The Encouraging Gathering and Beyond!!!!

 Greetings and Salutations Blogees!!!  I hope that everyone is doing well!  Me...well...let's just say that we got caught in the rain a few days ago and it took me out!  Ya'll know that I couldn't travel across the pond without getting sick!  But I'm good!  I'm good.  But that's why you haven't heard from me.  But I'm back in action!  I hope everyone is safe and sound after that storm you just had! 💓

On Thursday morning we were scheduled for the Encouraging Gathering in the morning.  So we were up pretty early as to catch breakfast and meet with our group!  I grab my grub and head off to find a seat and found one next to a sister from Guyana named Melinda (who is actually from Guyana and serving there after SKE school with her husband Kerwin who is from Trinidad).  When Gordon was grabbing his food he was talking to a brother and as they both walked in our direction we discovered that our husbands had already befriended each other!  😃  We laughed!  We had a nice time sharing stories and experiences, theirs in Guyana and ours while we were in Belize.  Ya'll know that I had to take a pic of her and immediately send it to Venecia George!  But unfortunately I forgot that it was 2 in the morning. 😟  Sorry guys.  But Melinda also passed me some sweets from her country!!  We are looking forward to digging into that!!!  They were sharing with us about the need they have in Guyana.  So Kerwin said that if we knew of anyone who was looking for a place to serve where there is a greater need Guyana has that need.  Ok....that's the end of my public service announcement!  LOL! 

We then headed off to meet our groups for the Encouraging Gathering.  We didn't have busses to get around the city...I think I mentioned it before.  So...um....we were definitely getting our steps in going into the subway stations.

We look across the subway track and there were friends waving back at us.  I don't know what I was expecting.  How many people are going to actually be at this gathering.  Well!  When we get off the subway and start walking towards the venue, you see a sea of people and then you see our Swedish volunteer brothers and sisters...old one and little ones there to greet us!!!! It was...SPECTACULAR!!!

Gordon was cracking up at this little boy because he had a bag that he was just stuffing with the gifts he was receiving!  It was full full!  Who needs Christmas!  LOL!

 Look at him! Couldn't you just eat him up!

This dear brother was playing some very nice music for us...now you know that Gordon had to...well, you'll see!  LOL!

 This family were our guides for the event.

  More love....

The song that you keep hearing is called Family Love that they wrote the lyrics and music just for us and this convention.

Wait! Wait! Wait!  Let me stop for a moment, because I think that it's really important at this moment to share with you the countries that our brothers and sisters traveled from to be here.  Of course you know that we have the love of our brothers and sisters here in Sweden who just went over and beyond anything that I ever could have imagined!  I mean...when you stop and think about when we get to paradise and all of the people who love and want to serve Jehovah God are there with you.  Not only have the same love for Jehovah, but have deep love for you...even though they don't know you yet.  Who have the same convictions and morals and belief system that you yourself learned from the Bible.  Yes!  Exactly!  That's what this was like.  So allow me to please introduce you to some (not all) of the countries that were represented!!!

 Israel...

 Turkey (currently living in Sweden)  This sister and her parents all served time in prison in Turkey for their religious beliefs.

 Nigeria (currently living in Sweden)

 Brazil!

 China!  Don't worry they gave me permission to show their pic.  They are currently living in Sweden.

 Our friend Noomi who is from Sweden and her husband Romy from Syria

 Our dear sisters, the one in the middle from Mexico and the one on the right is from...wait for it!  wait for it!  Caye Caulker, Belize!  LOL!  Gordon kept saying that she looked familiar.  She recognized us!  It was great to see someone from "home".  Yes, Wakey...Caye Caulker is home!  LOL!

 A sister serving as a missionary in Israel but is originally from one of the countries that our work is currently under ban by the government. 

 Cuba (currently living in Sweden)

 Sudan!

 Poland (we told them that we really felt sorry for them and their 2 hour plane ride to reach Sweden!  LOL!)

 Afghanistan!

 Brazil

 Greece

 Malaysia

 Cyprus

 South Korea (currently living in Sweden)

 Max is from Costa Rica

 Nicaragua and Brazil

 The Amazon (Gordon told her that we get Amazon several times a week LOL!)

 Philippines (currently living in Texas)

Finland via Sri Lanka

 London

 Albania (currently living in Tuscany, Italy)

 South Africa

 Finland

 Nigeria (currently living in Philadelphia)

 Columbia

 South Africa sister!  Check out how her shoes match her outfit!  She was not playing!!!

 Madagascar!

 Jerusalem

 Ukraine!

 Romania and the U.S. (that's us!  LOL)!

Ghana and Brazil!

 Guatemala!

 Equador

 Italy

 Singapore

 Peru and Brazil

 and Bulgaria!!!

So think about that!!!  Just think...our worldwide brotherhood coming together!  It was SPECTACULAR!!!  I already said that didn't I?!?!  And just the craftsmanship in the gifts that were given to us.  The love that was shown.  It's truly mind blowing.  You should have seen the faces of the people in the city of Stockholm.  Now, Stockholm is very diverse, but when you see all of these people in different dress and languages...hugging each other and waving and saying "LOVE YOU"!!  We can't tell you how many times we were asked..."who are you people?"  

Ok, now let me finish up with this Encouraging Gathering so that I can take my tail to bed and get some much needed rest.

I'm not going to show you any videos from the gathering itself, but let me tell you about the talent.  😮  When this young lady opened her mouth and started singing...It was beyond impressive!  And I really wanted to visit the ABBA museum, but haven't had time.  But why did they sing an encouraging song in the style of ABBA!  I was so excited!!!

 Isn't this beautiful!?!?!  They made this!!!!

 Inside the theater

It was a GREAT show!  After we mingled until it was sadly time to leave...

 A sister from Gordon's neck of the woods in Western PA

Later that evening, Antonia, Gordon and myself headed back out to meet Thomas and Carina who had visited Belize back in 2016.  They wanted to show us around Old Town Stockholm.  There were Jehovah's Witnesses EVERYWHERE!!!  We had a great time!  As we greeted each other, exchanged gifts and took selfies or should I say "Us-ies"!  LOL!

 As soon as we came up from the subway we immediately received hugs from these little ones!!!

 One of the guides that are stationed throughout the city to help us if needed.

 My Mom asked me if Stockholm was pretty...I mean it's a city...a really clean city...but a city!  I'm sure outside of the city is absolutely beautiful!

 Thomas and Carina

 Our first group "us-ie"

 Old Town Stockholm with its quaint cobblestone streets was really pretty.

 Some guys chillin' as their wives shopped!  Of course, Gordon knew the brother who is sitting next to me son-in-law.  He is serving in Chetumal, Mexico.

 This shop owner was really really sweet.  His wife made handmade earrings (Mom and Aunt Lois I got ya'll LOL!).  He asked where we were from...Pennsylvania.  Really?  My wife is from Pennsylvania...Harrisburg.  Really?!?!  Really?!?!  We're from Harrisburg.  I thought that he was pulling our leg to make that sale...you know what I mean!  LOL!  But then his phone rang and it was his wife.  "I have some customers here from Harrisburg."  "What?" she said.  "Harrisburg.  I have some customers from Harrisburg, PA.....Yes I'm serious!"  LOL!  So he put her on speaker and she was actually from Harrisburg and her family still lives in Susquehanna Township!  Small world, right?!?!  He asked us about the convention.  We asked if anyone gave him an invitation.  "Yes!"  And he grabbed it and said that he's going to try to make it.  We gave him a hug before we left out.  Nice man!  He even gave me a free pair of earrings because I had changed my mind about a pair that I wanted.  "A gift gift for you"  💓.

 Let me tell you about the tall brother with the beaded necklace on.  I mentioned that we used to live in Belize.  He said that he has a friend who visited Belize.  Really, what's her name?  Courtney Flowers.  I started going thru the Rolodex in my brain...I know that name!  I know that name!  I looked in my phone and sure nuf had a Courtney Flowers in my phone.  So I remembered that there was a Courtney Flowers in my blog that I wrote when we lived in Belize.  I pulled up the post and found her picture...."Is this her?"  "Yes!"  She sat next to me when we dedicated our Kingdom Hall on Caye Caulker!!!  Small world!  She is now married and living in Hawaii.  He said that her and her husband are like is spiritual parents.  They really help him spiritually.  Small small world in Jehovah's organization of over 9 million!  LOL!

 This couple knew our Uncle Clarence and Aunt Kitty from the ASL field...once again small world in Jehovah's organization.

 I actually had Swedish meatballs in Sweden!  And they did not disappoint!  You put the lingonberries on top.  They are a berry that are a little tart.  They were delicious!!!!

 Oh yes...more "us-ies"!

 Trying to find our way back to our hotel.  Thomas was so sweet he took us to the final train.  Then we met up with some friends that we recognized from the hotel, so we just followed them.

 This mother and son asked if we were going to the Quality Hotel and when we said yes they said, "Ok, good!  We'll follow you!"  We said, "that's fine because we're following them!"  LOL!

 More "us-ies"!

Well 100s of volunteers came to the 3Arena to do a thorough cleaning and to set up the chairs to get everything ready for the convention over the weekend.  

As I was just typing that I was really struck with awe!  There were 10,000 VOLUNTEERS who have been planning for this event for over a year and a half.  That's so amazing!

Truly a big hug from our loving God Jehovah!!

Well, thanks for reading and proofreading.  I'm off to bed!  Catch you later!