From left to right: Merianne (5), Merlina, Karen (8), Maylene (11), Imalia (16)
About three of four weeks ago, I was checking on a study on a Sunday morning. Imalia was outside with Merianne. Imalia kept smiling at my partner and me. By the time we left the return visit, she had moved right by where we would walk and kept smiling. So, I got to try an introduction for the 'direct approach' that I hadn't tried yet. After identifying ourselves as Jehovah's Witnesses, I told her that I give free Bible classes and have some room in my schedule. Would she be interested? She said yes. She stayed with other family during the week (for school) and would be home again on the next Sunday. She was waiting for me and had prepared ahead for our discussion. She attended the meeting last Sunday.
After our study, I was able to meet her mother, Merlina. She accepted a personal Bible study so that she will know what her daughter is learning. Merlina reads (and speaks) very little English. She is from Pohnpei. So we study in Ponapean and English...Well, she studies in Ponapean and we do a lot of gestures hoping we understand one another! She has studied twice now and is happy to be able to show others that God does not cause the bad things that happen. There is a sister in a neighboring congregation that is from Pohnpei. She will be coming with me next week. We are both happy about this development!
After Merlina's study today (that all of the girls listened to), we all studied the first lesson in the Learn from the Great Teacher book.
As my partner, Megan, and I looked around, there was nothing but five GIANT smiles filling the room and our hearts.
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