PERU 2017-4. LIMA "DON'T GIVE UP!" REGIONAL CONVENTION

If you haven't already been, you will absolutely LOVE this years convention!  And yes, it is the best ever!!!

When we heard that there would be an English convention in Lima, a country with only one English congregation, we just knew it would be the perfect start to our theocratic Peru adventure. 

So how did we feel as we were about to enter the gates of the Lima Assembly Hall?  Excited to say the least!  And perhaps a few butterflies.  

And who should arrive at the same time?  Our old friend Duane and his beautiful wife Sandi.  

We were in Australia Bethel with Duane in the late 80s and early 90s but we had lost contact since.  Then in February this year friends in Equador sent us the email address of a couple of Aussi need-greaters serving in Peru.  Straight away we recognised the name.  "Ah, that's where Duane is".  And so began a series of highly informative Skype conversations that have helped to get us to this South American country that was barely in our radar before.  

Duane and Sandi 

The other day we took a walking tour through some beautiful parts of Lima.  But of course, not all of the city is so nice.  This is a small example of the neighbourhood where the assembly hall is at Campoy.  Despite the Latin colour pallet, it's not pretty.  Then again it's better than the squatter settlements (known locally as "invasions") on the surrounding hills.  

But walk through the high security gates of the assembly hall and you are stepping into another world.  One much closer to the new world.  

The assembly hall grounds crowded with beautiful Peruvian brothers and sisters. 

It has a very large lightweight truss roof...

... which opens out onto the moonscape of the adjoining desert like hills.  

As we wandered through the throngs of friends, how we longed to be able to speak Spanish with them. 

I didn't count but I believe it seats 5000+. 

The English convention was held in the Octagonal Auditorium. 

Seating capacity around 950. 

As I mentioned, there is only one English congregation in all of Peru, Lima English, so who would be attending the English sessions?  Over 300 English speakers from all over the country.  Pioneers, publishers, Bethelites, missionaries and loads of need-greaters.  

We had the most amazing time meeting as many people as we could and learning whatever we could from them.  So let us introduce you to just some of the new friends we met over the 3 days. 

These are our Aussie need-greater friends, Ken and Christine from Darwin who have been serving in the Lima English congregation for over 4 years.  They gave us a perfect soft landing and have taken such good care of us.  But not just us.  They are famous for their hospitality and "grandparently" care for all they encounter. Their kindly receiving us strangers into their home reminded us of Aquila and Priscilla. 

Sister Cecillia from Phoenix Arizona, also enjoying Ken and Christine's hospitality.  She has had a life full of amazing stories, part of which can be found in the 1990 JW Yearbook.

This is Martha and her daughter Tiffany

Part of the Mitchell family. 

Brad and Ferry, Aussies who have spent 6 months in the Americas. 

Desiree and Kael from Melbourne who have made Cusco home. 

Santiago and Lucia; Karla and Cinthia, Peruvians serving in the English congregation. 

Julie and Stephen, a British missionary couple with Barbara a long-time missionary (between them). 

Yoshiro, from Japan and Danielle from the states who are loving serving in Peru. 

Stephanie, Chae, Sarah and David.  A family from Minnesota USA now in Ayacucho. 

Jacob and his wife Melody (who always smiles), from Georgia.  Pity we dint get a photo of their son Cameron... 

Us 

April and Jason from Brisbane Australia who spent two years in Colombia before stepping over into Peru. 

Rik and Abi from England now serving in Cajamarca, Peru who embraced us. 

Doh, names??? Sorry guys... 

Mike and Angela, really encouraging couple of Kiwis on their way to visit their daughter in Bolivia with Carlene and Steve and Carlene from the States have been serving in Peru for several years. 

Lima English congregation is having great success in prison witnessing as evidenced by sister Sri Yanti, originally from Indonesia who was baptised late last year whilst still in prison. And there are plenty more progressive Bile studies discovering true freedom behind bars. 

This is Ed, one of the long time missionaries who was so warm. 

Austin from Tennessee with his wife Kinette serving in Peru. 

This is David from a local Spanish congregation that decided to visit the English convention. 

Mari who was in Melborne Japanese for 2 years has just moved to Cusco and Anja, an Aussie from Melbourne who has been in Cusco sign language for a couple of years.  Single sisters serving abroad are always amazing. 

And we could not forget our new amigo, brother Miguel the taxi driver who transported us to and from the convention and airport. Thank you for the Spanish lesson Miguel.  

We met many more beautiful brothers and sisters but of course if we included them all, this little blog could not contain them. 

Within the spiritual paradise of a three day convention it's easy to forget about the old world... but we were quickly reminded by an announcement at the end of the final session on Sunday.  We were directed to evacuate the assembly hall grounds IMMEDIATELY AFTER the final prayer with no time to mingle and say our good-byes.  Well thousands of obedient and well organised brothers and sisters lined up to climb into buses or cars to head home.  

The steep and inhospitable bare rocky hills behind the grounds were being invaded.  For some years the brothers had been planting trees and installing water catchment systems in an effort to improve the environment and demonstrate to the government their legal right to keeping it uninhabited.  But hills that look difficult to even climb were seen by others as a place to inhabit. It shows how desperate some very poor people can become.  30 or so men had entered the hills despite the surrounding assembly hall fences and were preparing to create a shanty town or "invasion" as they are locally known. An invasion would pose a big threat to the security of the assembly hall and our brothers.  We pray that legal recourse will resolve the matter in our favour. 

Despite the sudden end to the three day convention it was everything we hoped for and more. 

https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/conventions/

Lloydnalex