Country Reports (Part Two)

LEBANON Population: 2,580,000

Peak Publishers: 1,267 Ratio: 1 to 2,036

The past service year has been an outstanding one for Jehovah’s people in Lebanon, the best one yet. It started off with a new peak in publishers in September, and it looked as if we would have another peak in October. But heavy fighting broke out between the army and the guerrillas and there were curfews for over half the month in the main cities, curtailing our activities to the extent that we were not able to reach a new peak in publishers. Then things settled down to some extent and there were new peaks in publishers for the next seven consecutive months. In fact, there were only three months in the year when we did not have new peaks.

The Truth book in the Arabic language, which was available for use during the last half of the service year, was enthusiastically received by Jehovah’s people here and put to good use by them in the field service. It was soon out of stock at the branch office. By means of it we have greatly improved our Bible study service and have been able to assist people of many kinds to learn the truth.

Opposition is not to be feared. Often it increases the spreading of the message of God’s kingdom. The daughter of an assistant priest became interested in the truth, and when her father learned that she was attending the Memorial celebration of Christ’s death he came to drag her out of the Kingdom Hall. Appalled at the large attendance he saw at the Kingdom Hall, he went to the church and turned on its sound equipment full volume and began scolding the villagers for not coming to church, since even Jehovah’s witnesses were filling their local hall to overflowing. As there was no response, not even to his urgings to attack Jehovah’s witnesses in their Kingdom Hall, the next evening he began reading Luke chapter 21 over the loudspeaker, thinking to frighten people into coming to church. But now large numbers of the people began to ask Jehovah’s witnesses to study the Bible with them. The local Theocratic Ministry School servant says that strangers keep asking to be enrolled in the Ministry School and wanting to know when they can have a turn to speak. This congregation of 60 had an attendance of 375 at the Memorial.

The powerful message of truth from God’s Word makes wonderful changes in the lives of those who accept it. A man who was a member of a militant political party, who carried weapons with him wherever he went and who even had a display cabinet in his home for his firearms, was contacted by a Witness in the house-to-house work. Though he was a violent man, feared by everyone in the neighborhood, he listened while the Witness courageously presented his sermon and offered Bible literature, which was accepted. But when the back-call was made, it was the man’s wife who showed interest, while he opposed her study of the Bible. Sometime later he happened to be at home on the day his wife had her study and he listened from an adjoining room. The next day his wife invited him to attend a meeting with her, and he did, with his pistol at his side. But finding such peaceful people there, he became ashamed of his coming among them with a weapon. Since then he has attended meetings regularly, but the only weapon he brings along is the “sword of the spirit,” God’s Word. As a result of his studies in the Bible the firearms display cabinet in his home has now been converted into a library containing literature showing the way to life in God’s new order, and recently he and his wife dedicated their lives to the service of the true God, Jehovah. With such an example, seventeen of his friends and relatives are now studying the Bible to learn the way back to paradise.

ABU DHABI Population: 12,000

Peak Publishers: 2 Ratio: 1 to 6,000

The service year began with two sisters doing what they could in Jehovah’s service in this isolated land. Recently they have been joined by two other members of their family from India. This makes a larger study group and more mutual encouragement. Field service in Abu Dhabi must be done through contacts, as there is no freedom for open house-to-house witnessing. But much can be accomplished in this way.

BAHREIN Population: 200,000

Peak Publishers: 1 Ratio: 1 to 200,000

A sister from England moved to Bahrein during the last month of the service year and has made a start in witnessing to people there. She was baptized only a few months before leaving for Bahrein, and she writes from there: “I do so want to have a share in spreading the good news of the Kingdom. I will try hard to use whatever opportunities Jehovah may open up out here for witnessing.” We pray that she may be able to sow some seed on good soil while she is there.

IRAN Population: 26,985,000

Peak Publishers: 24 Ratio: 1 to 1,124,375

The territory is vast and the workers are few in this land. All the brothers live in the capital, Tehran, but, in addition to working the territory in that city, they do what they can to spread the message of the truth to other parts as well. Some brothers who at intervals are obliged by their circumstances to travel across the country take advantage of the opportunity to speak to people in towns where they stop. In this way much literature has been distributed and a number of studies started that are conducted by correspondence. One such brother and his wife, while having lunch at their hotel, were approached by a man who asked if he had not met them before. They recognized him to be an interested person they had known long before in East Africa. A Truth book was placed, and the next day a study was started. Since then it has been carried on through correspondence.

References from those having Bible studies are a good means of starting other studies. A study was started with a man who had studied the truth years before but who had gotten out of touch with the Witnesses. Through him four other studies were established with his relatives, and two of these studies are attended by more than ten persons. The man’s interest in the truth was so great that he studied twice each week and so finished the Truth book in three months. He now has a regular share in field service himself.

We are so thankful that Jehovah’s angels guide us to sheeplike persons. A woman in Tehran who was dissatisfied with the conduct of the clergy was praying to God to show her the way approved by him. That very day a brother called at her home and a study was started. After a short time her husband was transferred to another part of the country where there were no Witnesses, so the only contact was by mail. She continued to study by herself, however, and when her husband later retired and they moved back to Tehran she immediately contacted the brothers again. She became a regular attender at meetings and, after only two months’ study, started sharing in field service.

JORDAN Population: 2,039,000

Peak Publishers: 30 Ratio: 1 to 67,967

There has continued to be much unrest in Jordan during the year. At one point clashes and heavy fighting between the army and the guerrillas forced the brothers in the capital, Amman, to remain indoors for five days. All during that time there was heard the sound of firearms at all points throughout the city. None of the brothers were injured, however, and when things calmed down they resumed their witness work.

Because of their neutral stand the brothers have been threatened by guerrillas and other extremists. But they remain unafraid in their stand for the truth, and Jehovah is blessing them for it. It became necessary for the brothers to give up their rented Kingdom Hall during the year and to meet for a time in small groups in their homes. Later things improved and they are now adding a room to the home of one of the members of the congregation to be used as a Kingdom Hall.

At the time of this writing there is much talk of making peace in the Middle East. To what extent peace efforts will succeed is not yet clear. But Jehovah’s people here know that true peace will come only through God’s heavenly kingdom.

KUWAIT Population: 733,196

Peak Publishers: 9 Ratio: 1 to 81,466

The few Witnesses in Kuwait all live in and around the capital, Kuwait City. Though they do not have freedom to carry on true worship openly, nevertheless they have been spreading the Kingdom message during the service year. Their special problem was to find a place to hold meetings regularly in an organized way. But that has been solved now by a newly baptized brother and his wife who have opened their home for all meetings.

Prayer to Jehovah, asking for his direction and strength to keep serving him in the face of great obstacles, is necessary for all Christians. A sister who is the mother of six children and whose husband has been opposed to the truth for years realizes this very clearly. For a long time she has endured physical and mental abuse from her husband and has not always been able to get to meetings, due to his moving his family into isolated areas and refusing to provide transportation. She was able to receive spiritual food in various ways, however, and diligently instructed her children in the way of righteousness. Prayer to Jehovah was never neglected, and He has enabled her to remain spiritually strong even in this isolated place and under such circumstances. How happy our sister is that there are now meetings held regularly within easy walking distance of her house and that she and all six of her children are able to attend regularly. Even her husband seems to be less opposed now.

QATAR Population: 55,000

Peak Publishers: 1 Ratio: 1 to 55,000

The one brother in Qatar has carried on by himself during the year preaching the Kingdom good news to those who will listen. In this Moslem land the preaching of Christianity is not looked upon kindly, and the brother is not able to work openly from house to house. But through personal contacts he is able to spread the truth and place some literature, thus opening the way for further calls. We pray that Jehovah may continue to enable him to let the light of truth shine in Qatar.

SAUDI ARABIA Population: 7,100,000

Peak Publishers: 3 Ratio: 1 to 2,366,667

A brother working for an oil company in Saudi Arabia was able to do some good witnessing during the year, making some back-calls and conducting some Bible studies. One of these was with an American girl who studied God’s Word diligently and progressed well. When she departed from Saudi Arabia to return to the United States she was planning to symbolize her dedication to Jehovah by baptism there.

SYRIA Population: 5,738,000

Peak Publishers: 176 Ratio: 1 to 32,602

Though persecution and harassment have continued throughout the year, the brothers in Syria have had their best year of service to Jehovah. At this writing eleven Witnesses are still in prison, where they have been for two months with no charges filed against them. Some of them have large families that are left with no means of support while the family head is in prison. But Jehovah does not leave his righteous ones, and his offspring will not be seen “looking for bread.” These families are being cared for by their Christian brothers. And the good news is being spread inside the prison walls by our brothers there.

Secular employment often opens the way for spreading the good news. One young brother saw an opportunity for this in an official notice that religious instructors were needed in government schools. He took the examination for this position, which he passed easily, and as a result he was able to spend an entire school term instructing students in the true religion. With truly interested students he established home Bible studies.

LEEWARD ISLANDS (Antigua) Population: 61,664

Peak Publishers: 139 Ratio: 1 to 444

During this year in Antigua a goodly number of youths have taken their stand for the truth and are associating with the three congregations. A missionary sister studied with two girls, thirteen and fourteen years of age. Soon they were attending meetings, and, on hearing announcements for field service, they wanted to share. Revelation 18:4 was read and discussed, and they appreciated that they did not qualify for the ministry as long as they accompanied their mother to one of the religions of Babylon the Great and remained a part of it themselves. They explained to their mother that they no longer wanted to go to church because bowing to images was wrong and also the things taught were different from what the Bible teaches. However, the mother insisted that they attend her church. The girls had a problem. They must obey their mother, but they could not remain in Babylon the Great and please Jehovah. They obeyed their mother by accompanying her to church, but they would not participate in the false religious services. When the priest inquired as to the reason, they said they wanted to be Jehovah’s witnesses. It happened that the priest had observed two young brothers going from door to door during a recent assembly and he had used them as a fine example for Catholic youths. The priest told the mother not to force the girls but to let them become Jehovah’s witnesses if that is what they wanted. At the next meeting the girls burst into the Kingdom Hall: “Did you hear the good news? We can now go in the service!” The oldest girl was baptized on April 25, 1970, and at the time of our making this report she is sharing in the vacation pioneer service. The grandmother has now been publishing for three months. When the two girls and their grandmother returned from the “Men of Goodwill” District Assembly in St. Kitts, the mother, observing the joy they have in their newfound faith, asked that a Bible study be conducted with her.

One year ago a youth was just starting to attend the meetings. Let him tell how he was helped during the past year. “I was brought up in a Protestant religion and had respect for the Bible, but I always had doubts about some of the teachings, such as the Trinity. Being somewhat shy, I never questioned anyone. When one of Jehovah’s witnesses called and offered a six-month course in Bible study, it sounded good to me. The truths I learned came as quite a blow to me, as they were so different from what I had been taught. But I made the adjustments in my thinking. After being taught how to give a sermon I enjoyed the door-to-door ministry. A few months later a pioneer brother invited me to go to the island of Barbuda, where there are no Witnesses, and spend a month preaching there. This was a wonderful experience. I had the opportunity to defend the truth even before clergymen. It has helped me to see the need to study personally, to prepare for the meetings and to put as much time in the service as possible. I could not be a pioneer then, but I was baptized in April and I am glad to be a vacation pioneer this month. I have also been assigned to assist the literature servant in the congregation.”

ANGUILLA Population: 5,810

Peak Publishers: 15 Ratio: 1 to 387

Breaking free from Babylon the Great and this system of things can require great effort and sacrifice. A young woman had studied for more than one year and wanted to take her stand for Jehovah’s kingdom. She was ridiculed by relatives for leaving the religion she was reared in but which she now knew to be false. The father and provider for her three children was not willing to marry her nor would he provide for them if she left. There was no alternative but to take the three children and go where she could find work to support them. Only her love for Jehovah gave her the courage to make this move. And with loving help from others in the congregation she not only has the joy of sharing in the field ministry but is now a sister in the congregation, having been baptized on August 7 at the district assembly in St. Kitts.

DOMINICA Population: 63,609

Peak Publishers: 186 Ratio: 1 to 342

We are grateful to the Society for the thrilling Bible dramas that we are privileged to have at our district assemblies. These have helped the brothers to grow to maturity and to take on responsibility. The husband of a pioneer sister labored in the forest all year hand-sawing lumber for a new home that they were planning to build. This couple was selected to play the role of a young missionary couple in the drama “Are You a Modern-Day Jonah?” The message of this drama so influenced the husband that he decided to join his wife in the pioneer service. On returning from the assembly they sold their animals and the lumber and wrote the Society that they were free to go to any place on the island where they could be used. He is now the overseer in a small congregation of thirteen publishers that previously had only sisters caring for the work.

Willingness on the part of two pioneer sisters to walk long distances to study with persons on the Carib reserve has resulted in one family’s learning to appreciate Jehovah and his organization. This family, which includes two teen-age daughters, copies the fine example of the pioneers, for they think nothing of trekking the fourteen miles through dense tropical woods to the congregation meetings. To them this effort is small compared to the benefits of association with those who are truly Christians. The mother and her seventeen-year-old son have symbolized their dedication to Jehovah. Now they zealously witness to fellow tribesmen and they had another person accompany them to the district assembly in the capital.

MONTSERRAT Population: 13,430

Peak Publishers: 24 Ratio: 1 to 560

Another year of happy service to Jehovah has been completed. A number of brothers have moved away to other places during the year but have remained steadfast in the truth. The father of a large family has taken his stand for Jehovah. As a result of his kind attention the members of his family are progressing well and are being prepared for publishing the good news. The wife was among the nine delegates that traveled to Dominica for the district assembly.

The husband and wife in another family used to quarrel to the extent that the police had to intervene. The husband accepted the offer of a home Bible study when one of Jehovah’s witnesses called. On seeing the change it made in him the wife began to sit in on the studies. A year has gone by, with peaceful conditions in the home. The husband, wife and daughter are attending the meetings at the Kingdom Hall and are so grateful for the help they have received from God’s Word toward peaceful living.

NEVIS Population: 12,770

Peak Publishers: 31 Ratio: 1 to 412

A sister who has her elderly mother to care for found it difficult to share with the others in the regular door-to-door ministry. To overcome the problem she concentrated on visits with neighbors near her home. With the help of a pioneer sister she now is happy to be conducting three Bible studies every week.

Upon reaching the decision to dedicate her life to Jehovah a sister had the names of herself and her family withdrawn from the church where she had attended. At school the children were required to attend religious services. The mother instructed the children not to attend these religious services, but the teacher would beat them and compel them to attend. The sister wrote a letter to the head teacher explaining why she did not want her children to attend the religious services. She quoted and explained Revelation 18:4 and 1 John 5:21. The words, “Little children, guard yourselves from idols,” so impressed the head teacher that she called a meeting of all the teachers and had the letter read. A good witness was given, and the children are now exempt from the religious services.

ST. EUSTATIUS Population: 1,335

Peak Publishers: 1 Ratio: 1 to 1,335

The one publisher in this little island settlement enjoys her service to Jehovah. While receiving little response from her neighbors and friends, she is having Jehovah’s blessing in the training of her children in Jehovah’s way. Three of her older sons are good publishers overseas. Their letters show appreciation for their mother’s “bringing them up in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah.” Meanwhile, her other children at home are responding well to instructions from God’s Word.

ST. KITTS Population: 38,113

Peak Publishers: 111 Ratio: 1 to 343

Putting Kingdom interests first may at times be a test, but it results in blessings. A woman with a small retail store was studying the Bible with one of Jehovah’s witnesses. She attended some meetings at the Kingdom Hall, but often she allowed her business to keep her at home. Noting her problem, the publisher highlighted that Jehovah blesses those putting the interests of the Kingdom first. The next meeting night the lady had a quantity of buns that had not been sold. She feared they would get stale and not be suitable for sale the next day. She pondered the matter and recalled what the publisher said about putting Kingdom interests first. Her decision was to attend the meeting. That night, after she had retired, a customer came requesting bread, and all the buns were sold. She resolved not to let the business keep her from the congregation meetings, which are so essential for strengthening faith. She is now a publisher of the good news and a sister, for she was baptized at the district assembly.

ST. MARTIN Population: 9,547

Peak Publishers: 58 Ratio: 1 to 165

A seventy-two-year-old brother, who has been nineteen years in the truth, shared in the vacation pioneer service for the first time this year. He said that he always felt it was mainly for the younger ones. But after seeing another brother who suffered from liver trouble and had a lame leg sharing in the vacation pioneer service, he decided to try it. After the month of pioneering he said: “Well, I now realize the joys I have been missing all these years I have been in the truth. I plan to share again, because vacation pioneering has been the best time of my life.” Explaining why he had not vacation pioneered before, he said: “I thought I would not be able to go in the service every day like the pioneers do. But now I realize that you can stay long in the service one day and rest up the next.”

LIBERIA Population: 1,100,000

Peak Publishers: 645 Ratio: 1 to 1,705

The Kingdom work has moved along well during the past year. The spirit of expansion is reflected in the enlarging and modernizing of the Kingdom Hall in the center of Monrovia, improvements at the fine branch location, and, finally, the acquiring of another missionary home in a populous section of the city. We are very grateful to Jehovah God for these many fine blessings.

Just one copy of a magazine can produce dramatic changes in a person’s life. A man living in unassigned territory received a copy of Awake! and was so impressed with the presentation “Finding an Answer to the Problem of Race” that he set out at once in search of a woman living in Monrovia, the capital, whom he knew to be one of Jehovah’s witnesses. When he found her residence he learned with dismay that the sister had died more than six months before. Undaunted, this life seeker continued his search for the Kingdom Hall with success and attended his first meeting that very night. A study was arranged with him, and after a few weeks he turned up one morning to engage in field service. Alas, it was then discovered that he had four wives! Unhesitatingly he started arrangements to send away three of his wives. A few weeks later he attended his first circuit assembly, but when he saw all the brothers happily going out in field service without him, he broke down and wept. With determination to put on the new personality he resigned his commission with the militia, gave up a lucrative job at a sugarcane farm and gin factory in order to cut himself free from an illicit relationship with the farm owner’s daughter, and legalized his marriage to his one remaining wife. The financial difficulties he experienced were more than offset by his newfound happiness when he became a dedicated and baptized servant of Jehovah. His illiterate wife began to study, learned to read and write by means of the Society’s reading aid, and now joins her husband in the ministry. Also, contrary to local custom, the brother and his wife eat their meals together. The townspeople, recognizing all these changes, tell them: “Your religion has really made you people civilized!” And it all started with one issue of Awake!

A Lebanese brother who operates the largest shop in an interior town became a vacation pioneer in April. The district servant asked him: “Were you not afraid you would lose business by having to close your shop at times?” The brother conceded: “To be truthful, I must say that I was thinking about that. But now I must say that, during those weeks in which my shop was closed for many hours, I actually had more business than during the weeks it was open all day. More people came to buy during the few hours they knew the shop would be open. At times customers tried to keep me at the shop, but I would tell them, ‘I’m closing,’ and I was gone.” There was also a health problem. “But I did not let this stop me, and after I got out into the service I forgot I was sick. But when I was in the shop all day I was always thinking about it.” So this brother who was very willing to sacrifice material profits for the sake of pioneering found that he had not really sacrificed anything at all; rather he had gained in every way​—materially, physically, and certainly spiritually.

Our oldest vacation pioneer was seventy-six years old, but he still felt the need to “do more.” Out of respect for his age he was invited in at every home and people listened to what he had to say. Even though it is difficult for him to climb even one or two steps, he did not exclude house-to-house work from his ministry. In fact, he found he had less pain by using his limbs. Later he was able to report: “Every day I went from house to house, and in the evenings I made my back-calls and conducted Bible studies. I now have four good studies and they are all attending meetings regularly.” Convinced that old age is no drawback to vacation pioneering, he added: “Now I am trying to encourage other older ones to pioneer.”

Military establishments are also places where sheeplike persons may be found. Some brothers decided to journey to an infrequently visited army camp. The major in charge cordially greeted the missionary heading the group, gave permission for the brothers to preach, and assigned his personal secretary as escort. The secretary proved to be very serious about getting camp residents to listen to the message. Finally he explained to the missionary that his views on Jehovah’s witnesses had changed after a sister had been able to answer his many Bible questions, something his religious teachers had been unable to do. Deeply impressed that Jehovah’s witnesses had the truth, he confided: “Since then I have wanted to be one of Jehovah’s witnesses. Tell me, sir, what must I do in order to be one of them?” Needless to say, a home Bible study was arranged. The brothers accepted an invitation to return on the next day; a talk was given to about one hundred soldiers, and sixty magazines were placed. It is well to give attention to every part of our territory assignment.

After working a hamlet without finding any interest, a special pioneer came across a crippled man who listened carefully, but who had no money for literature. So the tract Life in God’s New Order was left with him. Upon returning, the pioneer found that the cripple had read the tract through and through and was really keen about learning more. A study was started at once, and it was not long thereafter that this man was walking on his crutches, preaching to the people at their homes and on their farms. Presently he conducts two studies and looks forward to baptism. Certainly even a tract can nourish a spiritually hungry soul. Do we always have them on hand to use at appropriate times?

LUXEMBOURG Population: 338,500

Peak Publishers: 544 Ratio: 1 to 622

“The truth will set you free,” Jesus explained, and more and more people, even from a small country such as Luxembourg, experience this in their own lives. This is confirmed by a woman who was very much depressed about family problems, not knowing a way out. She prayed much that God would assist her to solve her family problems, but all the prayers were in vain. She went to her fleshly sister, who is one of Jehovah’s witnesses, and she counseled her to direct her prayers to the only true God, to the ‘Hearer of prayer.’ In this way she was informed about Jehovah’s purpose. That evening her prayer was much different than it used to be. Not even two weeks passed until this woman noticed a great change. The seemingly ‘unbearable’ turned out to be bearable, and it even changed toward the good. Because of this experience this woman wanted to learn more about Jehovah, and a Bible study was arranged. More and more persons in this family attended the study. Some time elapsed, and then, all on the same day, seven persons from this family symbolized by water baptism the dedication of their lives to Jehovah. The truth set them free in many respects, because the woman who today is our sister wrote further: “Previously I was smoking, but this problem was solved too because I continued to pray to Jehovah to receive strength.” How important is prayer in practicing true worship!

In a small country where each one knows his neighbor, fear of neighbors and relatives is a great hindrance to some in learning the truth. Because of being afraid of his mother, a young man and his future bride rejected the efforts of his fleshly brother to inform him about God’s Word. Oftentimes he stopped the conversation suddenly. After his marriage he was more open-minded and he was ready to read the Bible and our magazines. Though invited, he was not ready to attend the meetings held in his vicinity, because his mother lives just across from the Kingdom Hall. So he always went to the next city to attend the meetings there. But now, instead of moving to the next city as he purposed to do so as not to encounter family problems, he and his wife are attending the meetings in the vicinity where his mother lives. Both were baptized during the “Men of Goodwill” District Assembly. Certainly the truth helped them to realize that fear of man is a snare.

MALAGASY REPUBLIC Population: 7,198,640

Peak Publishers: 469 Ratio: 1 to 15,349

The preaching field is truly large in Madagascar, and Jehovah’s blessings have been made plain by the increase in the number of publishers. But three months before the 1969-1970 service year was over, all missionaries were expelled from the territory. And the work of Jehovah’s witnesses was banned on the last month of that same service year.

Would you call back where a book placement was made with two elderly ladies, when one explained that she, being a midwife, was seldom there and the other said she could not read because she had no glasses? One missionary writes that she is happy that she did. In spite of these difficulties, a very lively study was started in the Truth book. In a short time these two women started, not only to attend all meetings, but to encourage other members of their families to join their study. The son of one, a teacher in a village about forty kilometers away, came regularly each week along with his wife and children, even though at times the road was very bad because of rain. When the missionaries had to leave around seven months after this study had been started, one of the women, who in the meantime had gotten glasses, was already a publisher and had a very good knowledge of the Bible. She along with other members of her family said: “Don’t worry about us. We will never return to ‘Babylon,’ and we who can stay on our island will aid others to know and serve Jehovah.”

During service from house to house two young girls told us to return, for their father would like to see us. The next week we were happy to find thirteen persons waiting for us. The father said: “There are many religions here and we recognize that our own [Catholic] is false. We do not know what to do; we have lost the compass.” The following week we started the study, and seventeen persons were there, some more interested than others. After just one month of study, they started coming regularly to meetings. The father then said: “We have found the compass again, for I know where the truth is.” Some members of the family were preparing to go in service when we received the order to leave the country. This family has written us that they plan to continue no matter what happens. They want to be baptized at the first opportunity and they are continuing their study by correspondence with a brother in another town about 500 kilometers away, as there are no baptized Witnesses in their city since the missionaries had to leave.

A special pioneer studied with a lady who was not legally married to the man with whom she lived. Learning about the high standard of living advocated in God’s Word, she decided to care for the needed formalities so she could have a legal wedding. She went back to her home village for some official papers. There she told her mother of the life-giving truths she had learned. The mother’s response showed her to be a “sheep.” “I also want a share of that water of life,” said she. And at once she cut all ties with her previous Babylonish religion, left her house and all other things she owned in that village and went to the town where she could meet Jehovah’s witnesses and have a home Bible study. Not long after her first attendance at the meetings, she began preaching. Eight months after her first hearing of the truth, she got baptized. She has now vacation pioneered for many months and, despite her advanced age, she has reached an average of 153 hours for these months.

This special pioneer studied with a married couple who hired a young man to help them look for precious stones and also to perform home duties. Unnoticed by the Witness, that young man used to leave his duties and hide behind doors or curtains so that he might hear the truth each time the studies were held. One day the brother was amazed to see him call at the pioneer’s home and ask for a personal Bible study. The young man explained: “I had to leave my ‘patron.’ Each time you conducted the study and at meeting times, he would send me away to perform some duty so that I might not hear the truth you teach!” Then he began selling fish to earn a living. Though getting far less money than previously, he now got more spiritual riches: he had a personal Bible study, began preaching, publicly symbolized his dedication by means of water baptism and, at this writing, he has asked for a renewal of his nonstop vacation pioneering, in which he has spent far more than the required hours. He is now seeking no more for precious stones but for something far more precious in Jehovah’s sight: people who will reflect the light of His truth.

MAURITIUS Population: 807,027

Peak Publishers: 238 Ratio: 1 to 3,391

Jehovah’s servants working on the islands of the Indian Ocean, namely, Mauritius, Réunion and Rodrigues, have been blessed during this service year. Many have been the expressions of appreciation for the Truth book and the six-month study course. Meeting attendances have improved greatly because new ones are invited earlier and many have started to come to meetings rather than have their study stopped. The following are some experiences had by our brothers on the different islands.

In Mauritius much increase has come this year as brothers have helped their families to get the truth. One brother writes: “Since we have known the truth, my wife and I have made it our duty to share it with our relatives. After three years and very little response we could have easily become discouraged. Then one of my brothers married a girl whose father had been an Adventist for twenty-five years. He soon realized the difference between what he had heard from me and the things his father-in-law was trying to teach him, so he agreed to study with me so as to be able to answer his father-in-law. He quickly realized who had the truth. My brother then began to witness to the other members of the family and this helped my eldest sister to accept a study. My wife studies with her and her three children. The next to want a study was my cousin, with her five children. After three years of witnessing at my place of work I had the joy of seeing my youngest brother, who works alongside me, agree to study with a pioneer associated with the congregation. So many of the family were studying that, even though opposed by her husband, my youngest sister asked for someone to study with her. On my wife’s side of the family we have helped her brother and his wife to start studying. As we live fairly close to one another and we all have the good habit of attending meetings regularly, we cannot help but be noticed as all twenty-two of us arrive at the Kingdom Hall. What has been accomplished has been with Jehovah’s help, but we are not yet satisfied that the job is done, as we still have a few family members to help to come to Jehovah before it is too late.”

A young publisher studied for six months with a lady, but due to opposition of the husband no progress was made and the study was stopped. Awhile later, due to difficulties in the home, the husband himself came and asked that the study be started again with his wife. The young publisher explained that, if he wanted his wife to study again, he must join in and that the family must make the effort to come to meetings. This they did. During the zone servant’s visit the family attended a special meeting in a nearby Kingdom Hall, and the husband realized that such a hall was needed in his town, so he made a gift of land to the congregation so that they could build one.

RÉUNION Population: 441,874

Peak Publishers: 361 Ratio: 1 to 1,224

The largest congregation covers its territory every month, so the brothers were pleased to work for a day in unassigned territory 100 kilometers’ distance. Enough cars were made available so that 56 publishers could take part. The results: 198 hours, 62 books, 9 subscriptions and 302 magazines.

The importance of noting the name and address of interested persons wherever we meet them and passing them on, if necessary, is emphasized by the following experience. A man was contacted while a publisher was working a block of administrative flats. He owned a Bible but had never been visited by Jehovah’s witnesses. His name and address were sent to the neighboring congregation in whose territory he lived. When the visit was made, it was found that he had many of the Society’s publications. He had been very deeply religious, working as sacristan for the church, but the course of action of the religious leaders had so greatly discouraged him that he turned to the Bible to try to find the answers to the questions that troubled him. A study was started with both him and his wife. He is now sharing in the Theocratic Ministry School and will soon be out in service.

The following is a good example of the need to speak to our friends about the good news. A lady who liked to be helpful looked after the children of her friend, one of Jehovah’s witnesses, while she went out in service on Sunday morning. One day the lady and her husband asked her what she did each Sunday afternoon. The sister explained that she went to the Kingdom Hall. “Well, what is that, exactly?” they asked. After a good witness the sister invited them to accompany her and they accepted. They enjoyed the meeting very much and arranged to attend regularly on Sundays and during the week. Seeing their interest, the sister offered to study with them. Both made rapid progress. Quickly they saw the need to take their children out of the school run by the nuns and they themselves talked the truth to all their friends and neighbors. They are looking forward to sharing in the preaching work.

RODRIGUES Population: 23,064

Peak Publishers: 19 Ratio: 1 to 1,214

During this service year we have had the pleasure of seeing the first five Rodrigans dedicate their lives to Jehovah. One was able to make the voyage to Mauritius to attend the assembly there and the others were baptized in Rodrigues during a one-day assembly attended by thirty-one persons.

Starting studies on the first call has been found to be effective and productive. A sixteen-year-old publisher was able to start a study after giving a sermon to a young man whose main interest up to that moment had been worldly pleasures. As the Bible principles were made clear, he made the necessary changes. This resulted in financial savings for him and he was able to save enough to attend an assembly in Mauritius. He was so impressed that he became a zealous publisher of the good news.

With the growth during the service year we are pleased to report that most of the island is being covered regularly, and the most populated parts every other month.

MEXICO Population: 48,813,438

Peak Publishers: 49,031 Ratio: 1 to 985

The six-month study program with the Truth book can, in fact, be carried out in even less time on occasion. A lady learned of the truth through a gift subscription for The Watchtower. When the district servant and his wife visited a neighboring city she attended the circuit assembly. The brother and his wife talked to her and noted a sincere desire to serve Jehovah and to help the people in the small town where she lives. So arrangements were made to study the Truth, book with her. The problem was that there was not sufficient time to give the study as outlined by the Society, because she would be in the assembly city only two weeks and then would return by a small airplane to her town up in the mountains. Therefore the wife of the district servant conducted an intensive study for two weeks. Actually the study was conducted from Friday to Friday in thirty hours, and the complete Truth book was covered. This lady wanted to take advantage of the time available, so some afternoons and evenings the district servant and his wife spent two to three hours answering her many questions. At the end of the two weeks she had all the answers underlined in her book and was very enthusiastic about returning to her isolated town and helping others. She is now conducting eight studies, fifteen attend the Watchtower study and an isolated group has been formed.

A young man had many problems in his family life and he and his wife separated. He visited a priest, to whom he had confessed for a long time, and asked for counsel on his problem. The priest told him: “I have no solution for your problem, my son. If you want to fix up your problems, look up Jehovah’s witnesses; they can surely help you.” For some time he tried to find the truth but without success. One morning a publisher visited him and placed the Truth book. The same morning he read the complete book and visited the office of the Society and asked for more information. He was given the address of a local meeting hall, and that same afternoon he attended the meeting. A study was started with him immediately. He made arrangements for a sister to visit his wife, who was separated from him, to tell her the truth. The wife began to study and attend the meetings. The study of God’s Word helped them to solve their problems, they were reunited, and in three months they were publishing. Later he spoke to his father, brother, sister and nieces. They agreed to study, and he took them to the hall. One niece began to publish immediately on learning the truth. She went in the service every day with the pioneers in the congregation and had excellent results in the field, publishing more than one hundred hours a month. She has five studies, and some of these interested ones are attending the meetings. There are four publishers of the good news in this family in just six months, three have been baptized and the niece filled out an application for the vacation pioneer service.

A letter was received from one of the 4,977 vacation pioneers reporting in April, saying: “For some years I have been a publisher but could not be a pioneer because I am completely blind. But through the encouragement that we received from you in the Informant and from the pioneers in the congregation I made arrangements to be led from house to house, and the brothers cooperated very well. During the month I worked ninety hours. I placed twelve books, which I did by showing the chapters. Since I cannot see, what I have done is memorize the number of pages in each chapter and thus I can show them to the people in the territory. By making good plans to serve as a pioneer, there are no problems that cannot be overcome, since Jehovah is so kind to us and helps us when we serve him to the best of our ability.”

Two young publishers, high-school students, of one of the units in Mexico City presented the Evolution book to their biology teacher before the end of the course. The teacher took the book, apparently without much interest, and did not say anything about it. However, on the day of the final exam the teacher called them privately to express his appreciation for the book, saying that it was excellent and that he had read it several times. Not only that; he also requested fifty more copies of the book, since he expected to use it as a textbook in the next course, because, as he said, “other books only contain trash and false theories.” At the beginning of the next course the young brothers gave him the fifty books he had ordered, but these were insufficient because, on learning of the book, other teachers and students became interested and asked for two or more copies. In two weeks one hundred and seventy-five Evolution books were placed with teachers and students. Young brothers in school have a fine opportunity to show their faith and trust in Jehovah God.

A brother wrote expressing his appreciation for the reading and writing classes: “When the message of the good news was presented to me I could not read or write, so I could not understand the message well. The publisher who studied with me taught me my first letters, and a little later I was invited to attend the local reading and writing class. In about five months I could read some and study the publications for myself. That was about ten years ago. Today, when I see the marvelous privileges that Jehovah has blessed me with, I cannot help but feel grateful for the arrangements made by his organization that helped me to have successful service, because I can conduct my own studies and that has brought me great joy. I have seven fine studies and I have had the experience of helping four persons learn to read and write. Also I have the joyful privilege of serving as a congregation book study servant, and all this, thanks to the reading and writing classes.”

MOROCCO Population: 14,580,000

Peak Publishers: 181 Ratio: 1 to 80,552

We in Morocco had a wonderful time in the field ministry during the past service year.

The following experience shows the wonderful changes that the truth can make when it falls upon good “soil.” A special pioneer was told at one door: “I don’t really see any reason to continue living, since I have no useful and satisfying occupation.” Having an extensive personal library, she said: “Please come in and look at all the books I have read to try to find the answers.” The brother asked her if she had a Bible. When the brother assured her that the Bible had the answers, she wanted one immediately. For some time she stayed up half the night reading the Society’s publications. For years this woman had been taking strong drugs for her nerves and she was a heavy smoker. Her rapid realization of Jehovah’s requirements prompted her to take drastic action. She asked her husband literally to lock her in her room for two whole days, just bringing in her meals. After two days spent studying and praying she had rid herself of these bad habits. It should be mentioned that all this happened during the first week after the special pioneer called on her. The second week was equally eventful. She started out in the field ministry all on her own, placing twelve Bibles and twenty magazines!

At first her husband did not seem interested, but after the second week of the study he decided to join in also. He is the general director of a large firm and, until recently, spent a good deal of his time in raising and training horses for jumping competition. As his love for the truth grew, he realized that too much of his time was being consumed by his horse hobby, and, though he and his wife loved them dearly, their horses were sold to make more time for the preaching activity. At one time his business position was in jeopardy because of his stand for the truth, but he did not let threats intimidate him. He and his wife were both baptized just nine months after their first contact with the Witnesses. The husband, now a brother, is conducting four home Bible studies of his own, and his wife, who has already engaged in the vacation pioneer service, conducts ten!

Young publishers of school age have a special privilege in being in position to give a witness to their schoolmates. In one of the schools here, the history and geography teacher sometimes uses a class period to discuss subjects chosen by the students. During one of these periods, Jehovah’s witnesses were brought up for discussion. As often happens in such circumstances, the teacher, with a wry smile, explained that the Witnesses are a strange group that go around bothering people and refuse all medical treatment, etc. A young sister belonging to this class could keep quiet no longer and asked to be permitted to explain our position on these things. Permission was granted and she gave a detailed explanation of several details, including blood transfusion. The teacher was surprised and said: “I never would have believed that you knew so much! You are one of Jehovah’s witnesses and yet you are normal and a good student!” The other students asked many questions and the majority were very enthusiastic about the discussion. The bell rang, putting an end to discussion for that day. Many of the students as well as the teacher wanted to hear more, and it was arranged for her to prepare and give a talk on Jehovah’s witnesses the following week. During this talk, the sister used her Bible, asking students to read certain texts, and also showed slides of one of our assemblies. Having finished, she asked the teacher if she could offer magazines to her classmates. Thirty magazines were placed, and especially the Awake! with the theme “Is It Later than You Think?” The teacher accepted a copy of the book Is the Bible Really the Word of God? As a result of this witnessing in class a study was started, and now another student has taken subscriptions for both of the magazines.

Young publishers, be sure to take advantage of the excellent opportunity you have to give a witness in your special personal territory at school.

GIBRALTAR Population: 28,000

Peak Publishers: 39 Ratio: 1 to 718

The inhabitants of the “Rock,” as Gibraltar is often called, are certainly hearing the “good news,” thanks to the ardent witnessing of our brothers there. Although many are hearing, one man is making fine progress in learning the Bible’s truth in spite of the fact that he has never heard it. A publisher witnessing in an apartment house observed a man leaving by the staircase. Upon seeing the brother he quickly came back up the stairs and went into his home, closing the door behind him. The publisher thought that the man was perhaps opposed and that he was going to be badly received at this door. He knocked anyway, and, instead of finding opposition, a kindly man greeted him. As the brother started to explain why he had called, the man stopped him abruptly, saying that he was completely deaf. His face lit up with joy as he read Isaiah 35:5 from the brother’s Bible. He went for a pen and note pad, asking the publisher to tell him more. After writing for one and a half hours, the brother was happy to start a home Bible study with this man, take a subscription for each of the magazines and place a copy of the Truth book as well as the book Is the Bible Really the Word of God? The study is continuing and good progress is being realized. His lesson is well prepared in advance, all the answers being underlined. The brother conducting the study has the deaf man read the question out loud and then give his answer. His own comments are written out so that the man can benefit from them. Since meetings are a necessity for Christians, how could this man derive anything from them with his handicap? Well, when he came to the special public talk, the brother furnished him with a typewritten copy of the manuscript. As the speaker covered the material he was able to follow along without missing anything. He also was present for the Lord’s Evening Meal and benefited fully by using the same method. He plans soon to attend all the meetings, and the publisher who studies with him is going to write out the material for him each week. The brother says that this man is a real stimulus to the congregation, especially in his zeal to learn at sixty-four years of age. He is often seen in public places, such as the beach or out in the country, reading his little blue book, with his Bible at his side. He has already had experiences of his own in witnessing to his friends and fellow workers.

NETHERLANDS Population: 12,957,621

Peak Publishers: 18,261 Ratio: 1 to 710

With 1,678 newly baptized brothers this service year, you can imagine how happy the other Witnesses in the Netherlands have been to ‘go and make disciples, baptizing them.’

What can the results be when efforts are made to involve a whole family in a Bible study? A sister placed two magazines on a Sunday with a man who said that he never had time on Sunday because they had seven children to care for. An appointment was made to call on an evening in the week. A study was started with the husband and his wife, who originally did not believe in God. However, their faith grew and soon they attended meetings, and not long thereafter they saw the need for their children to sit in on the study too.

The three smallest ones, six, eight and ten years of age, did not present a problem, but how about the bigger children? One of these even conducted a “beat” band. This boy and his drummer friend were given a positive invitation to share in the study and this really got things started.

The “beat” band was bigger than only these two, and there were fans too. All were invited for the study, and so it was a common sight to see several young people belonging to this band appear for Bible discussions. From this original “beat” band group the circle of interested ones grew wider because they invited other friends of theirs, and soon quite a few of them began attending meetings. They quit smoking, started in the field service and the “beat” band was dissolved. One of the young boys had to face the neutrality issue; he took the right stand and landed in prison, but from prison confinement he studied by mail with his fleshly brother. And what is the result of this growing group? Sixteen persons studied the Bible; the parents, with whom everything started, have been baptized; thereafter two of their sons and six of their friends symbolized their dedication by water immersion, and two others are prospective baptismal candidates. All of this resulted from conscientiously calling back soon after the placement of literature and because the whole family was invited to participate in the study.

A pioneer minister tells an experience showing that God is directing people with a good heart to his organization. A lady was very disappointed about the church and confused too, not knowing where to find the truth. She often prayed to God and, almost every time, after a prayer, in one way or another she was contacted by the Witnesses, but, although she showed interest, she did not follow through on it. Then she moved to a small tourist village where an aquarium happened to be. This lady is not much impressed by an aquarium because she had studied anatomy and evolution and she did not think that there was much to learn in an aquarium. But on a certain day she once more prayed to God for the truth, and the next day she felt a strong urge to visit the aquarium. Here the pioneer minister serves as a part-time tour guide and his employer has permitted him to offer either the aquarium tour publication or the Evolution book after a tour, and during the tour the brother always injects interesting things about creation in his story. The lady was very much impressed by his faith, and after the tour she asked him whether he really believed in God. He was delighted to give her a further witness. The next day the lady was back in a pouring rain and asked the brother to visit her because she was very much afraid that God’s patience would stop if she did not now take up the truth. A fine Bible study is in progress, and the pioneer says that she is learning quickly.

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES (Curaçao) Population: 143,776

Peak Publishers: 339 Ratio: 1 to 424

The census bureau here in Curaçao keeps a progressive inventory of the population of the island by keeping tabs on all persons that enter and leave the island as well as all births and deaths. During the last year there were more than four times as many births as deaths on the island.

Of the many babies born on the island during the year, about one third were born out of wedlock. Immorality poses a problem in our preaching of the “good news.” Many persons admit that we have the truth but do not feel that they can straighten out their lives sufficiently to become Jehovah’s witnesses. Still, many others are doing it, either by getting married or by separating from those with whom they are living outside of wedlock. The truth can set one free in more ways than one.​—John 8:32.

Another vice that an accurate knowledge of the truth can help a person to overcome is gambling, a great weakness here. In this connection the importance of a family study and meeting attendance cannot be overstressed, as the following experience shows. The small son of a theocratic family went with his grandmother. The grandmother is not a Witness. They met a woman selling lottery tickets. The grandmother decided to buy a ticket. The woman selling them suggested that the little grandson select the ticket, the idea being that this would bring good luck. The little fellow flatly refused and said: “We [Jehovah’s witnesses] do not live by luck, but my father works hard for us to get money to live on.” The child’s stand on this matter came as a big surprise to the two women. Even though this little fellow is not a publisher yet, his stand for right principles was a good testimony to the truth.

The son of a family of Witnesses had just started to school when he was quite severely punished by the teacher because he refused to join with the class in singing “happy birthday” on the teacher’s birthday. Not having had previous experience with any children of Jehovah’s witnesses, the teacher did not believe the little boy when he said that we do not celebrate birthdays. What made matters worse was the fact that a little worldly playmate joined the Witness child in refusing to sing, so the teacher thought that he was being the “ringleader” in a new kind of rebellion. When the mother of the child went to school and explained the matter to the teacher, she said that she was sorry that she had beaten the child. His firm stand resulted in a good witness.

Here in Curaçao our magazines are really appreciated by people from all walks of life. For example, a Dutchman who was a severe critic of the Bible reluctantly accepted a copy of Awake! in Dutch. He did read it, however, and now he is a regular reader of both magazines. He is amazed at the fine information he receives from the magazines and recently he remarked that the editorial staff of Awake! must be made up of scientists and professors. When going in the magazine work here, we must take magazines in four languages, Dutch, English, Spanish and Papiamento. One congregation has averaged 18.5 magazines for the year, another congregation has averaged 17, and so on down the line. In many cases magazines pave the way for future progress in the truth.

ARUBA Population: 59,813

Peak Publishers: 169 Ratio: 1 to 354

It is no accident that our yeartext for 1970 is Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples . . . baptizing them.” Never have so many been baptized as Jehovah’s witnesses in one year in Aruba! A total of twenty in comparison with only one the year before.

Of those baptized during the year, one was seventy-seven years of age. She has lived in sight of the sea all her life but had never been in the sea until the day she was baptized. Accurate knowledge of the truth along with a desire to obey Jehovah can cause a person to do things he never thought he could do, such as preach the “good news” of the established Kingdom from house to house, answer the eighty questions in the “Lamp” book and be submerged in the water.

An unusual experience in Aruba concerns a lady who was a pillar in the Catholic church. She even got a home near the church so she could be on hand for all activities. Recently she borrowed a Paradise book from one of her sons and read it. She recognized it as the truth. She phoned a Witness to ask for a Paradise book for herself. When the publishers called on her they found that she had a wonderful knowledge of the truth already. She had cleaned the images out of her home. To help support her family, she loaned money for short terms at a high rate of interest, but now her conscience smote her and she cut her interest rate in half. A study was begun and she immediately began to associate with the local congregation. Her children wanted to have a big celebration for the thirty-fifth wedding anniversary of the parents, but, instead, the mother, father and youngest daughter all went to the circuit assembly and had a most enjoyable time, to the consternation of the older children.

BONAIRE Population: 8,099

Peak Publishers: 17 Ratio: 1 to 476

At the beginning of the service year two special pioneer sisters were sent to Bonaire from Curaçao. They have worked very hard against heavy odds, but not without some good results. For example, the preaching activity has been the greatest ever, with more bound books and magazines being placed, more subscriptions being obtained and more studies being conducted than ever before. With all of this planting and watering, we feel confident that Jehovah will make it grow in due time.

Already the activity of the special pioneers is bearing fruit. One of them placed a Truth book while working from house to house. A back-call was made, a study started. The time of the study was set for the day the husband would be free from secular work so he could attend along with his wife. Soon both husband and wife began attending meetings at the Kingdom Hall. Both have started to publish, and now they are planning to attend the district assembly in Aruba, along with eleven others from Bonaire.

NEWFOUNDLAND Population: 510,000

Peak Publishers: 902 Ratio: 1 to 565

Since Newfoundland is an island, part of the work of ministering takes publishers of the good news to the harbor to work from boat to boat. Calling on an officer on one of the boats, a brother was greeted with this comment: “It’s a funny thing that you should be here this morning. Why, only last night I was lying on my bunk wishing I had some good reading like the Word of God, and now here you are offering me these books.” He accepted them readily and arrangements were made for a correspondence course. This publisher was so thrilled with the success he had in the harbor that he enrolled as a vacation pioneer and remained on the list for five months, placing a total of 914 bound books.

Two pioneers were very anxious to reach university students with the Evolution book, so they decided to approach the students as they were on their way to different classes. As a result over 500 Evolution books were placed and some of the students arranged for one of the pioneers to give a talk to the class on the subject “Why Jehovah’s Witnesses Do Not Believe in Evolution.” What a joy it was to the pioneers to see seven of the students attend our meetings in the Kingdom Hall to get more information. The pioneers are still busy trying to reach other students with the Evolution book and the offer of a free home Bible study.

It is really marvelous in this day to see how Jehovah directs his servants to the “sheep.” A publisher writes: “A lady who had been studying with Jehovah’s witnesses for some time found it very difficult to attend the meetings regularly due to family opposition. She loved the truth, however, and used every occasion to speak about it to others. When a Catholic family moved next door to her home, it was not long before she witnessed to the mother. Interest was immediately aroused when the neighbor realized that, after years of attending church, she did not even know the name of God. Something was wrong, she thought. The Catholic couple were so concerned that they could not sleep at night. She tried several times to contact Jehovah’s witnesses, but without success. Finally, in desperation she walked several miles to a pay phone and, after much effort, phoned the congregation overseer and begged for a Bible study. As soon as the study was started, the priest took an unusual interest in the family and decided to take their children on a picnic, hoping that this would influence the parents to discontinue the study. However, the father could see through the hypocrisy of this gesture and refused to have anything more to do with the church. Seeing that he failed, the priest sent several Knights of Columbus members to try to persuade the family to give up the study. But this too failed. After just three studies the whole family attended a circuit assembly and were so delighted with what they heard that the following week they resigned from the Catholic Church. It is a real pleasure to see them at all the meetings and active in the service.

Following the suggestion as to “referrals” proved most beneficial in starting many Bible studies in Newfoundland, and this has contributed to the increase we have enjoyed. A Bible study was started with a man, his wife and daughter. Through “referral” the husband’s sister, her husband plus their five children started studying. This man was a boatbuilder by trade. The boatbuilder’s brother also accepted the six-month Bible study course. It did not stop here, but the boatbuilder’s wife had a mother, a sister and a niece, and a Bible study was started with them too. The boatbuilder’s helper and wife were also interested, and thus another study was started. The helper acquainted his parents with the Bible study course, and still another Bible study was started. Now let us go back to the original study. The husband had a brother who was married; upon hearing of the Bible study arrangement, he gladly accepted the Bible study course. Additionally, through a “referral” a study was started with the husband’s friend and wife. Then the wife’s parents showed interest in a study of the Bible, so still another study was started. Thus through the “referral” method of starting Bible studies thirty persons are being assisted to learn the truth that leads to everlasting life.

The 1970 service year came to a fine close with the “Men of Goodwill” District Assembly in Saint John’s. All were delighted to see 47 baptized in symbol of their dedication, and a new peak of 1,659 persons were present to hear the talk “Saving the Human Race​—in the Kingdom Way.” All were overjoyed to hear that we would again have the district assembly in Saint John’s next year, August 18 to 22, 1971.

NEW ZEALAND Population: 2,820,814

Peak Publishers: 5,574 Ratio: 1 to 506

The 1969-1970 service year in New Zealand started with mounting excitement in anticipation of the “Peace on Earth” assembly that was held early in November. What a spiritually enriching experience that proved to be! The year ends with four “Men of Goodwill” District Assemblies and an annual report that shows total hours spent in the ministry and total magazines distributed topping the million mark for the first time! For a certainty, the brothers and sisters here have been very busy talking about Kingdom truth to others.

Sometimes the opportunity comes at secular work. When a discussion about the end of the world arose in the office, one young married sister was ridiculed when she suggested that the staff read what Matthew chapter twenty-four in the Bible had to say on the subject. However, a few days later one of the office girls approached the sister to say she had read this portion of the Bible and had been most impressed. A Truth book was placed on a Friday, and on the following Monday the girl asked what she had to do to become one of Jehovah’s witnesses. The first Bible study with this young woman and her husband lasted till 2 o’clock in the morning as their questions poured forth. They were so moved by what they learned that for the first time in their lives they began praying to Jehovah before going to sleep. Following the third study they began attending all meetings, and today, less than a year later, both have conquered the tobacco habit, both are regular publishers and both plan to be baptized at the next assembly. As the wise man said: “In the morning sow your seed and until the evening do not let your hand rest; for you are not knowing where this will have success.”​—Eccl. 11: 6.

A special pioneer couple decided they could improve their ministry by giving more attention to not-at-home calls. Almost immediately they started three new Bible studies with persons previously not at home. How glad they were that they had faithfully cared for these calls when one Bible student remarked: “I realize I will have to study and attend meetings as often as possible because I can see that time is running out. Already I feel some appreciation for Jehovah but I am anxious to deepen it further.” As they checked their results in the field this special pioneer couple found that they obtained over 50 percent of their subscriptions when making return calls on those previously not at home. So they decided to conduct a simple experiment. They selected two streets in their territory with 48 houses on them. They found 31 householders home on the initial call and placed 6 magazines. However, when they called back on the remaining 17 who had not been home, they placed 21 magazines, 2 books and a subscription. These pioneers agreed that it took extra preparation at home to list the not-at-home calls and then faithfully call again, but the results were an ample reward.

Another brother has reason to be convinced that previous lack of response by householders should not discourage us from regularly engaging in the house-to-house work. When his car broke down outside a rural house whose occupants had always previously rejected the truth, the situation brought him into conversation with the lady of the house. After some general talk he worked the discussion around to Bible truth. To his surprise he struck a responsive chord. A return call to meet the husband was arranged. On this second call the couple were invited to attend the Memorial. That anyone would travel twenty-five miles to pick them up and take them to a meeting impressed them. They attended and enjoyed the warm fellowship. Soon parents and children were united in a study of the Truth book. The husband wrote a letter of resignation to his church and, with his “sword of the spirit,” he routed the minister who called to try to dissuade him from studying the Bible with Jehovah’s witnesses. Now, less than four months later, they are regular in meeting attendance and eager to qualify for a share in telling others the “good news.” Says the brother who had this experience: “Did the angels have a part in directing these sheeplike ones to Jehovah’s organization? Jehovah knows. What I know is that this family is on the way to life and that we should not give up in searching from house to house for His ‘sheep.’”

We in New Zealand greatly enjoyed having so many from other lands share our “Peace on Earth” assembly last November and I know that the brothers and sisters here would want to join in extending warmest Christian love to the whole association of brothers earth wide.

COOK ISLANDS Population: 19,777

Peak Publishers: 9 Ratio: 1 to 2,197

In April of this year a married Maori couple from New Zealand were able to enter the Cook Islands to serve as special pioneers. This was providential as their arrival coincided with the departure of a brother who had been there for over a year on a work contract, serving where the need was great. Although the special pioneers say the abundance of tropical fruit eliminates any possibility of their starving physically, they are interested in another kind of fruitage, that which results from making disciples.

One of the special pioneers started a study with a Pentecostal pastor and it progressed for several weeks. The greater number of his Pentecostal group also began studying the Truth book. However, a visiting representative of the Pentecostal church frightened the pastor and some others into believing that they would be grieving the holy spirit by studying with Jehovah’s witnesses, so their study ceased. Those influenced were mainly the ones who had had the demonic experience of speaking in tongues. Nevertheless, over half the group continues to study with the special pioneer and some are now attending the meetings.

Although a congregation has not yet been formed, all the regular meetings are held each week, and, with only nine publishers, counting the pioneers, some thirty adults plus children attend the Watchtower study on Sunday mornings. On alternate Sundays they have a public talk as well. After lunch the brothers engage in field service with the special pioneers. During July they averaged eighteen hours each in field service and were conducting, on an average, nearly one Bible study each. Jehovah’s blessing on their work has made it necessary to consider obtaining a Kingdom Hall. Truly, theocratic activity is rapidly gaining momentum in the Cook Islands.

NICARAGUA Population: 1,941,934

Peak Publishers: 1,446 Ratio: 1 to 1,343

For some years now we have been unable to do much work in isolated territory due to the great amount of interest manifested in areas where congregations have already been established. Now, however, growth in the organization has permitted us to devote more time and attention to such isolated areas, with excellent results. Two special pioneers were recently assigned to a remote section. From the first week onward meetings were conducted. At the end of the second month sixteen were enrolled in the Theocratic Ministry School and thirty were attending the Watchtower study. Ten publishers reported an average of thirty-six hours each. After only four months of work in this isolated territory the latest report shows sixteen publishers reporting, and the special pioneer writes that from sixty to seventy regularly attend the meetings on Sundays.

Three radio stations now broadcast the Society’s program. One circuit servant reports that in one community practically everyone listens to the program and with much appreciation. While working from door to door he did not miss the program, as everyone he spoke with had it on and as he left one house he continued to hear the program at the next.

It appears that even some religious leaders are having second thoughts about us. The Catholic bishop and a priest of one city have gone on record as stating that Jehovah’s witnesses do a fine work that is greatly needed. An evangelist preacher studied three chapters in the Truth book and then began to use it, hidden inside his Bible, to teach Sunday school. His sermons were always based on a chapter of the Truth book. Now, however, he has broken away from false worship and has joined us in preaching in the way Jesus commanded. From another town a sister writes: “While I was working from door to door a lady with whom I was talking asked the priest, who was visiting her, if she could take any literature. The priest then asked me how he could obtain all the issues of The Watchtower and Awake! So I offered the subscriptions. He told me to stop by his office at noon. I did and he took both subscriptions and a Truth book also. Later, on a back-call, he obtained the Evolution book, and we are now arranging a time for a study.”

In some sections it still requires great effort to attend meetings. Often those having to overcome the greatest obstacles are the ones who attend more regularly. The district servant reports that twelve publishers must walk two hours each way to attend meetings; seldom do they miss, however. A circuit servant observed that one sister, during the meetings, had tears streaming down her face for about the first fifteen minutes of each meeting. He asked the overseer if he knew why this sister was crying at the beginning of each meeting. The overseer explained that, due to high blood pressure and rheumatism in her legs, it took fifteen minutes or so for the pain to subside enough for her to be able to endure it without crying. Unless bedridden, however, she is the most regular meeting attender of all.

NIGERIA Population: 55,670,052

Peak Publishers: 85,358 Ratio: 1 to 652

The Society’s branch office in Lagos cares for Kingdom work in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Equatorial Guinea.

One of the highlights of the service year was our “Peace on Earth” assembly at Ilesha, December 17-21. The civil war was then at its hottest pitch and it was not possible for our Ibo brothers to attend. Yet we had 97,201. Because of our well-known neutrality as to the rebellion and the civil war the army gave the brothers full cooperation. They not only granted vehicle passes but issued written instructions to all roadblocks, ordering concerning the Witnesses traveling to and from the assembly: “. . . Treat them politely, assist when necessary.”

The attempt of the “Biafrans” to secede and form an independent government failed, and the war ended on January 15, 1970. We immediately made visits to the area, to comfort and encourage our brothers, to reorganize their work, and to relieve their destitution with supplies of food, medicine and clothes. We are grateful for the gift of $10,000 sent by the office of the president to supplement what we collected locally for our relief and rehabilitation program. Our brothers had suffered greatly. Not only had they endured the indescribable effects of air raids, starvation and disease, but as witnesses of Jehovah they additionally had the extreme harassments and persecution due to conscription drives. From the numerous cases of miraculous deliverance our brothers now know Jehovah as a God of saving acts. Some escaped even after being buried alive, shot at by firing squads, beaten and abandoned as dead, tied and set ablaze, and so on. For refusing to join the army a few brothers were beaten to death. About twelve others died directly from the war; a few of them were killed because they would not allow their wives or daughters to be raped. Only about twelve compromised. Approximately two hundred children and a few adults died from the disease known as kwashiorkor. Practically all the Kingdom Halls were looted. Some fifty of them were totally demolished and another fifty suffered partial destruction from air raids and ground fighting.

A military officer of the Biafra army tried all ways to force the brothers to take up arms, but he failed, though other religious people were easily made to enter military service. A report states: “When the war ended, that same officer went to a brother’s home and expressed his desire to become one of Jehovah’s witnesses. The brothers’ integrity and neutrality in the military camp convinced the officer. ‘I know this is the true religion,’ he said. He is now studying for baptism.” This is typical of scores of former Biafran officers and soldiers who are now learning the way of peace with Jehovah’s witnesses.

Biafran newspapers published hostile comments concerning our brothers and public opinion was soon whipped up against them. Clergymen joined the intense propaganda to get everyone involved. Refusal to fall in line was viewed as sabotage and was often followed by looting and physical assault. Many young brothers were dragged forcibly to army training depots and brutally beaten when they refused to become soldiers. Brought face to face with such fiery tests, how would their faith stand up?

Here is the case of a young pioneer. His reply that he was already a soldier of Christ brought a blow across the head with the comment, ‘Your appointment as a soldier of Christ is terminated; you are now a Biafran soldier.’ Far from submitting, his courageous answer was: ‘Jehovah has not yet notified me that my appointment as his soldier is terminated, and my appointment stands until I receive such notification.’ Despite further brutal treatment he remained faithful. In another case, a young Witness was tortured to death in an underground bunker. Many were brutally beaten; others were chased and hunted down like animals. After noting scores of such cases, one circuit servant remarked: “They proved themselves to be built of fire-resistant material.” Another commented: “It is gratifying to reflect on how Jehovah sustained his servants during the turbulent days of the war. He fortified our faith and infused us with courage. We thank the brothers throughout the world whose prayers on our behalf were so wonderfully answered.”

A very prominent polygamist​—a former judge of the appeal court, and a chief—​obtained the Truth book and a study was arranged. He quickly saw the issue and made up his mind. Calling his four wives together, he explained his stand, arranged to retain his first wife and sent the others away, making suitable provision for their support as long as necessary. However, all four wives exploded in anger; all their families were called, and before many days almost the entire clan had assembled against him to pressure him into abandoning his stand, but to no avail. He made it clear in writing that he was not interested in the return of the bride price and was even prepared to remain alone if necessary. After a considerable time his senior wife returned to him and they are now living happily together. The last report showed him studying for baptism.

God’s Word, as explained through the Truth book, can even convert witch doctors and juju priests. In one instance a study with a juju priest caused him to abandon polygamy, destroy all appendages of demon worship and resign as a priest of the juju cult. As he went from door to door preaching God’s Word the people in amazement asked “Why?” “The juju has no life. I have turned to the Giver of life, Jehovah,” was the reply.

CAMEROON Population: 5,150,000

Peak Publishers: 14,012 Ratio: 1 to 368

The 1970 service year started out with good prospects for an expanded witness in Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Tchad. The banning of the work before the year’s end in three out of four of these territories and the expelling of all foreign missionaries did not detract from the magnitude of the witness given.

The biggest theocratic event of all time in Cameroon was the “Peace on Earth” national assembly held in Douala in early December. More than 27,000 persons attended the public meeting and 1,678 were baptized. During this same month, the Bethel family moved into its brand-new headquarters building, eager to use the new facilities to Jehovah’s praise. Just five months later, on May 14, the government sealed the building shut following the announcement of the ban. The next day, the work was declared banned in Equatorial Guinea. Just two weeks previous to this action, Gabon authorities dissolved the legal organization of Jehovah’s witnesses.

By the use of intimidation, scolding, ridicule, threats, beatings and arrests, the government, through the political party, tried to force the Witnesses to abandon their Scriptural position of neutrality in political affairs. Did they succeed? For the most part the Witnesses here proved to be like the apostles, who were flogged and ordered to stop speaking upon the basis of Jesus’ name and who “went their way from before the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of his name.” Some fainthearted ones stopped preaching, a few cowardly turned informer against their brothers.

The following experiences underline the brutal methods used to get the Witnesses involved in political elections, as well as the loss of religious freedom in Cameroon.

On the morning of June 7, election day, the Brigade Commander of the local Gendarmerie (military police), accompanied by three gendarmes, came to Brother N​——​——’s house to get him to vote. Not finding him, they came back that afternoon with the Sub-Prefect and a group of local party members. They broke down the door of his work place and, amidst great applause and jeering, he was taken out and ordered to board a truck, where, he says: “I found eight brothers already arrested, covered with blood.” Before leaving town, he was ordered out of the truck by the Sub-Prefect, who then gave orders to have him beaten by the crowd there. The Sub-Prefect kicked the brother near the heart​—he fell unconscious. En route to the police station in the next town, other Witnesses were picked up. Arriving at the town, the Sub-Prefect made the brothers get out of the truck and lie on their stomachs to receive another beating before finally entering prison. A total of seventy-eight Witnesses were held until June 12, when several prominent authorities came to speak to them. The Sub-Prefect asked: “How many are no longer Jehovah’s witnesses?” No one answered. Brother N​——​——​ continues, “I along with twenty-four brothers were singled out as the most stubborn ones. We were taken to M​——​——​ and held at the B.M.M. (most feared police). There we were whipped: I received forty-seven strokes. On the 24th of June, we were released.” During this time Brother N​——​——’s house was searched and all his personal publications were confiscated.

During July, nine brothers having large families were imprisoned. These brothers were held without trial for several months in Yaoundé, the capital city, then sent to special “centers.” Called “Civic Re-education Centers,” these are located far away from populated areas. The resulting isolation is apparently an essential factor for inculcating “good citizenship” into these Christians.

By using brutal tactics, our opposers hope to frighten the Witnesses into denouncing their religion. In the town of K​——​——​ a brother reports that the day following the elections his house was surrounded by gendarmes and political party members. Forcing the doors and windows, the crowd took several brothers for interrogation. He writes: “After lengthy questioning, trying to get us to renounce being Jehovah’s witnesses, we declared openly and absolutely that, ‘WE WILL NEVER RENOUNCE THE NAME OF JEHOVAH THE SUPREME GOD.’ We were excessively beaten until our skin ruptured, but we did not deny our faith. During the five days that we spent at the brigade, we were subjected to forced labor without rest from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. After a few days of hard work, certain gendarmes exclaimed in all honesty that they had never seen such people, for we were always happy, working with great joy. They called us ‘The respectable and honorable people.’ We had a brother in our cell who was born in 1911 and had eighteen children. He was strong and firm. He told the commander that he would serve Jehovah forever.” These brothers were held another ten days and then released.

Since the ban, no public preaching is allowed. However, this does not stop the faithful Witnesses from fulfilling Christ’s command to make disciples.

It is our hope that the government will revoke its decision against the peaceful Witnesses in these countries when worldwide concern is shown by fellow Witnesses and freedom-loving people everywhere, prompting them to write to government officials in Cameroon expressing their shock and dismay at the brutal tactics used against the Witnesses as well as the false charges presented against them. Whatever the outcome, our faithful brothers echo Paul’s words at Romans 8:38, 39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor governments nor things now here nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor any other creation will be able to separate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

EQUATORIAL GUINEA Population: 244,574

Peak Publishers: 443 Ratio: 1 to 552

The humble, truth-loving people of Equatorial Guinea long for the time when paradise will be restored to earth under the righteous government of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

During the past service year a missionary couple was assigned to the capital, Santa Isabel, with a view to working among the natives. The response was gratifying; many listened to the Kingdom truth and made steady progress. Then came May 15 with an official ban on the work of Jehovah’s witnesses throughout the territory. The special pioneers were the first to be rounded up and sent back to their homelands. The homes of the local brothers were searched, Bible literature was confiscated and some were detained. They were later released with a warning not to preach or hold any further meetings.

Most of the correspondence received has come from Nigerian brothers who have returned from that territory. This includes the majority of the publishers, though a handful still remain in the territory and are continuing the work. Not all reports have come through. One report mentioned that all our magazines were separated from the other mail in the post office and stacked up in a heap instead of being delivered. Despite this, the shepherding work continues, and recently, when a visiting brother was in one congregation, there was a baptismal service. At that time eight persons, four of whom are natives, symbolized their dedication to the Most High God.

NIGER Population: 2,870,000

Peak Publishers: 27 Ratio: 1 to 106,296

During the past service year the Kingdom work has steadily progressed, with a good witness being given in some of the principal towns. The circuit servant reported that in Niamey, the capital, almost everyone who can read now possesses the Truth book. However, the ones responding to the truth are not the native people but strangers from other African countries who are doing secular work in Niger. There are only a few of the native Moslem people studying with the brothers.

Toward the end of the service year the special pioneers in Niamey received a letter from the Minister of Interior stating that the work of Jehovah’s witnesses would not be tolerated in Niger, just as it has not been in Cameroon, Gabon and Madagascar. As a result, the six special pioneers and one regular pioneer in Niamey returned to Nigeria. It has left the little group of publishers remaining in Niamey in a weak position, but they stand firm in spite of difficulties. It is apparent that the religious clergy there had something to do with influencing the mind of the Minister of Interior to send this letter to the brothers. An appeal has been made to him to reconsider his decision, in the hope that freedom of worship will be granted to Jehovah’s witnesses.

A prominent member of the Baptist Church in Niamey who persecuted the brothers and was the backbone of the church traveled to Nigeria to an area where there are many brothers. The brothers were able to study with him and he had a change of heart, progressing rapidly in the truth. As a result, he was one of the 3,425 persons baptized at the Ilesha national assembly in Nigeria. This was a real blow to the Baptist people remaining in Niamey, and strong warnings were given to them by their pastor not to have anything to do with Jehovah’s witnesses.

NORWAY Population: 3,867,419

Peak Publishers: 5,555 Ratio: 1 to 696

Many people in Norway live in unassigned territory, so we have encouraged the brothers to have these in mind during their vacation. This past summer many families and groups of publishers responded, and unassigned territory with approximately 530,000 people was worked. We have also encouraged the brothers to move to places where the need is greater, and many families have done so and had rich blessings.

One brother noticed that the Kingdom Ministry encouraged the publishers to visit fleshly relatives to witness to them. He set aside one evening a week for this purpose and first went to visit his sister. Not wanting to hurt the feelings of her brother, she agreed to having a study, although she was rather unwilling and passive. After a short while, however, she became very much interested, and now both she and her husband and daughter partake regularly in the meetings and are about to start out in the service. Another brother has also shown interest. A study has been started with his family, and they are now attending meetings.

Young Christians can give a fine witness at school by keeping their neutrality. A fifteen-year-old schoolgirl had the following experience: In connection with a national peace celebration, there was to be two minutes’ silence in class, and afterward all the pupils were to stand and sing a patriotic song. Our young sister talked to the teacher in advance and explained that she could not take part. The teacher said she could be exempt, but wanted her to explain her view to the class later. She bravely did so, mentioning that this was a matter of principle to her and was not meant to be a provocation. At the conclusion she gave all her classmates a folder. One week later she approached them in the schoolyard, asking if they wanted to accept the offer of a Bible study. As a result, seven of them came to her home to discuss the Bible, and two of them were willing to have a Bible study for six months using the Truth book. This young sister is a very modest girl, but, relying on Jehovah, she was able to give this witness and was richly blessed.

The following experience stresses the need of calling again even on persons who several times have been unwilling to listen. Two sisters were working from door to door. One of them said: “This woman has proved to be an opposer every time I have called on her, but I think we should try again.” The same woman came out, and they had not spoken many words when she asked: “Are you Jehovah’s witnesses?” Quite amazed, the sisters were asked to come in. The woman told them she had a brother who had always been rather wild, but he had changed completely after starting to study with the Witnesses. Seeing this, she decided to speak to the Witnesses the next time they called at her door. A study was started right away.

This has been a wonderful service year. Of the many outstanding events, we would like to mention the release of the Evolution and Life Everlasting books in the Norwegian language, and the district assemblies, where 7,849 attended and 172 were baptized. We are very thankful to Jehovah for these blessings.

OKINAWA Population: 968,000

Peak Publishers: 450 Ratio: 1 to 2,151

The Okinawan brothers can look back on another year of increase and blessings from Jehovah. The average number of publishers has gone up from 210 in 1966 to 402 this year, nearly twice the number of publishers in just four years. The brothers are combing the territory, and the “sheep” are coming in from all walks of life. This year we have quite a number of young ones coming into the way of the truth. Many who have just finished high school and young university students firmly take their stand for the truth, although their parents oppose, and some have become pioneers.

Since the houses here are not numbered as in Western countries, and there are no names or numbers for the streets, the only way we can cover the territory thoroughly is to work around a block at a time, going into all the lanes until we meet the publisher coming the other way. Here is an example of how the “sheep” are found and how they respond to the truth no matter how many times they may be called on in the same day. One group-witnessing day in February when we were offering the Watchtower subscription an interested university student subscribed from the first publisher that called. A few minutes later another publisher called and placed the Truth book with her. A few minutes later a third publisher called and, seeing that she had already subscribed and had a book, gave her own phone number and the Kingdom Hall address and invited her to attend. That Sunday morning this interested person phoned the third publisher and attended the Kingdom Hall study with her. She wanted to study twice a week, so arrangements were made. She progressed very fast. Just one and a half months after she attended the first meeting, she started out in the service. Within three months she finished the Truth book, and she was baptized at our June circuit assembly, four months after she was first contacted.

Providing accommodations for the circuit servant during his visit may help one’s mate to appreciate the truth, as this experience shows. Since they had extra room in the home, a sister asked her husband if it would be all right to have the circuit servant stay at their home. The husband said that he had no objections. Until this time, although the sister talked to him, he had not shown any interest and would keep away when she was studying. However, each night when the servant came home, the husband would ask questions, and when kind and logical answers were given from the Bible he began to realize that his wife had the truth. The kind and good impression left by the servant during the week moved him to begin to study. Now he is a brother, and since he has a store, he has arranged his affairs with his wife so that he could be a pioneer, which privilege he is now enjoying.

Displaying the fruits of the spirit at your place of work may help others to see the truth, as this experience shows. A brother employed by Northwest Airlines as an airplane trouble-shooter mechanic has conducted himself so differently from others that a fellow mechanic noticed his kindness and his willingness to help, in contrast to others who do not want to help or show others the secrets of their trade. When asked why he was so different, the brother explained that this secular work was secondary, his chief work being for the Kingdom. The man wanted to know more, so a study was started during their rest period and soon he began to learn the truth. He started conducting a study with his family at home and all began to see the difference between this and other religions. They began to attend meetings and enjoyed the upbuilding association of the brothers. Next he wanted to straighten out his affairs so he and his family could serve Jehovah. First he needed to take care of the family altar, since he was the firstborn and the tradition here is that the firstborn should take care of the family altar and look after all the dead ancestors, offering incense, etc. So he called all the family together and explained that he would not care for this altar of the dead anymore because he was becoming a Christian, but he would take care of his father while alive. The family all readily agreed to remove the altar from his home and all were happy about his caring for the father, because until then the care of the father had been their headache. Furthermore, the altar for the dead would not bring hardship on their pocketbook. This man and his family are studying hard so they can soon become Jehovah’s witnesses.

Making back-calls where even one magazine has been placed may bear fruit, as this experience shows. A missionary working in a crowded section of Naha City met a young woman who took just one Watchtower magazine when she offered two. A back-call was made and a study was started. The woman was very sickly, going to the doctor every other day. Sometimes she had to study lying down. Then they moved to a home where they had a yard and a big garden space, and she suddenly seemed to get well. Instead of visiting the doctor she was now working in the garden. She progressed spiritually and began to attend meetings.

The strong stand for the truth brought some family opposition, but she progressed and began to go out in the service. Her husband’s opposition increased, but this did not slow her down. On meeting nights he would lock her out so she could not come in the house. So she used an old blanket and slept out in the garden under a corrugated metal sheet. Every Thursday night so far her husband shuts her out, so she has everything prepared to sleep under the stars, despite a definite danger of poisonous habu snakes in the area, not to mention the numerous mosquitoes. When asked about it, she said it was nothing compared to what our brothers are experiencing in Malawi and other places. Her positive attitude is bringing her Jehovah’s blessing. She hopes to be baptized at the coming district assembly.

PAKISTAN Population: 131,000,000

Peak Publishers: 159 Ratio: 1 to 823,899

The value of house-to-house work in making disciples is illustrated in the experience related by a new publisher. “It all started when I looked out the window and watched a group of people disperse to various homes. I felt sure that they were Christians. I was very excited because we are the only Christian family in our lane and I wanted them to come to our home to talk about the Bible. Every day since I had converted from being a Muslim about ten years ago I had read and loved the Bible. Then I saw them move on to other homes, so I moved from window to window watching for them to come to my door. As soon as they knocked I rushed to open it, lest they move off. The sister read to me things from Revelation which I had never noticed before, and as I listened I knew that they were true. She then offered me the Truth book, and when I asked my husband for the money it happened to be the only amount we had. I said, ‘Never mind, I want that book.’ Later in the day I sold some old books and newspapers to get money for the day’s food, and I received exactly the amount I had given. The sister arranged to come back to start a Bible study, and from that time onward I have never looked back. I thought that when I changed from a Muslim to a nominal Christian I would never leave my new religion, but to my amazement I changed without an argument. Now I attend meetings with my husband and I witness to all my relatives and friends and, each day, study with my two children. How thankful I am to have found the truth with Jehovah’s people!”

A Japanese man, who works at planning parks in Pakistan, and his wife were contacted in the house-to-house ministry. As the husband’s knowledge of English progressed, the Bible study was held in two languages, the wife’s answers being given in Japanese and translated into English by her husband. Originally of the Buddhist faith, they quickly changed, burned all their Buddhist books, wrote to all their relatives about their new belief and started witnessing to friends and fellow workers. This resulted in opposition, particularly at work, where the men got together and burned the booklets and Watchtower magazines that this interested man had distributed among them. During this time they had attended only the Memorial and an occasional public talk. We discussed with them the article “What Are You Doing About What You Have Learned?” from the March 1, 1970, Watchtower, and immediately following this they attended the circuit assembly held locally and have been to every Sunday meeting since. This in spite of the fact that the husband understands only about 60 percent of what is said, and the wife barely 5 percent. The husband is now sharing in the house-to-house ministry, and looking forward to planning a far bigger park after Armageddon.

AFGHANISTAN Population: 14,000,000

Peak Publishers: 7 Ratio: 1 to 2,000,000

A very fine year’s activity has been carried on by the small group of publishers in Afghanistan. The circuit servant is able to visit twice a year and the brothers never fail to attend the three assemblies held in Pakistan each year.

Having spent some twelve years of serving where the need is greater in this difficult assignment, the overseer of this fine group writes concerning the year’s activity: “The service year has been a splendid and a blessed one. Even as riots and demonstrations passed through town we had a quiet life and fruitful activity. To reach a small settlement of Germans working in the southeast of the country we spent almost three days in traveling, crossing four mountain passes and had time to do only one hour of field service. Nevertheless, the people were really astonished that Jehovah’s witnesses had found their way to them, and the three publishers were blessed in placing forty-five magazines during their visit.”

PANAMA Population: 1,425,343

Peak Publishers: 1,905 Ratio: 1 to 748

We have had our biggest year in Panama in theocratic activities as the truth has continued to spread to all parts of the Republic. The organization has grown spiritually as more and more of the publishers have become better qualified as mature servants and public speakers, and this, in turn, has resulted in a fine witness throughout the country.

Incidental witnessing can produce fine results as this experience shows. A circuit servant writes: “While traveling on a bus from one congregation to another I took advantage of the time to talk to other passengers about the Kingdom. A young man sitting at my side showed unusual interest, and when I showed him the Truth, book he immediately contributed for it, giving me his name and address to be sent on to the nearest congregation. Imagine my delight and surprise when I visited the congregation about four months later and saw him sitting in the audience, and it was an even greater joy to see his name on the schedule to work with me in the house-to-house ministry. He had not waited for someone to find him, but rather had looked up the brothers to ask them for a Bible study and had made good progress.”

From time to time it is good to call back on those who have known something about the truth but have never done anything about it. A pioneer minister reports: “When I arrived in my new assignment I learned of a family that had previously studied the Bible with Jehovah’s witnesses but had quit. They agreed that they needed to get started again and it was arranged even though the man did not seem to be so enthusiastic about it. From the very first study it was clear what their problem was. Although they had been living together for several years and had five children, the parents were not married but were living in fornication. As the study started I emphasized the fact that we are living in the ‘last days’ and that those not on Jehovah’s side are in grave danger. It seemed to make a profound impression upon him, and that very week the entire family came to the public talk and Watchtower study. With just a month of Bible study they saw the need to set their lives in order, obtained a marriage license and, during the visit of the circuit servant, got married, starting out in the field ministry that very week. I was very happy to see the two of them get baptized at our recent circuit assembly, and now some of the children are beginning to publish. All this in less than six months from the time I first called on this family that had known about the truth for years but had never done anything about it.”

During the latter part of the year many of the school-children of dedicated parents have had problems because of not taking part in nationalistic ceremonies and some have been expelled, while great publicity has been given the matter by certain radio commentators. However, the effect so far has been to awaken more interest in the truth and more persons have been inquiring about our position in the matter, so that a wider witness has been given than would have been otherwise. We confidently trust in Jehovah for his blessing and protection during the coming year so that an even greater witness might be given and more of the sheeplike ones be gathered in as disciples.

PAPUA Population: 600,597

Peak Publishers: 554 Ratio: 1 to 1,084

From the branch office here in Papua we have the privilege of looking after the work of Jehovah’s witnesses in Bougainville, Manus Island, New Britain, New Guinea, New Ireland and the Solomon Islands as well as Papua. We have had many wonderful blessings this year, not the least of which was our first international assembly, during October. The brothers and other interested persons are still talking about how wonderful it was to be together with their brothers from different parts of the world during that assembly. Later in the service year we received another fine blessing with the release of the Truth book in the Melanesian-Pidgin and Police Motu languages. The brothers were thrilled and the public acceptance of this book has been tremendous, over 8,000 copies being placed with the public during the last five months of the service year.

Do you pass up the opportunity to witness to the clergy in your territory? If so, you may miss some very fine experiences in helping them to flee from Babylon the Great while there is yet time. We are told at Acts 6:7 that “a great crowd of priests began to be obedient to the faith” in the days of the apostles. It is not surprising, then, to see honest-hearted ones today responding to the call to get out of Babylon the Great, just as this experience shows. Some years ago, a retired pastor of the United Church was contacted by a local congregation servant in the house-to-house work. After hearing what the brother said, he asked where the brother got all of his information. The brother replied that it came from the Bible and that he used the Watchtower magazine to help him get the proper understanding. Later, people of the village began to make fun of him because he had listened to the brother. ‘Why do you listen to those Witnesses?’ they asked. ‘Because these ordinary men from the village know more about the Bible than I, who have gone through a religious seminary,’ was the humble reply. As time went on, this man’s sons became Witnesses, until only the old man and his wife, who opposed the Witnesses and her husband violently, were left. The old pastor did not let his wife’s very vocal opposition deter him. At first, he would come in after dark so that the village people would not see, and then, as he became stronger spiritually, he would walk right into the meeting in front of everyone.

Now it was time to prepare to go to the “Peace on Earth” International Assembly. The wife saw her children preparing to make the trip, and her husband was making his own preparations to be in attendance. ‘What am I supposed to do?’ she said to them. Her husband and children told her that they would be very happy to have her come with them to the assembly. The result? What she saw at the assembly provided a shock for her. Where were the arguments, abusive speech and even fights that were so common at large gatherings of her own religion? Yes, the fine conduct of the brothers and sisters at the assembly caused her to have a change of heart. At a recent circuit assembly in their village, what a joy it was to hear them relate how they came to know the truth, leaving Babylon the Great and becoming publishers of the good news of God’s kingdom.

BOUGAINVILLE Population: 72,490

Peak Publishers: 16 Ratio: 1 to 4,531

Clearly showing the important part subscriptions can play in getting the good news into isolated areas is the following experience. “One morning a sister busy at secular work was approached by a local man who requested a ‘booklet.’ A short discussion with him soon revealed that the man wanted a ‘booklet’ to come to him in his village like the one his friend was getting. With that he pulled out a subscription copy of The Watchtower with the wrapper still on it. His subscription was promptly written out, to his great satisfaction. He said that the first subscription coming to his village had caused many people to become interested in this magazine, as it had been passed on to all in the village.”

Have you ever had to wait for the doctor to see you in his office? A sister found herself in that position and used the time to witness to a man who was also waiting for the doctor and place a Bible with him. Two months later the man was contacted on business, and when the business had been completed a further witness was given and the Truth book was placed. He was so pleased to see such a book in Pidgin that he obtained two additional copies. Awhile later he turned up at the sister’s home; this time he wanted an English Bible and four more copies of the Truth book. He said that the people in his village were very happy to get the spiritual food in the form of the Truth book and that they would like to have the brothers visit them in the village. Since his visit, two other men from the village have visited this sister’s home to obtain copies of the Truth book for themselves. Two Bibles and nine Truth books placed as a result of taking advantage of waiting time to do incidental witnessing! Could you do the same?

MANUS ISLAND Population: 20,647

Peak Publishers: 17 Ratio: 1 to 1,215

The brothers continue to give a fine witness in this island territory. The regular pioneer is working diligently, and by means of his kind efforts in the ministry the work has a fine name throughout the outer islands.

Sometimes when it is easy for us to get to circuit assemblies we tend to take them somewhat for granted. The publishers on this island have not found it easy to attend circuit assemblies in the past, as the trip to the nearest one would cost them almost as much as they receive in a month’s wages. So, they were most appreciative when the Society arranged for their first small circuit assembly this year, as you can see from the letter we received from them at the close of the assembly: “The first assembly was a great success. The local brothers contributed generously to cover the costs of the assembly. After paying the expenses we had $33.00 left over and we are sending that to you as a donation. All of us feel that this assembly was the best gift we have ever had.”

With an average attendance each day of fifty-two persons, we can see that there are good prospects for further increase in this territory during the coming service year.

NEW BRITAIN Population: 154,188

Peak Publishers: 98 Ratio: 1 to 1,573

Although the number of publishers on this island decreased during the year as five pioneers and six publishers moved out to serve in other areas, fine progress has been made in opening up new areas of interest on the island. Seven new isolated groups have been started, with good prospects for further expansion during the new service year.

What can result from the magazines you place when doing street magazine work? A circuit servant reports on what happened in one case: “During my visit to the isolated group I learned about another village, a day’s walk away, where the people were supposed to be interested in the truth. I decided we would make the trip starting the following morning. As dusk approached on the following day, we came upon the village we were looking for. We were met by two women who were curious to know who we were, as very few Europeans visit the area. I explained that we were witnesses of Jehovah, and one of the women immediately replied, ‘I am a Witness too.’ Then they took us on into the village to meet the other twelve who claimed to be Witnesses. What a group of happy faces there were that evening as we talked about the truth. They had first heard of the truth as a result of a trip made to the main town by one of the men. While there he obtained several copies of The Watchtower from a publisher who was doing street magazine work. At the invitation of the publisher he attended several meetings. Upon his return to the village he told the people what he had heard and, in his own way, he held a study with the interested ones, although he was unable to read. The little group made good progress in spite of the strong opposition from the Catholic church. Even though they had very limited knowledge of the truth, they clung firmly to what they knew, and so were able to survive the persecution. What a joy it was for me to help one of these men so that he would be prepared to conduct a regular weekly Watchtower study, even though he had never been to a meeting or spoken to any Witnesses other than ourselves! We were surprised to see how much of the truth they were able to learn from a few back issues of The Watchtower. With a study using the Truth book in Pidgin now organized for them, these interested persons should be able to make fine progress in their study of the truth.”

“We think it proper to hear from you what your thoughts are, for truly as regards this sect it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.” (Acts 28:22) These words spoken to the apostle Paul clearly show how opposition to the truth backfires on the clergy, actually stimulating interest in the truth in many cases where there was none before. Illustrating this, a special pioneer reports: “We are having a lot of good experiences. And the local Catholic priest is giving us a lot of attention during his services. One day after completing a number of studies along one road, I was riding up the road when a woman rushed out and stopped me, asking for the little book. What had prompted her interest? She said: ‘The priest told us that when you Jehovah’s witnesses come around we are to tell you we are too busy to listen. But my husband and I decided we must ask you why it is that he tells us we cannot listen to you, when you are only teaching the Bible.’ We are happy to tell you that this woman and her husband have begun a study of the Bible with us and are keen to understand Jehovah’s will.”

NEW GUINEA Population: 1,357,455

Peak Publishers: 361 Ratio: 1 to 3,760

“For this is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3) The truthfulness of this principle is borne out by this experience sent in by one of the circuit servants: “During my last visit to the congregation I was happy to be approached by an older woman who wanted to become a publisher. She explained that she had wanted to become a publisher as far back as 1967 but, as she was the third wife of a polygamist, she was unable to. It seems that when she heard the truth in 1967 she stopped having relations with this man. But, since she was a good cook and housekeeper, the man insisted that she look after him in these matters. To the native people, this meant she was still his wife. During the past three years she has worked to overcome this problem and now she has cut herself off entirely from him. She is living separately and has handed over her duties to another woman. She wanted to know if there was anything else she had to do before she could become a publisher!” By her actions she has certainly shown that Jehovah’s commandments are “not burdensome,” and we are happy to report that she is now a joyful publisher of the good news.

Children of all ages benefit from being required by their parents to pay attention at meetings, as this experience shows. The family attended a public talk, illustrated with pictures, on the weekend. During the time for drawing lessons at kindergarten the following week, the young boy remembered part of the talk and picture he had seen at the meeting. and drew this on his paper. Prominent in his drawing was the name “Jehovah.” When the teacher examined the drawing she wanted to know who this “Jehovah” is. When the boy replied that Jehovah is the true God, the teacher was amazed and commended him. She also put his picture, with God’s name boldly in evidence, on display for all the mothers to see on their visiting day. How true the words, “Out of the mouths of babes . . . [who pay attention during meetings] you have furnished praise.”​—Matt. 21:16.

NEW IRELAND Population: 50,129

Peak Publishers: 40 Ratio: 1 to 1,253

Following Brother Knorr’s suggestion to provide small circuit assemblies for the brothers where it is too expensive for them to travel, the first circuit assembly was held on New Ireland during the year. Jehovah’s blessing was evident from the beginning, for, although we have had a peak of forty publishers during the year, average attendance each day for the assembly was seventy-three, with ten persons being baptized.

The powerful effect the Bible truths contained in the Truth book are having on people’s lives is illustrated by the following experience from a special pioneer. “During the two years that we have worked the East Coast we have had many fine experiences, one of which involved a Roman Catholic catechist. This man was among the first contacted by us. When given a witness he listened politely but would not accept any literature. Before leaving, we invited him to attend the group study, which was being held not far from his home. Several weeks later, who should appear at the study but our friend the catechist! After the study he was invited to have a personal home Bible study. As this was before the Truth book was released in Pidgin, we started his study in the ‘Good News’ booklet. Not long after, the material from the Truth book was brought out in The Watchtower and we changed over to a study of that material. With the completion of the first couple of chapters I began to see real changes in his life. By the time the six months were up, he had rid himself completely of local custom and severed his ties with Babylon the Great. He was one of those baptized at our first circuit assembly. Three weeks later he vacation pioneered. Now he is preparing to become a regular pioneer so that he can have a greater share in sounding down the truth into the hearts of others on this island.”

SOLOMON ISLANDS Population: 139,730

Peak Publishers: 553 Ratio: 1 to 253

How do young people feel about their family study? The following experience related at a recent circuit assembly shows the appreciation felt. “From the time I was a young boy my father and mother always studied with me. When I grew up I went to H​——​——​ to work. Even though I had left home my parents still thought of me and wrote letters to me. They would always put Scriptural counsel in these letters and I would get my Bible out and read the texts. The young people around me tried to get me to join with them in their parties, and when I told them I had to go to the meetings they tried to convince me that I should wait until I was older and then I could think about the Bible and meetings, but now while I was young I should just have a good time. At these times I always remembered the good things my parents taught me, such as the counsel at Psalm 1:1: ‘Happy is the man that has not walked in the counsel of the wicked ones.’ I must thank my parents for the family study. Now I am a publisher, and today at this assembly I symbolized my dedication to Jehovah by baptism.” What blessings flow to parents who fulfill their God-given responsibility to teach their children!

The wisdom of the counsel given through the “faithful and discreet slave” to terminate Bible studies after six months where the people make no effort to show they are ‘deserving ones’ is shown by the following experience. (Matt. 10:11) “I placed a Truth book with a man in a village near K​——​——, and he agreed to the six-month study program. In just a few weeks the Adventists began visiting him, and then the United Church pastor came. Although he was regular in preparing his study, he did not respond to invitations to attend meetings. Finally, at the end of six months, the matter was explained to the man and then I discontinued the study. A few weeks went by and then the man appeared at the meetings of the K​——​——​ congregation. He became a regular attender. When I heard he was attending meetings I immediately visited him and the study was resumed. He told me that when the study was stopped because of his lack of progress it made him think. He considered more of the Truth book material himself and contrasted how much he was learning with what other religions were offering him. This led him to conclude that Jehovah’s witnesses must have the truth and he determined to associate with us. Now he is considering dedication and baptism.”

“Throw your burden upon Jehovah himself, and he himself will sustain you,” was David’s counsel at Psalm 55:22. Do you have a physical handicap that obstructs fulfillment of your desire to serve Jehovah more fully? Then take courage from this experience of one whom Jehovah has sustained. “When I was a very young boy I was struck down with polio, which left me paralyzed from the hips down. As I grew up and learned the truth I was determined to serve Jehovah, and in 1959 I was baptized. On the rough bush tracks I could not use a wheelchair, or crutches, so I learned to walk with my hands, using wooden blocks in each hand to protect them against the rough ground. Although it was a very slow way to travel, I was happy that I could move about in my service to Jehovah. After tasting the vacation pioneer work in 1963, I made up my mind that, with Jehovah’s help, I would become a regular pioneer. So I set to work getting ready for this big step. With the loving assistance of the brothers in the congregation, I built myself a house. Then I planted a small garden of taro, sweet potatoes, cabbage and bananas to care for my needs. By spending just two afternoons a week looking after it I can spend the rest of my time in Jehovah’s service. I am happy to say that I have begun my pioneer work now, and I have had some very fine blessings as I witness to the nearby villages. Some of the brothers helped me to get a small canoe, and now I am able to visit some of the nearby islands also. I am thankful to Jehovah for this wonderful privilege and to my brothers and sisters who are always willing to go with me in the ministry so that, as Paul said, there is always an ‘interchange of encouragement.’” In addition to his pioneering, this brother is also now a congregation servant. Truly, Jehovah does sustain those who cast their burdens on him in full faith!

PARAGUAY Population: 2,379,000

Peak Publishers: 803 Ratio: 1 to 2,963

The brothers in Paraguay have many things to be thankful for as they reflect back on the 1970 service year. It is evident that Jehovah’s blessing has been upon their efforts to preach the good news of the Kingdom, and fine increases have resulted. Two new Kingdom Halls were constructed. Two new missionary homes were opened to house some of the thirty-one missionaries serving here, and the special pioneer ranks were strengthened with the addition of ten qualified workers from neighboring Argentina. Also very much appreciated are the several families and individuals who have moved here to serve where the need is great. A fine potential for future increase exists in that 2,152 interested persons attended the Memorial.

A zealous desire to put Kingdom interests first can overcome great obstacles. An isolated group of seventeen publishers, with attendances of up to forty at meetings, had outgrown the facilities that a private home can provide. They badly needed their own Kingdom Hall but had no money and no prospects of work in order to earn some, that is, on an individual basis. However, they were able to make an agreement with a logging operator whereby they, as a group, would clear ten acres of land (with axes and machetes) in exchange for building materials and some money. Enemy pressure to stop the building work was brought to bear but was overcome with official help, and the Kingdom Hall, with a small room for the visiting circuit servant, was finished in good time. Imagine their joy on seeing sixty-seven present for the dedication! Four interested families belonging to this group could not attend the evening meetings as they lived seven miles from the hall and had no means of transportation. Appreciating the Bible counsel ‘not to forsake the gathering of ourselves together,’ they sold their outlying farms and bought land closer to the Kingdom Hall, so that now, in this sparsely settled rural community, virtually all the land close to the Kingdom Hall belongs to the brothers, and now their only problem is that they have to walk quite a distance to get to their territory.

When the truth penetrates the heart, it can move even young people who are newly associated to take a firm stand in spite of parental opposition. A young girl in her teens learned the truth from an aunt with whom she was visiting. Anxious to share the truth with her mother, she wrote her of the things she was learning, but the mother’s response was to obtain the services of a psychologist, who wrote the daughter in an effort to discourage her. So convinced was the psychologist of the rightness of the mother that she offered her services without charge. In an emotionally charged letter she wrote of the ‘pain and anguish that a humble mother was suffering as a result of the ingratitude of a daughter’ and said that the daughter ‘had the pride of Satan toward her mother’ and that her new religion ‘separated her love from her mother.’ ‘Did she not have shame, did she not have a heart?’ The letter also accused the daughter of permitting herself to be led astray by “ignorant and unscrupulous persons.” Despite the emotional appeal, the daughter stood firm on the side of the truth.

Frustrated, the mother came to Paraguay and, with relatives in a town some twenty miles distant from where her daughter lived, she arranged a large birthday party and then sent word to her daughter that she had arrived and wanted to see her. The girl prepared herself with answers for the many questions that she felt sure her mother would ask, but, on arriving, she found this “surprise” birthday party, with many friends and relatives of her mother present. When it came time to blow out the candles on the birthday cake, the daughter refused and this so enraged her “humble” mother that she grabbed the girl by the hair and almost pushed her face into the cake, thus forcing her to blow out the candles. When the food was passed around, the girl refused to eat the chicken, for she knew that it had been improperly killed, being strangled as is the local custom, and not bled. All her efforts to explain were in vain. Again the mother lost complete control of herself and began to strike the girl about the face again and again in front of everyone present, until finally the girl, with her mouth bleeding, was able to free herself and flee to the highway, where she caught a bus that took her back to the capital and her aunt. She has since then dedicated her life to Jehovah and is making fine progress in the ministry.

PERU Population: 13,586,000

Peak Publishers: 4,518 Ratio: 1 to 3,007

Daily we preach to people in our door-to-door work Jesus’ words at Matthew 24:7, that besides wars and food shortages, there would be earthquakes in one place after another. A very violent earthquake struck Peru on May 31 of this year. To Jehovah’s witnesses living in the disaster area, it brought home quite vividly how Jesus’ words are being fulfilled. To have experienced such a cataclysmic earthquake, to have survived it, and to know that yet even worse things will come upon the inhabited earth in the near future only serve to bring them closer to Jehovah’s organization. Many interesting experiences were had during and after the quake, and they all show that Jehovah God can and does protect his obedient people if that be his will at any given time.

Obedience of one daughter to her mother’s instructions resulted in her safety. This mother, a person interested in the truth, had to leave the town of Huaraz five days prior to the earthquake. To her daughter, who also studies the truth with her, she gave the following instructions: “Remember, I will not be here Sunday to go to the Kingdom Hall with you. But Sunday at 3 p.m. close up the store, go home and change, and be at the meeting. When I come home you can tell me what you learned.” When Sunday arrived the daughter had not forgotten that she was to go to the Kingdom Hall. Promptly at 3 p.m. (one hour before meeting time) she closed up the store, which was located in the center of town, and went out to the family farm just outside of town, to change and clean up. She was all ready to start for the Kingdom Hall when the quake hit. She ran to the center of the large open patio in the house and was safe. If she had not obeyed her mother, there is no doubt in her mind that she would have died. The downtown house where the shop was located was in shambles. The streets nearby were all filled in with heavy adobe bricks from fallen houses.

The wife of the Bible study servant of the Huaraz congregation is not one of Jehovah’s witnesses, although she is kindly. Being a businesswoman, it was her custom to go to the center of Huaraz on Sunday afternoons to buy up stock for her business. Doing so, she missed the Sunday afternoon meetings at the Kingdom Hall with her family. This greatly disturbed the husband and on Sunday, May 31, he was urging his wife to make an adjustment in her schedule so that she could attend the public talk and the Watchtower study. She had many arguments why she could not. He persisted, using his Bible to present his reasons why she should come along with him and the children. Because of the discussion she delayed leaving, and then the earthquake began. All her arguments were shaken to the ground. By running into the wide passageway by the house she and her family were not hit by the falling debris. Where she might have been in the center of town hundreds of people died, and she knew she would have been just one more victim if her husband had not been persistent. Now she never misses a meeting, and she is quite content to listen to what her husband has to tell her. Later, both she and her husband remarked that their young children called out the name Jehovah in their fright, while the neighbors round about were shouting out the names of saints and false gods. How profitable had been the family study, and now the wife attends that too.

The brothers in the disaster zone did not miss the purpose of Jehovah’s undeserved kindness. The very next day found many of them occupied either cleaning up their Kingdom Halls to the extent possible for the meeting on Tuesday, or out going from ruin to ruin comforting mourning ones. On Wednesday, aid was on its way. Jehovah’s family reacted earth wide with messages of concern, material aid and, most important, prayers. This part of that family here in Peru is grateful and takes this opportunity to express heartfelt thanks to all.

Recently the Watchtower magazine showed that King Sennacherib of ancient Assyria pictured the nationalistic power of today and that it would come up against Jehovah’s people in these “last days.” In the towns of Ilo and Toquepala in southern Peru, children of Jehovah’s witnesses were called in before the school authorities because of not singing the national anthem. They were suspended for three days, then for fifteen days, and, after a third episode, they were expelled from school. Much pressure was brought to bear upon the children to get them to obey the school authorities as being more important than what their parents had taught them from the Sacred Scriptures. One professor said to one of the children: “If your mother was before the court sentenced to die, and to save your mother, the court said you must go and set fire to a house nearby, would you not obey the court? Your parents will suffer now if you do not sing the national anthem and you have to leave school.” The child answered: “I would not set fire to the house, for that is wrong. Even if my mother died, I know she would be resurrected. Besides, you would not ask me to burn down a house.” The professor was embarrassed and had nothing more to say. Thus, in spite of threats and pressure, the children maintained their integrity toward Jehovah and did not bow to the will of mere men.

The wise man Solomon said, “Even a child is known by his deeds, according as his conduct is crooked or straight.” (Prov. 20:11, AT) This is true of “Flor,” whose name, in English, means “flower.” In school she is truly like a flower in a thirsty desert. During classes of religion at school, the teacher often asked Flor her opinion because her comments were so reasonable. Flor was studying with Jehovah’s witnesses and she did not hesitate to speak out what she was learning. By the following year she knew enough to request exemption from the religious classes, as she wanted to break away from religious Babylon the Great and dedicate her life to Jehovah. Exemption was asked for and received. Nevertheless, after the discussions in their religious studies, her schoolmates still came to ask her, “Well, what does the Bible really say?” During recess one day, she saw the girls practicing “mental telepathy.” So Flor got out her Bible and showed the girls in Deuteronomy 18:10-13 that such things are detestable in Jehovah’s sight because they leave individuals open to the influence of the demons. Now there is no practicing of extrasensory perception among that group of girls. Flor has a reputation in her school for always having a ready answer from her Bible.

The brothers were reminded time and again of the love and concern their brothers felt for them in their time of need. Especially were they pleased with the clothing received, and all the brothers in the earthquake zone and all the regular and special pioneers and missionaries, who also received of the clothing to replenish what they so unselfishly supplied to the brothers, asked me to convey their thanks and appreciation.

PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC Population: 37,000,000

Peak Publishers: 54,789 Ratio: 1 to 675

A wonderful year of blessings has been enjoyed. It started with the thrilling “Peace on Earth” assembly in Manila and ended with 7,145 new disciples having been baptized! Truly we can thank Jehovah from our hearts as did David: “You have crowned the year with your goodness.”​—Ps. 65:11.

Conscious of teaching according to individual needs, a brother studying with a family of seven spent some time after each study to make personal application of points learned, with good success. When he observed specific needs or problems among any family members, he used this time to discuss frankly the Scriptural principles involved. When idols remained in the home even after studying the matter in the Truth book, he spent the time to impress this more deeply on their hearts, and the next week the idols disappeared. A tour of the Bethel home prompted the father to make up a family schedule of chores and preaching, but when his children failed to follow his schedule he became very downhearted. Discerning the problem, the brother spent the study hour discussing the role of children in the family, using the March 1, 1970, Watchtower article, “Youths, Do You Respect Your Parents?” Applying this, the family progressed well, and in May the three older teen-age children spent 115, 92 and 97 hours respectively in the field service, two of them starting new Bible studies. In July, the parents and four teenage children were baptized together, grateful for the loving, personal care shown during their eleven months of study.

Not being ashamed to identify herself in high school as one of Jehovah’s witnesses brought unexpected dividends to a fifteen-year-old sister. One day her teacher in literature class forgot her assignment book and borrowed the sister’s notebook to check the class assignment. On the inside page the sister had written a brief prayer to Jehovah and, seeing this, the teacher asked to what religion she belonged. Upon being informed, the teacher said, “I too am one of Jehovah’s witnesses, but I have been inactive for six years.” Because of fear of losing friends she had never spoken of Jehovah in the school. On observing how fearlessly the young sister spoke of the truth to her classmates, she was so strengthened that she immediately began attending meetings again. Soon she was active in service and her chemical engineer husband began to study too. At the “Peace on Earth” assembly the husband was baptized, and in December the couple vacation pioneered together. All this because a young schoolgirl was “not ashamed of the good news”!​—Rom. 1:16.

Even the very young can conduct productive Bible studies. A nine-year-old girl was trained from an early age by her parents and pioneer sister. Since she was placing as many as fifty magazines a month, her sister helped her to start calling back on those her own age. She soon found two young girls who were willing to study with her. She conducts her studies faithfully each week and prepares well in advance, asking her sister for help on difficult points. When the circuit servant visited, she successfully conducted her study while he observed. She was so encouraged that she now has three more studies, making five in all! Two of them are regularly attending meetings in the Kingdom Hall and one is sharing in the ministry, even conducting one of the studies under the supervision of the nine-year-old!

Even older publications can bring spiritual food to meek ones. In a very remote section of northern Luzon is an area accessible from the highway only by riding logging trucks and then by walking for thirty-six miles over mountain trails and rivers, a trip that takes a day and a half. A group of publishers made this trip during unassigned territory work, and when they arrived they were surprised to find several interested persons who had had some contact with the truth years ago, but who had only a copy of the book “Let God Be True” and a special issue of The Watchtower. They were meeting every Sunday to study these publications over and over again, and some of them were actively preaching from house to house what they knew, one even being called a “pioneer” by the others because of his zeal. Society-appointed pioneers were sent to aid them, and now there is a flourishing group of fifteen publishers who spend over seventeen hours a month in service and conduct, on the average, more than one Bible study each.

PORTUGAL Population: 9,470,000

Peak Publishers: 7,498 Ratio: 1 to 1,263

“Serve Jehovah with rejoicing. Come in before him with a joyful cry.” (Ps. 100:2) This is the spirit being manifested by the brothers in this land as another very prosperous year comes to a close. This year has seen the work spread to many towns and villages. In one case, a man was so opposed to his wife’s studying the Bible that he moved from Lisbon to a small village of no more than one hundred inhabitants with the express purpose of cutting off her association with the Witnesses. The interested lady kept studying alone and at every opportunity spoke the truth to her neighbors. Shortly after, she was overjoyed to learn there was a newly formed congregation only fifteen miles from her village. When the overseer made his first visit to the interested lady’s home, he was truly surprised to meet a group of twenty persons she had gathered together for the occasion. Within several months this group has prospered so much that regular congregation meetings are now being held in this village, and we are happy to report that the opposing husband has become interested in the truth.

Can elderly people participate in the ministry? Consider this example: A sister who is eighty-eight years of age could no longer go from house to house and manifested concern about how to share regularly in the service. It was suggested that she use the obituary column in the newspaper and write letters to bereaved families. This she did. For a long time no replies were received; nevertheless, she persevered in writing. Can you imagine her joy when one day the following letter, which we quote in part, was in her mailbox: “Although I do not know you, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the loving words you wrote us. They sparked a desire to learn more about the Bible . . . I must tell you of something strange that happened today. Two ladies called at my home to talk about God’s kingdom . . . I mentioned to them that I had received a letter from someone I didn’t know with a similar message. These two ladies left me a book and I am going to give it careful attention as they promised they would call back to help me understand it.” Our two sisters did call back and a Bible study was started. We are happy to say that the interested lady is already attending meetings along with her husband and son.

Many devout, practicing Catholics are readily perceiving that this is Jehovah’s day of salvation. A publisher placed a booklet with a Catholic lady who later showed the booklet to her husband. On making the first back-call, the Witness was able to talk to the man of the house as well as read several Bible texts. The man expressed strong doubt that these texts would be in a Catholic Bible and reaffirmed the fact that his was a practicing Catholic family. Several days after this first back-call, the man could no longer restrain his curiosity. He went to a Catholic bookstore and requested to purchase, as he says, “a real, legitimate Catholic Bible.” For the first time in his life he began reading the Bible and, indeed, confirmed what the publisher had told him. A Bible study was immediately started. Within four months the man symbolized his dedication to serve Jehovah by water baptism. But this is not all! The publisher who made the first call and conducted the study was not baptized, although knowing the truth for several years. The zeal and earnestness for the truth on the part of this interested man and wife so stimulated the publisher that he realized it was high time to dedicate his life to Jehovah. What a thrill that the publisher was also baptized on the same day.

ANGOLA Population: 5,300,000

Peak Publishers: 355 Ratio: 1 to 14,930

The transforming power of God’s Word is illustrated by the following experience. A lady encountered in the door-to-door ministry showed genuine interest in the truth but sadly mentioned that her life was a tragic failure, since her husband had acquired considerable fame for having relations with many women. The publisher comforted the lady by assuring her that knowledge from the Bible is more powerful than most people imagine and that if her husband learned what God thought of adulterers he might well change his course of action. A return visit was arranged for a time when the husband would be at home. How happy was the wife, as well as the publisher, when the husband manifested deep respect for God’s Word and agreed to a home Bible study. After the third study the couple completely destroyed all images from their home. Shortly after, the husband recognized how displeasing to God his immoral life was and completely terminated his adulterous ways. Within six months both husband and wife made such fine progress that they were baptized. Recently the husband refused a promotion from his employer since it would interfere with regular meeting attendance, and this new, zealous servant of God is already serving as an assistant servant in the local congregation.

AZORES Population: 348,000

Peak Publishers: 87 Ratio: 1 to 4,000

Resistance to God’s message of truth by the clergy is really helping free people from “Babylon’s” bondage. A youngster called the parish priest to the street, saying that the lady passing by had a purse full of books and was teaching the Bible. The priest stopped the Witness and demanded by what authority she was teaching the Bible. The sister calmly read several texts from the Bible while many in the neighborhood gathered around to listen attentively. The priest turned to his followers, saying, ‘Don’t believe what this woman says, because her Bible is full of errors.’ The Witness replied that if the priest had a better Bible she would be glad to see it. The priest excused himself saying he could not attend to her at the moment, but an appointment was made for her to come to the church and see “a real Bible.” On the appointed day, not only the Witness turned up but also the same curious neighbors. However, this time the priest allowed only the Witness to enter the church. After threatening her to stop preaching, he quickly ushered the sister out, loudly telling the gathered crowd to avoid listening to this false preacher. Some in the crowd showed discontentment, as the priest did not show “a real Bible” and read from it as the Witness had done. Then, shortly afterward, the priest himself was expelled from this parish for bad conduct. Final results? Several Catholic women in this previously difficult territory are regularly studying the Bible with our sister.

CAPE VERDE ISLANDS Population: 218,000

Peak Publishers: 8 Ratio: 1 to 27,250

A book and booklet sent through the mail about ten years ago have produced a wonderful blessing. The man who received this literature did not take hold of the truth. But one day, several years ago, this man offered a friend the “Good News” booklet, knowing he was a God-fearing man. After reading it, the friend anxiously returned, looking for more literature. He was very happy to receive the book “Let God Be True.” He studied it carefully, all alone, for an entire month and readily understood the truths of God’s Word. Since he could not find anyone on the island who could help him study the Bible, he wrote to the Society for additional publications. He diligently studied everything he received, dedicated himself to Jehovah and started zealously preaching to others. You will be thrilled to know that last year this isolated publisher was baptized by a brother visiting these islands. Two of his friends with whom he had studied were also baptized the very same day. A small isolated group has been formed. Our isolated brothers are rejoicing, since this year five were baptized. They are deeply grateful for the privilege of planting and watering the seeds of truth and seeing the rich blessing of Jehovah, who truly “makes it grow.”​—1 Cor. 3:7.

MADEIRA Population: 300,000

Peak Publishers: 79 Ratio: 1 to 3,797

Never underestimate the value of meetings. Attending just one is sufficient to change a person! An interested man studied for three months, with constant opposition from his wife. When invited to his first meeting, he was determined to go and said his wife would have to stay home alone if she did not want to accompany him. Living in an isolated area and being rather nervous, she was afraid to stay home alone, so decided to accompany her husband. She made it clear though: ‘I’m not going to learn about this religion.’ But she could not resist the appealing message of truth, and this first meeting aroused her desire to study the Bible. Although not wanting to manifest immediate interest due to her previous opposition, she shortly afterward joined her husband in his Bible study. Quickly she verified the truth of Paul’s words: “We are bringing every thought into captivity to make it obedient to the Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5) After several months of study, both husband and wife were baptized on the same day. The opposing wife has turned out to be a zealous publisher and has already served as a vacation pioneer this year.

PORTUGUESE GUINEA Population: 625,000

Peak Publishers: 1 Ratio: 1 to 625,000

How would you feel if you had moved to a land under strict military rule and were the only Witness in the entire country? The sister who went to this country told us how she felt. A month quickly passed without speaking the good news to a single person and she decided it was time to get busy in the ministry. She went out in the service but returned home overcome by fear. Her conscience then bothered her. She took herself to task and recognized that her faith was at stake. That same day she went out again and decided there was no better place to start preaching than with her next-door neighbor. The results were amazing. The man immediately showed interest in the truth and a Bible study was started. A group of ten persons regularly studying grew from this very first call. Although the sister has since left this country, that first Bible student is quite well grounded in the truth and is now conducting a weekly Bible study with the small group of interested people. We hope they will get the sense of the Word and eventually take their stand for the truth.

PUERTO RICO Population: 2,688,289

Peak Publishers: 6,940 Ratio: 1 to 387

The work of spreading the Kingdom message has gone ahead rapidly in Puerto Rico, and hundreds of meek persons are accepting the truth of God’s Word. Over 1,500 more publishers are preaching in every corner of the island this year and the Kingdom Halls are overflowing. This is true also of the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands, which are cared for by the branch office in Puerto Rico.

The 1970 Yearbook mentions a “hippie” who began to preach to his friends, and we are now pleased to tell the good results of his work. This former “hippie” is now a regular pioneer and has used his knowledge of the “hippie movement” wisely, since he was once a leader of a colony of fifteen “hippies.” These persons used all the various types of drugs and at first thought that the brother was out of his mind. However, he persisted and some of them came to the Kingdom Hall to see for themselves. And what is the result? All of these are now free from the use of drugs and all of them are studying the Bible and some are now conducting Bible studies with others. The psychiatrist who used to treat them now sends his difficult cases to the pioneer brother to handle since such a great change has come over him. What a wonderful sight it was to see eight of these former “hippies” stand up to answer Yes to the questions propounded at the baptism talk at the “Men of Goodwill” District Assembly in August of this year, and how good it is to know that the majority of this former “colony” are now dedicated, baptized servants of Jehovah.

How true it is that all kinds of people are embracing the truth. A pioneer writes: “I started a Bible study with a family that included the man, his wife and several children, and all were delighted with the first chapter that we studied, ‘Building a Happy Family Life.’ The study progressed well, but we soon found out certain things about this family. 1. The children were well known in the neighborhood as the wildest and most misbehaved of all. 2. The parents were spiritists, the man being a medium. 3. The parents were not legally married. As the study progressed great changes came over the family. The man and woman legalized their marriage, with their children (most of the eight) and three grandchildren present, and the children began to take on the new personality, to the surprise of the neighbors. However, the family was still bothered by the demons and even I felt strange during the study, but upon studying the chapter on ‘wicked spirits’ the family threw out all their books and other appendages of demon worship and all their religious pictures, and now they are no longer bothered by demons. The change in this family has caused many persons to think, and especially so since they can be seen attending meetings at the Kingdom Hall and taking part in the preaching work from house to house.”

How important it is to follow up all placements is shown by the following. A pioneer offered the Truth book to a middle-aged lady who at once said she had the book and also the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. She said that the person who placed the books with her said he would come back to study, but never appeared. She even showed the pioneer how her daughter had all the answers of the first chapter underlined because the publisher had showed them how to do this. She wanted the pioneer to study with them, but the pioneer had so many studies that she just could not see where to fit them in. But seeing the great interest, she said she would do her best if they would come to the meetings at the Kingdom Hall first. She and her twelve-year-old daughter came that Sunday and then on Tuesday night to the service meeting and to hear the circuit servant, who was visiting that week. Then they came on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. After they had attended five meetings at the Kingdom Hall they had their first study at home. Her daughter reads aloud so that the mother can prepare her lesson, and now the pioneer is teaching this meek person how to read. She regularly attends all the meetings with her daughter and is looking forward to field service. What a wonderful blessing was missed by the publisher who placed the book and Bible but who never returned.

Do you always make every effort to contact persons whose subscriptions have expired, even when just a post-office box is given as the address? One publisher tried to find the street address of one such subscriber but could not do so, and so decided to write. How happy she was to receive a letter in reply, in which was included the $1.00 for the subscription and an invitation to visit the writer. The publisher hurriedly visited this person and found her to be a very meek sixty-eight-year-old lady who readily accepted a home Bible study. Now the study is progressing very well, and all because a publisher took the time and initiative to contact this interested person by writing a letter.

Many brothers write to say how much they appreciate the Truth book, because it almost teaches the people by itself. In one congregation a man stood at the door of the Kingdom Hall to listen to the Watchtower study and so a book was placed with him and the promise was made to visit him in his home. Upon visiting this man, how surprised the publisher was to find that he had studied and underlined eighteen chapters of the book, and he said that he had looked up all the texts in the Bible. He said, “Jehovah’s witnesses have the truth,” and he began to “preach” to the pioneer publisher. From what he had learned from chapter five of the Truth book he had argued with a Methodist minister, using the Bible texts. It was after this that this man had his first home Bible study.

VIRGIN ISLANDS (British) Population: 10,500

Peak Publishers: 53 Ratio: 1 to 198

For many years the Kingdom message was taken mainly to the people of just the large island, Tortola, but during this service year two families moved out to two other islands to serve where the need was greater and so now more people are hearing the good news.

The big event of the year was the circuit assembly held on Tortola. The local publishers had to look for rooms for around 200 of their brothers and so a great witness was given. One lady offered to house a couple, but just two days before the assembly she telephoned to say she would not do so because the Witnesses were not a charitable organization. A visit was made and it was found that the real problem was pressure brought to bear on her by the members of her church. A Bible discussion followed, with the result that she decided to house the brothers and was so pleased with them that she is now studying the Bible with a local publisher. Another lady said she would take a couple, and then she too began to receive criticism from the church members, but she quickly saw their hypocrisy and so offered to take two couples instead of one. Many honest-hearted persons could see the love of Jehovah’s people as compared with the great lack of love of the members of false religion. The fifty brothers of the local congregation were delighted to see 383 in attendance to hear the public talk. Later the film was shown on the island of Virgin Gorda. The generator for the electricity was loaned by the local priest and around one third of the total settlement came to see the film. There are four publishers, but 140 were on hand for the showing.

VIRGIN ISLANDS (U.S.) Population: 67,196

Peak Publishers: 270 Ratio: 1 to 249

The seeds of truth once sown in the heart of sheeplike persons can have a great effect on their lives. A back-call was made on a young lady whose name had been sent to the congregation, and the publisher who made the call was happy to find that it was a person with whom he had studied around seven years previous. This lady had left the island to study in the U.S.A., but even though pressured by classmates to smoke marijuana, she refused because she remembered the things learned in her Bible study. Later she married and, since her husband was in the army, she moved to another location, but she continued to search out the Witnesses so that she could study. Upon returning to her home due to her husband’s being sent to Germany she continued to study despite opposition from her family, and now is baptized. Her young sister is attending meetings and sharing in the field service, while her husband, who has now returned home from the army, is also participating in the work of preaching the Kingdom.

Babylon the Great is losing many of its members, and some of these are from the “high places” in her organization. One such lady, after studying five chapters of the Truth book, was amazed to see that her religion was not measuring up to the Bible. She was president of a certain order of women within the church over all the U.S. Virgin Islands and was also treasurer and Sunday-school teacher. Said she, “Just think, after all these years as a member of my church and trying to live right and be good and now I find out after so short a time studying the Bible that I wasn’t really so good after all.” She began attending meetings but thought she would ask her priest concerning the Bible, only to be told that she should not put too much hope and trust in the promises of the Bible. She continues to study and attend meetings at the Kingdom Hall and is progressing toward maturity.

Many are those who learn the truth because of the “good works” of God’s people. A man was not particularly interested in the Kingdom message but observed the conduct of one of the brothers who worked with him. At one time a fellow worker acted in a very mean way toward this brother but the brother kept calm and controlled and did nothing offensive. Later on, this same man came in contact with another Witness and again noticed his outstanding conduct. Therefore he decided to study the Bible. In a short time he started in the field service, obtained eighteen subscriptions from relatives and friends during his first month of preaching and was then baptized. As he himself said, “How happy I am to have found the truth.”

RHODESIA Population: 5,188,400

Peak Publishers: 11,598 Ratio: 1 to 447

We were thrilled to have a share in a publisher increase of 6 percent this service year. This is the best increase in Rhodesia since 1954 and makes all of us very happy. It is evident that Jehovah has richly blessed the united efforts of his people in this land. The zealous activity engaged in resulted in many interesting and helpful experiences, which we are pleased to share with you as received from Rhodesia, Malawi and Mozambique.

For several years it was not possible to hold circuit assemblies in the greater part of this land, but we rejoice to say that during the past year this problem has been overcome. Deep appreciation has been shown by many. Long distances have been travelled in order to be in attendance. In one area where transport is very expensive two elderly sisters, a younger sister and seven small children walked seventy miles in order to attend their circuit assembly. Many miles of this journey were through a wild-animal infested area, but they arrived safely. These two older sisters and two of the children returned to their homes in the same manner.

As in other lands our brothers have come under pressure to break God’s law concerning the wrong use of blood. The following experience will show to what extent some men will go to have their own way. The brother who tells the experience is working in a mine as a security guard. As he was preparing to depart from his home to the Watchtower study on Sunday, the mine captain arrived with orders that all people of the village were to report to the office to see the doctor. These orders were obeyed, and upon arrival the brother was ordered to line everyone up and then he was called to the head of the line. The doctor informed the brother that he was going to take a half pint of blood from each person. To this our brother replied: “As a God-fearing Christian I cannot give any blood for transfusion, and you cannot take my half pint of blood. The principle for my stand is shown at Leviticus 17 verse 14.” At this the mine captain became very angry and began shouting, in front of all the people of the village. The brother was then taken inside the office and threatened that if he did not agree to their request he would be dismissed from work that very day. The brother, however, did not have to wait to decide what he should do, because he had already made his decision, so he said: “Everything that you want to do, you can, but I cannot break God’s law even as it is stated at Acts 5 verse 29.” They tried by physical force to make our brother submit to the doctor, but they failed. Then the doctor asked if there were any more of Jehovah’s witnesses in the line outside. Nine of our other brothers and sisters were brought into the office. The mine captain repeated again the reason why they were called and threatened that if they refused they would be dismissed from work and would not even be allowed to sleep in the kraal that night, Nevertheless, the entire group remained firm for the truth in obedience to Jehovah’s law on blood. With that the group was locked in the office while the rest of the villagers were handled by the doctor. The doctor then returned to our brothers and sisters and, after scolding our brother as a ‘false leader,’ told them that the mine captain had decided not to dismiss them from work after all. But the mine captain strongly warned that, since there were only ten Witnesses now, these must not ‘deceive,’ any more in the village. Our brother joyfully reports that just two and one half months later seven more were baptized at a circuit assembly! The brother adds that instead of the brothers’ being dismissed from work, the mine captain was dismissed just two weeks after this incident. How wise it is to make important decisions such as this one prior to being presented with an issue, and then leave it to Jehovah to supply the strength needed to endure!

In this and other lands many people have not had the privilege of getting a good education. But this need not be a hindrance to serving Jehovah if they deeply love Him, as is shown by this experience. Upon entering a new area of territory this brother went to the compound manager (village supervisor) of a mine to advise him of his entry and his purpose in being in the area. After telling the manager what his religion was, he was asked: “How far did you go with education?” The brother replied: “I went nowhere with it.” With that the brother was dismissed and told to be on his way, but the brother asked permission to speak to the people in the village, to which the manager said: “And what are you going to say to them?” The brother gave his well-prepared sermon and the manager’s curiosity was roused to the point of asking the brother to come to his house for further discussion. The result was that a Bible study was started with this man, and it continues with as many as fifteen attending weekly. The manager has already made progress toward becoming a Christian by stopping smoking and also by refraining from drink, which was a snare to him. So this brother, although of very little education, was able to speak clearly about God’s Word and his loving purposes for men of all kinds. So if you love Jehovah, do not hesitate to put your trust in him wholeheartedly.

MALAWI Population: 4,042,412

Peak Publishers: 19,050 Ratio: 1 to 212

Concerning the early Christian congregation it is recorded: “Then, indeed, the congregation throughout the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria entered into a period of peace, being built up; and as it walked in the fear of Jehovah and in the comfort of the holy spirit it kept on multiplying.” (Acts 9:31) This has been the experience of our brothers in Malawi during the past service year, though, of course, they have had to continue to exercise caution regarding their meetings and preaching activity, since they are still under ban.

In October the president of Malawi issued a decree that no one should be forced to buy a political card. This has proved to be of great assistance to our brothers, since their refusing to buy such cards was often the cause of their receiving much brutal treatment. It is most encouraging to be able to report that the figure of 19,000 publishers has been passed for the first time. As conditions eased, it became possible in November 1969 to encourage applications for vacation pioneer service once again and to add new names to the regular pioneer list. Many of these are able to meet their goals of hours, back-calls and Bible studies regularly, even though most of their witnessing must be done incidentally, as with all publishers throughout the country. A goodly number of those who have served as vacation pioneers have now been enrolled as regular pioneers.

As a result of current expansion and to cope with the needs of the field, nine new congregations and several new isolated groups were formed during the year. A circuit servant in whose circuit two new isolated groups were established told us how this came about. A brother took the opportunity to approach a man who had been active in politics up until 1967 and, referring to Matthew 24:9-14, spoke to him concerning the end of this system. The brother was invited to the man’s home, where a Bible study was started with him and his wife. Later, the man left the house and came back with a group of his friends. The brother was fearful that he was going to be turned over to the authorities because of being caught in the act of witnessing. However, the man reassured him with the words, “Do not be afraid, for there are many of us interested here.” At that time there were six adults with their children. The man continued: “We have come to the conclusion that yours is the true religion. We have examined all things as you have. You know that I was area chairman for the Youth League from its beginning until 1967, but I have seen the uselessness of it. Please continue speaking without fear here because we very much want to study the Word of God.” As the brother continued to study with the group, this man saw the need to make changes in his life. Although he was a politician, he had not paid his taxes from 1960 until 1969, but he remedied this when his Scriptural responsibility was explained. He and his wife also took steps legally to register their marriage, and they were baptized in May. There are now seventeen publishers and interested persons associated with this newly formed isolated group, in an area regarded as difficult territory before the ban.

The exodus from Babylon the Great continues as the truth from God’s Word is sounded down into the minds and hearts of sincere persons. A man who was a Sunday-school teacher in the Presbyterian church responded favorably to a brother’s incidental conversation on the theme of the true religion. The brother was able to start a Bible study with this person and later invited him to the Memorial. The man was deeply impressed with the unity and harmony among the brothers and has now progressed to the point where he and his wife have left the Presbyterian church and are sharing regularly in the ministry.

Consensual marriage is a problem to be overcome by persons wishing to be used in Jehovah’s organization, but God’s Word is a power for assistance in this matter. (Heb. 4:12) The following letter, received by a brother in February, indicates this:

“My wife and I wish to let you know how happy we are with the aid that we are getting from you. Through your teaching you have answered all our questions that remained unanswered for a long time in our hearts. It seems to us rather amazing because everything is plainly pointed out from God’s Word.

“We have now come to know that God does not approve of any organization that misrepresents him. Therefore, brother, my wife and I wish once more to let you know that we have cut off all relations with our old church. How happy we are that our son will not receive the type of instruction that has ruined the faith of millions of persons in God and his Word the Bible.

“It is our desire to become Jehovah’s witnesses and we hope to ask you soon about baptism, as our marriage is soon to be legally registered.”

This interested man and woman were legally married in June and are waiting to be baptized at the first opportunity.

Because of having to carry on the witness work secretly, our brothers have devised many ingenious methods of doing so. One brother found an interested man but was unable to study with him openly because of hostile party members who lived in the same village. So they decided to hide a metal box in the ground beneath a tree some distance away from the man’s village and use it as their “post office.” The brother would put Bible questions and scriptures in the box, and the man would come and collect these and leave his answers there for the brother. Thus a regular study was conducted with the man, who then became strong enough spiritually to attend meetings and has now been baptized.

There have been a few cases of beatings and violent opposition, as in one congregation where the brothers’ houses were burned down and their property destroyed. The brothers in neighboring congregations collected clothing and food for these brothers and supplied their needs. The brothers in Malawi are very grateful for the prayers and material assistance of their brothers earth wide and ‘always thank God for them.’​—1 Cor. 1:4.

MOZAMBIQUE Population: 6,650,000

Peak Publishers: 3,145 Ratio: 1 to 2,114

For years now this country has been fighting a guerrilla type of campaign against the terrorists who would like to overthrow the Portuguese regime and make the country independent. Due to the tense-situation, which causes the authorities to be apprehensive, and the neutral position of our brothers being well known, the Kingdom work has met with much opposition in some areas. One of the circuit servants and his wife, along with twenty-four other brothers, have now been in prison for many months.

As far as we know, the brothers in prison are not being badly treated. One group of sixteen are all together in the same prison and are able to enjoy fellowship and meetings together. The authorities had them separated at first; but they gave such a fine witness to their fellow prisoners that it was decided that it would be ‘safer’ to keep them all together! In caring for the families of the brothers in prison, the brothers who are free have shown the loving spirit that identifies true Christians. (John 13:34, 35) A collection is maintained for these needy families and a note of authorization is given to them regularly, enabling them to go to a store and make purchases to the value stated on the note. This means that the local brothers are regularly providing the means of life for about eighty persons, including adults and children. They have been doing this for almost a year now.

What do you do when someone with whom you have been studying for some time has made no progress? Do you follow the Society’s counsel and tell the person you will have to end the study so as to spend your time better with someone else? A sister who had been studying with a young married woman felt that the study was not making much progress, the reason being that the woman missed many studies and did not prepare. Often visitors would turn up at study time and she would put the study off. Since the Witness felt there was still interest there, she was reluctant to give up the study, but she decided to have a heart-to-heart talk with the lady. She said to her, “L​——​——, what comes first in your life?” The young woman looked surprised and said, “Why, God, of course.” The sister then said, “No, L​——​——, excuse me, but that is not true. What happens when visitors turn up at study time? You put off the study even though we have this appointment to study God’s Word. I think you put your visitors in the first place and not Jehovah.” The sister then kindly explained that she would have to stop the study if things went on in the same way as she had many other people to call on and did not want to waste her time. The young woman was concerned and said that she did not want the sister to stop studying with her. The next week when the sister arrived the woman was waiting and had her book underlined. She had been up since 5 a.m. to prepare for the study. She never missed the study from then on and was soon attending the meetings and sharing in the ministry. The changes she had made in her life awakened the interest of her husband, and the study was then turned over to a brother who arranged to study with the whole family. He reports that all in the family are now making fine progress.

Because of setting a fine example in conduct and patiently persevering with their preaching work, in some areas the brothers have been able gradually to break down opposition. On one occasion five sisters who were on their way to Bible studies were encountered by a Catholic priest who tried to forbid them to continue preaching and reported them to the district commissioner. When this official learned the nature of their work, the five sisters were allowed to continue with their preaching and the Catholic priest was reprimanded. In another area a mob was incited to break up the celebration of the Lord’s Evening Meal. The mobsters came armed with bows, knives and knobkerries, but when they reached the meeting place and saw the brothers peacefully listening to the Bible being explained, they laid aside their weapons one by one and sat down to listen attentively. After the meeting was concluded, the sisters prepared food for the ‘visitors.’ As a result, one of the would-be mobsters attended the special talk on March 29, had a Bible study and began publishing and was baptized when the circuit servant visited the congregation in July.

SENEGAL Population: 3,600,000

Peak Publishers: 177 Ratio: 1 to 20,339

With the urgency of our times and the progressive trend of Jehovah’s organization it is only reasonable to expect that every year will bring even greater blessings. Stimulated by the “Peace on Earth” District Assembly, Jehovah’s faithful servants in Senegal started off the 1970 service year with greater zeal and determination. The experiences that follow are from the Republic of Senegal and then from Gambia, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Mauritania.

Has it ever happened that you wished you could meet one of Jehovah’s “sheep” during the course of your house-to-house ministry? In any event, that was the desire of two sisters who had the following experience. “We were working a certain territory in a city considered difficult. We had just had a rather animated discussion in an apartment with an Evangelist minister’s wife and were sure that her shouting had closed all the rest of the doors to our message. But imagine our great surprise when at the next door a kind young lady invited us in! After we concluded the sermon she exclaimed: ‘Then do you represent the same organization that prints this magazine that I was just reading when you knocked at the door? I find it so interesting and different from all other religious publications!’ It was The Watchtower. This young woman was originally Catholic but had for several years undertaken a study of religion. As she lived in a non-Christian land she had heard of the merits of the Koran and so began to study it seriously, even to the point of saying her prayers five times a day and keeping the fast of Ramadan. But this only proved to be another deception. She prayed incessantly to God to help her and it was in this frame of mind that we found her, making it rather easy to establish a Bible study on the spot. Progress was rapid despite certain family hindrances. Several months later when she visited her family in her home country she was eager to share the good news with them and was greatly blessed​—four of her brothers as well as another couple of friends not only have embraced the truth but today are very active and fruitful publishers in Jehovah’s service. Encouraged by these results, she redoubled her efforts in her personal study and Christian ministry and was baptized at the last circuit assembly.” Indeed, there is no better method to locate ‘faithful persons, who, in turn, will be adequately qualified to teach others’ than in the house-to-house ministry.​—2 Tim. 2:2.

A brother baptized at our recent circuit assembly writes: ‘I received my first religious instruction at a Catholic mission school in a village in southeast Togo. I had only a vague knowledge of God and his purpose for the earth, because the catechism replaced the Word of God for us at school. Naturally, I was counseled not to read the Bible, but I was curious and wanted to know why it was not a good book to read! One day I was able to buy a very small copy so I could read it secretly, but the problem now was to find a spot where I would not be caught by the sexton. Suddenly I spied an ideal location​—and so it’s in a coconut tree that I started secretly reading God’s Holy Word, the Bible! I was shocked by God’s condemnation of worship offered to him through the use of images. I questioned the priest about it, but he did not even try to hide his anger at my inquiry. I completely lost faith in my former religion and then spent years without even thinking about God. Recently, though, in Senegal I had the opportunity to meet one of Jehovah’s witnesses who helped me get a much more accurate knowledge of the Bible than I had got in that coconut tree. What a joy it now is to be a sharer of this good news with others, a regular attender at congregation meetings and a dedicated one of Jehovah’s blessed people!”

GAMBIA Population: 316,000

Peak Publishers: 9 Ratio: 1 to 35,111

The brothers in this territory continue facing great opposition and many difficulties, but their zeal and determination remain strong. They very much appreciate the practical help of the organization in the form of the regular visits of the circuit servant.

‘Out of the mouth of babes you have furnished praise’ can be appreciated from the following account. “On Sunday I was working in the service with a twelve-year-old publisher. When I stopped to conduct a Bible study I suggested that he, together with an older brother, work the rest of the homes in the compound. To my surprise he did not return to meet me, so after the study I went to find him. He was surrounded by six young men, well educated, who were pelting him with questions on the inspiration of the Bible. I admired his courage as he enthusiastically thumbed through the Bible to answer their many queries. It reminded me of Jesus at the age of twelve in the temple. One of the young men said to me: ‘This boy is very conversant with the Bible and he has convinced me. You are welcome in this house, please.’ He wanted many more of his questions answered, so the young publisher started a Bible study with the group in the Truth book. This future brother has now asked to be given an assignment on the Theocratic Ministry School program each week to help him progress. For the past six months he has averaged 37 hours in the ministry each month, conducted 10 back-calls and 1.8 Bible studies.”

When we follow the circuit servant’s instructions we can get good results. On his recent visit he suggested that parents study with their children, if possible, rather than another publisher doing it. We immediately arranged for one sister to study with her children, and the results have been outstanding. The children have responded remarkably to the efforts of their mother. They are now always the first to arrive at the meetings, are well prepared and participate regularly. The mother, her twelve-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter are enrolled in the Theocratic Ministry School, and two younger members of the family support the meetings exceptionally well, even the very youngest, one year old. The family is making rapid progress. Each member old enough has a special day during the week set aside for service, apart from the weekend when all the brothers in the congregation share in the field ministry together. On the average during the past six months, as a family they have spent 90 hours in the service each month, made 26 back-calls and conducted 4 Bible studies. What a fine blessing to see the enthusiastic response to the loving efforts of a mother helping her family to serve Jehovah.

A most commendable example of this family’s progress was their stand in upholding true worship by refusing to share in false religious services and traditional burial customs when the sister’s mother died recently. Our sister made it clear to all the people in Bathurst that Jehovah’s witnesses do not participate in interfaith movements. This stand had a great impact on the people, as it is the first time that a local Gambian, and a woman at that, has taken such a firm stand for the truth.

MALl Population: 4,200,000

Peak Publishers: 6 Ratio: 1 to 700,000

In spite of the difficult conditions and the many obstacles due to isolation in this hot territory the little group of publishers and the special pioneer steadfastly continue putting forth a good effort in making disciples, baptizing them. Following are some experiences sent in by the special pioneer.

“Some people who sigh and cry because of world conditions take immediate action when contacted with the Kingdom message, as the following experience highlights. I was going from house to house one morning and met a young non-Christian man who was totally perplexed over the world situation. I explained how God’s Word foretold these present wicked conditions but also gives the remedy and only solution ​—seeking Jehovah and making peace with him. He accepted the Truth book, and arrangements for a Bible study were made immediately. Since then the study continues regularly, and now this young man is making plans to travel the great distance to attend the ‘Men of Goodwill’ District Assembly in Dakar in December of this year.

“A publisher relates that, while he was engaged in the ministry, he met a young student girl of the Assikia Camarad College in Bamako. The young student related that the Professor of Philosophy, a Catholic priest, denied the miraculous conception of Jesus Christ, explaining that in this twentieth century it is impossible to believe in such things as a virgin birth. The publisher kindly showed the student the Bible passages showing how Jesus was definitely conceived by holy spirit and that Mary was a virgin up to the time of his birth. Since that day this young student, a Catholic herself, has broken away from her former religion and its worship. She is now studying the Bible with the aid of the ‘Impossible to Lie’ book and is making fine progress.”

MAURITANIA Population: 1,000,000

Peak Publishers: 2 Ratio: 1 to 500,000

Like a small oasis in a vast desert the two isolated publishers have done an excellent work in this sunburned and uninviting territory. Although regular witnessing is almost unthinkable due to unfavorable conditions, by using wisdom and tact they have exploited every opportunity for incidental witnessing. With Jehovah’s protection and undeserved kindness they have accomplished a considerable volume of work. Being mindful of their difficult circumstances, we constantly remembered them in our prayers and spared no efforts to help them through encouraging correspondence and by providing them with spiritual food, which they received without difficulty. And how happy we were to receive their field service reports regularly every single month during the service year! It is sincerely hoped that the good seed planted may sprout and grow and produce the desired results to the glory of our Great Creator, whose unfailing promise is that ‘the wilderness and the waterless region will without fail blossom, and it will really be joyful with joyousness and with glad crying out,’ as described by His prophet Isaiah, in chapter 35.

SIERRA LEONE Population: 2,183,000

Peak Publishers: 851 Ratio: 1 to 2,565

It has been a very encouraging year for the brothers in Sierra Leone. For the first time in the history of the work, more than one hundred persons were baptized in one year. The future looks bright too, as three times as many persons attended the Memorial as the peak number of publishers. Many experiences were sent into the branch office during the year. Here are a few of them from Sierra Leone and the Republic of Guinea.

Many new territories were opened up by the special pioneers during the year. In one of these localities, pressure was brought on the paramount chief by a religious leader of Christendom to oust the newly arrived special pioneers. He said: “It would be unwise to allow another religion to operate here. You already have too many religions in your chiefdom.” The pressure became so intense that it resulted in the chief’s convening a meeting of the peoples of the chiefdom. The chief put the problem before his people. One leading man of the community got up and said: “The first strangers [of false religion] came in the name of God. The second strangers [Jehovah’s witnesses] have come in the name of God. We say Jehovah’s witnesses ought to be allowed to stay. Since they have been here they have been preaching to people in their homes and warning them against evil.” The paramount chief replied: “Jehovah’s witnesses are doing well in our chiefdom. Even for those that do not want to listen they return with their message. Since the Witnesses arrived, the morality of our community has improved. Fights have been reduced. Jehovah’s witnesses can stay!”

Do you feel reluctant to witness in your own neighborhood or hometown? Here in Sierra Leone, pioneers often request to be assigned to their hometown. This has proved very successful, as these pioneers know the local language and customs. Also because of their honesty and high moral standard, they soon win deep respect from their fellow townspeople. Several new congregations have been established as a result of the assignment of pioneers and special pioneers to their hometown.

The problems of illiteracy and those involving marriage are gradually being overcome. One young man, having nearly completed the Truth book, wanted to share in the ministry, but his marriage was not in order. For three months he tried to persuade the woman with whom he was living to legalize their marriage in the Kingdom Hall. Finally she agreed to attend one meeting to see the setting. Although this woman had been reared as a Moslem, the greetings and friendliness of the brothers impressed her so much that she agreed to legalize the marriage in the Kingdom Hall. Upon legalizing their marriage she expressed the desire to join the study, although she was illiterate. When her husband saw the changed attitude of his wife, he set about to teach her to read and write. In just three and a half months she could pick up any of the Society’s publications and read reasonably well. This has set a fine example for the many husbands in our country that have illiterate wives.

What can one do when the mail service does not always encourage persons to subscribe for magazines? Build a magazine route, of course! One pioneer now has 273 persons on his magazine route. Not only has this meant fine magazine placements, but these calls have been the source of most of his Bible studies, as well as many Bible studies that he has turned over to others.

One pioneer said that she liked the home Bible study work so much because, not only did it give her opportunity to assist persons to serve Jehovah, but it gave more opportunities to communicate with Jehovah in prayer. This sister, conducting fifteen studies each week, summed it up this way: “This means that, besides all the prayers offered when in the other features of the ministry and on other occasions, I am able to pray to Jehovah thirty times a week on behalf of my Bible studies. These prayers seem to have a beneficial effect and strong influence on the progress of the students.”

We have had many expressions of joy from regular and vacation pioneers during the year. Here are a few samples of their letters:

A brother wrote: “In one month of vacation pioneering I placed more books and magazines than I did in two years as a congregation publisher.”

A sister said: “I was afraid I could not meet the 100-hour goal, as I have five children to look after. But I filled out an application. The first week I was sick. What could I do in the three weeks left in the month? Prayerfully I worked hard and was able to report 102 hours for the month. My eldest son said to me, ‘Mom, you really helped us in our studies during the month, you ought to be a vacation pioneer all the time.’”

Another writes: “A person with whom I study asked ‘Is it because Armageddon is so near that you studied twelve times with me this month?’ Of course, it was because I was vacation pioneering.”

Do we sometimes feel that we work our territory too often? A pioneer sister reported that during the circuit servant’s visit she was assigned to work the same street that she covered the previous week. She was apprehensive at first, but at the first house a man greeted her heartily. He said he had quit attending church six years ago and had been praying for God to show him the true religion. He accepted the Truth book at once and a study was started two days later. After a few months he began to publish and is looking forward to being baptized at our national assembly in December.

GUINEA Population: 3,608,000

Peak Publishers: 166 Ratio: 1 to 21,735

We are glad that a fine increase in publishers appears in this year’s report; also we are happy that the brothers were able, for the first time since inaugurating the work there, to gather in circuit assembly. Many messages of appreciation were received by the branch office in Sierra Leone because this had at last become possible.

People sometimes are preached to in a country other than their own because it is easier to reach them. For example, three doctors from Communist China, working in one of the hospitals in Guinea, were present when a pioneer brother offered the magazines to one of the patients. One of the doctors started chiding the patient for taking the magazines, saying, “Only persons with little learning read this kind of literature.” One of the other doctors set out to ridicule the pioneer brother by asking how the earth came to be, its shape, and its movement in respect to the sun, etc. This pioneer, although formerly illiterate, had mastered the information in the Paradise book on the formation of the earth and how day and night came to be, and so forth. The doctors were amazed at the brother’s answers to their questions and at the scriptures supporting his conclusions, which were read by his young son. As a result the pioneer brother was able to obtain two subscriptions from the doctors.

Sometimes it is difficult to open up the mind of a Moslem, but many African Moslems are getting their eyes opened. Here is how one brother reasoned with a Moslem leader. The Moslem had asserted that Mohammed was the greatest of all prophets and of men who had lived on earth. The brother asked, “Adam or Mohammed, which ‘descended from the other?” The Moslem had to admit that Adam lived before Mohammed and that Mohammed must have descended from Adam. The brother then asked, “For whose sin is the human race dying and, if Mohammed did die, for whose sin did he die?” This left the Moslem puzzled, but it opened up a fine opportunity for the brother to give a witness concerning the greatest of prophets, Jesus Christ. He explained how salvation could come only through him and that he was the God-sent One. He presented, too, the evidence that there were hundreds of witnesses who lived in the first century that testified to this fact. The brother concluded, “A righteous judge could only decide a case after hearing all the witnesses.” This brought a favorable response and opened up the way for the Moslem to enjoy a free home Bible study.

SINGAPORE Population: 1,865,000

Peak Publishers: 218 Ratio: 1 to 8,555

While Singapore celebrated its fifth anniversary of independence amid economic prosperity and growing nationalism, Jehovah’s people continued to advance true worship. A onetime Roman Catholic, in his final year of secondary-school education, was contacted by a classmate who had been studying with Jehovah’s witnesses. He was impressed with the good conduct of the classmate and began reading some of the publications of the Society, along with a chapter of the Bible each day. Soon he was motivated to speak up in school about the matter of eating blood. On completion of his final examinations he came to his first meeting at the Kingdom Hall and was impressed. He noted the keen desire of all to please God and to uphold Bible principles. He agreed to a regular Bible study. The pioneer conducting the study says: “I followed the recommended progressive Bible study method and the student soon realized the importance of extensive reading of other Watch Tower publications. Progress was rapid and he began applying godly principles in his life. He had a temporary job but wisely overcame obstacles to attend all the meetings, and he also began in the field service. Over a period of six months this person progressed to the point of dedication and baptism. He stimulated a group of five others, including a classmate, to become praisers of Jehovah too.” Getting them to meetings early in the study program makes a deep impression on the newly interested ones. The pioneer continues: “With this spirit in the congregation we have seen the Kingdom Hall meeting attendance grow from 55 to 115 in the last six months.”

A sister eighty-two years of age is a great inspiration to us all. She is regular at meetings and in the service. Because she has arthritis and high blood pressure her doctor advised her not to do any travelling on buses or climbing of stairs. “My dear,” she said, “travelling on buses and going from house to house seems to have a good effect on me, in fact, has kept me going up till now. Please don’t tell me not to do that.” She has a special interest in subscribers for the magazines, not only in new ones but in getting renewals. She keeps a record of all her subscriptions in a notebook and when they are due for renewal she goes back. During the last subscription campaign she got fifty renewals for The Watchtower and Awake!

Good results have come from a Bible study by correspondence. Some years ago a family in Sibu, Sarawak, East Malaysia, was visited by the circuit servant and subscriptions for our two magazines were taken. Each year they were renewed and on subsequent visits the circuit servant noted there was real interest manifest in the truth. He arranged for a sister in Singapore to write to a daughter in the family. The study progressed nicely and the student was notified of the various requirements of a Christian witness, step by step. However, she needed some association, and toward the end of 1969 she arranged to come the 600 miles by air to the district assembly. She really enjoyed the program and was very much strengthened by the association with so many new brothers and sisters. Then she was taken witnessing after having a discussion of the points in the “Lamp” book. She has reported as a publisher since then, conducting as many as five Bible studies a week. In April this year she wrote to say, “Oh, yes, I’m glad to tell you that Susan my sister, with whom I’ve gone through the ten questions, is a publisher. She will be sending in her report for April.” How wonderful it is to receive two field service reports from that isolated area, and to know that so much help was given by correspondence.

MALAYSIA Population: 8,967,000

Peak Publishers: 168 Ratio: 1 to 53,375

Following race riots last year this country continues under emergency rule. Our brothers have persevered in getting the good news preached and a large amount of literature has gone out into the homes of the people. With some endurance increase is coming.

Some are reluctant to terminate a study if the person will not make a move to do something about the truth, but a special pioneer sister tells of the benefits of doing this. She made a back-call on a lady who had taken the Truth book, but found that she was not interested so suggested that she talk to her husband, which she did. The husband was willing to listen and a study was started. He showed interest in the study but had doubts and was slow to believe the things he was learning. He did not believe that there were people who practiced the true religion. For his own conviction and investigation he was invited to the Kingdom Hall, where he would meet with others of Jehovah’s witnesses, but he excused himself, saying he was too busy. This went on for some time and he would not make the effort to come to a meeting, so the sister said she would terminate the study but left an open invitation for him and his family to come along to the Kingdom Hall. She relates, “To my surprise, the following week he was there at the Sunday study and has been attending almost every week, occasionally making a comment.” He has now requested to continue his home Bible study. He would not have made this progress had the study not been terminated.

A special pioneer asks: “Do you feel nervous and shy when working busy offices and business territory? I do. And yet it was while witnessing in such heart-thumping territory that I met a typist in a lawyer’s office who listened meekly to my sermon and took the ‘Impossible to Lie’ book. After a few weeks I called back and arranged a Bible study: Since she is from another town, and rents a room with some other girls, I suggested she come over to my room for a study. She agreed and soon began to realize how interesting and upbuilding the Bible was. I really had found a ‘sheep’ and I wanted to help her as much as I could. To aid her to get to the service meeting I offered to take her on the back of my motor scooter. She accepted and enjoyed the educational program, especially the part we sisters have on the Ministry School. Next I helped her to get to the congregation book study and soon she was taking in all the meetings, and sharing in the field service. She told me that she had always wanted to be a Christian and was very happy to accept the book I had offered and the Bible study. She even thought to herself that perhaps God answered her prayer and sent me to her. I certainly appreciated that, because it was only with Jehovah’s spirit that I could witness in business territory. During this time her parents in her hometown had been calling to say that a better job was open closer to home, but in appreciation for the truth learned and the need to associate with the congregation she declined. In my heart I was happy for having been used to find this ‘sheep’ in business territory and I hope that you will enjoy this same experience one day.”

For years now we have not been able to get missionaries into Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia. Over the years, one Dyak man has accepted the truth and was baptised by the circuit servant. However, Jehovah had a way of getting other dedicated Witnesses in there. A local man went to England to study. While there he learned the truth and was baptised. Along with this he married while there, and his wife too is dedicated. On their return to Kuching, what a joy it was to meet with the other dedicated brother, and now we have a small group of Witnesses in that town, holding meetings and reporting service regularly.

SOUTH AFRICA Population: 19,618,000

Peak Publishers: 21,716 Ratio: 1 to 903

This has been our finest year in disciple making to date. More than 2,500 new disciples have been baptized, a peak beyond our fondest expectations and, in this multiracial country, they came from “all” nations​—black, white and colored. We started our first Greek congregation, and our Portuguese congregation has grown to over one hundred publishers.

An outstanding feature of the service year was the great increase in book distribution. We have never seen books go out at such a fast rate before, especially the Truth book, which we used in seventeen languages. Whereas in previous years we shipped out an average of 117,000 books a year from the branch, this year we shipped out no less than 435,000. We, here in South Africa, deeply appreciate the diligent work of our brothers in Brooklyn to supply us with all the literature we need in this great disciple-making work.

A brother tells how he has been ‘buying out the opportune time’ by using his lunch hour wisely. Three years ago he met an interested person working in the same building. The brother used every lunch hour to stimulate this person’s interest and then invited him to attend a circuit assembly. The man was most impressed by the good conduct of the brothers and started attending meetings regularly. Since then he has been baptized and is now a servant. Meanwhile the brother was assisting another interested person working nearby. He writes: “He was impressed with the way we spent our lunch hour.” This man is now also baptized and a servant. Yet another case was a “prominent figure in politics,” also working nearby. He, too, now attends meetings, shares in the service and gives talks in the Theocratic Ministry School. So the lunch-hour group grew to four. Number five was a spiritually weak brother who joined the group and is being spiritually built up. They always start their lunch-hour discussions with the day’s text and experiences from the Yearbook. He concludes his letter: “I remember the apostle’s admonition that, ‘whether you are eating [lunch] or drinking or doing anything else, do all things for God’s glory.’”​—1 Cor. 10:31.

The Indian population in South Africa is now yielding many disciples who show great zeal. A new Indian publisher, an employee at a large hotel, offered the subscription to all his Indian workmates. He obtained forty-six subscriptions in one day! A sister witnessed to an Indian lady on a bus and took her address. Although she did not think there was much interest, arrangements were made for a pioneer couple to make the call. They found the lady eagerly waiting for them. She took the Truth book, and a study was arranged. At the first study she told the pioneers that she had already read through the book and got rid of her Hindu “sacred lamp” and religious pictures! She expected trouble from her family but, having found the truth, was not anxious. A request for a daily study was reduced to two per week. Her husband then joined in and the next week both attended the public talk. After only four months they are regular at meetings, have become publishers and the husband has read the Bible right through. Both are conducting studies, and already some of their newly interested ones have gotten rid of objects of demon worship and are attending meetings. Truly, they are getting out of “Babylon” fast.

A newly interested person who had only had three studies wanted to attend the national assembly. His employer refused his request for time off, on the ground that he is the only ice-cream maker in the town and it was midsummer. So, unknown to his employer, he worked many extra hours and made much additional ice cream. He then said to his employer: “I’m leaving for Johannesburg. In the refrigerator you will find sufficient ice cream for a week, so you have no need to worry.” On his return from the assembly he was offered a partnership in the business! This man wishes to be baptized at the next opportunity. If you want to attend assemblies, be determined!

An African sister, six months pregnant, suddenly started hemorrhaging. At the hospital the doctor ordered a blood transfusion. The sister and her husband explained their position but were ridiculed by doctors and nurses. She was examined every half hour. Later one of the nurses informed her that she could not detect the fetal heartbeat and believed that the baby had died inside her. The doctor now wanted to remove the “dead” fetus, but only with a blood transfusion. The couple stood firm in spite of heavy pressure and threats of legal prosecution. The sister insisted that she still felt fetal movements and asked them to reexamine her. They did, but said the baby was dead. The couple left and went to another hospital. En route the husband encouraged his wife with the promises of everlasting life for sticking faithfully to Jehovah’s laws. On arrival at the other hospital their stand on blood was explained and the nurse on night duty asked them to sign a statement to that effect. An examination revealed that the baby was still alive and that her trouble was placenta previa. The sister recovered quickly but had to see the doctor every second week. This doctor agreed to perform the cesarean section without blood. When the time for delivery came she was admitted to the hospital, but while the staff was preparing for the operation, she gave normal birth to twin boys. The matter of blood transfusion never came up. How happy the couple are that they remained faithful to Jehovah!

The South Africa branch also cares for the work in Ascension Island, Botswana, Lesotho, St. Helena, South-West Africa and Swaziland.

ASCENSION ISLAND Population: 1,527

Peak Publishers: 2 Ratio: 1 to 764

For a while two publishers reported field service, but when the sister on the island left for a three-month vacation in the British Isles no reports were received from the remaining publisher. Although not reporting, this eighteen-year-old unbaptized publisher continued to stand firm for the truth. When he was asked by his employer to paint military or church buildings, he refused. Even the head foreman with all his arguments could not make him change his mind. The foreman was impressed by his firm stand and assigned him other work that would not violate his conscience. This new publisher is now returning to St. Helena, where he hopes to be baptized.

BOTSWANA Population: 611,000

Peak Publishers: 202 Ratio: 1 to 3,025

New disciples are being made of peoples of all nations. Although there is no segregation practiced in Botswana, many communities still look down on persons of a different race, like the Bushmen who are considered inferior and not suitable for marriage to those of the local tribe. The truth found a local man living consensually with a Bushman woman. A study was started and soon they learned that it was necessary to get legally married. Would this man marry the Bushman woman or separate from her as others expected him to do? He legally married the Bushman woman, both were immersed at the recent circuit assembly and within one year they learned to read and write. They are now giving a fine witness to all those in their community, making disciples of still others.

A Bible study was started in the Truth book with a man who made fine progress, but, because his marriage was not registered, he could not be invited out in field service. Like the Samaritan woman mentioned at John 4:28, 29, he started speaking to his friends about the things he had learned and he used the Truth book to answer all their questions. One woman he spoke to accepted the truth and soon became a publisher; she, in turn, is helping five other individuals to learn about the truth, and two of these are already attending meetings. At last this man has legalized his marriage, and his wife is now studying with him. In July he could be invited out in the field service for the first time. He is happy and hopes to make fine progress in making disciples of still others.

LESOTHO Population: 885,000

Peak Publishers: 406 Ratio: 1 to 2,180

A special pioneer, taking up his assignment in May, started off the first week by inviting all he met to come and see how Jehovah’s witnesses conduct the Theocratic Ministry School. Forty-six came to see how he and his family put on a full school. He then invited all to the Watchtower study, and thirty-six attended. Since then the average for the school has been twenty, and for the Watchtower study thirty per week. Already six of these with whom he has been studying have started out in field service.

An auxiliary policeman who hated the truth took it upon himself to arrest two brothers for preaching the good news from house to house. These were accused before the chief of being against the government, but the chief did not agree. He knew the brothers well and knew that they had been going from house to house peacefully long before the state of emergency was declared. He said: “These people are not troublemakers nor are they seditious.” The chief then turned the tables on the persecutor and accused him of being against the government because of harassing people and arresting them on the slightest pretext; he accused him of making his own laws and regulations. This was a serious charge. A few days later this persecutor had to appear before the chief to give an account of himself, but he became afraid and fled over the border.

After a long struggle and much delay, the brothers in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, have been granted a piece of ground on which to build a Kingdom Hall. This will be the first proper Kingdom Hall for Lesotho. Although of meagre means, the brothers are enthusiastic and have already made 800 concrete blocks to be used in building the hall.

ST. HELENA Population: 4,722

Peak Publishers: 51 Ratio: 1 to 93

What a fine year we have had in the service of our Grand Creator, Jehovah! No less than twenty new disciples were baptized. Our district assembly and the instructive dramas gave many a great start in their dedicated life. Now several brothers are making fine progress toward becoming servants.

Children often help unbelieving parents to see the truth. A man writes: “I have been encouraged by many Witnesses before, but the truth did not seem to reach my heart until my wife and children started a Bible study and attending meetings. They would encourage me to attend, but I always put up many objections. One day after a public talk they asked me questions about Ecclesiastes 12, but I had no answer. The next Sunday I again declined to go with them. So my children asked me if I really loved them. ‘Yes.’ Would I like to see them get destroyed? ‘No.’ So they said: ‘Then you must do something about remembering your Creator now.’ This got me thinking. When they set out for the Kingdom Hall, I quickly got ready and went along. From then on I have been attending regularly. A brother helped me by studying the Truth book with me every day at work during the lunch hour. With every study the Bible became clearer to me and I could see that I had been wasting precious time. Before long I started in field service, dedicated my life to Jehovah and was baptized with my wife at the last assembly. I find it a real pleasure spreading the good news of God’s kingdom during the short time remaining.”

Another publisher tells his story: “For years Jehovah’s witnesses called at my home. I would invite them in and listen but did not take them seriously. I was not an opposer; I knew what they said was true. I was supposed to be a member of the Church of England but never could go to church. I often took the magazines from the Witnesses and read them. One day I took the Truth book and read it almost right through, but still did not take it to heart until a little later one of my workmates, a Witness, talked to me about how near we are to the end. It started me thinking. He encouraged me to bring the Truth book to work and we studied during the lunch hour. I found it very interesting. When we came to the point in the second chapter about the two roads, I began to think seriously about my position and how vital it was to get onto the narrow road to life. When my workmate offered to have a Bible study at home with my whole family, I gladly accepted. Before we had completed the Truth book, my wife and I decided to dedicate our lives to Jehovah to do his will and we began sharing in the ministry. We were baptized at the district assembly during March. We have enjoyed many privileges at meetings and in the service and we are looking ahead lot more.”

SOUTH-WEST AFRICA Population: 610,000

Peak Publishers: 226 Ratio: 1 to 2,699

The truth is going into all parts of this vast, sparsely populated country. This year we received the “Good News” booklet in Kwanyama, which is the language of 350,000 people in Ovamboland. Thousands of copies of this booklet have already been distributed, reaching into the heart of Ovamboland.

Living up to Bible principles often gives a good witness. A brother was offered some “biltong” (dried meat from a wild buck) by a friend. The brother inquired into the matter and found that, although the buck had been bled properly, it had been shot on the national road, which is illegal. The brother refused to take any of the biltong and explained that the buck was really stolen. Since biltong is a delicacy, the friend was very surprised and listened attentively to the brother’s explanation of the Bible principles involved. The friend told these things to his wife and they asked the brother to study with them. They are now regular meeting attenders and are looking forward to baptism at the next assembly.

Do you take full advantage of opportunities to witness to your relatives? If not, here is an experience that will encourage you. A young couple traveled to a distant town to pay a visit to relatives who are Witnesses. The brother explained the truth to them and answered many questions. He then notified the congregation servant in their hometown. Before the latter could make a call, the young couple phoned him to request a study. The study was started on the weekend, and that same day the couple attended the public talk, Watchtower study and final talk of the circuit servant. On his next visit the circuit servant found them already engaging in the service. He took the husband out in service with him and started a study with one of the husband’s old friends. The new publisher is now thrilled to be conducting his own study.

SWAZILAND Population: 420,000

Peak Publishers: 634 Ratio: 1 to 662

Young publishers can also conduct studies, even with adults. A thirteen-year-old schoolgirl is conducting a study with a married woman every week. Within two months they have completed the “Good News” booklet and are starting the Truth book. The student is already attending the meetings.

What a variety of ways there are for humble people to come in contact with the truth! A young Swazi girl, employed as a domestic servant by an English couple, noticed a Truth book in their home. She borrowed it and, although not knowing very much English, understood enough to make her set out to look for the people distributing such literature. One Sunday she found the Kingdom Hall of the Swazi-speaking congregation. She stayed for the Watchtower study and arrangements were made for a study with her. From that day she became a regular attender at all meetings and was soon sharing in the field ministry. She is now preparing for baptism.

SPAIN Population: 32,111,788

Peak Publishers: 11,041 Ratio: 1 to 2,908

A good deal of publicity was generated in the nation’s press, as well as excitement among the Spanish brothers, when it was announced on July 14 that the request filed more than two and a half years ago for legalization of the “Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses” had finally been approved by the government. Such legalization will facilitate activities such as the importation of Bible literature, the opening of Kingdom Halls, as well as the holding of larger assemblies of Jehovah’s people. Nevertheless, the past year’s theocratic achievements were registered before legalization went into effect, as a reminder to all that it is not by human means, but ‘God keeps making it grow.’ And how Jehovah’s blessing upon the association of Christian ministers in Spain has been in evidence during the past twelve months, as their total number first passed the 9,000 mark, later broke through the 10,000 mark, and reached a peak of 11,041 by year’s end.

Thorough and regular coverage of the territory brings results. A witness was given to two clerks in a store. One liked what she heard, but a terrible fear of excommunication kept her from expressing herself. She had been a nun engaged in foreign missionary work until tropical fevers forced her return to Spain and, later, family obligations caused her to leave her religious order. Some months later, other Witnesses calling from door to door visited her home, where another witness was given. As the former nun continued ‘examining the Scriptures as to whether these things were so,’ her fear subsided and a regular Bible study was started. Even strong opposition and physical pressure by nuns from a nearby convent could not now deter her in her determination to flee from the world empire of false religion, and now this former nun is a baptized witness of Jehovah.

When a publisher found that one of his Bible students was not at home, he decided to use the hour to make calls on the neighbors in the block. Upon making the very first introduction the young householder asked: “Are you one of Jehovah’s witnesses?” Upon answering “Yes,” he was invited in and was told that, just the night before, the woman had prayed that God would send someone to conduct a Bible study with her, for she felt so isolated. Now the lady is making steady progress in her understanding and appreciation of the truth. How important it is to make efficient use of ministerial time when studies fail!

Calling from house to house, a sister found a very religious housewife, blind for eight years, who accepted the Paradise book as well as the offer of a free home Bible study. But how does one go about studying with a blind person? The sister instructed the housewife’s seven-year-old daughter to read aloud to her mother during the week, including the questions at the bottom of the page. The mother indicates to her daughter which key words should be underlined. Thus the study’s benefit is double, and the child progresses at the same pace as the mother. Now with clear spiritual vision, she has proceeded to rid her home of objects of false worship and looks forward to the bright prospect of recovering her physical sight in God’s new order.

ANDORRA Population: 19,545

Peak Publishers: 17 Ratio: 1 to 1,150

Jesus’ exhortation to “exert yourselves vigorously” is particularly significant to the Andorran brothers who live high in the Pyrenees mountain range, which divides Spain from France. Obstacles to ministerial service and meeting attendance include not only the difficulty of travel during the winter months, but, more in particular, the fact that the tourist economy of the country often requires employees to work long hours every day. A sister was alert to place the Truth book with a male employee while shopping, and soon a Bible study was started and he was invited to meetings. A few weeks later the student’s employer required that he work even longer hours, which would have deprived him of attending meetings. His appreciation had already grown to such a point that he decided to quit and look for a job that would allow his regular attendance at congregation meetings. Other opportunities in the same line of work only offered additional conflicts with meeting times, so the student accepted work, that he had never done before, as a bricklayer’s helper. Although he was not used to working outside in the cold in winter, he commented: “I prefer to work in the cold and have more time for personal study, and now I have Sundays free too for participation in the field ministry.” The brother has now been baptized and is making additional adjustments in his secular schedule in order to participate in the full-time ministry.

CANARY ISLANDS Population: 1,178,383

Peak Publishers: 367 Ratio: 1 to 3,211

The brothers in the Canary Islands are careful ‘not to neglect the house of our God,’ especially in regard to the summer district assemblies. Up to this time they have had to be held in faraway foreign lands. Not only do distance, and wages lower than in other European countries, discourage foreign travel, but the year-round semitropical climate of the islands encourages many workers to forsake annual vacations, for they can enjoy a weekend or holiday at the beach any time of the year. Thus they receive a double paycheck by working during the vacation period. The custom has become so accepted that brothers find it difficult to obtain their vacations during the time of the summer district assembly. In one case a family head with three small children to support requested the three weeks that he would need in order to travel to France for the district assembly. Although his initial request was approved, a foreman later informed the brother that no vacations would be granted during the summer months, and this decision was approved by the owner. The brother continued to follow his savings plan for his family’s summer trip, and at the proper time presented his resignation to the owner of the factory. Not wanting to lose a conscientious worker, the owner approved the extra-long twenty-one-day vacation period needed, and in addition promised him a raise upon his return. In a similar fashion, a majority of the brothers from the islands were able to obtain vacations and make the long trip to attend the Spanish district assembly held at Toulouse, France.

SURINAM Population: 385,000

Peak Publishers: 561 Ratio: 1 to 686

Keeping in contact with those whose Bible studies have been discontinued, and doing so through a magazine route, can bear fruit, sometimes years later. A missionary did this, and because of changed circumstances in the life of a lady she finally asked for a Bible study again. It was explained that she would have to be serious this time because the time is very short now. The six-month course in the Truth book was started and within a few weeks she began regularly attending all the meetings with her children. Now she does incidental witnessing to others and speaks about starting out in the preaching work. What a joy to see that the seeds of truth were not sown in vain!

Even if we do not possess much knowledge of the truth and are not baptized yet, we can still accomplish much if we have appreciation for Jehovah’s organization. This is demonstrated by what a mother of six children did. Every time her husband saw her reading a Watch Tower publication, he burned it​—at least that is what he said. Every time she tried to attend the meetings she came home to a locked door and had to stay all night in the chicken house. He continued burning the literature even though she tried hiding it behind pictures and under floorboards. Finally she got tired of this, because every time she had prepared her lesson for her weekly Bible study, her study book disappeared. So she went to the Kingdom Hall and bought ten Truth books, but, sure enough, one after another they disappeared. Finally one day her husband approached her and said: “Okay, you win. This is beating the wind. Keep your books. Study with Jehovah’s witnesses. Do what you want to with the children. I can’t fight against the tide anymore.” And, to her great surprise, he presented her with all the books that he had “burned”! Now she is able to attend the meetings and there is plenty of study material in the house.

The following experience shows how opposition can be overcome. A lady was forced to have her Bible studies outside her home, because her husband was opposed. Also she had to attend the meetings secretly. Then the time came that she wanted to symbolize her dedication to Jehovah by water baptism at the “Peace on Earth” assembly. The opposition from her husband increased. He told her to choose between destroying all the publications of the Society and leaving their home together with the books. So she decided to stay with her brother during the assembly. To her surprise, TV cameramen were busy taking pictures during the baptism. What would happen when her husband would see her on TV getting baptized? After being built up spiritually she returned home to her husband, wondering how she would be received. To her surprise, his attitude had changed completely. He had watched the news on TV and saw the baptism. The result was that he wanted to attend the meetings in the Kingdom Hall and also desired a personal Bible study. He realized that he had been spiritually blinded by his church. But she has seen more blessings from Jehovah due to her steadfastness. This is what she wrote: “My father had been a great source of encouragement to me during all the trials. With much patience I have been able to teach him the truth in his own dialect. And for me it is one more reason to thank Jehovah, for at our ‘Men of Goodwill’ assembly he symbolized his dedication to Jehovah by immersion at the age of 111 years.”

SWEDEN Population: 8,013,696

Peak Publishers: 11,696 Ratio: 1 to 685

A young Catholic accepted the answers he got from the Bible, and a regular study is now going, four hours or more at a time. He contacted the priests and questioned them and took good note of the differences. After a short while his fiancée took part, and later his younger brother. In five weeks he read all the Society’s books that have appeared since 1955 and one volume of Awake! In spite of hard opposition at home he left the Catholic church. A little later the girl took the same step and left the Swedish state church. And the younger brother subscribed on his own initiative for the magazines. All three are now taking part in the service. His older brother studying in Stockholm is also regular in the service and studies with a couple of his fellow students. The girl, who studies at the University of Lund, had two friends with her at the Memorial and has decided to drop her plans for becoming a physician. Both she and her fiancé are considering getting part-time jobs and, in time, entering the pioneer service. The girl’s two brothers are now attending meetings and there are good prospects that they will soon become regular publishers.

A sister writes: “I felt really downhearted when I had to leave the full-time service because of sickness, after two years of pioneering. But that feeling did not last long, because during my two periods in the hospital I had so many positive experiences that I really felt like an ambassador. The first time I was in, I was placed alongside a lady that had had so much contact with Jehovah’s witnesses that she had refused blood transfusion. She had prayed to God that there might come a Witness to use the bed beside hers. I quote a few lines out of a letter I got from her today: ‘I often think back to the time in the hospital. And that that old woman, who had a broken leg, was removed and you came alongside, so that we could speak to one another.’ Then I really got the strength I needed. It is as if I had got extra time to live. For the doctors did not try to hide that they did not believe I would survive the operation.’ I have heard that she is really making good use of the extra time she speaks of, that is, to make progress in the truth. It might not be long before she dedicates herself.

Another Witness writes about his experiences while in a hospital: “I was there in order to undergo an operation. At first there had to be tests taken for about one week, and I went around and comforted the patients with the truths about the Kingdom. Among them was a state church priest with whom I had long discussions, and he did admit that much of what I was saying was the truth. A young man that had had a stomach operation was very downhearted. I sat at his bed and spoke of how the kingdom of God was going to make all sound of health and that death shall be no more, and there was a marked improvement of his condition, giving him a more balanced view. One nurse had noted how I went to the patients and especially this young man, and one day smilingly said to me: ‘What are you doing with my patients?’ When I told her, she stated: ‘Then it must be for that reason that our ulcer patient has got his appetite back and new courage to live on!’ I then said that spiritual therapy, besides that which the doctor can give them, is very important. ‘Yes, you are right,’ she answered, ‘and I wish you good success in your evident ability to encourage the patients.’”

One young wife got interested and wanted a study, but her husband forbade it, stating that the Witnesses were just lazy people that did not want to do any real work. After a couple of weeks, seeing that the wife did not give in, he decided to get more information so as to be able really to protect his wife against these folks. Reluctantly he followed her to some of the Witnesses and also attended a meeting and right away understood that this is the truth. And after a while he became even more eager than the wife to study our literature. One day he read in the “Sanctified” book, looked up the scriptures in his Bible, looked in the Truth book to see if those scriptures were dealt with there also, and even searched in the “All Scripture” book to find out who were the writers of the Bible books and when these were written, etc. This went on for four hours and he did not allow himself to be disturbed. Within three months after the first visit both of them withdrew from the state church, as they desired to take part in the witnessing work and be baptized.

SWITZERLAND Population: 6,184,000

Peak Publishers: 7,545 Ratio: 1 to 820

The past service year has been a year of intense activity in many respects among the Lord’s people in Switzerland, and we have been richly blessed. Eight times we reached a new peak in publishers. This is something quite exceptional for Switzerland.

This year will also stand out prominently because we had the great joy of moving into our new factory and Bethel home in Thun. How grateful we are to have appreciably more space in which to accomplish our work! The new rotary press was delivered in the spring and was erected by our own brothers. In June we were already printing on our new machine. All the other machines that were in Berne were moved and reerected in Thun by the end of August.

Indelibly impressed on our minds is also the visit of Brother Knorr here in the middle of May and the meetings held with branch servants from Europe in the new Bethel in Thun. The Bethel family and publishers from Berne and Thun will long remember how Brother Knorr lovingly explained the purpose of the new Bethel, and then formally dedicated this beautiful building to the furtherance of Jehovah’s true worship.

Visiting inactive publishers can often produce gratifying results. About three years ago a circuit servant visited a family who had been inactive for a long time. At first this married couple were not very enthusiastic about the visit of the circuit servant, but nevertheless the words of this special representative of the Society must have had their effect, because the whole family attended the public lecture on Sunday. Slowly father and mother began to attend the meetings again with the children. Then father began to study with his children and started in the field service again; in fact, he even enrolled as a vacation pioneer several times.

Meanwhile the son also began to take part in the field service and was baptized. He applied for pioneer service and a few months later he was assigned as special pioneer and is very successful in this service.

Here is an experience he reported right at the beginning of his special pioneer assignment: “I had the opportunity to study the Bible with a mother and her fifteen-year-old daughter with the aid of the Truth book. Sometimes she spoke about a son who was eighteen years old but hardly ever at home. In answer to my question as to the reason, she explained that he played in a ‘Beat Band’ and was in a Town Youth Orchestra, and on the weekends he was either traveling or with his girl friend. This presented a problem. I wanted at least to encourage this son to take part in the study. With the help of his mother I was able to arrange an appointment to meet him one evening at their home. As he entered the room where I was awaiting him that evening, I thought for a moment that the daughter was standing before me, as his hair came down to his shoulders. As I recovered from my first surprise, I began to talk to him about music, which quickly led into a Bible subject, and only after three and a half hours our conversation came to a successful conclusion. He agreed that he would likewise take the time to participate in the study.

“The study developed so well that I looked forward each time to the next visit, although I never arrived home before eleven o’clock. Already after the third study he had his hair cut. After the fourth study he left the ‘Beat Band’ and after the fifth he resigned from the Town Youth Orchestra and made a clean break from Babylon the Great. In place of these things he came regularly to the congregation meetings. During this time he also gave up smoking and severed his friendship with the young lady when she wanted nothing to do with the truth after he had given her a good witness. Very early in his study he perceived that the Bible permitted no compromises whatsoever. All these things he left behind him in such a short time that one naturally asked how he had accomplished it. Well, the explanation he himself gave with the words: ‘You know, without Jehovah’s help, I could never have managed it.’

“After a three-month study he began to tell others about what he had learned. He was not satisfied with spending just the morning in the service, but reserved the whole of Saturday. How great was his joy, and also mine, when he placed a Truth book at the very first door where he presented his first sermon!” This young man was baptized at the circuit assembly held at the end of December. What a great change was effected in this young man by the truth, so that over a period of around three months he became a completely transformed personality!

LIECHTENSTEIN Population: 21,758

Peak Publishers: 9 Ratio: 1 to 2,418

The message of Jehovah’s established kingdom is being preached in this little country as never before. Many people wish to learn more of the only hope for those living in this doomed old system, and willing publishers are zealous in offering this help.

One of our faithful sisters died. She did not neglect to write in her will the desire to be buried by Jehovah’s witnesses, and that no cross be raised on her grave. Such a thing had not been heard of before in the whole country. It was also the first time that a funeral talk was given here by one of Jehovah’s witnesses. As it happened to be a holiday, many people attended and heard a wonderful witness as to the condition of the dead and the resurrection hope. Many voices of appreciation were heard afterward regarding these Bible explanations. Now, standing out among all the crosses in that cemetery, there is one grave with just a small stake and a name tablet. This unusual spectacle continues to be a topic of discussion among the people, and when the publishers call at their doors they have the opportunity to answer questions in connection with our beliefs.

TAIWAN, REPUBLIC OF CHINA Population: 14,000,000

Peak Publishers: 1,135 Ratio: 1 to 12,335

The service year began in Taiwan with the occupation and dedication of the new branch-missionary home building, followed by the memorable Taipei international assembly in October. Because this assembly was all-Chinese in language an Amis-language district assembly was held in December. More than 1,400 attended, making it the largest assembly in Taiwan since the 1963 around-the-world assembly held in the Amis territory. All of this, combined with the restarting of the Kingdom Ministry School in May 1970, contributed to making this service year the most outstanding for growth in Taiwan in the past eight years.

The use of the six-month study program with the Chinese Truth book also contributed greatly to this progress, as evidenced by many experiences. For example, a missionary doing magazine work placed two magazines with a woman who said she had read them before. The missionary offered her a study and this was started immediately. Although the woman was Buddhist of background, she covered a chapter per week and came to meetings right from the start. She readily accepted the Bible truths, for, as she said, “Buddhism has nothing to offer” regarding the future, and the few churches she had attended had in no way satisfied her curiosity about the Bible. After studying for eight months and completing the Truth book and other material, she was baptized as a true disciple of Christ Jesus.

Even in the Amis territory the Chinese and Japanese Truth books have helped to produce good fruitage. One sister had undergone severe opposition from her husband for more than ten years, often being beaten for attending meetings and going in service. One day the husband saw the Truth book on the table and started to read it. It roused his interest so that he agreed to a study with a local pioneer. Rapid progress was made and he was baptized at the district assembly last December. He now takes the lead in teaching his own family the truth and in other Christian activity.

In the Paiwan tribe, where we have just three congregations now, the newest of these was formed in a place where there had been an isolated group a long time. A special pioneer was assigned to this village and was soon able to start studies with the ‘leaders’ of the two local Protestant churches. They made fine progress, one of these women getting baptized at the “Peace on Earth” assembly in Taipei last year and the other at a later circuit assembly. This created quite a stir in the village, and many more started to study as they saw the beneficial changes the truth wrought in these two and others who were studying. The newly formed congregation is now enjoying an average attendance of about 200 percent at all their meetings. So the work is expanding among the smaller tribes also.

Some young children are demonstrating that they have firm faith in Jehovah. One, in third grade of primary school, faced an issue similar to that faced by Daniel’s three friends. When she took the same stand as the three Hebrews she was threatened, cajoled, beaten and finally made to stand in the hot tropical sun for half a day, but she remained firm in her faith. Finally she was released and sent home, and her parents wanted to know why she had been beaten. At hearing her explanation her parents used questions to find out how the experience had affected her faith. They were thrilled to find that she was even more determined to be a faithful servant of Jehovah.

An American couple came to Taiwan in connection with the husband’s secular work and to serve where the need is greater. Two English-language studies were turned over to them to conduct. At one of these it happened that visitors often dropped by during the study and the study would be continued during the visitors’ presence. One of these visitors came several times, and at the end of the closing prayer one day it was noticed that she had tears in her eyes. The ensuing discussion led to a study with her. Three weeks later an antagonistic visitor sat in on the study. She came back three weeks in succession, during which time her attitude softened some. When she heard the date 1914 mentioned she wanted to know what that meant. A study was started and both of these students have now completed the Truth book in six months and the three women are anxious to get started in service and be baptized soon. At present the original two studies have developed into eight, with seven persons attending the English meetings that are held in Taipei. Certainly Jehovah has blessed these efforts to serve where the need is greater by drawing sheeplike ones to one of the only two Bible studies in English conducted in this city of almost two million.

The local publishers and missionaries would like to say “Thank you” to the Society and their brothers around the world whose contributions made possible the building of the fine new branch office here in Taipei with its spacious Kingdom Hall and accommodations for eighteen missionaries. All the missionaries have also asked that their appreciation for the assistance to attend one of the “Peace on Earth” assemblies last year be expressed to all the brothers for this loving provision.

THAILAND Population: 33,522,238

Peak Publishers: 380 Ratio: 1 to 88,216

The past service year has been a very blessed one for Jehovah’s servants in the four countries under the Bangkok branch, and the brothers had many fine experiences in the ministry, a few of which are given here.

Toward the beginning of the service year a young isolated publisher had the opportunity to prove his integrity under test when his headmaster in school noticed that the boy did not share in saluting the flag and called him into his office. The headmaster did not listen to the boy’s attempt to explain God’s law regarding image worship but tried to make him return to Buddhism by commending him for his good qualities and by offering him advantages in school. When the boy stood firm for Jehovah’s exclusive worship, the headmaster changed his tactics and threatened the boy with expulsion from school, had him stand in front of all the students, denounced him as no good and told the other students not to associate with him. With Jehovah’s help the boy bore the ostracism and was able to finish school. This incident caused countrywide adverse publicity through every radio station and newspaper, but this did not dampen the zeal of the brothers for true worship.

The truth of God’s Word has power to make people change their way of life, as illustrated by the following experience. A married couple had accepted the booklet Living in Hope of a Righteous New World and both showed great interest in the good news when the publisher, one of their neighbors, visited them regularly during evenings after work. When the husband had finished reading the booklet he told his wife that he would quit the ways of the world and that he wanted to live according to the ways of God. He said that he would stop drinking, gambling, smoking and running around with the crowd. He had just sent one of the children to buy three cigarettes and was smoking one. He said that after these three cigarettes were finished he would stop. His wife replied, “If you are going to stop, you may as well stop right now. You could throw these three cigarettes away couldn’t you?” He agreed, followed the suggestion and did not smoke anymore. He confessed later that it was not easy to stop smoking after having been addicted to that habit for thirty-six years, but whenever he got the craving for a smoke he would pray to Jehovah for strength. Attending all the meetings regularly helped him too. He got baptized at our district assembly.

A special pioneer sister tried to apply the Society’s counsel to draw the husbands into the study when studying with wives. Usually she had good success. But in one case the husband did not like it at all that his wife would study the Bible and opposed her violently, so the wife left home and went back to her mother with no intentions of returning. She came to the house of the sister to tell her about her move. The sister gave her counsel from the Scriptures to practice endurance and to try to be a good wife so that she might be able to help her husband to see the truth too. So the wife agreed to return to her husband. Upon her return she told her husband that if it had not been for the counsel of the publisher according to the Bible she would certainly not have come back. This made the husband appreciate the influence the sister was having upon his wife and he went and bought vegetables and fruit, brought it to the house of the sister and thanked her for her assistance. Since then he has been sitting in on the Bible study, and it is hoped that he might see the truth.

CAMBODIA Population: 6,000,000

Peak Publishers: 4 Ratio: 1 to 1,500,000

During the first part of the service year there were four publishers of the good news active in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Three French sisters had moved there to serve where the need is greater and they were doing a fine work. When the war started in Cambodia in May, circumstances forced them to leave the country. Nevertheless, in the time that they were there these zealous sisters stirred up the interest of a few persons, and during the visit of the circuit servant one new publisher started in the service.

One of the French sisters, upon returning to France, took up vacation pioneering and expressed her intention to get into the regular pioneer work. Serving where the need is greater even for a short time has proved to be a fine blessing for this sister, helping her to see ever clearer the importance of the preaching work.

LAOS Population: 3,000,000

Peak Publishers: 23 Ratio: 1 to 130,435

After a number of years of seemingly standing still we have finally started to move forward in Laos, with six new publishers started in the last six months. A concerted effort was put forth to lay a right foundation by building up love for Jehovah’s service and his fine principles. It is a joy to us all to see these local brothers stay out for four solid hours of preaching and get better results than we missionaries. One of the newly started publishers is an invalid as a result of polio. She has this to say:

“Knowledge of Jehovah’s promise of a new system of things where the lame will walk again has given me something to live for. For ten years now I have been unable to walk more than a few feet, even with crutches, but by a study of God’s Word and a growing appreciation for his organization I have seen the necessity of attending all congregational meetings regularly. Although I cannot go from door to door, I am now a publisher by writing letters and by incidental witnessing. I am now looking forward to being baptized at the next assembly.”

Another of our new publishers is only twelve years old, but a tender age is no barrier to zeal. In this young girl’s mind everything dates from the time she began to believe the truth. She is always the first one at the rendezvous. She was quite saddened her first time out in the service when her missionary companion suggested taking her home after only two hours of witnessing. Ever since then when she goes out preaching she stays out from eight till twelve noon. She uses every occasion that arises to do incidental witnessing and by this means she has started a Bible study with a schoolmate who is also now attending meetings.

VIETNAM Population: 17,414,000

Peak Publishers: 52 Ratio: 1 to 334,885

Fine progress was made in Saigon this past year, seven presenting themselves for baptism at the circuit assembly there. Many fine experiences were had by the publishers.

A missionary started a study with a thirteen-year-old girl who soon began to show extraordinary interest in the Bible. She began attending meetings and participating in them. Within six months she indicated that she was ready for field service. Her parents at first agreed that she could go; however, shortly after she started, they began to oppose. She was no longer permitted to go in the service or to the meetings, but she put forth effort to continue her personal Bible study with the missionary. Sometimes the missionary would leave home at 6:30 a.m. in order to reach the girl’s home by 7 a.m., the only time available for her to study. When her parents would no longer permit this arrangement, the young girl left early for school and would meet the missionary at the home of one of the publishers for her Bible study before going to school. During this time, more than two years, she was ridiculed and at times beaten for not joining in the worship of the ancestors.

Finally her parents decided to send her far away from contact with Jehovah’s people, so for three months the Witnesses did not know what was happening to the girl. After three months in “exile” the parents visited the girl and found that she had been witnessing to all the relatives, and some of them were becoming interested. So they decided to bring her home and let her do as she pleased. She went to the Kingdom Hall with the announcement, “I have permission from my parents to attend meetings, go in the service, get baptized and become a pioneer.” Since then she has hardly missed a day in the service; one month she put in more than 130 hours. She convinced her mother that she should get rid of her idols and had the joy of having her mother attend her baptism. On the very day she was baptized she filled out her application for six months of vacation pioneering and wants to be a regular pioneer as soon as she is eligible.

It has been suggested that we try to study with whole families, but since in this world families seldom do things together, arranging for a family study is not easy. One of the missionaries writes: “I studied with the husband three months before I was able even to meet his wife, who was always out in the kitchen. When, after three months, he took his altar and images down, I realized that his worship was affecting his family, and so I made another attempt to meet his wife. This resulted in her joining the study with her husband. The seven children were my next goal. The parents agreed, so I began studying with the two oldest girls. They learned quickly, and gradually we persuaded the timid younger ones to sit in. Now to amalgamate the two studies and we would have a family study! With Jehovah’s blessing it was accomplished.

“Soon the father followed the counsel of Jehovah’s organization to read the Bible with his family daily, and then he began to study regularly with them. Meetings and field service became a part of their now-happy life. Fearsome superstitions had been replaced by a wonderful hope for the future. When the wife was asked by a neighbor what nerve pills she was now taking that seemed to help her so much, her reply was, ‘I don’t need my the nerve pills anymore since I started studying the Bible.’ Obstacles and problems came up too, but how helpful to have family members who also love Jehovah. It was with great joy that I witnessed the baptism of three members of this family at our assembly. Two of the daughters put in pioneer hours previous to their baptism and are hoping to be real pioneers soon.

“This happy theocratic family has been a fine example and a source of encouragement to many other Vietnamese people. After one newly interested family of ten attended the congregation book study at their home, they exclaimed: ‘We want a happy family like that. If we study diligently for three months, could we go out and preach like they do? And do you think you would have room if we brought our eight children to your meeting hall?’ The next meeting seven of them came to the Kingdom Hall. How good to have found another family who see what wonderful blessings can come from worshiping Jehovah together as a family!”

TOGO Population: 1,950,000

Peak Publishers: 1,595 Ratio: 1 to 1,223

In his first letter to the Corinthians, 1Co chapter three, verse six, Paul said: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God kept making it grow.” So planting and watering on our part are required in order to allow God’s spirit to operate freely and make it grow. With this understanding all publishers have been working hard during the past service year, and Jehovah kept making it grow. During the service year 246 publishers got baptized, many new isolated groups started operating, and three new congregations had to be formed as well as a new circuit. The prospects for further growth are very good. During the Memorial time we had 1,470 publishers, but 4,994 attended the Memorial. In Lomé, the capital city, every fiftieth one of its inhabitants was in one of our Kingdom Halls on that evening. We also conduct 2,600 home Bible studies, and if we keep on watering, we are sure that Jehovah will give further growth.

A special pioneer started a Bible study with a Catholic man. Any time the pioneer came, the man had many questions on doctrines. But his harsh tone of voice disturbed his wife, who was a fetish worshiper. One day, in the presence of the publisher, she talked to him about his harsh manner. The special pioneer explained to the woman that her husband’s hot arguments were only due to the fact that he did not yet understand the points. The woman was impressed by the contrasting calmness, despite her husband’s heat in the arguments; she began to take interest in the truth, and he cooled down to a serious Bible study. The man made progress and applied things he learned from the Bible. The woman noticed the change in his life and applied also for a Bible study. She made rapid progress, putting away all her fetish practices. But he became somehow reluctant due to the fact that he was a prominent member of the church and also a polygamist. Both were invited to the district assembly, which they attended, and after their return they became more zealous in the truth. The man stopped going to church and gave up all his positions. After attending another assembly he straightened out his marriage affairs and began publishing. His wife too started out in the service as well as their sons, daughters and his sister-in-law who had been a fetish priestess. They are now enrolled in the Theocratic Ministry School and they are preparing for baptism at the next assembly.

One congregation servant writes: “In our territory are mostly Presbyterians and they oppose us, even calling us false prophets. But our endurance, good conduct and our recent circuit assembly changed the situation. The catechist in town told his church members that they are not good Christians but only church-goers, but Jehovah’s witnesses are the right kind of Christians. Then he explained and said: Witnesses are hardworking people, zealous in the service, lovely in their manners, and they are doing the work that Christ and his apostles did. The best example was their recent assembly in town. They all came from different localities; they gathered as a family. Throughout their stay their methods of studying the Bible and their tranquillity dominated at their assembly even though they are many. Then he spoke about the cafeteria and he said that the food was served without any seniority, and he urged his church members to do things as Jehovah’s witnesses are doing. This gave many fine opportunities in the field service, and since then we had to arrange a new congregation book study to help the many newly interested ones to study God’s Word in order to get out of Babylon the Great.”

TRINIDAD Population: 981,689

Peak Publishers: 2,133 Ratio: 1 to 460

The 1970 service year has now drawn to a close and has been a year of many blessings and experiences both in Trinidad and in Tobago. From its beginning it has been a year of making disciples and baptizing them. Our “Peace on Earth” assembly at the beginning of October saw 152 get baptized, and during the rest of the year more and more took this important step, until at the year’s end there were a total of 284 newly baptized ones, which causes rejoicing on our part.

The most momentous event of the year and one that has had some impact on the preaching work was the effort of radical elements to overthrow the government during April, with the consequent declaration by the government of an emergency that still continues. Just how far-reaching the effects of this disturbance and the following emergency will be is yet to be seen. One effect was that all public assemblies other than regular religious services in established meeting places must have the permission of the Commissioner of Police. And so we had to secure this permission for our circuit assemblies. This proved easy to obtain and our assemblies went off very smoothly, with the exception of our largest one, in Port of Spain during July. Here we saw a demonstration that impressed more strongly on our minds that the work is really under angelic supervision.

Just before the assembly was to begin, the circuit servant was informed by the Commissioner of Police that, while we could hold the assembly, we could not use any sound equipment. An interview with him proved fruitless. A delegation then attempted to see the Minister of National Security and failed. A second attempt was made to get the Commissioner to change his mind, but he emphatically stated that he would not change his mind. As a result the Friday program was put on with no sound equipment at all, to an audience of over 1,300. Saturday morning a brother who had formerly been a policeman and was a rookie with the Commissioner attempted to have an interview, only to be told that the Commissioner was not in his office on weekends. Well, all efforts had been exhausted now, and it appeared that we really could not use sound equipment for the entire assembly. Then about noon on Saturday a young woman who was interested and who had attended Friday night and could not hear made up her mind to do something about it. She decided to phone the Commissioner at his residence, although she was not acquainted with him. First, she said, ‘I prayed that Jehovah would soften his heart.’ And the Commissioner granted this request of a person not one of Jehovah’s witnesses and who did not represent them in any way! The sound was fine for the remaining days of the assembly, and 2,187 attended the public talk.

When a piece of literature is left in a home, one can never tell what it will lead to. The Truth book was placed with a lady in Norway. She left it on her table, but never got around to reading it. Her brother, visiting her from Trinidad, picked it up and started reading. He recognized it as the truth, something he had always wanted. He got in touch with the publisher who had placed the book with his sister and obtained more literature. He visited the branch office in Norway for further information, and on his return to Trinidad a study was started with him. He is making good progress, and is witnessing to all his friends who will listen. As he himself puts it: “Just think, if my sister had not bought that book I might never have learned the truth.”

Physical infirmity need not make one inactive or unproductive. A sister who is elderly suffered a stroke and was confined to bed. The problem of becoming irregular in the field service arose, so it was thought that those with whom she had been conducting studies should be invited to her home to continue their studies. They willingly agreed. Now, months later, the studies are still being held. One student is preparing for immersion in October and another has expressed her desire to take part in the ministry. All together, eleven different persons are continuing to take in knowledge of Jehovah. The sister conducts three studies and assists with one that her daughter conducts. She averages three to five hours weekly.

We have had a busy and enjoyable year in promoting Jehovah’s true worship and are now preparing for the coming service year. There is yet much work to do in this part of the “vineyard,” and prospects for further increase and improvement are encouraging. We had hoped that by now we could inform you that we had a site for a branch building and were ready to build, but we are still waiting for the Cabinet to reply to our application for land. We sincerely hope that during the coming year we may get a suitable site and begin our long-delayed construction of the new building.

TOBAGO Population: 38,861

Peak Publishers: 95 Ratio: 1 to 409

This was Tobago’s finest year of increase since 1956. Not only in publishers was there increase, but general improvement and advancement were experienced. At the year’s end a fine spirit prevailed in the two congregations, and the future prospects look bright. Many interesting experiences were enjoyed.

It pays to call on the not-at-homes, as this sister can testify: “One day while making a back-call, I noticed a woman in a house where no one had been home. I called at the door and the woman was very happy to see me. I discussed the current sermon and offered the Truth book and the six-month Bible study course, which she accepted right away. I remember her remark: ‘God really sent you here to teach me and these children.’ I invited her to the Memorial, which she attended. Since then she has attended other meetings and is making fine progress with her studies. As God’s servants we are not alone, but our ingathering work is having angelic supervision. Do you, when witnessing, think of this, even as the lady said: ‘God sent you here to teach me and these children’?”

Another publisher relates how the Truth book really helps sincere ones to apply to their lives what they learn. “Once I placed the Truth book with a woman. When I made the first back-call, she invited two of her friends to join in with her. As the study progressed we got to chapter three, which asks, ‘Who Is God?’ On paragraph 23 John’s warning to ‘guard yourselves from idols’ was discussed. Then she removed the false religious objects from the wall. Afterward she remarked: ‘I need not tell you I have cleaned the house already, so no more images or gods.’ As Jesus says, in our making disciples we must teach them to observe all the things he commanded.”

URUGUAY Population: 2,800,000

Peak Publishers: 3,199 Ratio: 1 to 875

Jehovah’s witnesses and their literature are becoming well known in Uruguay. One sociology professor often analyzes Awake! articles in his advanced classes for teachers, and in one interview he commented: “I often read and advise others to read the Awake! magazine. Articles such as ‘The World in Ferment,’ ‘The Population Crisis,’ ‘Why the “Hippie” Movement?’ are some of the most courageous expositions available to comprehend the modern world. I have found these facts and figures truly revealing.”

One city congregation worked isolated territory for the purpose of finding the newly interested ones and developing Bible studies with them rather than just trying to increase their placements of literature. Many studies were begun. Seeing the good prospects in this area, the Society assigned two pioneers to give better attention to this small nucleus. Only seven months later they began building a Kingdom Hall and formed a congregation. These twenty new publishers are zealously building their new Kingdom Hall while at the same time maintaining their field ministry well above the suggested congregation goals. How happy the brothers are who viewed the people in their former isolated territory as prospective “sheep” needing proper spiritual feeding through back-calls and Bible studies, rather than only a means of increasing their literature placements!

In one small town a modern “Saul of Tarsus” appeared. This lady hated the Witnesses and unhesitatingly made her dislike known to others. Eventually her parents began to study with the Witnesses. In order to thwart the study she went to the home of her parents. Instead of entering and disrupting the study immediately, she decided to listen first from outside the window. The subject dealt with the condition of the dead. This really touched her heart and it dawned on her that this is the truth. That night her mind kept going over the points she heard, and she could not sleep. Next day she visited the publisher and requested a personal study. Almost from the beginning she sincerely applied what she learned, throwing away her images, etc. She also began attending meetings and went out in the ministry within one month. She reviewed the eighty questions in the “Lamp” book and got baptized in one month and a half, along with her thirteen-year-old daughter. After two months both are conducting their own Bible studies with others and are zealous preachers, in spite of strong opposition from the head of the family. No, we should not hastily judge those who are opposed, since they may someday become our zealous, loving brothers and sisters.

After one sister read the suggestion that publishers might inquire of their Bible students as to whether they knew of anyone who would also like to study, she began putting it into practice. As a result of this, the publisher was able to start seven new Bible studies. Many have found that a good source of new good Bible studies is the recommendations from their present older students.

FALKLAND ISLANDS Population: 2,300

Peak Publishers: 2 Ratio: 1 to 1,150

During the past year Bible studies have continued with interested persons in the islands by means of letters and tape recordings. In August and September a missionary couple was assigned to work the city of Port Stanley and they revisited the many persons who had previously manifested a sheeplike disposition. This year the missionaries were able to resume many of the Bible studies and also succeeded in having them come together for regular group meetings, book studies, and a weekly Watchtower study. Having regular weekly Bible studies has meant a remarkable step forward and will help them to grow in knowledge and understanding. It is hoped that the group will diligently continue with the same arrangement of weekly meetings after the missionaries complete their work in the islands. The need is still great for an English-speaking family to move there and care for the interest personally.

VENEZUELA Population: 10,467,000

Peak Publishers: 7,387 Ratio: 1 to 1,417

Toward the end of his first letter to the Corinthians Paul wrote these encouraging words: “Consequently, my beloved brothers, become steadfast, unmovable, always having plenty to do in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in connection with the Lord. (1 Cor. 15:58) The zealous publishers in Venezuela have had plenty to do during this past service year, and as a result they have had a wonderful increase in the number of publishers. It was a joy to see 1,133 new publishers symbolize their dedication by water immersion. The following experiences show how the fruitful labor of the publishers has not been in vain.

A congregation overseer relates his personal experience. “My experience might be of some encouragement to persons who have certain physical handicaps to trust in Jehovah with all their heart. (Prov. 3:5) I was a sincere, almost fanatic Catholic, a good contributor and with materialistic ideas.

“In 1960 in a traffic accident I lost instantly and totally my left leg. It was so serious that it took me eight months to recover fully from the fractures of the other leg and an arm. Naturally, as anyone without Bible knowledge might reason, at times I felt so discouraged that I even thought of suicide. My outlook on life changed when, in 1962, I obtained the Paradise book, which I read in about a week. It proved so interesting that I was almost convinced it was the truth. I wrote the branch office asking for more of the same literature and a Portuguese Bible, because I wanted to share these good things with my parents. But the result was far different from what I imagined, for when my mother knew I was studying the Bible she said she suffered more than when I had the almost-fatal accident.

“In 1963 a trip was arranged to Portugal to visit the Catholic relatives, as my parents thought perhaps they could separate me from the Witnesses. That year there was a lot of persecution in Portugal and it took me about two months to find a Kingdom Hall​—but what joy when I finally did! Contrary to what my mother had hoped, many of our family already were interested in the truth. Now came the test: A month later when we were attending a meeting the police came and all of us were arrested and taken to court. (Awake! 5/22/64, ¡Despertad! 8/22/64) In spite of the short time that some of us had studied, all kept integrity, and I was baptized a month and a half later. In November that same year we returned to Venezuela, my parents no longer opposed but in favor of the truth.

“The local congregation servant mentioned the need of servants in the congregation, although I thought I could not enjoy the privilege due to my physical condition. He encouraged me and later I was appointed study conductor and since then have enjoyed many privileges in Jehovah’s service. How certain it is that Jehovah imparts strength to the one who trusts in Him with all his heart. I, who thought at first that I could not even be a publisher, now have been a regular pioneer for two years. I was able to attend the ‘Peace on Earth’ assembly in New York and visit Bethel, besides having the privilege of serving as an overseer in one of the units in Valencia, and what joy to see ten publishers of this congregation, including my parents, baptized at the last circuit assembly!”

Incidental witnessing proved fruitful for a publisher in Caracas. “In the office of the oil company where I work, I’m always alert to preach incidentally to fellow workers. On one occasion I was talking to an engineer about the good news. He knew that I was one of Jehovah’s witnesses, and he said that if a Witness called at his door he’d throw him out because no one has the right to go to his house and tell him the Catholic religion is false. At that I asked, ‘If I were the person, would you do it? He said, No, of course not, we’re fellow workers.’ So I asked his address, but he refused, saying, ‘Someday you might just happen to find it.’ A few weeks later in the preaching work my wife and I did just that. The man and his wife listened respectfully as we witnessed for about an hour, and from his own Bible, as I knew he was prejudiced against other translations. They were surprised at what they read. The Truth book was placed and the Awake! on the question of the end of the churches.

“On Monday at the office I asked what he thought of the literature. He said he would like us to visit again. How pleased we were on arriving to find he had listed twenty questions on paper. With Jehovah’s help we were able to give a Bible answer to all, and at this point I remembered John 10:14, because the couple began to recognize the voice of the Fine Shepherd, Jesus Christ. A study was arranged, and at the close of the first study they asked to study twice a week. Two months later the wife wanted to participate in the ministry. Having by now a good knowledge and having separated from Babylon the Great, she was invited. The following week the husband wanted to go, but he was encouraged first to stop smoking, which he did. Both began to associate with the congregation immediately, and after five months of study were active and zealous publishers. At the last circuit assembly they were baptized.”

Sincere persons, regardless of age, quickly see the need of abandoning Babylon the Great. In the magazine work a special pioneer met a lady who, after the brief introduction, asked, “Are you Catholic?” “No,” the publisher replied, “I’m one of Jehovah’s witnesses.” “Oh,” said the householder, “in that case, come in. I was a Catholic for many years but haven’t been to church for a long time because I realize it isn’t the true religion.” The publisher offered her the magazines and at the same time mentioned the Bible study course with the Truth book. The first study was conducted in her bedroom, due to noise in the living room. The room was filled with images, and during the study she said: “I have these because since childhood I was taught to believe in them, but if it’s incorrect I’ll take them down.” The lady was surprised at the information presented in chapter three of the Truth book along with the Bible proof and definitely did take them down. The first meeting she attended was the Memorial and she was very impressed by what she heard and saw. Since then she has continued coming to the hall and has studied twice a week. She also began witnessing to the neighbors and suggested that she would like to accompany the sister in the ministry. Knowing she gambled for money, the publisher told her there were certain requirements to be fulfilled, and included in the information given her was that point. The following week she had resolved not to gamble anymore. She always expresses appreciation for the teaching method of Jehovah’s witnesses. This humble person is seventy-three years old.

YUGOSLAVIA

Our brothers in Yugoslavia continue to preach the good news of the Kingdom, and as a result of this a good witness was given in the past service year and a goodly number of persons have become disciples. The Council’s Voice, a religious journal published in Yugoslavia by Archbishop’s Religious Board, had this to say about our activity there: “If the Catholic laity would be active messengers of their religion as are the zealous Witnesses of Jehovah, this sect would not be any problem at all for the Church.”

In a village the brothers were active several Sundays. When they went to make back-calls on one of the following Sundays, they became aware that the clergyman of the village had collected all literature from those who had received such. He told the surprised householders: “Tell those who brought you these publications to come to me and get them back from me.” Upon this, two brothers went to the house of the clergyman, and a considerable group of spectators gathered around the house in order to watch what would happen now. When the two brothers met the clergyman, he shouted: “Oh, it is you; get out of here!” He chased the brothers out of the house, even resorting to physical force and calling for the police. Outside of the house the brothers asked: “Where is the literature?” The pastor shouted: “Everything is burnt, everything is burnt! Go ahead and file a charge if you wish! I have two doctor titles. How can you talk to me about matters of faith?” The brothers remained very calm during all this and then one of them said: “Christ has promised the kingdom of God to the mild-tempered ones. Have you never heard of it, seeing that you have two doctor titles?” Then the brothers left and the clergyman went into his house, filled with indignation. To the crowd the brothers promised to bring new literature the next Sunday. When they went there the next Sunday they were told in the first house that the clergyman had died on the very same day that this had happened, at night. The brothers were also told that the new clergyman who took over the office had no objection if people read the literature of Jehovah’s witnesses. And now the brothers could place a lot of literature in this village, the incident having become known and discussed everywhere. So oftentimes the wrath of our enemies contributes to a greater witness.

ZAMBIA Population: 4,500,000

Peak Publishers: 50,655 Ratio: 1 to 89

Jehovah’s witnesses in Zambia took to heart the fine encouragement that the Lord gave the apostle Paul through a vision, as recorded in Acts chapter 18, verses 9 and 10: “Have no fear, but keep on speaking and do not keep silent, because I am with you and no man will assault you so as to do you injury; for I have many people in this city.”

Just as the Lord assured the apostle Paul that he would be given protection to ensure that no one assaulted him and did injury to him until the preaching work was accomplished, so Jehovah’s witnesses in Zambia are very grateful that Jehovah made it possible for them to carry out their Christian ministry in peace during the 1970 service year. Disciples for Christ the King were made, resulting in a new peak of 50,655 publishers by the end of July. It is just as the apostle Paul acknowledged: “The word of God is not bound.”​—2 Tim. 2:9.

This experience illustrates the power the truth has in transforming the lives of people who accept it. It started in this way:

A certain man had a house servant whom he employed to cook for him. However, his house servant did not perform his duties properly and faithfully. When a circuit servant came to serve a nearby congregation, a special effort was made tactfully to call on various persons to see whether they were interested in the truth. This house servant was contacted by one of the publishers and a Bible study was established with him.

This person began to come to the meetings conducted at the Kingdom Hall. In just a very short period his entire conduct was changed, so much so that even his master noticed a great change in the way he performed his duties in the home. He took the trouble to investigate what brought about this change in his employee. When it was explained to him that his house servant was studying the Bible with Jehovah’s witnesses and that he was now regularly attending their meetings, he summoned the servants in that local congregation to come to his house.

The brothers went to his house, but, of course, not knowing what it was all about. When they arrived they were surprised to see that the man was in a very good mood. He began to thank the brothers for having helped his employee to change his conduct so that now he had proved to be such a fine worker. Then he remarked, “To show you how much I appreciate the fine work you have done, I am giving you a piano for your use at the congregation meetings.” His house servant is still making a fine progress in the truth along with his family.