FadeToBlack

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Posts by FadeToBlack

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  10

  Service in a foreign country

  by FadeToBlack in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am not here on assignment.

  we came here (poland) to take care of my wife's mother.. i was often asked when i returned to the us if it was difficult to participate in the preaching work in a foreign country when i was not fluent in the native language.

  not at all, i replied.

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  FadeToBlack

  Lois,

  The custom of hand-kissing is mostly limited to guys older than 40 that still remember polite society. For example, we had a contractor visit us to put together a bid for some work, and he insisted on kissing my wife's hand. Among younger generation, extremely rare.

  Regarding the chickens and geese: I have everything ready for them. My wife gave me permission but since I knew I would be returning to the states to visit family in the near future, I held off. I did not want to burden her with my 'hobby'. I will start on the project this Spring, probably at first buying chickens that are already of egg-laying age.

  I have no intention of returning to the US permanently. I am quite comfortable here and should be able to retire on social-securty alone. I can't imagine trying that in the US!

  When we were first living in Warsaw we were part of the English speaking congregation. It was even a bigger time waster. Service consisted of travelling all over the city looking for people who could speak English. It was probably a good gig if you were pioneering. Imagine just walking past people that you could talk to but didn't because you were on a mssion to find some guy from Vietnam that supposedly could speak some English! And then when you finally got to where he might live or work, he of course wasn't there or available.
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  10

  Service in a foreign country

  by FadeToBlack in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am not here on assignment.

  we came here (poland) to take care of my wife's mother.. i was often asked when i returned to the us if it was difficult to participate in the preaching work in a foreign country when i was not fluent in the native language.

  not at all, i replied.

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  FadeToBlack

  Hi Lois,

  I'm in a small village about 50km from Warsaw. Nearest town is about 15 km away. They just got their first McDonalds. I imagine it will be quite popular for coffee breaks this winter. I don't remember the last time I was in service. My involvement is mosty limited to an occasional Sunday meeting - perhaps once a month. My wife mentioned we have a SAD on Sept 29th (in Warsaw). Perhaps at that time we might get introduced to the rolly-cart.

  My wife's mother died this January (at the age of 94). At that point it was either her or my wife. I wasn't sure who would go first. Not a fun job.

  My overall impression of the 'friends' here: very earnest, helpful. No bad experiences for me. But, I just can't particpate in something I don't believe in any more. The fact that I don't speak fluent Polish might actually be helpful in keeping the hounds at bay. The same games are played here, there just hasn't been enough time to get as bad as it is the US and other western countries.
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  10

  Service in a foreign country

  by FadeToBlack in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am not here on assignment.

  we came here (poland) to take care of my wife's mother.. i was often asked when i returned to the us if it was difficult to participate in the preaching work in a foreign country when i was not fluent in the native language.

  not at all, i replied.

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  FadeToBlack

  I am not here on assignment. We came here (Poland) to take care of my wife's mother.

  I was often asked when I returned to the US if it was difficult to participate in the preaching work in a foreign country when I was not fluent in the native language. Not at all, I replied. It is the same as in the US. Huh? Ok, let me give you a few examples...
  
  Door #1-#14. Nobody home. Leave a tract or old mag.
  Door #15: Somebody comes to the door, recognizes who we are, and closes the door.
  Door #16-#23: Nobody home. Leave a tract or old mag.
  
  Coffee break (this must be universal)
  
  Door #24: Someone answers door and we each say hello. Since I am already in fade-mode, I mention that I am encouraging people to read the bible and offer to read a verse together. Person declines or asks where I am from. If I get lucky (sorry, I forgot - can't mention luck) - I mean if the person is hospitable and curious they invite us in and we talk about why I am in Poland. (This is useful in the winter. The 'friends' liked to work with me in winter since we often got invited in for some tea.)
  
  After a brief non-bible related chat we leave. Nice people here in Poland.
  
  Door #25-#50: Nobody home. Leave a tract or old mag.
  
  Break for lunch. I go home.
  
  Now, I can't even go through that. Especially if I have to have another mini-meeting before going out in service! For a while they were even having post-service meetings to discuss how wonderful the morning's activity was - but at least you got some snacks and coffee.
  
  What a waste of time. And I'm old. I only have so much left. I'd rather spend what time left I have in my garden or playing with my dogs. I don't think that is asking for much. If I could have some chickens or geese, it would be enough. Don't need no WT.
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  25

  Shunning for inactive ones?

  by frogonmytoe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i visited my sister in a small town in the midst of the country, the town has a population of 3,000 and there's about 70 in the cong.

  anyway, there was a local needs talk a few months ago about associating with family members who didn't live under your roof and no longer went to meetings.

  one family of an elder dad and three sons (one an elder too, the others have stopped going) and a daughter (still going but married a 'worldly') are quite prominent and one half of a typical congregational feud.

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  FadeToBlack

  I have already noticed it the few times I have been to the hall in the last 6 months. In Poland it is customary when you enter the hall after you have found your seat to go around the hall and greet everyone. Just a quick handshake and a hello. It is not hard to notice that some individuals are going out of their way avoid contact. It just makes me laugh. To see their faces when they notice it is me, the evil meeting-misser. You would think there was oozing green sores on my face and hands the way they react.
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  95

  Please Share one of your Favourite Quotations

  by cofty in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  have you ever come across words that resonate with you?

  it doesn't have to be a great gem of wisdom, just something that is meaningful to you.. please share, and if you want to, tell us why it's meaningful to you.. here is something that made me nod when i first read it.... .

  "fortunate are those who have learned to see, in the wild things of nature, something to be loved, something to be wondered at, something to be reverenced, for they have found the key to a never-failing source of recreation and refreshment".

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  FadeToBlack

  We have been brought into the present condition in which we are unable neither to tolerate the evils from which we suffer, nor the remedies we need to cure them. - Livy

  Applies in lots of different areas of life including the situaution some find themselves in as stranded JWs.
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  44

  The best "open-minded" quote + question to a JW.....!

  by Mr Fool in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this:.

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  FadeToBlack

  At Mr Fool: I think they added the caveat - a 'balanced' study somewhere recently. That means just read the Proclaimers book. Could be in the same article. I will have to check. I wanted to ask my wife how she understood 'balanced'. Not spend too much time?
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  44

  The best "open-minded" quote + question to a JW.....!

  by Mr Fool in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this:.

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  FadeToBlack

  DATA_DOG: personally I never saw the problem. It could only make you a better witness, right? I mean, the truth is the truth. it can stand up to any scrutiny. You would think the WTS would love to have some real scholars on-board. So they pay for some folks to become lawyers and dentists, but not language experts? I wonder why?
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  25

  Shunning for inactive ones?

  by frogonmytoe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i visited my sister in a small town in the midst of the country, the town has a population of 3,000 and there's about 70 in the cong.

  anyway, there was a local needs talk a few months ago about associating with family members who didn't live under your roof and no longer went to meetings.

  one family of an elder dad and three sons (one an elder too, the others have stopped going) and a daughter (still going but married a 'worldly') are quite prominent and one half of a typical congregational feud.

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  FadeToBlack

  Hey NS: is this your way of saying 'No Comment'? -> New Yaughts!!! We Love This Idea!!!! Just curious? The OP was a serious attempt at discussion.
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  3

  Spreading TTATT using only NWT

  by El_Guapo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hey guys quick update, my wife has also been inactive for many months.

  she has some serious doubts about the borg.

  any ideas on what we can talk about next?.

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  FadeToBlack

  Ephesians 5:10 Is it acceptable according to the 'Lord' or the GB?
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  44

  The best "open-minded" quote + question to a JW.....!

  by Mr Fool in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this:.

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  FadeToBlack

  @ADCMS: 1967? Wow. Some of us should have been paying more attention. I know they have repeated similar advice recently. Especially wrt those who were showing an interest in studying Hebrew and Greek. Why bother, right? We already did that!