When I think back on our trip, this was my favorite day, hands down. I think this was the favorite day for all of us.
The bus picked us up at our hotel around 8:45. We then drove about 45 minutes to Flobecq.
The JW guide on our bus told us we would be going out in service with two French congregations there. We were all SO relieved that we were doing French and not Dutch!
On the bus ride there, they gave us a sheet of who we would be working with, 15 campaign tracts, and a little laminated card with a presentation on it.
We pulled into our gathering spot and were greeted with about 100 brothers and sisters all holding welcome signs and clapping and waving little welcome flags. We felt like celebrities!
They had the whole area set up for us and offered us cold drinks.
We had a seat and then they had a demonstration in French and a prayer of course. We then split off into our service groups. My service group consisted of Antoinette (my partner, a sister who spoke NO English), a brother who spoke pretty good English, and his partner, a brother in a French group in Virginia.
Here’s the sisters that stayed behind busily preparing our lunch for when we returned.
Our territory was close, so we set out on foot.
We worked for about an hour and 15 minutes and finished our assigned block of houses. I got to use my French presentation and placed 14 tracts. It was amazing!
We then all met up again and were served lunch. Everything was just so beautifully prepared. We were served appetizers while we were waiting.
We were served beef soaked in beer sauce, and croquettes (potatoes) and beer. And desert of course.
This was Axxel, the brother that my husband worked with. He and his wife were very nice. We’ve already been in contact with them via email.
Towards the end of our meal, the whole group sang to us. Of course.
And then at the end they gave us each a gift bag stuffed full of goodies.
When we left, they lined the street waving goodbye.
I was in happy tears all day. The hospitality and generosity of these two congregations was amazing. And actually getting to use my French presentation and talking to people in French was amazing (I don’t get to do that often here in New Mexico).
This is my new friend I met from Michigan. She cracked me up.
After service, we drove back to our hotel and had literally 10 minutes to freshen up a bit before the next bus came to pick us up for our social gathering. We had no clue what this was. In my head, I was thinking like a congregation picnic (potluck style). Which would have been great and totally fine with me!
Boy, was I wrong. We drove to Loppem, another small town about 30 minutes from Ghent.
It was then that we discovered that the brothers and sisters RENTED A CASTLE. I’m not kidding. First we got tours (no pics were allowed inside). Then we walked the grounds outside. They also had an entomologist there (who was also a brother) showcasing his collection of butterflies, beatles, stick bugs, etc. (mostly dead, but he had live beatles and live stick bugs). There is also a butterfly named Jehovah, so we learned more about that.
After our tour was over, they led us into the ‘party’ room. We were immediately met with a glass of ice cold beer and asked to choose a seat. We were then served appetizers, and more beer.
This was Cody, he and his parents were sign language delegates from Utah that sat at our table. He and my husband hit it off.
Then they served us dinner. Salad and what I can only describe as chicken pot pie that also had sausage in it. It was delicious. Then, they served dark beer (because light beer apparently wasn’t enough?)
While we ate, we had live entertainment. A violinist came to each table.
Then they served desert on platters with dry ice.
And then unfortunately our night had to end at 9:10 or the buses were going to leave us behind. They came out to wave goodbye to us. It was such a heartwarming day.
On the way home, we sang Kingdom Songs. A perfect end to a perfect day. The tour guide sister on the bus with us sang in Dutch while we sang in English.
It was just one of those surreal days where you realize that there is no better place to be than in Jehovah’s organization. I have thought about this day every day since we left and still can’t believe how amazing it all was.
Definitely my favorite day in Europe!
