Our first outdoor Memorial

Well, our first outdoor Memorial was a beautiful experience. The weather was great, the place looked lovely, and the attendance was very good too. We did it together with our sister congregation, so between us we have about 190 publishers. But we had 541 at the Memorial on Tuesday night. Charley and I had four of our studies there, assuming that we saw them all. We also had a few studies there who we aren't counting among the four since their families are Witnesses so they would have been there anyway!

So, the day started at 8am at the Kingdom Hall. Some were already there sweeping when we arrived. At first I wasn't sure how you go about sweeping dirt, like, how do you know what dirt to sweep and what dirt to keep! But we soon got going and I did a lot of shoveling of piles that others had swept up. Then around 11am we started working on the decorations of the platform which Charley had been put in charge of. A sister in our hall provided some beautiful curtains. It appears she bought them just for the occasion which was very generous of her. Apparently in previous years they've just had a bunch of random different curtains that people provided, so it was nice to have something matching this year.

Just getting started in the morning

Sweep, sweep

Cleaning the back wall, which is the CO's apartment

This is Esban lifting his mam up so she can reach the top of the window!

Isn't he cute?!

Looks like Henderon's carrying that pile of chairs by himself doesn't it?!

They were being carried in twos though. We rented 600 chairs for the occasion

Scarlet, Rebecca and me getting started on the first layer of three layers of curtains

That's the third curtain hanging now. Just adding the last few pins to stop it from blowing too much

After doing that, we went off to the market to pick up the arrangements. They weren't ready so we got a little something to eat and then went back to get them. It was fun trying to get through the maze of the market with such huge flower arrangements! Here's what they looked like. The florist did a nice job with them and they matched the curtain nicely too.

So, around 2:30 we headed off home to get ready. We were home for about two hours, and then went back to the hall. We got there an hour before it started and there were already people there, including one of Charley's studies.

Charley with his study, Don Wilfredo

Next ones to show up were my study Dulce Maria and her neighbor Elvia who Brenda studies with. They had both been to the Memorial once or twice before, but I was really happy to see them there.

That's Dulce next to me, and then Brenda's study Elvia next to her

I study with Noelia (blue dress), her mam who isn't a Witness (black dress) came too. Her grandma & sister are both Witnesses. 

The stage all set up and looking lovely!

The lights weren't really different colors, they just came out that way in the picture!

Still with 45 minutes to go. All those seats soon filled up.

Caleb did an excellent job with the talk. He didn't even let the drooping microphone and the wind blowing his notes away throw him off! We all really enjoyed his Memorial talk.

Charley had the privilege of saying the prayer over the wine. He's that blur in the corning heading towards the podium!

Tamara & Noelia

Noelia, me, Javiera (my study there for the first time) and Marlene

My study Socorro (blue top) with her son and his girlfriend who have studied in the past. They said they're all coming to the meeting on Saturday so hopefully they'll make it. I think this was Socorro's first time at the Kingdom Hall.

Raquel in her new dress

Fatima & Franci

Some of our little girls - aren't they cute!

Veronica with Xochilt and her family

Isn't she adorable?!

Esban was looking very handsome

With Loyda & Kitlis

Brenda & Veronica

The Cerda family - Dilan, Javier, Juanita & Rebecca

Heidy & Henderson

The girls - Brenda, Scarlet, Jaimy, Rebecca and me

And last of all...

So, we had a lovely night. It was an exhausting day, and we could hardly get up the next morning, but we managed to drag ourselves out in service for the day! It was so lovely being able to enjoy the Memorial outside and watch the full moon as it moved through the sky. I didn't even get any bug bites, which is quite amazing. I did end up with one on the end of my tongue and stuck to my lip, and one got stuck in my hair, but no bites!!