.Three days of collective Bible study: Jehovah's Witnesses in the wide round of the Frankfurt football arena....

[Queen Esther]

Three days of collective Bible study: Jehovah's Witnesses in the wide round of the Frankfurt football arena.

Baby carriages on strollers stand in front of the main entrance of the stadium. A young mother crouches on a stone, concentrates on her cell phone. Her daughter sleeps in the baby carriage. Through headphones the young woman follows the sermon in the arena. Thanks to the Bible app on the smartphone, she can also work diligently during the morning sleep of her child. The Jehovah's Witnesses congress attracted some 14,000 visitors yesterday to the Waldstadion in Frankfurt. And for today and tomorrow, speaker Erika Krämer expects similar figures. The visitors have made a striking appearance. Most women wear clothes, the men come in shirt and tie. And they all have a name tag. In this fellowship, you are a brother and sister to you. 1400 folders are in use, volunteers who control the pockets with an apologizing smile. In times of terror, one must be more careful, says Krämer.

The folders themselves are more of a service provider. Anyone looking for the map is immediately surrounded by several helpers. "It is a long time here." If you still look irritated, you will be taken to the square - unobtrusive but definitely. In the upper tier, a whole block is reserved for "old people". Courtesy is trump, no one would speak of "old" here. The elderly have the best view of the speakers who preach to the congress topic "Do not give up". They sit, listen and make notes. For a congress of Jehovah's Witnesses means work. First and foremost. The printed Bible holds only a few in this hand. God's word is stored on the mobile phone. A volunteer center is set up at the entrance to the arena. Those who would like to contribute during the three-day congress will be able to report.
"With money it is such a thing"

The snake in front of the switch is long. "There are always small things to do," says co-ordinator Jens Wilke. To distribute water to the "old", for example. Or waste garbage. The helpers enter with their handynummer on a list. If an assignment is waiting for them, they will be notified by SMS. Wilke said that this would be very discreet, after all, that the other congress visitors would not be disturbed. The largest number of volunteers he needs to guard the donation boxes, adds the coordinator. Finally, the congress, which attracts visitors from Hesse, the Palatinate, Saarland and Baden-Württemberg, is financed by donations. The rent for the three days in the Waldstadion is expected to hit just half a million euros.
But the visitors turn out to be generous. "We do not leave the boxes alone. It's such a thing with money, "says Wilke. Sultry and hot it is on Friday morning. Trays and drinks are unpacked. For the lunch break everyone has brought something. It is shared, it is laughed. We know each other. "This is like a family meeting with Jesus," says Kramer. The high point of the congress is, however, for many of the visitors only today: At 11.45 hours, about a hundred baptized people will decide publicly in accordance with the principles of the Bible under the eyes of their "brothers and sisters".