We have a new student in the territory that's taking his study very seriously. Its so exciting to see the progress he's made so far. He's come to all the meetings lately and the convention too! Yesterday after meeting we had a study that was near him after meeting so we walked home with him, a half hour walk or so. We listened as he explained what's drawing him to the truth and what his trails have been so far. He just opened up and told us the whole story. It was "as encouraging as a convention" to hear, as my room mate Melanie put it... I'll try to remember the conversation as much as I can, and to say it in Creolese, so, in so many words Johnny said...
"I wasn't much of a church porson before, you maybe would find me at a church one time in a month. My friends dem would try ta squeeze me into der mold. I would haveta wear a certain type of pants, you know da kine dat tight down clear to da ankle, and sagging down ya leg? Yeah, da kine. If you wasn't willin to where dat kine a pants, you wasn't fittin in. And dey would talk about sex all da time, like ALL da time. I was just feeling like, 'someting aint right here'... Dey would offer meh drugs and I would tell dem no, and they would seh, 'What's ya problem? Everybody else dem doing it, is you alone aint taken it' and dey would smoke and drink. I was just trying to fit in, dats what evey body gotta do, dey worrien about fitten in, and if you aint doen exactly as dey do, you ain't accepted. And my aunty, she hates da Witnesses, she came over and saw my cloths all press out and she seh, "You pressen out ya school clothes?" And I said that they were meeten cloths and she ask me what church I was going to, and when I tell her da Witnesses, she seh dat how I was 'too good' for that church, that they don't even celebrate holidays and that she wasn't gonna be close to me like before, she would still seh hi and stuff, but that's it. I explain dat der reason fa why dey don't celebrate da holidays. My dad hate all religions too, but ESPECIALLY da Witnesses. He said he want me to be a lawyer or a actor, but I don't wanna be a lawyer and haveta lie fa money, or twiss da troot. But my mom, she see da changes I been makin and she tell me to hurry up and do my chores so I have time ta go to da meeten or study. When I usa spend time wit da bad kids people would talk and seh to her dat I been usen foul language and she would vex wit me and tell meh 'havent I taught you betta dan dat!?' and now dat I change and don't spend time wit dem na moe she more happy and encourage me to continue my study. What I like was dat God's name is Jehovah, I never knew dat before, I didn't know God have a name, every body say his name was Lord. Also dat when you die, you don't have to torture and bun in a hell. Dose were some tings dat draw me to da troot. Now I'm looken fer a job, but mosta da jobs dem be Saturday to Sunday, and dey wouldn't allow me ta go ta da meetens and I gotta make sure I's at all da meetens, so I'm looken for da right job. So when ever da Witnesses usa come I would hide from dem or pretend like I was busy. I usa tink dey dress funny, wit da LONG long skirt and button up shirt, but den I finally listen and I liked what I learn! I saw dis boy walking and I just watch at him, and I tink, 'I tink he know someting I don't know, I think he can teach me someting' and so I stop dem. My family oppose me, so it just be hard. My dad and I usa talk every day, now it just be like once in a week or a month. My friends usa encourage me to do tings I wasn't comfortable with, but da Witnesses dem encourage you for do good tings. I read out the whole Bible Teach book already."
Keep in mind Johnny is a new study and has already made this progress, but he saw the value in what he was learning and latched on like a VICE grip. I love it!
