Felipe Ventura of Binalonan, Pangasinan, spent 13 years of his youth in full-time service before raising a family. As his family grew up, he desired to return to the pioneer work, but diabetes caused blindness in one eye. Then about four years ago he became completely blind. Despite this, Felipe was able to continue running a small business to support his family and, with the help of his wife and children, was able to adjust his time so as to become a pioneer once again on April 1, 1985. Despite his handicap, he engages in the house-to-house ministry with the help of his son, who reads Bible texts for him. Brother Ventura also conducts several home Bible studies and is an appointed elder in the congregation. One of his sons serves as a regular pioneer along with him, and his daughter is an auxiliary pioneer from time to time.

Serving Full-Time Though Blind

Because of a bout with German measles, Pantaleon Tatoy has been blind since he was three years old. In 1972 he heard the truth for the first time and began to study the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life. This soon helped him overcome his addiction to tobacco and liquor, and he symbolized his dedication to Jehovah by baptism on July 29, 1973.

When Pantaleon first started to preach to his neighbors, his older sister chided him: “How can you be a minister when you are blind and have only one pair of pants?” But this did not discourage him. Since he knew well the area around his home, he went out alone and preached the truth to his neighbors. In 1984 he rejoiced to be able to help his cousin and nephew to learn the truth, and they were baptized in September of that year.

Pantaleon has also been able to conduct a Bible study with his twin nieces, Lorna and Luz, who are both deaf-mutes. How does a blind pioneer study with such individuals? With the help of an assistant, he uses the illustrations in the publications extensively. When explaining the truth, his cousin Roquina translates what he says into sign language for the twins. Lorna and Luz were baptized on April 20, 1985, despite their big handicap. As for Pantaleon, after serving as an auxiliary pioneer for a year, he was appointed as a regular pioneer on March 1, 1985.