Why are Spanish congregations more zealous?

by truthseeker 22 Replies latest jw friends

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  truthseeker

  I was thinking of ths question the other day, and wondered if any of you here may have an answer. Why is it that Spanish brothers and sisters have more zeal, than non-Spanish congregations?

  Our Kingdom Hall has 1 Spanish speaking congregation, the one I am in is English. A lot of the Spanish brothers and sisters are serving as regular pioneers, do a lot of streetwork and they also show more hospitality than the friends in the English congregation do.

  For example, one sister was telling me how a sister who holds the book study group at her house would often cook a meal for the Spanish brothers that came to the book study straight from work.

  There seems to be more growth in the Spanish witness population in general.

  What makes it so different?
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  blondie

  1) Hispanic cultures are more open and caring (at least they are allowed to be)

  2) Hispanic cultures tend to have larger families and want to be near each other, and are in each other's lives; get one to be a JW and ....
• 

  Survivor2004

  You are absolutely right and heres why.

  Europeans are much more close knit and family orientated than North Americans to begin with,they are also more hard working as they have been through things that we cant conceive.(two world wars,etc,)

  I was raised European,I am born and raised Canadian but I have European family.They are hard working,honest and very hospitable.Eating is a social event in itself.If you come over expect a HUGE plate put in front of you as a show of hospitality! :) They would take you in if you were homeless.

  In one word its CULTURE!

  When I was falling away and going inactive I started going to the Spanish congregations,I had people fighting for me to sit with them from day one!

  Not so in the english speaking congregations.

  My city is FAMOUS for being cold,snooty,uppity,materialistic,and sticking with their own clicks.

  Not so with the spanish folks.

  VERY warm caring zealous folks.

  CULTURE

  Ann

  *Love what you do and you,ll never work another day in your life*
• 

  Soledad

  I have always attended a Spanish congregation and I never experienced what you're describing. whatever pioneers there were had come in from English congregations. In my hall there were cliques. Only on occasion was there any real hospitality shown to us.
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  ballistic

  Survivor - I would fight to sit with you too.

  P.S. Please don't shout with them huge fonts!!
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  Survivor2004

  Ballistic,,,shouting is when you type in CAPS,,,I wast doing that,But I,ll tone down the size. :)

  Ann
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  Survivor2004

  I find that strange Solidad as Europeans and Spanish folk are much more warm and family orientated than North Americans.Its the culture.Oh well.

  Ann
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  Survivor2004

  Ballistic and I would LOVE to sit with you!

  Ann. :) (darn emoticons dont work for me:) lol
• 

  ballistic

  When you say "Europeans" are this or that way, some of us feel a little uncomfortable. Europe is still a big place made up of many different cultures. For instance, here in the UK breakdown of family is a big problem like it is in America. But I agree with you that the spanish do seem to have bigger families and value their family and community ties greatly.
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  blondie

  I have worked with spanish speaking people for the past few years as a literacy coach. I can't say that I have been closely associated with many Spanish JW congregations but compared to the English JW congregations they have more social events. That doesn't mean that the Spanish speaking JWs were more friendly than the Spanish speaking non JWs.

  Hispanc cultures seem to be more family oriented, whether in a positive or negative way. depends on your personal experience.

  The numbers from the WTS seem to support though that the only increase in the US today among JWs is in these congregations, not every congregation but overall.

  I visited several English congregations over the last 5 years I attended where the Spanish speaking congregation had far more people than the English ones and were growing greatly. Could it be that the Spanish speakers had been overlooked by the WTS until the lack of growth in the English congregations; and then more attention was given?

  I found that all my students so far have joined local Protestant churches because of the attention paid them and the neglect of the local Catholic churches...the same is true of the Hmong community...sponsired by Protestant churches, many have become members (although they retain the shaman).

  Blondie