Hi all,
I want to tell you more about me now. Like most of you, I was raised in. My dad got baptized as one of the JW as I was a little bit younger than 9. It was not a problem for me as there were many children in our cong and my parents were very open minded. I dedicated myself to God and got baptized at the age of 13 (we can speak later about if it were my own decision or not)
As a child, I wanted to be missionary in Africa (please don’t laugh AllTimeJeff). But as you know, sisters alone can’t do that…
During my teen years, teenagers in the cong had much party in the holidays, and we used to do much together. At that time (not the same anymore!!!), people in the Caribbean didn’t really care about what the GB was telling about the size of our getting together, so our parties were really huge (40-50 people), with biblical plays on the afternoon, diner around 6/7 pm and then music (normal Caribbean music) until midnight! So we didn’t really have the feeling of missing things in the world. The only problem was not to be allowed to go out with “worldly” nice guys.
There were also 2 elders in my cong, that didn’t like me at all and would have done anything to spoil my life. They always had something to say about (for ex.) the way I was dressing myself: oh not too short, just tooo narrow (!!) one could see my figure/shapes!!! I hated it and so did my parents and some other sisters from my cong.
Although my parents would have let me go to the university (like my sister did), I decided (“out of love” after a verrrrry urging talk) to be a pioneer.
I was 18 and I began pioneering in October 1995 (couldn't beginn in September as I was ill). Both parents were self-employed so I could work with mum and preach the rest of the time. 90 hours/month was not really a problem for me. I wanted to serve were there was need so my p-partner and I wrote to the bethel hoping they would send us to St Martin where they needed proclaimers. We had forgotten we were 2 young single sisters...So you can imagine the answer we got. But I didn’t want to give up and decided to go by myself (I think the GB prefer that way) to Europe to help in areas were English and French speaking bros and sis were needed. I landed in Austria. The 2 nd p-year was not very easy as I had to work the whole day: I struggled trying to make “my 90 hours” which was impossible.
While being in Austria, I started missing school and I told my dad, that I wanted to go to the university in order to be a translator. Pioneering alone was not fulfilling to me. He asked me if I wanted to remain a pioneer and I said yes. He promised to help me financially. One month later I lost him after an operation....My dad had been everything to me, I loved him above all things.
When I went back home in order to help mom on year or so, the elders (don’t have to tell which ones) told me I won’t be able to attend the p-school as I hadn’t managed to make “my 90 hours/month”. I was down…really down and cried in front of them. They “encouraged” me to remain one more year in the P-service and I could go to p-school. They also told me it was the decision of the CO. One month later I came to know it was a lie. My ex p-partner told me as the CO didn’t see me attending p-school he asked where I was….
That's all for the first part of the story…see you later for the rest
Desi