LA FERIA — Love is what Cameron County needs the most right now, and that is the message being taught not only locally but throughout the world, said Roy Soto, Jehovah’s Witness spokesman for the Rio Grande Valley community.
With the theme of “Love never fails,” hundreds of Jehovah’s Witnesses have visited the local assembly hall as part of the organization’s annual worldwide series of conventions that began in June.
Annually, Jehovah’s Witnesses hold a period of conventions with a different theme each year.
The local assembly hall will be hosting 11 conventions, both in English and Spanish, each weekend through August.
Everyone is welcome to attend, regardless of race, ethnicity or religious values.
“The intention is to spread awareness on the theme we are discussing, which this year’s is love,” Soto said. “We have people come from all over the Rio Grande Valley’s counties, Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy and Starr. We also receive guests from Corpus Christi.”
The free conventions begin on a Friday and end on Sunday, and no collections are taken.
Soto said the conventions bring an extensive amount of people to the area, which helps not only the Jehovah’s Witness community but La Feria as well.
“We have a capacity of 2,500 seats at our assembly hall and every weekend it fills up,” Soto said. “I think the conventions not only help spread our message, but it also helps us economically to grow and help businesses have new customers that eat out and stay at their hotels.”
The conventions are currently being held worldwide, meaning the theme presented in La Feria is the same one presented in other countries.
“Our purpose is to help others express love in a way the Bible describes. It will talk about expressing it to your spouse, family, at work and to the community,” Soto said. “If we all knew how to express love properly, the community would be better.”
If You Go
WHAT: Jehovah’s Witnesses Annual Convention
WHEN: In Spanish, July 12-14, July 19-21 and July 26-28. In English, August 2-4, August 9-11, August 16-18
WHERE: La Feria Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 1701 S. Parker Rd.
INFO: (956) 797-4707
Did you know?
• There are 8,579,909 Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world.
• There are 119,954 Congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide.
• 977 languages are featured on jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
