New Page 1

After making a complete investigation of the subject of serving where the need is great in the Society's publications, then one is ready to:

FINDING "EXQUISITE DELIGHT IN JEHOVAH"

DURING HIS SABBATH DAY!

I was raised in the truth since I was three years of age and I am now 58 years old. I have 16 grandchildren, three of which are presently living with me. Little Isaac is now 4 years old and since I have had him since he was only a year old, he is more like my own child than a grandchild.

I will miss my grandchildren greatly when they move, but then, for the first time in many years, I will again soon be without any family responsibilities. As I started to meditate on my circumstances, and started to pray to Jehovah about what I should do now at this stage of my life, I received an email from a dear sister with experiences of some needgreaters in South America. Those are always so thrilling to read...just like the yearbook experiences and life stories in the Watchtower. They make you wish you were right there sharing in and enjoying the experiences.

When I finished reading it, I decided to go online and do a search on "needgreaters". I found this website and enjoyed every bit of it. I especially enjoyed all of the information on the Mexico-English territories, and started to realize that since I would truly like to find a way to serve Jehovah to a greater degree, this might be the place for me.

So I began to do research, and to seek out contacts for friends who are already living there. I have spoken with several already and they have been very encouraging. I informed the elders in my congregation of what I am wanting to do, and have visited with all of my close relatives and they also are very encouraging to me.

I am presently looking into making a first trip down to Mexico to "spy out the land", probably in early 2007 if it is Jehovah will and this system continues on that long.

At the district convention in August, I remembered being quite impressed by a statement of a sister in her 90's: "If I can still walk and I can still talk, then I must stay busy in serving Jehovah." What an encouraging example!

As I sat in my tropical garden the other evening, I thought about a talk I really appreciated that discussed the scripture at Isa. 58:13, 14 where it says:

"If in view of the sabbath you will turn back your foot as regards doing your own delights on my holy day, and will actually call the sabbath an exquisite delight, a holy day of Jehovah, one being glorified, and will actually glorify it rather than doing your own ways, rather than finding what delights you and speaking a word; you will in that case find your exquisite delight in Jehovah, and I will make you ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will cause you to eat from the hereditary possession of Jacob your forefather, for the mouth of Jehovah itself has spoken it."

The brother brought out that we are living in Jehovah's "Sabbath" or day of rest right now, and this is the time where we can show Jehovah that we are willing to give up our own material goals or time-consuming interests, in order to give Jehovah the best we are able to give Him, and that then, we will get to know what "exquisite delight" truly means.

I sat there and realized that my garden was just another futile attempt at seeking to put some temporary joy in my life, and it was such hard work and so time consuming to keep everything up. Couldn't I put my desire for my own beautiful garden on hold until the paradise? It could be part of the way that I could show Jehovah that I was willing to glorify Him now in His Sabbath day. And just think about it "maybe He may now be willing to bless me by allowing me to serve Him somewhere where I can enjoy other people's tropical gardens while I WORK FOR HIM! What a great God we serve!

I truly want to simplify my life and "Step over into Mexidonia [Mexico-English] and help."

Audrey Moss

Seguin, Texas, USA

tropigal@axs4u.net

(This page is still being updated with current experiences.)

PAST EXPERIENCES OF THOSE PREPARING TO SERVE WHERE THE NEED IS GREAT!

I was so encouraged to read the information on your SERVING WHERE THE NEED IS GREAT web page that I was ready to take a plane immediately!

We are a retired couple with a small Social Security each month. We are used to accepting life styles of the people we live near and do love the Island people here in Hawaii, but to be able to serve Jehovah where you are in the Dominican Republic, and really feel we are having a share in gathering the sheep would certainly be wonderful!

Thank you once again and I would truly love to hear from you.
Philia, Beverly & Norman Brown

DEAR NEEDGREATERS:

"You are too old to do that!!!" Our grandson's first reaction! Was that true?? But how could we be too old --to serve Jehovah--after all what has location have to do with our fulfilling our dedication?

I remember about 25 years ago , hearing a brother and sister relate their experience of being volunteers in the Dominican Republic and helping out in the construction work. We wondered how could they come back to the US? It sounded so wonderful there. Then about 8 months ago I was reintroduced to the Dominican Republic through the Serving Where the Need is Great Web Page and remembered the experiences we had heard and thought "Oh it is too late for us!".

Then the seed began to sprout in our heart!! Why not??? We had always had the problem of having to earn enough to keep a family afloat and that was past as our family was grown and on their own, and our income was "fixed". That seed took root and grew like a weed--we were bombarded by constant encouragement--as everywhere we turned we came in touch with brothers and sisters with ties to the DOMINICAN REPUBLIC--each encounter was like a shot of plant food making that seed grow!

Then we began to think "it IS possible--but maybe in a year or so." We decided to start planning, and that weed began to look more like a tree. Now here we are with our rented house almost empty of our goods and our reservations to GO....We have definitely seen and felt Jehovah's hand helping us along .. as he always has done....How could we have had any doubts?? What a privilege to be able to have a taste of "missionary" life--at our age...Truly nothing is impossible with our GOD!

YES! We are ready to enjoy the fruitage OTHERS are already enjoying--in the DOMINICAN REPUBLIC--beginning September 17th when we arrive! We will keep you updated and share our experiences with you in the months to come!

Note: Beverly & Norman did indeed come to serve where the need is great in the Dominican Republic, proving to be a great encouragement to the tiny congregation located in Samaná, for many years!

I've wanted to pioneer for SO long. But I have been divorced for 19 years and I supply my only financial support, so I have to work full-time. I have Narcolepsy, a sleeping disorder (there's a good article about Narcolepsy in the April 8, 1991 Awake - pages 19-21), so pioneering AND working is out for me. Secular work, study, prayer, meditation, and week-end service is all I can manage - even that's with difficulty. But an opportunity has opened up for me to move to Ecuador, where the need is great, and pioneer there. It costs a lot less to live in Ecuador - so all I need is enough to live on until I can go on Social Security (5 1/2 more years). The bottom line is - I can't afford to pioneer in the US, but I can in Ecuador. So - I figure that Ecuador is where I should be!

WHY ECUADOR? I first heard about it from another sister - she was talking about perhaps going there. The more I learned about Ecuador, the more I liked. The weather in the higher elevations is quite pleasant (it's sometimes called "The Land of Eternal Spring"), the society in general is much simpler and less stressful than in the States, the living expenses are quite a bit less than in the States, and there's A GREAT NEED THERE FOR MORE JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES.

So I began to think, hope, that I could move there and serve Jehovah more fully. Only being able to participate in the door-to-door work has, for me, been frustrating. I haven't felt that I'm fully accomplishing my ministry. I've felt almost compelled to figure out a way to pioneer. And now I have!!! I'm going with two other sisters. Our ages and family responsibilities are similar. We've known each other for over 20 years - and now we're going to be roomies in Ecuador!

The brothers in our respective congregations sent to the branch in Ecuador asking them to sponsor us for a Missionary Visa. They sent us all the appropriate paperwork.

We've also found out about a sister in Miami that helps with all the moving arrangements, advice on obtaining the visa, etc. She's been a tremendous help to us. We'll be spending a few nights with her in Miami before we fly off to Ecuador. We will be flying into Guayaquil (where the branch is) and spending a night or two at the branch.

I've now given my two-week notice at work and am having a wonderful time telling everyone about serving where the need is great. One person on my job, went around work all day telling everyone that I was moving to Ecuador to "do the Lord's work!" They're giving me a going-away party on May 12.

I also found out (TWO days before I handed in my notice) that my company has an arrangement where I can take "early retirement" at 55 (I'm 56). So I haven't just "quit" - I've "retired." I will be getting $82.26 every month from them. That may not sound like much unless you consider the lower cost of living in Ecuador AND that I thought I wouldn't be getting anything!

Right now, we're deciding what to take with us. That's really difficult. We've all collected a lot of "stuff" through the years. I'm NOT moving "stuff" to Ecuador! Among the things that we're taking with us is a COMPUTER! We'll be hooked up to the internet.

Reactions from congregation members - this has been very interesting. There are those who are really encouraging - and then there are those who say things like "Suppose you don't like it there?" Or, "What if you get sick?" The three of us have divided the comments into two groups - they're either like 2 of the 12, or like 10 of the 12 (you know, the 12 spies sent into the Promised Land).

You know, I just figure that either what the Bible says is true, or it's not. Now, we all know it's true - we've all thoroughly proven that to ourselves. And, with Jehovah's help, I can do this!!!

Susan Sudderth & Liz Welker

Charleston, South Carolina, USA,
Ravenel Congregation

"Will earthling man rob God? But you are robbing me." (Mal. 3:8) For years I puzzled over this scripture, asking the question asked thousands of years ago, "In what way have we robbed you?"

After much prayer and meditation, I realized that in not doing absolutely everything I could to pioneer I was indeed robbing Jehovah and also robbing myself of the joy of serving Jehovah more completely.

Brother Tim Crowley whom I'd known for years and who'd served two years at the branch in Ecuador came to give a talk in our congregation in the little town of Andrews. After the meeting we talked about serving where the need is great and by the time he left I was on fire! Months later I called and spoke with him about my decision to arrange my affairs to move there. I told him there was a fire burning inside me to be a needgreater! Tim replied, "Don't ever let that fire go out, sister."

I began to talk about serving where the need is great (Ecuador) with two other sisters, Helen Bowlin and Susan Sudderth. They never thought that they would be leaving with me to at long last fulfill the dream of serving. Now in June we three will leave for the GRANDEST ADVENTURE OF OUR LIVES IN THE TRUTH--THE GOD-GIVEN OPPORTUNITY TO PIONEER WHERE THE NEED IS GREAT IN ECUADOR!

It has taken two years of incessant prayer, great effort, and full faith and trust in Jehovah, to make the dream come true. But then hasn't Jehovah always promised what the rest of the scripture in Malachi says:

"...TEST ME OUT IN THIS RESPECT...whether I shall not open to you people the floodgates of the heavens and actually EMPTY OUT UPON YOU A BLESSING UNTIL THERE IS NO MORE WANT."
Mal. 3:10.

Testing Jehovah out means doing our part; simplifying our lives; giving up a new car, not buying anything unless absolutely needed, being content with less. We do our part Jehovah always does his and much, much more. For every step we take, he carries us three more.

During the two years of waiting, I had to work full time as I am my sole support, my mother died, I lost my daughter in a car accident (she left behind four children), and my financial condition didn't seem to improve much despite all my efforts, so that at times I despaired that perhaps Jehovah didn't want me to go to Ecuador. But when a worldly workmate whom I was witnessing to voiced her opinion: "Well, maybe the 'lord' is telling you not to go," it was as though she had affirmed all the secret doubts and fears that I felt; that my efforts would fail, that Jehovah didn't need me, so I asked myself what kind of faith is it that asks Jehovah to help us increase our ministry and then doubts that he wants us, or doubts that he will help us. (James 1:6-8)

And I thought of the obstacles put in front of all of Gods people down through the centuries and their fight to overcome them, and how in that scripture in Malachi Jehovah asks us, 'Test me out, please.' Now would Jehovah ask us please, if he didn't want us? This worldly woman's statement had truly opened my eyes, now my defense to her was: "On the contrary, If we crumble at every little obstacle that gets in our way, then maybe we're telling Jehovah we don't really want what we're asking for. Maybe he just wants to see how much effort I'm willing to put forth to make it work."

With that in mind I redoubled my efforts and then, everything began to fall in place. When I had done everything I could do, I gave the rest to Jehovah: within months my house sold, and the other sisters' plans began to come together.

A month ago I gave notice at work and along with my notice gave a fine witness to my boss and fellow employees, who were very much impressed that at my age (and I'm not spring chicken - - hey, not even a fall chicken), and with RETIREMENT NOT FAR AWAY, that I would have the courage to give up all that to serve God in a foreign land. I assured them all that God was able to care of his people no matter where they were, and under any circumstances.

Everyone in my department (24 employees) are now the proud owners of a Knowledge book and every single person gave me their good wishes and an address for me to keep in touch. Of course I will. And the witness will go on. Now, with the prospect of pioneering from now until the end of my life, or Armageddon, whichever comes first, I can truly say that I know with all my heart that there are GREATER BLESSINGS YET TO COME, for our wonderful God Jehovah whose hand is not short, has truly " opened the floodgates. . .and poured a blessing, until there is no more want." For all you friends who have the desire, I beg you to reach out. "Test Jehovah and see that he is good." He will never let you down."