Grosses In Guatemala: Meet the Eisenhauers!

Note from the editor, Nancy: On a personal note, I want to say that Eisenhauers are an exemplary family here! Shawn is a teddy bear with a heart full of love for the brothers, always quick to help others. Julene is a warm sister, a regular pioneer with great comments and very hospitable. Loren and Attie are their children, regular commenters at the meetings and are growing up very nicely. Loren was even the first person in the English congregations to be baptized in Guatemala! We love their family very much and we’re so happy they’re here in Panajachel.

We arrived December 2012. When we got here, there were just a handful already here (Perez, Gross and Shockley). We met in the very small back room, along with some in the Spanish congregation that were going to have a taste of English.

Why did you want to serve in a foreign land?

Shawn: To us, it seemed that there is no better way to fully serve Jehovah. You need to make a sacrifice to be blessed. Gives us more time for Jehovah and for our family. We wanted to raise our kids with a fuller ministry, less distractions. I was tired of the rat race and ‘slaving for two masters’.

Julene: We wanted to spend our LIFE serving Jehovah. There is no better way to live and raise your kids than in a place like this! We wanted to sell off our stuff to simplify our lives.

Why Guatemala?

We had wanted to go somewhere, but we ran into the Grosses in a restaurant when they were visiting back home in Kansas City area. They described the beauty of the area and the people, and the chance to start the first English group in all of Guatemala. We went there to check it out (per Julene) or just to move (per Shawn). We also did a lot of research online.

Was it hard to simplify prior to moving?

Julene: Hard, yes, but we focused on how good it would be. I am sentimental, so letting go of some things was so hard, like heirlooms. Some we left in storage.

Shawn: It wasn’t hard actually to sell our house! We felt like Jehovah had a lot to do with that. We had a large house and farm that had been in my family for many years, and we wanted to sell it. But at the same time (and as I was beginning the first day of pioneer school) it happened that a coal mining company had been blasting nearby. I called them to complain, and he asked me to come into his office (after the first day of pioneer school!) to discuss it. He actually could blast more and work faster if no one lived within a certain perimeter of the blast site… so he ended up buying our house for our full asking price within 3 days! And he gave us four months to move out! We really felt like Jehovah helped us with that!

But the physical labor to get rid of stuff was difficult. We had a lot of things on the farm and lake after so many years. Plus, it was hard to emotionally detach. It was my grandpa’s farm. But my advice? Just DO IT!

The best part about moving is that this was a new group, new congregation starting the English field in all of Guatemala. It was very exciting to be breaking new ground.

What was your first impression of Guatemala and Panajachel?

It was gorgeous! Breathtaking! The weather was amazing!

Was it hard to let go of being in the US?

NO! I do not get homesick! I never want to go back.

What surprised you here?

In a negative way, a surprise was that nothing, in the way of business or repairs, is simple! The process is always more difficult, complicated. There is a lack of infrastructure. For instance, getting cable (internet) service was a pain here.

But a nice surprise was how our spiritual family here takes care of each other here.

Julene: I was happy to see some organic products available here at local stores!

What was your impression of the ministry?

When you’re here, you need to adapt to the style here. You can’t just confront people outright here, as much as just befriend them and talk to them, in time about Jehovah and his promises. It’s a small town and you know you’ll be seeing them again and again! I really love this style of ministry.

What do you miss here, from the US?

Shawn: Maybe some restaurants! But, I would NOT LEAVE for anything! Being in the US is like a trap and I’d chew my leg off before I’d move back! The rat race is all-consuming and you don’t realize it until you can get down here.

Julene: LaMars donuts! (laughs) and some other foods. And dear old friends and family, of course.

What would you miss about Guatemala, if you had to move back?

The simplicity of life. The beautiful weather. The brothers, and the ministry. What I call “extreme service” – going up into the mountains, going on boats – all to find English speakers to visit. But I’d hate to go back!

What is hardest to adjust to here?

Julene: Lack of variety of work around the house here! Since we have a housekeeper and a gardener, there is not much that demands our attention or work! We like to be busy. Shawn: I miss some of the get-togethers with old friends back home.

The kids here have no friends of their age in the congregation, and they get homesick. They’re not part of a social group.

Have there been discouragements?

Sure. Our health sometimes has been bad. And the ministry can be difficult here. There are fewer Bible studies in English than there are in Spanish, fewer than we thought we might have. But still, it’s a much better way of life overall.

What have you loved here?

The issues are same both back home and in our home here, such as family, money, congregation matters … but then you wake up and see… we’re HERE! The ministry minimizes problems.

What advice would you give?

Shawn: ~~Poop or get off the pot!~~ (haha) It’s a lot easier and less scary than people think! People are so used to the same thing. Just try it!

Julene: Leave it to Jehovah. You must be spiritually thinking first. Don’t come for tropical weather or a cheaper life – do it for Jehovah! I’ve heard this line and I like it… do you want to “serve where the need is greater” or do you want to “SURF where MY need is greater”? or serve where the GREED is greater? (laugh) If you do it for yourself, you’ll see all the negatives and you won’t have the joy. But if you do it for Jehovah, it’s all good!

I interviewed the kids separately. Here's what they had to say:

So, kids, how do you like Guatemala?
Loren: Five stars! It's awesome! The ministry, the views, the temperature...
Attie: Well, four and a half stars! I like the warm weather, the majestic plants and birds, I like to serve here and the meetings.

What's the half-star 'off' for?
School!
But I like boat rides, the fun, wonderful friends, zip lining...

Should parents be afraid to bring their kids here?
No! It's not like that!

Would kids like it?
Kids that are adventurous and spiritual would like it! They'd LOVE it! (Loren commented that he has two Bible studies and Attie has one Bible study).
They should try it!