Teresa

I knew when I came home that I would have to devote one entry to my dear sister Teresa.  Please know that I am not writing this entry to glorify Teresa, as she is an imperfect human just like you and I.  I am writing this, because I feel she is an example, to not only myself, but for all those whose lives are touched by her.  I am hoping that your life can be touch by learning about her.

Teresa is originally from West Virginia and graduated from Gilead in 1982. This year will mark her 30 year anniversary!!  Upon graduation from Gilead (missionary school) she was assigned to the Dominican Republic.  This was at a time when there wasn't instant communication, as there is today.  If she wanted to call her mother, it was collect.  No emails or Skype.  Oh how the world has changed since that time.  She graduated from Gilead before there was a marriage requirement, so yes she is single.

Teresa has lived in several areas of the country during her 30 year stay, some areas she like and some she didn't.  She has been so faithful to Jehovah during that time period.  You and I can choose where we want to live, but she cannot if she wants to continue to live as a missionary.  She lives a simple life, which really encouraged me to continue striving to do the same.  Living at a missionary home you live with others, and that can pose its own challenges.  But she does it with grace. 

What did I learn most from her, her faithfulness and simplicity.  As a missionary over the age of 40, she is required to preach 120 hours a month.  Think about it, that is a full 40 hour work week.  Most persons her age (won't tell you her age, you do the math) would be retiring, but not her.  She continues on.  But I see that her perseverance is rewarded.  She isn't in need of much.  Yes there are things that she wants, but Jehovah has taken care of her needs, and that is all he ever promised.  She lives a simple life, and this is what helps her to stay focused on her ministry and the people she is teaching. 

Several years ago, Teresa requested the branch to allow her to move to the Sign Langauge.  At first, this request was denied.  But eventually, she was allowed.  She had to learn Spanish when moving to the country, but now she was willing to take on another langauge, because she saw there was such a need.  That too is a wonderful example for all of us.  Is there a need in your area?  Will it be easy, maybe not, but will it be worthwhile and rewarding, YES!!  Now Teresa has her "kids" and she cares for them so lovingly.  Here is Teresa with her "kids" (studies):

If you ever meet a missionary and get to sit down with them and talk, you will learn they are just like you and I.  The difference is the dedication and commitment level to which they are willing to serve Jehovah on a full time basis.  Are we able to do that in our present circumstances?  Maybe not, but can we live less, to do more?

Teresa and her "kids"

Teresa, me and Annie - she has moved to Santiago to help with the English congregation - she has pioneered for over 40 years (her daughter is in the circuit work in the Galveston area (the Parkers)

Thinking Outside the Box

The one thing I noticed the most in working with the ASL in the DR, is that the brothers and sisters really "think outside the box".  What does that mean?  I noticed that the people in their territory may have needs, different from here in the states.  One is that there are so many that are have become deaf, and or deaf/blind as an adult.  When this situation occurs, the person is able to speak.  This makes it advantageous when you are trying to teach someone sign language, as they are able to verbally respond to let you know they are learning correctly. 

One day Rebecca (our oldest daughter - 14 years old) and my husband were able to go preaching with a pioneer sister in Santiago.  They went to visit a sister that was deaf, and almost completely blind.  When I met her at the Kingdom Hall, I had to finger spell my name right in front of her face.  During their visit with this deaf/blind sister they were shown how she is able to share the "truth" with others.  The pioneer sister that had taken my family to visit her had thought outside the box in thinking of a way to help her to still be able to preach to others.  Here is the result of that thinking:

Jeremiah 32:17 - Talks about Jehovah's power and his outstretched arm

By putting the paper around the scripture, it highlights the scripture for her and with the drawing out of the scripture she is able to share the scripture with an interested person

Isaiah 43:10 - "You are my witnesses" says Jehovah

Isaiah 35:5 - Eyes of blind ones will be opened, ears of deaf ones will hear, the lame will climb just as a stag does

The lesson I learned from this situation, and others I witnessed while there, was to not be "hum drum" in our preaching.  As the circumstances surrounding our territory changes, do we?  I witnessed the brothers and sisters being so creative in their thinking, so as to meld with those in their territory.  Whether it was highlighting the scriptures (as shown in the pictures) or making the deaf/blind book that you saw us making at the missionary home, they were truly thinking of the needs of the person they were preaching to, not thinking of what is easiest for themselves. 

Many times it has been recommended that we try preaching at different times of the day or different locations.  I noticed that the pioneers that I joined in preaching do so at all different times.  I assure you that preaching in the morning til noon and then going back for a couple of hours in the late afternoon/evening is not easy.  It would be easier to continue for a long day, which is not possible in the DR because of the traditional siesta time from noon to 2:00 pm.  I must say that I saw a zeal for the ministry that I have tried to bring home and will try to emulate here in my territory.

If You Want to Be a Need Greater In The DR - The Immigration Laws Have Changed

As of January 2, 2012, the immigration laws for visiting the DR have changed.  When we visited the branch it was mentioned that some 800 + volunteers were serving in the DR, and that was just in English.  The new law could possibly change that number dramatically.  Here is some of the information that I was provided:

January 2, 2012:

- Tourists can enter the country on a tourist visa and will have 2 months permission to stay. After that, they can apply for 2 more months extension on their tourist visa, but they will need to go through a medical check, at that stage (will cost around $300) to get that extension. After those 4 months they should leave the country. You will not be able to just cross the border into Haiti to get the tourist visa again every 2 months as there will be a requirement that you must be entering from your country of origin to get another tourist visa. If you continue to do this they will be able to see this from your passport.

- If your application for provisional residency is started before January 2nd 2012, the provisional residency you will be given will last for 1 year and 5 months and then after that you can apply for permanent residency the following year. (It is not yet known if it will be sufficient for the application to consist of the results of the medical exam or if you must have already lodged your birth certificate, etc, for it to qualify). If your application for provisional residency is started after January 2nd 2012, the provisional residency you will be given will be a different type that will need to be renewed for 4 years before you are given permanent residency on the 5th year.

Other changes are starting in June 2012:

- If a person wants to stay longer than 4 months in the DR, they will need to firstly apply for a special 3-month temporary visa via the Dominican Embassy in their country, they would then travel to the DR with this permission and then start the process of applying for residency once they arrive to DR. If the person has already entered the country on a tourist visa, then decides they want to get residency, they would need to go back to their home country to apply for the 3-month temporary visa first, then come to DR and start the residency process.

As you can see there will be a considerable cost involved in order to serve more than 4 months.  The cost of the provisional residency for the application is $940 per person.  If a person had not started their application prior to Jan. 2, then they will also have to pay $500 per year, up to the 5th year in order to renew their provisional residency each year, until they can apply for permanent residency.

What does this mean?  It means that there are a lot of "need greaters" serving in the country now that will have to come home to start their residency process.  Many will not be in the financial circumstances to return. Which in turn means that overall there will be a big change in the number of need greaters serving there.  If there was a lot of work to be done before Jan. 2, now there will be an even greater need.

Here is a website to an attorney (who is a JW) that assists the need greaters in getting residency:  http://www.residencydr.com/.