Excitement builds as Jehovah’s Witnesses prepare for baptismal event at Regional Convention

MICHAEL Rodrigues of Eccles, East Bank

Demerara eagerly anticipates July 8, 2023, the day he will step into the pool at the Leonora Track and Field Stadium to get baptised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

“I grew up around Jehovah’s Witnesses but never took them seriously,” Michael shared, adding, “It has been a long road for me with lots of challenges. However, in the last two years, at the age of 46, I studied the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses in earnest and made the necessary adjustments to qualify for baptism. I am so thankful, as well as excited, to be just a few days away from the most important moment of my life. I look forward to the opportunities that baptism will allow me to enjoy.”

Conventioneers will look on as Michael joins other congregants who will also be fully immersed in the baptismal pool, highlighting the second day of the three-day “Exercise Patience”! Regional Convention of the Witnesses.

The morning session begins at 9:20 a.m. and culminates with a talk preceding the baptism event. Another highlight of the convention’s second day will be the first of a two-part prerecorded feature Bible drama.

“The Saturday programme at our annual conventions is always a highlight of the three days,” said Andre Darrell, spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “The significance of the baptism and the powerfully compelling drama in the afternoon make quite an impact on those attending.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses have been holding public conventions in stadiums, arenas, convention centers, and theaters around the world for more than 100 years prior to April 2020, when the organ- at Kewbanna is currently accommodating the students and the population there is overwhelmingly increasing.

“We have contractors; more than one. This was divided into six lots because we want to see simultaneous work happening at the same time, so what we want is to be able to not have one contractor do the foundation and walls or plumbing and electricals. As the foundations and walls are going up, electricals and plumbing and landscaping [are] happening so that we can have everything finished at the same time,” Manickchand said.

She warned contractors that they will face penalties if they are unable to deliver on the terms specified in their respective contracts.

“A lot of this will depend on whether the contractors are true to their contract; if you can’t do it according to your contract terms we are going to have to apply liquated damages.” isation cancelled all its in-person events around the world.

The first and second lots of the building will see site development substructure works on the school being done by Supreme Contracting and Supplies.

Meanwhile, the remaining lots will see the construction of a dormitory and teachers’ quarters, which will be executed by Bree’s Enterprise, AS Construction and Singh and Son Construction. Additionally, the facility will be outfitted with a lecture hall, science laboratories, student canteen and cafeteria, student dormitory and visitor area, teachers living quarters and fire prevention mechanisms such as metal ceilings, fire alarms, escape doors and fire-retardant panels.

Recently, two new state-of-the-art schools, the Good Hope Secondary School, Region Four, and the Abram Zuil Secondary school, Region Two, were commissioned.

After resuming smaller in-person meetings and their public ministry during 2022, the summer of 2023 marks the first time the Witnesses will gather at much larger regional events around the world.

For more information on the programme or to find other convention locations and dates, please go to jw.org and navigate to the “About Us” tab. Local Spokesman Darrell can be contacted on 617-9089 or adarrell@jw.org