We Decided to Simplify Our Lives

Madián and Marcela enjoyed a comfortable life in Medellín, Colombia. Madián’s job paid well, allowing them to live in a beautiful apartment. But something moved them to reevaluate their priorities as servants of Jehovah God. “In 2006 we attended the ‘Keep Your Eye Simple’ special assembly day. Many of the talks stressed the need to simplify our lives to serve God more fully,” they explain. “As we left the assembly, we realized that we were doing just the opposite. We were compulsive buyers and had a large debt to pay off.”

After this spiritual wake-up call, Madián and Marcela began to simplify their lives. “We started reducing our expenses,” they say. “We moved to a smaller apartment, sold our car, and bought a motorcycle.” Further, they stopped going to shopping malls so that they would not be tempted to keep buying things. They began spending more time speaking to their neighbors about the Bible. And they associated with friends who were zealously serving Jehovah God as special pioneers.a

Soon, Madián and Marcela decided to expand their ministry further by moving to a small rural congregation that needed help. In order to make the move, Madián quit his job. His supervisor thought he was crazy to quit. So Madián reasoned with her, asking: “You earn plenty of money, but are you happy?” She admitted that she was not, because she had many problems she could not resolve. He then said to her: “So it’s not really about how much money you make. It’s about what really makes you happy. Teaching people about God makes my wife and me happy, and we want to be even happier by dedicating more time to this work.”

Madián and Marcela have found real satisfaction and happiness in pursuing spiritual goals. For the past 13 years, they have served where the need is great in congregations in northwest Colombia. And they now enjoy the privilege of serving as special pioneers.