My First Special Pioneer Assignment

by fulltimestudent 20 Replies latest jw experiences

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  humbled

  FTS,

  That is a great story and well told.

  You may have referenced this in another thread, namely the absolute reason(s) you scuttled the "Truth".

  I myself have lived much of my married life in situations as you describe and found some of the exhortations and examples in the literature to be unrealistic. No plumbing, many children and no gas money and chores at home a-plenty. Yet I found the "Jesus teachings" to be invaluable in living with neighbors of all sorts.

  I told the elders one time that my own experience was like "Legion" in the gospels. Healed of spirit, not allowed to go with the other disciples---and yet given the commission to go about telling others of the good things he had received at Jesus' hand.

  The futility of trying to conform to the requirements of the WT program made me think a lot about what was in the bible and and what was not--so as to find where I and others like me could be a good witness to God even if we were "bad" J-Witness.

  That helped me to leave when trouble came later.

  I say again, Good story. I doo hope you will tell more of the struggles you saw in the community you were assigned to serve. Life being a struggle, I am sure some of those salty folks had some comments on the kind of spiritual needs they felt and the menu the WTBTS offered.

  Thanks for your posts.

  Maeve
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  PaintedToeNail

  full-Excellent! Love it and waiting for more!
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  suavojr

  I am waiting for more and hoping to read the part of your awakening
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  Quarterback

  Your description of how a Special pioneer assignment brought back some memories. Although mine were not that extreme, I remember hitch hiking to nearby towns daily to work our territories. We lived in a humble home on a hill that overlooked the Ocean. We didn't have much, but we did have plumbing. If I had it as rough as you did, I would have faked, family troubles, and caught the next bus back home as well.
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  Bungi Bill

  "Where's your mate?, Hey! is he still fxxking the XXXX bitch?"

  And I was reared on stories that "Our church don't do that sort of thing" - i.e. only hypocrites like Catholic priests got up to that sort of caper!

  Bill.
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  FadeToBlack

  On the plus side though fulltimestudent, you have to admit you learned how to take care of yourself under difficult circumstances. If you could make it through that, you can handle anything thrown your way. At least you have been through some sort of trial by fire. Most westerners, would not know how to cope if the TV went off permamently.
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  fulltimestudent

  Fade ToBlack:

  On the plus side though fulltimestudent, you have to admit you learned how to take care of yourself under difficult circumstances.

  Yup, agreed.

  In reality, Australia was still a bit primitive in those years. The government took my father out of the army in 1944, and we were posted to a small country town. There was no electricity, my mother cooked on a fuel stove, we washed up in a tin dish, and heated bath water in a laundry copper (again wood heated) not many bitumen roads, not even connecting highways. No water supply (only tanks). Food was OK, there was a local abbatoir for meat, fishing were plentiful, and a diary farm on the edge of the village, which I had to walk to each afternoon for milk. Primitive, yes! But I remember those days with feelings of pleasure.

  A bit older, I was interested in camping and bushwalking - so I could already accept some compromises with civilisation, grin!! I was in that town in the late 1950s.

  One of my bible studies was with an old lady, living in what was the remnants of a 'happy valley' shanty town, where people made makeshift huts during the great depression of the 1930s. This old lady got comfortable there, in a hut made from chaff bags, that had been coated with a cement wash and painted. The floor was tamped down clay mixed with cow-shit. She lived there until she died.

  I love beautiful things (paintings, etc) but can live without them (haha- cant afford them). If I get hungry for that side of my psyche, I get out my copy of, The Art of East Asia, and browse ... its as good as - (another smile) I appreciate the Chinese scholars who forsook official positions and went to live in a small temple on a mountain top, satisfied with their books and basic food. Might do that one day - smile.
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  fulltimestudent

  Xanthippe:

  I understand though, I was an old style pioneer wanting to save lives,

  Like you, I thought of my 'service' as a sincere sacrifice to Yahweh, and I appreciated that I was following in the footsteps of Jesus. Not sure where this idea comes from that Jesus was ignored? The prayer formula always addressed Jehovah, but in Jesus name.

  In sacrificing a conventional life, I had in mind Matthew 6:19,20, counting 'heavenly' treasure as having greater value.

  I tried to be considerate to those witnesses who had limitations, appreciating that we are all different.

  These things were not issues, what eventually led to my departure, not only from the witnesses, but from Christian belief ws the increasing conviction that it was all based on mythology.
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  fulltimestudent

  Phizzy:

  Tell us how you felt, going back to Sydney. Did you feel that you had failed in some way ? or that the WT had really failed you, you certainly got no effective support from them. Did you feel a little bit of sadness at how things ahd turned out ?

  Yes! I had certain regrets about leaving the town, and was acutely aware of what I could call my weaknesses.

  I do not think I blamed the WTS. Its hard to be sure at this distance, but generally I feel I'm responsible for myself, and do not blame others for my failures. (e.g. Right now - as a student, I would not blame the university if I failed a subject. I think that sense of entitlement, as its called these days, is partly responsible for the failure of western civilisation).

  The topic you've raised is complex, and it has wide ramifications. but maybe I could respond with this thought. John Bunyan's, The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come; Delivered under the Similitude of a Dream, was known to me, and the idea that the Christian life can be full of stumbles. But, if you stumble - you should just pick yourself up, dust yourself down and try again. While I faltered in that assignment, my faith (at the time, did not falter. I was able to keep Jesus as my example.

  And I did try again? And, had a happier time in another assignment a little later.
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  fulltimestudent

  humbled:

  I doo hope you will tell more of the struggles you saw in the community you were assigned to serve. Life being a struggle, I am sure some of those salty folks had some comments on the kind of spiritual needs they felt and the menu the WTBTS offered.

  Maeve, I'm not sure where you live, or whether you have experience with 'outback' Aussies. I'm not putting them down, they are what they are. You have to be a bit mentally tough to survive the hardships of the Australian bush. Those with any concept of 'spiritual needs,' or with emotional needs beyond survival are likely to find life better in the big coastal cities, which is where most Aussies live.

  Some though, were to be deeply admired. I felt really deep compassion for one sister. A far better 'Christian,' than I was, if you count that there is anything worthy in Christianity. A lifelong resident in this small town, her new-born son (forget the details, possibly RH factor, all before my time) needed a blood tranfusion. She refused and he died. (Don't want to get into a discussion about this issue, I just want to deal with the consequences). At that time, I could see her situation in the terms used by Paul in Hebrews 11:17-19, but this woman, unlike Abraham, actually lost her son, and had to deal with the consequences in a small narrow-minded town. The result for her was deep depression. How could I help? Nothing in my life had prepared me for that. If there is a failure by the WTS, in its training programs, it lies in this field. Not much a callow youth (as the saying goes) can do to help. Skilled therapy was required, which I did not have. Whether my successor had more to offer, I don't know.

  Today, I believe that this was an unneccesary burden placed on this woman. But, nonetheless, I discern that the sister had a faith (even if mistaken) deeper than mine, Yes! deeper (if we are going to deal in Christian semantics) faith than Abraham's. She went through with it, and had to live with the consequences.

  Her harrowed face still lives in my memory.