Please meet... the Perez!

(This is the first of a series of interviews about members of our congregation.)

I’d like you to ‘meet’ Andy and Natalie Perez!  They were the first to come to Pana, in August 2012, to start the English congregation. 

Let me tell you about Andy and Natalie!  They are special friends, and call me “Mama Nancy”.  It’s a pleasure to know them.  Andy serves as an elder, and both are regular pioneers (in ‘full-time’ ministry).

Andy was born in New York City, and is Puerto Rican. The family moved to New Jersey.  His mother started to study the Bible when he was about 6 years old, so mostly, he has grown up getting to know Jehovah.  As a young adult, he moved to Georgia to serve where there was greater need for teachers about the Kingdom hope.

Natalie was born and raised in Georgia, and has never lived anywhere else, up til now. She was raised with Jehovah, though for a time, she ‘strayed’ (to use her word).  She came back happily, and in 2005, met and married Andy in Atlanta.  

They were saving for a dream trip to Australia!  But in 2010, their focus changed.  They became more spiritually-focused. They increasingly wanted to be used by Jehovah, wanted to preach where there was a greater need.  They wanted to simplify their lives and serve without distractions of life in the US. They heard about a chance to visit Mexico, and after a visit, two months later, they moved!

Why Mexico?  They loved the food, the culture, and the responsiveness of the Mexican people.  Down there people were asking for studies!  The English field was well established with many congregations, so it was easy to fit in and get going.

They started out in Acapulco, but it wasn’t a good fit for them.  They next went to Urapan, (where they met Beverly Shockley, who you will ‘meet’ soon).  From there, they were asked to move to Apatzingan to start a new English congregation.  A year later, the District Overseer asked them to write the branch about starting an English congregation in Guatemala.  Two weeks later, they were assigned to move to Guatemala as of August 1, just a short few weeks away!  

Their reaction?  Joy at the blessing… but shock!  So quick!  They knew they would need to readjust to a new culture, country… and to trust in Jehovah to help them! 

Concerns?  They loved serving in Mexico, so it was a challenge to leave everything they now knew.  Culture, friends, family.  The unknown made it harder.  Andy remarks that they had to trust in Jehovah completely.  He had a lack of control. He wasn’t really blind, but it was like the Israelite priests putting their feet in the Jordan River before Jehovah miraculously made the river stop.  (I’ll put something more at the end of this post about that).  Andy also wanted to be sure that their little family would have personal safety in Guatemala.

Blessings?  They have enjoyed so much the fun of pioneering together.  They trust even more in Jehovah than ever before.  Natalie said that even if she doesn’t know how this will all end, it has helped her trust that Jehovah will work it out – and He has!

Andy has added that he has met so many down here that have left the ‘rut’ of life in the United States. He has also enjoyed seeing the international nature of Jehovah’s people – we have met people here from all over the states, from Canada, Japan, Australia, South Africa, and much more. 

Personal growth:  Natalie said that she has become more effective at talking to foreigners, using the Reasoning book and other tools.  Andy mentioned that he has really learned patience.  At the first, he may have wanted to run ahead of the ‘chariot’, to accomplish things quickly. But in a new culture, we have to learn and understand that they need to get to know us, before rushing ahead.

Cost of living:  The ocst of living is quite low here.  We have no costs for a car, since we walk everywhere.  The rent is cheaper here than where we were in Mexico.  In Mexico we learned to simplify, and here, even more. (And, Panajachel is a bit more costly than other places in Guatemala, so if you wanted to serve elsewhere, the savings are even greater!) 

  

Andy adds, though, that if someone is thinking about moving to a foreign location, you don’t have to think about giving everything up at once.  Jehovah gives us time to adjust.  You need a place that you’re happy to go home to.  He said when some people think about moving, they think they might be living in a dirt-floored hut! But … not so!  Jehovah wants happy servants.

Challenges?  Andy said for him, it goes back to patience.  Work with and LOVE the brothers.  Allow the territory to adjust to us, to overcome prejudice, because we are different!  And there are missionaries from many churches that have come down and not lived a clearly Christian lifestyle.  At first, people in town will lump us in with them.  With patience, we show that we are trying to reflect a Christian life and kindness.

Plus, our congregation is filled with people from many backgrounds and cultures, and our community in Pana has a variety of foreigners – many ‘old hippies’ and young ones, as well as richer ones, Europeans, and on and on.  Patience and love!

Another challenge has been mapping out the city so that we can make systematic visits on all the homes. But there is no official city map, so we had to make it from scratch and try to identify homes (with absolutely no legal addresses) by such things as “red door, flowers on brick wall, next to Tienda Bendicion”.

Another challenge is that we walk everywhere.  We don’t use cars in service. We may use a tuk-tuk (moto-taxi) but it’s almost always walking, which is hard physically. Plus there is high altitude, with about 5,500 feet.  So it took about four months for them to get acclimated physically – but the walking is very healthy!

  

What would they tell anyone considering a move? 
Natalie says:

1)   “Taste and see that Jehovah is good” Psalm 34:8

2)   Remember the account of Joshua’s time…  here is an excerpt of something Natalie has sent out to friends asking about serving in Guatemala.  

Just remember the experience of Joshua crossing the Jordan River. Jehovah asked the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to cross the Jordan. The river averaged depth of 3-10 feet at any given time. Scary. Yet in springtime, which is when Joshua along with the Israelites were standing there, it happened to be at flood stage with a current so swift someone would be swept away, IMPOSSIBLE to cross.  But… impossible in whose eyes?
Yet THEY had to do something. Let go of the fear and TRUST IN JEHOVAH. (Joshua 3:13) They had to PUT THEIR FEET IN THE WATER. Jah PROMISED them, if they did that, He'd dam up the waters, the waters would go down, and they'd cross safely.
They did their part.
And Jah did His. -Joshua 3:17
If it's something you want to do, TRUST IN JEHOVAH. Test Him out...and He will pour upon you blessings til there's no more want.
If you REALLY want to do it, after you get back and pray about it and think about it...
Step into the water.
See your Jehovah at work. For YOU.
It was the best decision I've ever made. And Jehovah has been there every step of the way.

Andy said:

1)   Have good communication with Jehovah in prayer, then put your words into action.

2)   Be realistic with yourself and your family.

3)   Trust that Jehovah will open the door.

4)   Know that where you start out may not be where you end up… but just get your feet wet!

  

Jehovah take care of everyone here.  Even homesickness or missing some things back home… Jehovah makes up for not only your needs but also many of your ‘wants’.

Andy adds:  You can read about experiences in the Yearbook or you can live those same experiences!  Try it!  Make it real by adding your own experiences!