The Waters of Life Find a Way

One of Jehovah’s witnesses who had suffered as a conscientious objector in Communist Hungary told how Bible literature reached Christian ministers even in the military prisons. He said:

“The order was very severe in the military prison of the ninth district of Budapest. It seemed to be entirely impossible to get anything in there that was forbidden. Yet the waters of life found their way to the brothers through subterranean streams. Three days after getting my sentence I was sent out into the city to do certain work. From my working place I was able to get in touch with brothers. The prisoners suffered great hunger, both spiritual and physical. Only cabbage, carrots, beans and peas without any fat were on the menu. As regards spiritual food, we had practically nothing left.

“However, on a certain occasion I managed to take in a Watchtower article. When I returned from work I had a dirty cement bucket with me. At the entrance I was searched very thoroughly and then told to move on. Intentionally I didn’t pay much attention to my bucket. Immediately the guard shouted after me: ‘Why do you leave this bucket here?’ I picked it up and took it along. The Watchtower article was in it. I had put paper on the bottom, on the paper the article, and then again paper covered with cement.

“Later on I worked again outside as a repairman. Thanks to a soldier I could contact the free brothers again. From wood I made a toolbox for myself. I made it with a double bottom and put the Watchtower articles in between. I always threw many sharp pieces of iron into the box, so that the guard wouldn’t do much searching. In this way it was very easy to smuggle the study articles inside. As repairman I had access to every cell and so was able to pass the spiritual food from one to the other within the prison. Thus, by the undeserved kindness of Jehovah, the brothers got some spiritual provision.”