International Conventions - Experiences.

[Stormswift]

Many of us have been unable to travel to the Internationals or visit Bethel that is so encouraged for us to do. It may be finances, health or just other circumstances or a combination that has prevented us from enjoying fellowship with our brothers and sisters from other countries.

 

There are many on here who have either travelled privately or as delegates to these special events or even have hosted visitors in your area.

It would be so encouraging to myself, and many others on this site to hear of experiences you have had especially in relation to interchange of encouragement with others you have met.

 

"We are family - although we have not yet met" - those words are not just words they are alive and energizing ... love in action!

[Jstuart85]

I guess I could start off...

 

I was an attendant at the ST Louis convention. 

 

I didn't get to have much contact with the delegates. But what I did was amazing, such a privilege to be a part of.

 

It was a pleasure serving these brothers in my backyard (3hrs from home). I hope one day to be able to go to an international as a delegate. But to volunteer at one is a privilege I may never have again. The organization and the effort that went into this convention amazes me. The witness to the city was fantastic. By the end of the convention everyone in town knew why we were there. 

 

I will say that the volunteers worked so hard for months leading up to the convention. For example one of my friends families had 2 children in the evening gathering program at the assembly hall the week before and after the convention, 2 shows a day. To do this meant that they traveled ever weekend for 3 months to St louis stayed the night and come back for rehearsals. We had numerous brothers do that. 

The time, effort and money it took for the friends to do that showed how much they loved these incoming brothers and sisters they had yet to meet. 

 

We had 3 brothers with a semi truck smoker that they smoked 12,000 pounds of meat. At one point in the weekend they ran out and a Brother had to search and find more meat..something like 2,000 pounds of ribs. 

 

At the assembly hall they set up a tent out side and called it "New Worlds Fair". They had a brother drawing pics and a classic car show and bunch of things, then the friends would go in for the entertainment. They set it up on a Sunday I believe had the "FAIR" all week, then had to tear down for a French convention to turn around and set all back up.

 We had 12,000 volunteers cleaning the dome. We cleaned every part of it. Even the section unused in the upper floors. I seen a elderly sister on her hands and knees scraping gum off the city sidewalk outside the dome. 

 

I did get to talk to some friends at my assignment in passing, from Canada, France, Bermuda, south Africa, Australia, and Japan. They all expressed their love and everyday! 

 

I shared it a few weeks ago but at the end we stood and sang all 10 kingdom songs from the convention program, all 30k of us along with our Croatian brothers.  My spot was to look at the crowd and make sure everyone was safe....all I could think of when I seen the dancing, singing, tears and smiles Jehovahs people are so happy and it is a privilege to be counted among them! 

 

The love shown by all the volunteers was amazing, no where in the world would you see people working so hard for those they don't even know. 

 

Even had 224 baptized!

 

Sorry it was not much direct exchanges with the delegates themselves but it is a experience I will never forget from behind the scenes if you will.

 

 

 

 

[Stormswift]

No don't be sorry you conveyed the spirit of an International so very well ... thank you! I can see you all in my mind's eye. That is what this thread is about.

 

You have to remember, I'm in New Zealand never been to a crowd bigger than six thousand.

Edited September 4, 2019 by Stormswift

[Phyllis]

Thrilling to see the wonderful Conventions , though not there certainly feel the love.  Largest I went to was in Christchurch over 40 years ago.  Over 11000 if my old brain remembers rightly.  The days when we provided 2 meals a day, mains AND dessert.   The army was sent in to see the impossibility of serving that many people in such a short time frame.   "with Jehovah all things are possible." I remember the sisters making huge plum puddings wrapped in muslin and heated in big steamers and a sister making her secret recipe for custard sauce with brandy in it.🤩

[Nzer133]

Just like you, only from up north! Never been to a crowd over 5,000 yet travelled to Houston’s international back in July where there were over 50,000!! As a New Zealander, that was just mind-blowing. It was just love. Wherever you looked, love. It felt so faraway and yet just like home. If I find time, I can tell you more about it. Have you had your convention yet?

 

[Sequoia]

I was present for an international convention in Seattle, WA USA in July 2014.  My congregation was one of the congregations invited. 
There were about 37,000 there and two hundred and some were baptized. 

There were delegates from South Korea, Ghana, Netherlands, Sweden mostly especially south Korea.  There were also others from other countries.

 

It was wonderful to see how peaceful everything was.  I was able to talk to and exchange gifts with different delegates.  They were all so loving and there was love even we couldn't understand each other. 

Edited September 6, 2019 by JW2017

[merl50]

i had the privlege to attend the international on Greece. It was amazing field service , convention ,and being with the friends. Even though their was some language barriiers,love never  fails. Our brotherhood ,words can't express how thankful I am for all Jehovah has given me. The evening gathering   It felt like what paradise might be.. We all have so much to look  forward to. 

[ssentiw]

@joseph from Ozark - we were there too. My husband, son and I took a week of family vacation to attend. My husband and I enjoyed joining the St. Charles North congregation for service with some of the delegates then a meal and entertainment.  My husband enjoyed helping as an attendant, even though he had to be there by 5:30... We received so many blessings in ways unexpected for us.  I have health problems that normally a regional assembly would take its toll on by Saturday's session and its almost impossible to get there by Sunday. My son suffers from several assaults by a family member in the way of PTSD and high anxiety. Even meetings are really tough on him. Imagine a crowd of over 40,000!! But he prayed a LOT. Asked Jehovah's help in getting there then asked for help in meeting friends and especially someone to encourage him to go out more in service. So as he volunteered in the cleaning dept he met a brother from Bethal, a brother from Africa and a friend he already knew and caught up with who now takes him out in service once a week.  He is working on baptism in winter....he is well on the way and we were both tired - yes, exhausted to the point of crashing in the evening - yes, but never without smiles on our faces for all the blessings this international brought us. Only Jehovah gives in such a rich way!