Sunday, April 17, 2011

Memorial in the Jungle

Here in Tena at the first session - there were 240 attending - it also looked like there were the same number going in again for the second sitting. Would love to hear how many in each of your congregations if you would please make a comment.

I was very pleased to make it to the Kingdom Hall - as from about 5pm things went crazy here. First of all a man turned up wanting to look at the place as he writes for Lonely Planet, so I had to show him around and try and answer his many questions. Then just as my ride to the hall arrived - so did a car load of people - also wanting to look around because - get this... The President is coming to Tena to dedicate a hospital and they wanted to see if the rooms here would be suitable for him to stay in! Oh I really hope they don't recommend he stays here - I will be beside myself with stress. Of course their arrival meant I missed my ride - so I called up the only Taxi number I had  and he said "No sorry - I'm Busy!" Well the only thing for it was to walk and hopefully find a cab on the way.  I had walked quite a way when I decided that none was going to come by and was getting worried about whether I could actually even find the KH by myself. Before breaking down in tears, I said a quick prayer and low and behold - 3 taxi's in that exact moment came down the street - phew!

I plonked myself down in a seat under a fan because by the  time I got there, I was so hot and bothered but very happy to be where I should have been on this special night. I ended up sitting between two women who were studying. One had a bible but didn't know where the books were and the other didn't have anything. So I was very busy during the talk - showing one where the scriptures were and sharing my bible with the other. They were both super sweet though and thanked me afterwards.

So my first ever Memorial where I attended alone, without one single member of my family. Love you guys and miss you terribly (that goes for you all in NZ too). Of course in Jehovah's organization we are all one big family anyway so it wasn't too bad and I really was just happy to be there.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey that all took my breath away your experience at getting to the memorial, just shows you that Jehovah is the hearer of prayer.(big time)...The memorial figures for the welcome bay congregation were 190.
Your spiritual friend Shelley

The Kinlocher's said...

160 for bethlehem

Aaron said...

way cool exp. yeah wish i had family to sit with too! oh well. we had 84 in our cong, which is 20 odd up from last year, and double our publishers...

missyh said...

In the Lee, MA, USA cong, there were 132 attendees for our 68(approximate)publishers, thanks to the hard work of the 8 reg. pioneers and the 35 that aux. pioneered for April.

Good for you to make it after all the distractions that were thrown your way.

altiro said...

We where 275!!!. 107 publishers

Anonymous said...

We had 218 attendance only 83 publishers for Arenal and banos had 250 but they had the early one and a few hoppers from the other congos who met at the assebly hall far away.

Marcos Santiago

Chad and Michele said...

Hey! What a crazy and cool experience! We miss you here! But glad you are enjoying things. Kichwa Cuenca had 116! Not bad for 30 publishers!!

Aggidio - JoAnn said...

We went to Jinotepe Central congregation in Nicaragua, where there was 291 attendance with 120 publishers, and our little congregation of 50 publishers in Las Esquinas, Nicaragua had 180. Awesome!!

Marisa said...

You are a brave woman. Well done! Miss you, too. xxx

Kylee said...

Aunty Beth you are amazing!!!
Love hearing your experiences! Keep them coming and more photos of the lodge you are looking after too please! AND you should strap your camera to your wrist or something so we can see the huge spiders :)
Love Kylee x