Grosses In Guatemala: Our friends, Andra and Josias

I wanted to share news of a beloved sister, Andra, who is right now in Washington State receiving treatment for an aggressive breast cancer. Her husband, Josias, is now with her. You may recognize Josias from the cover of the October 15 Watchtower - he was in the boat in the t-shirt! They helped us get the English congregation started, though they also love the Spanish field.

With her permission, I wanted to share her very positive and hopeful email. I hope you'll include them in your prayers.

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I wanted to write you dear brothers a brief e-mail to tell you how much we miss you and think of you often. We also wanted to let you know how we are doing, so you don't worry.

I have just completed 9 months of cancer treatment that has involved chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and 3 surgeries (another one in 2 weeks and 2 more after that). I am in remission, for now, and going through some medical/surgical steps to help prevent future recurrences of the cancer and help me heal from all the treatment, which is almost as aggressive as the disease.

Looking back over the last year, we are overwhelmed and so grateful for the way Jehovah truly has cared for our needs, all of them!, in ways we couldn't have even imagined. I want the brothers to hear that firsthand! - so they won't be scared when facing their own hardships and not be anxious about expanding their service to Him. We are amazed and so thankful that, even in this incredibly trying time, we have had so many really good experiences and had all we need and more!

I was able to get first-rate health care, much of the cost covered. Josias, amazingly, was given a visa, after 5 months of waiting, to come be with me, right at the time when we needed it the most! Even with the appropriate visa, he was still detained and interrogated at the border, but then after considerable deliberation, phone calls, and furrowed brows the border agents threw the papers at him saying 'he was good to go', with no further explanation. What an incredible blessing to see our fervent prayers be answered!

The brothers and family have offered to give us rides to treatment and to service, meetings, etc. In turn, Josias has been able to assist some with different needs.

Even in this time of economic uncertainty, my employer, amazingly, has permitted me to continue working the small amounts I am able to, while completing my treatment.
We are enjoying seeing the progress of several bible students, that are cared for by brothers and sisters here in the local congregation. These students take their lessons so seriously! and are now publishers or baptized. One gentleman, my father conducts a bible study with, was previously imprisoned for selling drugs. Seeing his spiritual progress and joyful - exuberant informal witnessing and now door to door service is really an amazing transformation! And what a joy it has been for us to hug and say hi to our brothers in our old 'home' congregations of Spanish Lacy, Olympia, and Shelton (4 years ago they were only one congregation).

We do miss our new home in Panajachel, very very much.....you brothers and the territory most of all! Please know that we think of you every day and hope and plan to return on June 30th of the coming year. In the meantime, we are trying to share your experiences with the brothers here- your zeal and sacrifices that we have witnessed so often and the exciting expansion and opportunities in the ministry in Guatemala. If any of you want to e-mail your experiences of how you learned the truth or of something in your ministry, we would love to pass it along. Many brothers here in the English congregation have asked, 'could I go to another country for a while?' They start to see serving internationally or in a in a territory with greater need of publishers or in a foreign language as more of a achievable goal versus a dream. So who knows?! maybe more 'help' will migrate south :-)

Josias has talks scheduled in English and Spanish, so he's been buried in studying outlines - but he enjoys it. Honestly, we didn't see ourselves in an English congregation in our future, but here we are! and it's turning out to be a good experience and training for us both.

Hermanos de Pana: por favor sepan cuanto les queremos y les extranamos! No se olviden de nosotros :-) Saludos a mis revisitas y estudios por favor. Les mandamos un abrazo bien grande y esperamos con ansias sus correos, cuando tienen tiempo.

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Two gorgeous pictures of Andra: