00:00:06 This past summer,
00:00:08 the Noumairs and Susan and I
00:00:10 had the privilege to attend
00:00:12 the special convention in Tbilisi, Georgia.
00:00:16 We had delegates from 18 different countries.
00:00:19 Our total attendance, including those tied in,
00:00:22 was 21,914
00:00:25 with 208 baptized.
00:00:28 The unity of our brotherhood
00:00:31 was on display as you will see in this brief video.
00:00:41 When the Teaching Committee informed us that we had been approved to hold
00:00:44 a special convention in Georgia, we were thrilled.
00:00:48 They provided detailed direction,
00:00:50 and responsible brothers were appointed
00:00:52 to oversee the daunting task
00:00:54 of caring for nearly 2,500 delegates from more than ten countries.
00:00:58 Local brothers and sisters from all over the country
00:01:02 eagerly volunteered to assist.
00:01:08 Many volunteers were willing to travel several hours each way for training.
00:01:11 Jehovah blessed the unity
00:01:14 and willing spirit of those who were
00:01:16 ‘courageous and strong and went to work.’
00:01:18 These hardworking brothers and sisters were
00:01:20 often willing to use their own material resources
00:01:23 to support the special convention preparations.
00:01:25 Because of their willing spirit,
00:01:27 everything was ready on time.
00:01:33 A brother told me when we got on the plane
00:01:37 that you’re taught to love, but when you get there,
00:01:40 you’re going to be shown how to love —and that happened.
00:01:52 We landed at midnight, and they were there ready to hug us.
00:01:56 It was awesome!
00:02:17 With Jehovah’s help, I can fight!
00:02:19 With Jehovah’s help, I can win!
00:02:25 We are the victors.
00:02:27 We win.
00:02:29 We courageously stay with Jehovah God and his people.
00:02:36 It’s absolutely amazing to have brothers from Azerbaijan, Armenia,
00:02:41 Turkmenistan, Poland, United States,
00:02:45 Spain, and many others countries.
00:02:47 And it’s like we’ve known our brothers all our life,
00:02:50 but yet we’re just now meeting them.
00:02:54 Our united brotherhood gives us yet
00:02:57 another reason for confidence
00:02:59 that there are more with us than against us.
00:03:03 No matter where you go, the friends are there.
00:03:06 They’ll take you home; they’ll feed you;
00:03:09 they’ll go out in service with you.
00:03:13 The purpose of the evening-gathering program
00:03:15 was not only to give a taste of the local culture
00:03:17 but was also an opportunity
00:03:19 for local publishers who worked on the program for months
00:03:24 to demonstrate their love toward their visiting brothers and sisters.
00:03:39 It’s amazing!
00:03:40 We don’t want to go back home.
00:03:42 No!
00:03:44 The love of the brothers and the way
00:03:46 that we’re an international, complete family
00:03:49 —it’s not separate; it’s not segregated; it is a family.
00:03:52 And that experience is like nothing ever.
00:03:56 It’s very touching.
00:04:05 We kept hearing that this experience is a little taste of what the new world
00:04:09 will be like when everyone on the planet Earth
00:04:11 will be of the same family,
00:04:13 will truly love each other, have the same Father
00:04:17 —and that’s absolutely what makes us brothers and sisters.
00:04:21 We all have the same Father —our Father, Jehovah.
