Missionaries Gained Insight on Obstacles Ahead
“WE KNOW where we’re going, what type of circumstances we’re going to encounter, and we’re ready to go!” affirmed Mark Albers. He thus expressed the willingness of his fellow missionaries of the 66th class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead as they accepted their assignments to 11 countries.
The challenges facing them will not be easy. Most of them will be confronted by new languages, new living standards and strange customs. They certainly needed helpful counsel to aid them to cope with such great changes.
As the graduation program unfolded (March 11, 1979), the crowd of 1,952 present began to realize that the counsel given would benefit them too—not merely the 26 graduates. One speaker, V. Wisegarver, said: “In this system, we are frequently plagued by a variety of problems. There are setbacks and other obstacles that can be a real test. We are sometimes faced with distressing circumstances, which affect our lives, circumstances that we simply cannot change.”
What is needed to cope with such unchangeable circumstances? The speaker answered, “Patience!” He drew attention to James 5:7, which speaks about the patience a farmer must have. “Beyond planting and cultivating, what can the farmer do?” Wisegarver asked. “Well, he could worry excessively, or he could stomp and shout. But all this could only rob him of strength, health, joy and certainly would not produce one drop of rain!”
So what is the “secret” in remaining calm under such adversities and varying circumstances? In answer, another speaker, R. Rains, directed attention to the words of a longtime missionary, the apostle Paul, at Philippians 4:12, 13. “What was the ‘secret’ Paul learned?” queried Rains. “It is accepting and adjusting to whatever circumstances there are and all along relying on Jehovah for the strength to continue.”
In a practical way, Rains showed that a willingness to adjust is needed in dealing with various personalities within the Christian congregation. He read a letter from a person who had learned the “secret.” It said: “In our missionary home there is a wonderful spirit of cooperation. Everyone lets everyone else be himself, and yet everyone is so helpful.” So a conflict with an obstacle-like personality can be avoided by remembering the “secret.”
Next on the program, D. Olson counseled the students about the need to contribute rather than compete, despite the fact that we live in a world where many feel that ‘winning is the only thing.’ All listened attentively as he showed how deeply rooted competition can become, even among some Christians. However, if we adopt the attitude of freely giving or contributing, no matter how little we have to offer, we can avoid the snare of doing things out of ‘contentiousness or egotism.’—Phil. 2:3.
The 85-year-old school president, F. W. Franz, spoke on the intriguing theme “What Is Next on the World Scene Looked At from Another Angle of Vision?” He discussed the fulfillment of the plagues of Revelation chapters 15 and 16. These represented plaguelike messages that started to be “poured out” by God’s people in 1922. Franz showed the correspondency of these modern-day pronouncements to the seven last plagues imposed on the land of ancient Egypt. (Ex. 8:20–11:10) After the final plague, the Israelites marched out of Egypt, only to find their ‘faces up against the wall’ of the Red Sea. However, God provided deliverance from this seemingly insurmountable obstacle.
Franz warned that we could very well approach a situation that will seem like an insurmountable blockade just like the one that the liberated Israelites faced at the Red Sea. If this occurs, we should remember the words of God to Moses: “Quit praying and get the people moving! Forward, march!” (Ex. 14:15, The Living Bible) “So that is the thing for you to remember,” continued Franz. “When you come up against this seemingly insurmountable situation, you are to keep on going forward under the leadership of the Greater Moses, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
A musical program presented by the students and entitled “The Use of Jehovah’s Gift of Music” furnished some delightful diversion. It traced the subject of music in the Bible from the time of Jubal, the founder of those handling the harp and the musical pipe, to the singing of the “new song” by a great heavenly chorus, as described in Revelation.—Gen. 4:21; Rev. 14:3.
Insight on preventing moral obstacles from developing was the purpose of the Bible drama entitled “Be Transformed by Making Your Mind Over,” which was presented by the graduates. It exposed the subtle moral snares of today by reviewing carefully the situation that obtained among the Israelites on the plains of Moab shortly before they entered the Promised Land. A second drama featured situations during the life of David that illustrated the need for heartfelt loyalty. The point of its theme, “Jehovah Will Guard the Way of His Loyal Ones,” was well made.
That graduation day—March 11, 1979—will indeed be one long remembered not only by the graduates but by everyone in attendance.
[Picture on page 25]
Sixty-sixth Graduating Class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead
In the list below, rows are numbered from front to back and names are listed from left to right in each row.
(1) A. Del Carlo, E. Lahker, B. Albers, A. Todaro, G. Peay. (2) R. Del Carlo, K. Lahker, V. Scott, D. Rochfort, K. Aaro. (3) D. Todaro, V. Taylor, D. Geringer, L. Graves, W. Geringer. (4) R. Peay, M. Albers, D. Cole, J. Cole, M. Molina. (5) F. Graves, G. Scott, D. Taylor, M. Rochfort, H. Fritz, T. Munz.