and I are already compiling a list of our really good studies, the ones that are making it to the meetings,  that we want to turn over to the sister.)  They need help here!! Anyone wanting to come would be welcomes with open arms!

On another note. there have been some interesting new developments regarding the border crossing between Haiti and Dominican Republic. As I wrote about in the beginning, when we first arrived anyone could freely walk right through the border; the gates were never closed. As time passed, they started keeping the gates closed more, but would still open them for just about everybody. Then a few times they wouldn't let anyone pass through from the Haitian side unless they were Dominican workers. But each of those times there were specific things happening that day, like the President coming through or another time they had some sort of ceremony in town. Now, just this week, they have built a new little structure right next to the gate and have had more guards on duty. They will not let any Haitians through unless they have proper papers. It even has affected the international market. See, the market takes place literally right next to the border, but on the DR side. Anyone can sell things at the market, but the majority who do sell things are Haitians. We were all wondering what they were going to do about the new border crossing rules. A lot of Dominicans rely on that market for cheaper food then in the town. So on Friday, as I rode up on my moto/taxi, I could see how they had decided to handle it. They had let the market take place as usual but stationed guards on each of the entrances to the market, making sure any Haitians who left were going directly back across the border. Of course, beyond the market, it doesn't seem like they are letting any Haitians across to do work on the DR side. But Dominicans are having no issue traveling over to Haiti to do business. Interesting...........
You may be wondering how this has affected our work. Well, all last week it seemed like whenever we invited new ones to the meeting in Pedernales, they mentioned how that it is difficult to cross the border so they probably would not be able to come. I even had couple studies mention that they had tried to come but were not allowed to cross the border. (Incidental, I did have one study and two visits make it past last week. Forgot to ask them how they crossed.) So we started to tell them to be dressed up for the meeting and carry their bible in the hands as they cross. At the border, tell the guards that they were going to go to the kingdom hall. We all hoped that this would work.
Well it did! Today we had around 15 walk over the border for our meeting, all of them dressed up and holding a bible or whatever literature of ours that they happened to have. It was so great to see. Even a bible student of mine came, despite her parents not being super supportive. (I had talked to the mom and made sure it was okay I studied with her. She said yes. I guess in the past she had studied but was forced to stop. I am not sure what changed the parents minds now.) She had a huge smile on her face and told me she had walked through the border with a new publisher named Samuel and had had no trouble.
As far as us walking back and forth over the border, we really have had no issues.  There have been a couple of times where it seemed like we were not being allowed to enter DR at first, but then, once the head guards see us, we are waved through. I wish I could describe the feeling I had when we came across the last time. We were standing at the gate with a ton of Haitians around us, waiting to be let through to the DR. Many of the Haitians were trying to talk to the guard so he would let them pass. He was not listening. As he let a Dominican man by, our group started to follow him, but then we were stopped. The guard started to motion for us to go back when another guard behind him yelled "Testigos des Jehova". The young guard just smiled at us as he let us through. And in our service group there are two Haitians with no papers. But we are all let through with no issues as soon as they realize we are Jehovah's Witnesses. :)
The brothers don't know what is to come in the future regarding the border, but, as the CO encouraged and as we all know, we really just need to have a place to meet for meetings on the Haitian side. It's definitely a matter of prayer, as finding a place suitable and cheap enough is very difficult. It is also very much needed, so I won't be surprised if a solution presents itself soon!
Ok, well I better get going. Mateo is cooking us lobster again tonight and I am supposed to be making a fabulous coconut pineapple cake for dessert!! I did just happen to peep in the oven though, and it seems to not be rising so fabulously. hmm....... stupid humidity maybe.. or being so close to the equator. i am going to have to make up for it in the filling!
Love you all!