-
‘Lengthening the Tent Cords’ in JapanThe Watchtower—1985 | June 15
-
-
Today, 37 years after the first missionaries entered the country, nearly 40 percent of all Witnesses in Japan are in the full-time (pioneer) work each month, with 36,118 reporting even in the short midwinter month of February 1985.
-
-
‘Lengthening the Tent Cords’ in JapanThe Watchtower—1985 | June 15
-
-
Would you like to meet some of these zealous ones? Let us get acquainted with at least a few, representing the spectrum of these pioneers.
First, meet some of the old-timers. Iwako Kono is our oldest special pioneer. At age 70 she has enjoyed this privilege of service for about 28 years and has helped almost 50 persons to dedication and baptism. Then there is Sadakichi Shimada. At 87 years of age he is the oldest regular pioneer in Japan. Toyoko Umemoto was 26 years old when she started to special pioneer. Now, with more than 29 years of faithful service, she has served the longest of any native Japanese special pioneer.
At the other end of the scale, there are many young ones who are using their youth to serve Jehovah. Meri Aida was 14 years old when she received her appointment to serve as a regular pioneer. Before that she had shared in auxiliary pioneer service for 41 months since her baptism at age 11. She did so while going to school.
Akiko Goto was seven years old when her mother started to do regular pioneer work, in spite of caring for two babies. Akiko followed her mother’s fine example and became a regular pioneer when she was 18, and then two years later she became the youngest special pioneer in Japan. Hisako Wakui was 21 when she started as a special pioneer. Now, after some 28 years, she has had the privilege of helping at least 37 persons to become worshipers of Jehovah.
Many have gone out from the big cities to the small towns and villages to bring the “good news of the kingdom” to all the deserving ones. Interestingly, about 60 percent of all regular pioneers are housewives, and the majority of them do not have believing husbands. This marvelous pioneer spirit has spearheaded the growth of Kingdom interests in Japan.
-
-
‘Lengthening the Tent Cords’ in JapanThe Watchtower—1985 | June 15
-
-
[Picture on page 24]
Toyoko Umemoto has the longest record of special pioneering
[Picture on page 25]
Sadakichi Shimada is the oldest regular pioneer in Japan
-