Get to Know Our Need Greaters-The Kittels

Get to Know Our Need Greaters

The Kittels

Where are you from?
We are from the Central Coast of Oregon

Why did you choose to be a need greater?
Well, how to answer that, we are just starting the Need Greater Path.  I was baptized just over a year ago and our oldest daughter was baptized four months ago and my husband and I thought now was a good time to really see what the ministry is like outside of the United States.  Since we were in Nicaragua, we decided as a family to simplify our lives and make ourselves available to go where the need is greater, hopefully Nicaragua! 

Why Nicaragua?
Because we can’t take a lot of vacations, we wanted this one to encompass as much as possible: uplifting spiritual association, interesting people and sites and to visit friends.  Since we had friends living in Granada, Nicaragua was a perfect choice to take care of all our needs and wants for this trip!

Have you served anywhere else?
We have not, but we hope this is the beginning of serving many wonderful places!

How long will you be here and how long have you served thus far?
We were able to visit for two weeks and we hope to be back for at least a month April 2013. 

How did you prepare to come? Or How are we preparing now to come again….
Prayer, prayer and then more prayer!!  When we knew we were coming we did a lot of research and tried to learn as much Spanish as possible.  While we were in Nicaragua is when the real preparation started because we knew right from the first day that we wanted to come back and be as much help as possible.  We looked at housing, grocery prices and did budgets and picked everyone’s brain (I have a feeling the congregation was glad for the break when we left!  Hee hee) 

We came back to the states and immediately wanted to simplify.  We saw all our “stuff” and realized we didn’t need half of it!  We are having a garage sale in a week.  We are preparing our home to sell so we can downsize.  We are trying to hold on to the uplifting feelings and state of mind we had while we were there to help us get ready to be used where we are needed! 

Were you worried about anything before coming? Or are we worried about anything before we come again? 
Yes and no.  When something pops up in my mind, like leaving our jobs or health insurance, I pray and then talk with my husband and we work together to remove the worry or at least help make it more manageable.  I try to think about all the brothers and sisters we met and see how they overcame their worries with Jehovah’s help and follow their example. 

Have you had to overcome any challenges to get here or while serving here?
I would say the number one challenge was and is learning another language.  We knew just enough when we visited to get by.  But it was frustrating to not be able to converse beyond a very elementary level with some very interesting people that we met.  We are praying about it and working in harmony with those prayers to learn Spanish so we can be a help in the ministry here and eventually wherever we end up. 

The wonderful part of Jehovah’s organization is that wherever you go you have family in the congregation so a lot of challenges that some might face are virtually non-existent with our brothers and sisters to help! 

Do you have any highlights or good experiences from being here?
It was a joy to be out in the ministry and go to an open door and receive smiles and above all an interest in the Bible and what we wanted to share with them for Jehovah!  Even people that were solid in whatever their religion was, listened and were kind to us. 

One of the many good experiences we had in Nicaragua was going out in the ministry to the Isletas and then going to the floating Kingdom Hall!  What a treat that was!  And to meet the missionary couple and a group of pioneers from Costa Rica and hear their stories was very uplifting!!

I was also very impressed with the Nicaraguan people.  They are kind and generous and very helpful.  Especially when it came to helping this family of bumbling Gringos!!  We had people stopping and helping us with directions and nicely correcting our Spanish so we could explain something correctly. 

How has being here brought you closer to Jehovah?
We had such a change of perspective while in Nicaragua!  Without all the distractions we face in the states from work to the media to the hectic lifestyle we were able to see how readily Jehovah provides for us and protects us! 

What do you do in your free time?
My daughters and I love to read.  I like to scrapbook and decorate.  As a family we love to have brothers and sisters over for meals and movies and fun.  And we love to travel!

What advice do you have for others thinking of coming?
DO IT!  We were astonished with all the stories from the brothers and sisters about what they did to go where the need is great!  It’s easier than you think.  And what greater thing can you do than to lean upon Jehovah and go where he can use you most!