Remember when we lodged in private homes at conventions? (page 3)

stan livedeath

in the UK--1959 i would think. Twickenham. the first big assembly i went to with mom. dad didnt go--i was 11 years old.. mom and i stayed in a large old house--the small room i slept in was full of old blankets covered in cat hairs. i was asthmatic. perfect.

i have no recollections of the assembly. the last thing i was interested in was sitting listening to someone banging on about religion.

what most certainly did interest me--was being on Wimbledon raiway station when a big express steam train came hurtling through. i managed to persuade mom to let me stay at the railway station each evening while she went to get her god fix. i was there each evening till it got dark... train spotting. my idea of heaven.

can you imagine an 11 year old kid alone all evening on a station platform these days ?

ShirleyW

I believe back in the 60's I remember things started off with the Kickoff meeting, and from that point instead of selling the rags we went from door to door asking if people could accommodate some people in their homes.

I remember we used to have some friends from Philly stay at our house with their 6 kids, bu t we didn't have enough space for all the kids so another sister had some stay at her house.

In the early 70's we had a brother stay at our house but he came in on a Saturday and was to leave that Sunday, he came to the house Saturday, but he didn't show up that evening, my mother was very worried, when he showed up the next day to get his stuff she told him she was very worried and he should've called, he said he stayed with some friends of his, which means he probably hooked up with some sister.

FatFreek 2005

A bit off topic, I know, but the convention week, actually 8 days, brought back memories.

As a 17 yr old at that '58 convention I was on my own after the sessions. One evening, I found myself walking in a large park (perhaps Central) and just enjoying my freedom.

A man on a park bench engaged me, asking me about the convention (yes, I had a badge). I was naive and flattered and was vacation pioneering that summer. Looking to count some time I enthusiastically pursued the conversation. He was Jewish, single, and despite my youth, my "gaydar" went off. That really didn't matter to me as I could still count time -- and he invited me to his apartment a few blocks away. That way he could "reference his own Bible".

I envisioned the moment when I would be delivering this experience of a double conversion (to JW-dom and to a straight lifestyle) in the front of our next assembly audience.

When we got to his place he got his Bible out for me and I was convinced he was so sincere.

Then he said, "you know, one of your own was at my friend's house the other night, talking just like we are talking -- and he let my friend give him a BJ". What do you think?"

I took that as a "come on", despite my youth, and nervously planned my getaway.

I quickly got up from my chair, found the door and politely made my exit.

snugglebunny

Elders and others who are aware of their circumstances have lovingly extended help, which is commendable.

Pfftt...That word "Lovingly" has to be the most over-used word in the whole wide world. Stick it into any sentence and the dubbies will swallow it. Loving discipline, loving disfellowshipping, loving reproof, just a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down.

sparky1

Interesting experience FatFreek. I'm glad you came away unscathed. Your story sounds like the reverse version of the Joe Buck/Mr. O'Daniel encounter in the movie MIDNIGHT COWBOY.

Spiral

I remember doing the "rooming work" as a child in the late 60s, I think.

Even as a child I wondered why someone would agree to have strangers stay with them. My father (an "unbelieving mate") would have no part of it. But, can you blame him?

It's one of many distant memories that seem so strange now. Like someone else's memories from another life.

Listener

In the early 70s they held a large Convention in the middle of nowhere. It took us over 5 hours from Melbourne to get there. It was in a little town called Wagga Wagga.

We stayed on a farm and there was no electricity.

No doubt they got the grounds really cheap.

dougobrien2019

I have vague recollections of going house to house asking for people to open their homes for JW's to stay in during the 1968 district convention in Toledo, Ohio. As a family we stayed overnight in a private home in 1967 for a circuit assembly. This was when they were three days, Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. Looking back, I would never do it again. I believe the practice was disbanded soon after 1968.

I recall a hilarious experience about a JW sister. When requesting a room you had to put down pertinent information such as name, age etc. When she came to the part that said "sex" instead of putting male or female, she put the amount of times she had sex in a week! Just thought you'd like that one.

blondie

Just once we stayed at a jw home in the yard with our primitive camping place on the back of our truck. We had to use the restroom/bathroom facilities in the house and we could tell who volunteered, the father/husband. The rest of the family were totally rude and unfriendly. Of course, we could not use the facilities until they were all done. It was a long wait to use the toilet, so we hid behind our truck and used the woods.

Remember when we lodged in private homes at conventions?

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