Piet Wentzeld was a young pioneer at the time. Reminiscing about those early years, he recalls: “I was transferred to Vereeniging, with Frans Muller as my pioneer partner. Before we started with our Public Meeting campaign in July 1945, I prepared two of the four talks that were to be given. I went down to the river every lunchtime, and for one hour I spoke to the river and the trees, practicing my talks for a whole month before I felt confident enough to address an audience.” When the first talk was given in Vereeniging, 37 interested people attended. From this, the foundation was laid for a congregation that was formed later.

After many years as a traveling overseer, Piet, with his wife, Lina, was invited to Bethel. Now a member of the Branch Committee, he has maintained his zeal for the ministry and is still an ardent student of the Bible. Lina died on February 12, 2004, after 59 years as a full-time servant of Jehovah.

[Picture on page 90]

Frans Muller and Piet Wentzel with phonographs, 1945