First visit to Oceania Ingles

Excited, nervous, worried, and even more anxiously excited were the feelings I felt right before stepping foot into the Kingdom Hall.

My dad dropped me off at the KH. I must admit I miss my car terribly, but even if I did have it I don't think I have the guts to drive in this crazy traffic. Ok, so from home we walk to 'la base de taxis'( 3 min walk) from there we take a taxi to the metro stop which is less than a 5 min drive and it cost 14 pesos like $1.10. From there we take the metro (each ticket is 3 pesos, $.25) and on the next stop we get off and walk to the KH which is only a block away. Pretty easy. Well, he walked me to the KH and then told me "well, after the meeting you know how to get back, right?" I was surprised he didn't say, "I'll come pick you up after the meeting, or I'll meet you at the metro stop." I think he really wants me to be independent here and learn how to get around.

As soon as I step into the KH I was greeted by a brother and right away I asked for Gina. A sister I was introduced to at the convention last weekend. She invited me to sit with her and the other sisters she was sitting with. So thankful to Jehovah that I did not sit alone. :D

Meeting was awesome! A brother visiting from California gave the talk. I think he actually serves in the Spanish because he threw in some Spanish phrases and his wife had the Bible in Spanish.

The WT study was great! I really enjoyed how the brother conducted the study.


What did we have for dinner? We all pitched in to buy barbacoa, roasted chicken, rice, tortilla, and soda. Everything was sooo good. Back home i didn't eat tortilla, but the tortillas here are so fresh and melt in your mouth. You can easily eat like 5 without even realizing it.

So I don't have a Mexican cell number yet. But as soon as we arrived at the sister's house I called my parents, but I didn't know how to dial the number. So I dialed the wrong number, but it rung and no one answered. So I called my aunt's house and I told my cousin to tell my mom I was ok, that I was with some friends and that I would be home later. Well, my mom understood wrong and thought my cousin had said I was on my way home. This was around 3. Well, time flew and before I knew it was 7. So I called again, and I asked the sisters for help on how to dial the number because I realized I had dialed it wrong when I first called. So the phone rings and my mom picks up, she was a wreck, :'( she was worried that something had happened to me. I felt terrible! And immediately all these 'I should have done this I should have done that' overcame me with guilt. But I calmed her down and told her I was ok. The sister's saw the anxious look on my face and asked if I wanted to go home. So we did. Oh, and I had ran out of money! I had to ask a sister to let me borrow money for the taxi ride home. Ay! I need to learn fast this whole deal with pesos. One sister told me that with at least $150 pesos a day I should be good. Which is approx $11 dollars a day.

So some friends dropped me and another sister off at the metro train stop. And from there we rode the train together for 2 stops. The sister was worried for me that I was going to take the taxi home by myself for the first time! But I assured her I would be ok with Jehovah's protection. I step out of the train and my whole walk down to la base de taxis I prayed to Jehovah that my life is in hands and that to help me not to be nervous or act scared. The good thing is the taxi base is a few feet away from the train exist. And in 5 min I was home. I ran to my mom and hugged her and we cried together. I felt horrible!! But today we are going to buy a cheap phone so I have a phone on me at all times. The cell phones here work like prepaid phones. But with the difference that if you have no credit on your phone left, you're still able to receive calls and texts. Which is a good thing.

So, that was my first visit to Ocenia Ingles. Quite a day I must say! It's amazing how I can see Jehovah's guidance. There's no doubt that this is where I need to be for the meantime. And one of the young sisters (American sister from Cali, who's 15, here with her parents and little brother. I will tell you guys about them in a later post:) told me I will not regret it at all and I will end up staying. The idea of staying scares me. But there's only one thing that can make me go back. But I leave it in Jehovah's hands. He knows where and under what circumstances we can best serve Him. And like in the young people ask video when sister Susan quoted the scripture
of 2 Cor. 5:15- "and he died for all that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised up." We dedicate our lives to Jehovah, not so we can keep living for ourselves anymore but for Jehovah. So it's Jehovah who decides where I will serve.

Alright, I hope everyone is doing well!!! Please feel free to email me any questions, ideas, concerns, opinions, service experiences, any good news of any sort!!

I miss everyone back home!! From everyone in Chicago and New York/New Jersey and the couple friends in Ohio!

I send my love to all!!

~Nancy!