hey y'all,
We had that happen in our cong. also. But, on the flip side to be fair - I went on a regular study with a pioneer sister several different times. The pioneer was a black sister, widow with 2 kids (one with learning disabilities) about 300 lbs, with inherited kidney problems, leading to dyalisis (sp?), and eventually death.
The woman she studied with had 3 kids, an 8th grade education, on welfare, and her aunt was good enough to collect her welfare check, pay her bills, and give her cash for living. Oh, and the aunt took a high percentage also, (approx. 25%) unknown to the woman because the woman couldn't "do figgers". The sister helped the woman see this (woman had government papers).
Sarah taught the woman to read enough to know what kind of money she had. Sarah also taught her to read because even with 8th grade education - she couldn't read hardly at all. Took her to the bank to help get her finances in somebody else's hands (not Sarah's hands btw), taught her that food stamps could buy fresh produce besides Kool-Aid already mixed in a bottle. Sarah took her to local flea market to help her buy a dress & clean clothes for her kids, and then helped her with the kids at the KH.
And Sarah constantly urged her to get a job, even if it was MacDonald's. The woman didn't want to, welfare sustained her. Sarah argued that it would do the woman's self-esteem and dignity a world of good to be helping in getting her own money. Sarah argued that blacks, particularily women, needed to work to gain back some dignity.
Perhaps Sarah Maple, now dead, was not the average jw - but even with horrendous weight problems, kidney problems, etc., she worked cleaning houses. I know she got government assistance - but she lived in not much more than most of us would consider a shack.
She was a credit to any organization. Too bad the WTBTS got her.
waiting
