The Mountain Kingdom Lesotho Hears the “Good News”
YOUR first sight of Lesotho, if you drive to it through South Africa, will be a line of jagged peaks, like a gigantic saw, on the skyline. Except for a narrow strip of lowland on its western border, Lesotho is entirely mountainous. It is tucked away in the heart of the Drakensberg Mountains, which form the spine of southern Africa.
Covering only 11,720 square miles (30,355 km2), it is one of the smallest countries in Africa and has a population of about 1,100,000. It is governed by a prime minister and Western-style Parliament, and it also has a king, Moshoeshoe II (pronounced Moshwayshway). Hence, it is called the “Mountain Kingdom.”
Lesotho is probably the coldest country of Africa. The winters in the mountains are bitter, with peaks and passes often shrouded in snow. Had you ever thought of snow-skiing in Africa?
In the 1820’s the area was held by a small tribe under chief Moshoeshoe I. At that time, a warlike Zulu chief called Chaka was on the rampage to the east, and fragments of defeated tribes were given refuge in Moshoeshoe’s domain. Eventually, this developed into Lesotho. Inhabitants are known as “Basotho” (singular, “Mosotho”) and the language spoken is “Sesotho.”
Lesotho is an enclave surrounded mainly by South Africa, but also partly by the new state of Transkei. The main entrance to the country is from the west, where one drives across a narrow bridge over the Caledon River. One is greeted by the sign Kena ka khotso (Enter in peace). A mile farther on one enters Maseru, the sleepy little capital.
Maseru (population, 17,000) is a mixture of Western sophistication and African life. Modern buildings ‘rub shoulders’ with little mud huts; herds of cattle hold up traffic in the streets; sheep sometimes wander into gardens and munch on the flowers.
THE “GOOD NEWS” REACHES LESOTHO
It was in the early 1940’s that the “good news” reached Lesotho. Two Basotho men, who had worked in South Africa and had received the “good news” there, returned to Lesotho in 1942 and started spreading the Kingdom message with great zeal. By 1951 there were five small congregations and some 63 active witnesses of Jehovah, including 10 full-time proclaimers of the “good news.”
In Maseru itself there is now a large congregation with 125 publishers of the “good news” and a fine Kingdom Hall. There are also two missionary couples who spread the “good news” to the Basotho people and to a polyglot population of foreigners. Of the latter, many are engaged in aid programmes run by the United Nations and other organizations. So the missionaries, when working in Maseru, must have literature in many languages.
On one occasion a Chinese lady, who spoke very little English, was glad to be visited by a missionary couple. She showed them the latest issue of The Watchtower in Chinese saying: “Magazine, like ver’ much.” She was receiving it as a result of a gift subscription submitted by a missionary in Taiwan. A Bible study was started with her.
Preaching to the Basotho people is quite a contrast to witnessing to the foreigners. The very homes are so different. Usually, they are huts made from interwoven twigs and mud, with grass-thatched roofs. The mud on the outside walls is often worked into pretty and complicated patterns. The floors are smeared with cow dung, which, incidentally, sets firm and smooth and is not smelly.
The Basotho usually are friendly and hospitable. Westerners often are abrupt and hurried in manner, whereas the Basotho consider this undignified, indeed rude. When calling at the homes a Witness invariably is invited to sit down; it is bad manners to allow visitors to stand and talk. Then the visitor must first exchange greetings and polite conversation with the householder. It takes a while to enquire mutually about health, where one is from, how many children one has, and so forth. Only then can the Kingdom proclaimer start talking about the “good news.” Often the whole family will assemble to listen.
Yes, life in Lesotho is pleasantly slow-moving—no one ever hurries. When you pass someone on the road, even though a stranger, it is customary to stop and exchange greetings and polite conversation. But for the missionaries the making of appointments can be trying—no one is ever on time!
THE MOUNTAINOUS REGION
The western plain, where Maseru and other small towns are situated, is narrow. To the east lie the mountains—rugged and mainly barren. Much of this beautiful country is accessible only by narrow tracks. The railway from South Africa ends in Maseru and so is only one mile long. There are a few roads in the mountains. Most of them are gravel roads, with very steep passes in places. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is essential. One pass is appropriately called Molimo Nthuse, or, “God Help Me” Pass!
As a result, Lesotho is one of the “horsiest” countries in the world and the hardy, surefooted Basotho pony is a well-known breed in southern Africa. In the highlands a common sight is a local inhabitant wrapped in his colourful blanket, topped with his typical grass hat, sitting astride his pony and clip-clopping his way on the trail. Donkeys, too, play an important part in Lesotho transport. Sometimes they are so burdened with firewood, furniture or other loads that the small, long-suffering donkey almost disappears.
How, then, did the “good news” reach the villages in these remote, almost inaccessible mountains?
It was as a result of the poor economical situation in Lesotho that causes the majority of men, for a year or two, to seek work in South Africa, mainly at the gold mines. While in the mines, some accept the Bible’s message from Jehovah’s Witnesses and then pass it on to their families and friends when they return home.
But the Kingdom message has reached remote mountain areas in other ways. One Witness got a job as a roadmaker on the road leading to Mantsonyane, deep in the mountains. This zealous Witness talked to all he met about the “good news.” He started Bible studies with some of his fellow workers and organised a study group while they were living in tents at the roadside. He also preached to the people in the villages. Seeing their response, this brother got a job in Mantsonyane, resulting in the formation there of a group of active proclaimers of the “good news.”
The African travelling overseers also have done a fine work in getting the “good news” spread in the mountains. To reach the small village called Hatebesi, where there were just two Kingdom proclaimers, one overseer walked for 22 hours. On his way there, he was given shelter and refreshment at night in a certain village. Soon the little hut was filled with local people who were eager to hear the message. The next day the local villagers lent him two donkeys to help complete the journey. On arrival at Hatebesi, successful meetings were held every evening, with a final public talk attended by 62 people.
On his next visit the travelling overseer used a horse to carry his battery-operated slide projector, his blankets and other equipment. During that short stay many people came to ask Bible questions and request a Bible study. For the slide showing 86 people—nearly the whole village—attended.
Reaching such isolated and scattered mountain territory demands hard work and sacrifices. Those whose hearts are fired by love of God and their neighbours have to walk long distances to pass on the “good news” to others. Often mothers do not leave their babies at home but take them along on their backs in the African way. Sometimes loving fathers will carry the babies, too, realizing that the mothers are tired. This alone helps people in the territory to see the loving consideration of Christian fathers for their families.
The Witnesses at Quthing, near the southwestern border of Lesotho, succeeded in forming a new congregation in an unusual way. Their efforts to reach an isolated place in the mountains were rewarded when a member of a certain church accepted literature and then a Bible study. The interested man began, in time, to pass on the “good news” to his fellow church members, and one day the whole congregation was present to hear what the Witness conducting the study was teaching. Finally, many of them accepted the message and became dedicated servants of Jehovah. There is now a congregation there with a Kingdom Hall able to seat 300 people.
CUSTOMS
Like all African countries, Lesotho has many traditional customs related to witchcraft and ancestor worship. Some of these are strange indeed. For example, one Witness was accused of not putting a blanket on her shoulders when returning from the hospital after giving birth to her first child. A local chief said that failing to do this would bring hail or a storm that would destroy their crops.
Later this woman’s husband was seen hanging baby nappies (diapers) out to dry. The village headman told him to take them down. Why? Because he said hanging out nappies between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. could cause bad weather.
NEUTRALITY OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
A few years ago there was a violent political uprising in Lesotho. The government quelled it and then sent men around to the villages to punish supporters of the opposition. As the government forces approached a certain village, an elderly couple, knowing their property and even their lives were in danger, fled to the mountains with their two grown sons—well known as opposition supporters. But their daughter, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and her little baby stayed behind.
Government forces were soon at the kraal and started ransacking the huts. However, when they came to the hut where the Witness and her baby were they recognised her. Knowing that she was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and, hence, neutral in politics, they left her and the home alone. This is just one example of many where the neutral stand of Jehovah’s Witnesses has served as a real means of protection.—John 15:19.
OPPOSITION
Apart from the traditional ancestor worship and witchcraft, there are many sects and churches of Christendom operating in Lesotho. Prominent among these is the Roman Catholic Church. Since in Catholic schools much attention is given to religious prayers and ceremonies, the children of Jehovah’s Witnesses are often in trouble. In some places quite a number of these children have been expelled from school for refusing to take part in false worship.
However, freedom of worship exists in Lesotho. Some time ago, in a small place near Mohale’s Hoek, the local chief expelled a special pioneer (full-time worker) from the area and ordered a small group of Kingdom proclaimers to stop meeting and preaching. But the matter was taken up with the district administrator. He instructed the chief to stop interfering with Jehovah’s Witnesses, whose work and worship are legally recognized in the country.
Not all priests are opposed to the “good news.” A travelling overseer reports that when working from house to house in a certain village he came to the home of a priest associated with the Church of England. As the overseer approached the house a voice from within called out: “Please don’t pass me by. Come inside.” This led to a long and enjoyable discussion of the “good news” and the placing of Bible literature. The priest admitted that two women who had behaved badly while in his church changed considerably for the better when they left and became Jehovah’s Witnesses. The friendly attitude of the priest opened the way for many people in that area to listen to the Kingdom message.
In spite of opposition, lack of good roads and transport, local superstitions and many other setbacks, the Kingdom-preaching work is flourishing in this mountain kingdom. In 1942 there were only two Basotho Witnesses spreading the “good news” in Lesotho. Now there are over 600. And at the 1980 Memorial of Christ’s death there were 2,690 in attendance. Did not Isaiah prophesy that “the little one himself will become a thousand”? (Isa. 60:22)—Contributed.