Zimbabwe

TURN to the front inside cover of this Yearbook. Run your finger down to the southern part of the continent of Africa. There you will see a small landlocked country known as Zimbabwe (formerly Southern Rhodesia and Rhodesia). It lies between the Limpopo and the Zambezi rivers. To the north is Zambia; to the east is Mozambique, with South Africa and Botswana bordering the south and west.

The name “Zimbabwe” comes from several groups of ancient stone ruins in the country, most of which were originally  built with mortarless masonry​—a skillful work indeed. The name itself has been explained as meaning “place of stone” or “venerated houses.” Some say it signifies a “court or great place of a chief.” Whatever the exact meaning, it does refer to stone buildings of an impressive nature that give evidence of a once flourishing society. And now it is the official name of the country as a whole.

Politically, for the most part, this country has been quiet. The obvious exception to this was a shooting war of almost a decade in length during the 1970’s. This was a war for majority rule. From the early 1920’s until 1965 the country was a self-governing colony under Britain, with the government in the hands of a white minority. Then in 1965, because Britain refused to grant independence without majority rule, the government declared its own independence unilaterally. Seeds of discontent began to germinate and grow until finally rebellion against minority rule broke out in the form of an all-out war​—one that did not end until 1980. It was in this year that the country experienced its first voting for a majority rule. With it came the new name, “Zimbabwe.”

NATURAL RESOURCES

Climatewise, Zimbabwe has everything one would want and more: cool refreshing rains in the summer and warm, sunny days in the winter. And the temperature? Almost ideal in most parts of the country. In the capital, Harare (formerly called Salisbury), the average maximum temperature is 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28° C.) in summer and 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18° C.) in winter.

 This equitable climate has contributed much to the agricultural growth of the country, which has just about everything. What stirs your taste buds most? The lush, mild fruits of the tropics, such as bananas, papaws (papayas) or mangoes? We have them. Or do you prefer more refreshing fruits such as apples, pears, peaches or nectarines? If so, Zimbabwe has these too.

As for scenic beauty, in the west is the famous Victoria Falls, one of the seven wonders of the modern world. In the east are the beautiful mountainous regions referred to as the Eastern Highlands. In between, scattered throughout various parts of the country, are game parks well stocked with wild animals.

But while there is much to attract the eye, what we really want to tell you about is something most desirable. This relates to the ones mentioned by Jehovah through the prophet Haggai (2:7) as being “the desirable things of all the nations.” Yes, we also have these “desirable things” in Zimbabwe​—people who take up true worship. But how did they get here?

EVIDENCE OF EARLY INTEREST

It is very difficult to ascertain exactly when the message of God’s Kingdom first reached this country. However, it is a matter of record that by 1910 much of the Society’s literature in English was in circulation in Malawi (then Nyasaland) to the north, as well as in South Africa. At least by the early 1920’s the message contained in this literature was filtering into Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia) by means of itinerant workers. From this  small beginning, study groups began to be formed in various centers from Mutare on the Mozambique border to Hwange, a large mining town near the Victoria Falls in the west.

One of those who learned the truth in those early days was Hamilton K. Maseko, who is still serving faithfully as an elder in Pretoria, South Africa. He says: “In 1924 I traveled from Nyasaland to Bulawayo, where I began associating with the Bible Students. What these people studied made sense and gave me an understanding of the promises of the Bible.” He stayed for two years before going on to South Africa.

Another one of the early preachers of God’s truth in Zimbabwe was Nason Mukaronda. In fact, he appears to have been the first one to be baptized in this country. That was in 1924. He entered the  full-time ministry in 1947, became a circuit overseer in 1948 and is still going strong as a special pioneer at 82 years of age.

SEPARATE DEVELOPMENT

Due to circumstances in this country, the development of interest in the Kingdom message took place along two lines, according to race. First, let us consider the early progress made in the African-language field.

The year that the truth really began to take hold seems to be 1924. It was then that Nathan Muchinguri first learned the truth, in the Eastern Districts. He says: “The people who brought the truth to us were two men from Nyasaland. They not only taught us doctrinal truths but also said that if we wanted to be God’s people we must be clean in heart and action.” He was baptized that year and was later used by the Society as the first translator of Bible literature into Shona, the language spoken by the majority of the people.

Two others who featured prominently in those days were Wilson Stima and Robin Manyochi. Brother Stima first became interested in the truth in Malawi in 1925. He then came to Zimbabwe and settled in Mutare where he proved to be a great help to the newly formed group there. He later moved to Bulawayo and in 1948 became one of our early pioneers. Brother Stima, who is now 76 years of age, has been serving as a special pioneer since 1955.

The other brother, Robin Manyochi, first started his theocratic career in 1929. This was in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city. However, he was  baptized in Salisbury (now called Harare) in 1932. When he arrived in Harare it was not long before he got in touch with Willie Kuchocha and a few others who formed the only congregation in the area.

Soon, however, they realized that not all in the congregation were genuine witnesses for Jehovah. But let us have Brother Manyochi relate what happened:

“In 1932, a letter was received from the Cape Town office saying that we should begin preaching from house to house; until then we had not been doing this. Only Brother Kaunda, his wife, Willie Kuchocha and I, of all those in the congregation, felt we should follow the instructions. For this, however, we were expelled from the congregation. But later others realized that the house-to-house work was Scriptural, and they started associating with us. And what about those who opposed this way of preaching? Later, in 1933, the authorities, disturbed by the increased activity, deported the former overseer and his assistant, thinking they were still the ‘ringleaders’ of the congregation.”

Brother Manyochi had many colorful experiences in his early years in the truth. On one occasion he was brought before the local district commissioner because of his preaching work. When asked where he had learned these things, he said to the district commissioner: “From the Bible, the book you brought to us here in Africa. I am just explaining to the people what I learned from the Bible.”

Robin Manyochi is now 85 years old. He and his wife, Rosie, are still special pioneering, after several years in the circuit work. Of interest is a recent  report from a circuit overseer concerning Brother Manyochi. He says: “This old man is doing a wonderful work. He has many Bible studies. Most of the publishers are depending upon him.”

EARLY BEGINNINGS IN THE ENGLISH FIELD

Now let us go over to the English field. Strangely, seeds of truth began to be planted about the same time as in the vernacular field, although from different sources. It began in 1921 when three brothers from the South Africa branch in Cape Town, Henry Ancketill, P. J. deJager and P. Williams, made a brief trip to this country and gave talks in Bulawayo and Salisbury. These were followed in 1924 and 1925 by others, mainly for the purpose of trying to  get the work legally established, but without results.

These English-speaking Witnesses were all very much limited in what they could do, since they were prohibited from making contact with the African people, who made up, by far, the largest portion of the population. However, seeds of truth were being sown.

One place where these seeds of Kingdom truth really took root was on a large 1,500,000-acre (610,000-ha) ranch in a remote corner of the country, where Jack McLuckie was working. That was in 1928. Jack’s wife, Dorell, was in South Africa at the time, and it was there that she was contacted with the Kingdom message by Jack’s brother, Bert. As a result, Jack received the seven volumes of Studies in the Scriptures.

Jack enjoyed these so much that immediately he had a great desire to pass on this good news to his friends. But this was no easy task. The nearest post office was 56 miles * away, and neighbors were few and far between. Transport was only by mule or oxcart. Undaunted, Jack wrote for booklets to distribute. At social gatherings on the farm he never missed an opportunity to give a witness concerning the Kingdom. In fact, Jack, his brother Bert (known affectionately as “Uncle Jack” and “Uncle Bertie”), and their families became so zealous that in the whole southern part of the country the truth became known as “the McLuckie religion.”

ON INTO THE 1930’S

Still determined to get the Kingdom message firmly established among all races, the South Africa  branch in 1932 sent four pioneers, one of whom was Robert Nisbet, now in Australia. This trip was not without its troubles. These pioneers had been in the country only ten days when they were called to the Criminal Investigation Department. Some days later, they were ordered to leave within 48 hours and told there would be no appeal. They did appeal, however, and as Brother Nisbet reported: “We were allowed to stay six months provided we did not work among the Africans.” This seemed to be the big fear of the authorities at that time.

Little in the way of results came out of that 1932 visit. However, another trip was made in 1938 and  it bore more fruit. By that time there were enough publishers for the first English-speaking congregation to be formed.

REMOVING THE BARRIER OF SEPARATE DEVELOPMENT

While this was going on, someone else appeared on the scene who was to contribute much toward more firmly establishing the work, especially in the Bulawayo area. This was Willie McGregor, who, at 80 years of age, is serving as an elder in one of the Bulawayo congregations. Brother McGregor, who was baptized in Scotland in 1924, came to Zimbabwe in 1929 as a young bank clerk. In 1933 he settled in Bulawayo. There he proved to be very useful to the brothers during some very difficult years.

Please keep in mind that during all these years the government was very uncooperative toward the Witnesses, especially with regard to the African brothers. As Robert Nisbet put it: “The opposition from both the government and many white Rhodesians had been, humanly speaking, overwhelming.” The opposers exerted constant effort to prevent the Kingdom message from spreading into the vernacular field.

In view of this, it is interesting to learn about the first organized interracial Watchtower Study in the country. It was conducted by means of two translators. But let Willie McGregor tell it:

“When the study had been in progress for about half an hour, we saw 12 to 15 mounted police approaching us. This caused a certain nervousness. I asked the brothers to continue our study just as we had been doing. On arrival, the police circled the  study (held in the open under a tree) a short distance away but within earshot and with the heads of the horses pointing toward us. The police remained until the closing prayer when, at a signal, they turned their horses and rode off.” No arrests, no interference. Was this a breakthrough of the barrier of separate development? Small indeed. But it was a start.

LEGAL BATTLES ESTABLISH THE GOOD NEWS

Not having been able to prevent the truth from getting well rooted in Zimbabwe, officials took a new turn in their opposition. In fact, the year 1936 began a decade of what turned out to be the most intense official persecution in the history of the work in this country.

In that year the government enacted the Sedition Act and declared 14 of the Society’s publications to be seditious. In 1937 this resulted in a test case that was heard in the courts. Here is how Willie McGregor describes what happened:

“The decision of the Magistrate of Bulawayo that the publications were seditious was appealed, and the High Court at Bulawayo found the publications not to be seditious under the Sedition Act.” Showing how determined the government of that time was to stop the distribution of our Bible literature, “the government then appealed this decision to the Appellate Division at Bloemfontein, South Africa. In March 1938 that court upheld the judgment of the High Court, Bulawayo, that the literature was not seditious and dismissed the appeal with costs.”

This case resulted in a fine witness. The Bulawayo  Chronicle reported the court’s opinion in full. George Phillips, from the Society’s Cape Town office, sat beside the Society’s counsel in court and helped him to find appropriate scriptures and to explain extracts from the publications that had been declared to be seditious. The Society’s advocate, incidentally, was Mr. Hugh Beadle, who later became Chief Justice of Rhodesia (Zimbabwe).

OPPOSITION INTENSIFIES

In 1939 opposers launched a more intensified campaign to curb the activities of the now growing, but still small, group of zealous Witnesses. By now there were 477 publishers in the country, of which about 16 were white. It was against these latter ones that the opposition was particularly directed.

In that same year a family moved to Zimbabwe, a move that was to have a profound effect upon the  Kingdom work during the next few years. This was Jack McLuckie’s brother Bert, his wife, Carmen, and their children. Even today at 85 years of age, Bert McLuckie is known for his fiery deliveries and his untiring zeal for Jehovah. This zeal led him and his family into many interesting and exciting experiences, as we shall see.

During 1940 the activities of Jehovah’s people became the subject of much concern and discussion, especially among religious leaders. Newspapers published letters that were intended to bring Jehovah’s work into disrepute. To counteract this, the Society’s Cape Town office printed a tract entitled Religious Intolerance in Southern Rhodesia. It was addressed “To All Order-Loving Rhodesians.” This tract was delivered to every home, office and place of business in Bulawayo and its district.

Then in November 1940, the government took advantage of war hysteria and banned the importation and distribution of all the Society’s literature. The handful of brothers, along with such zealous ones as Jack and Bert McLuckie and Willie McGregor, decided to test the validity of this restriction. So out they went with the literature. That is when the fireworks began. The police made arrests! Court cases followed! At the start, most cases were thrown out of court. But this soon changed.

One interesting incident occurred when both Bert and Jack McLuckie found themselves in court. Jack was one of those who disliked being let off on technical grounds. He would rather have gone to prison. You will enjoy having Bert tell you what happened:

“I was given permission to question the witnesses against Jack. As there is a strong family resemblance,  I asked the witnesses if they could swear that it was Jack who had approached them and not I. On admission that they could not be certain, the case was dismissed, much to Jack’s chagrin.”

Quite a number of brothers landed in prison during those days, some for distributing banned literature and some over the issue of Christian neutrality. Among these was Willie McGregor. Brother McGregor, who by this time was a bank official, was dismissed from the bank. He says of his imprisonment: “I was the only prisoner in the European jail undergoing hard labor. Although others were sentenced for murder, robbery and violence of different kinds, they played chess and dominoes and read books to pass the time while I was put to work painting down the pipes and woodwork on the outside of the building.”

WINDS OF CHANGE IN THE 1940’S

The earlier part of this decade saw little change in official attitude toward the Kingdom work. In 1942 (the year Bert McLuckie spent another four and a half months in jail) the brothers took excerpts from the Yearbook and printed a booklet entitled Jehovah’s Witnesses: Who Are They? What Is Their Work? More arrests followed! The fact that there was no publisher’s name in the booklet made no difference. Among those arrested were Willie McGregor and Gerry Arsenis, a newly baptized Greek brother in Salisbury (now called Harare).

Gradually, however, the situation began to change. Evidence of a softening up began to show itself. In a long letter to the Bulawayo Chronicle a woman wrote: “McLuckie himself came to our  house. He came very quietly, clutching a Bible in his hand, and when I answered the door he spoke courteously: ‘I have a message for you, would you like to hear it?’ I replied heatedly, ‘Haven’t you people learned a lesson yet?’ To which he replied, ‘What do you mean? Do you mean because we have been in gaol?’ I said, ‘Yes’ and called my husband to deal with him. What could one do; he was so polite, clutching a Bible, the man of the house could not kick him off the door step or even call up the police; there was nothing in his behaviour that we could complain of. He had us stumped, and went away as quietly as he had come.”

Throughout the years of World War II the number of publishers went on increasing, reaching 1,090 in 1943. The following year, in spite of restrictions against the work, two conventions were arranged for the vernacular-speaking brothers and one small one for the English-speaking congregation. The total attendance of 1,101 for these three assemblies helps us to see that during all this time while the white brothers were facing such difficulties, the African Witnesses were still very active.

RESTRICTIONS LIFTED

In 1946 the government decided to lift the restrictions on the importation and distribution of the Society’s literature. This caused great joy among the brothers. However, much training was needed in the house-to-house service. By this time also the field needed more leadership. A big step forward in meeting this need was taken on July 1, 1947, when Bert McLuckie was assigned to open a depot for the Society in Bulawayo, under the direction of the South Africa branch.

 PIONEER WORK GETS A START

Until now very little has been said about the pioneer work. This feature really got started in 1947. Before, there were only two or three pioneers in the field, and in some years there were none. Then in 1947 we had three pioneers, two of whom were Nason Mukaronda and Robin Manyochi.

From then on the pioneer work began to grow rapidly. In 1949 we had an average of 114 pioneers, but in 1950 the number jumped 156 percent, to 292. The year 1949 also saw our first special pioneer, Zachariah Noah. So things were beginning to move.

ORGANIZING FOR THE WORK AHEAD

Up until now the work in this country was being supervised by the South Africa branch. But in 1948 a change took place that had far-reaching effects. January of that year saw the arrival of our first Gilead School graduate, referred to in the Yearbook as our “gift from Gilead.” This was Eric Cooke. Just shortly after his arrival two visitors also appeared, Brothers N. H. Knorr and M. G. Henschel. Their visit resulted in another great step forward in the direction of improved leadership and organization of the congregations. This was the establishment of a branch office on September 1, 1948, with Eric Cooke as the branch overseer.

It was clear that the field needed closer supervision. By now the number of publishers exceeded 3,500, and these were serving in 117 congregations. So in 1948 these congregations were grouped into five circuits. You can imagine the work our circuit overseers had to do​—five of them in a country roughly 400 miles square. While some of their traveling  was done by bus or train, most of it was by bicycle. But it was a start.

ADDITIONAL HELP FROM GILEAD

You will remember that, all along, the work was hampered by the fact that the European brothers could not work in African areas. In fact, white brothers could not go into what were then called Native Reserves even for supervisory purposes. It was under these circumstances that four Gilead graduates of the tenth class arrived on the scene, in February 1949. These were George and Ruby Bradley, Myrtle Taylor and Phyllis Kite. Eric Cooke and Myrtle Taylor later married and are now serving as missionaries in South Africa.

While the four new missionaries were given permission to stay in the country, it was only on a probational basis. Why? Because, according to the Chief Immigration Officer, Jehovah’s Witnesses  were still “under a cloud.” However, after several months of working among the whites in Bulawayo, Eric Cooke was called to the immigration office and told that the period of probation was over. Permanent residence was granted to all four, a victory that was to open the way for other Gilead graduates to come into the country in the years ahead!

INCREASES FOLLOW

While this victory did not remove the restrictions on whites working in areas set aside for Africans, it did do much to establish the Kingdom work in English-speaking areas more firmly. For instance, in Bulawayo, where the branch and missionary home first operated, the English congregation, in 1949, increased in publishers by 54 percent.

From this congregation came one of our first pioneers to go to Gilead School, Doreen Kilgour. She graduated in 1956 and, after a few years here in Zimbabwe, was transferred to South Africa where she did missionary work until February 1983. At that time she returned here to care for her aged mother. She continues to set a fine example as a special pioneer.

During this period, increase was coming rapidly. In the three years from 1948 to 1951 the peak of publishers rose from 4,232 to 9,088; congregations from 117 to 191 and circuits from five to seven. The 1951 service year enjoyed a 37-percent increase in the average number of publishers.

UNEXPECTED HELP

Let us for a moment dwell on the feeling many had developed against Jehovah’s Witnesses​—that  of uncertainty as to their motives. Illustrating this was the experience of George Bradley in Salisbury during the month of June 1950, after the branch office and missionary home had moved to the capital city.

While doing street work, Brother Bradley was approached by a well-dressed man who seemed rather shocked at seeing The Watchtower and Awake! so openly displayed. He asked: “Is this not communist?” Being assured that it was not, he said: “Well, I am Dendy-Young, a member of Parliament, and I must say that I am completely in the dark as to your work.” He took two magazines and asked us to visit his office the next day.

At this visit Mr. Dendy-Young stated that the magazines were completely innocuous and asked for a letter clearly stating the motives and purposes of our work. Why this request? Because Parliament was going to debate the Subversive Activities Bill,  and Mr. Dendy-Young was of the impression that Jehovah’s Witnesses were going to be discussed in connection with it. He wanted to read to Parliament a letter that would give the facts. True to his word, the whole letter was read.

While the Bill did become an act of law, it has never been applied to the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

IMPORTATION PROBLEMS

One big battle in the early 1950’s involved the importing of Bible literature into the country. Ever since a depot was established in 1947, import permits were granted yearly on the basis of a limited allocation of American dollars. So when we made application early in 1950 we expected the same thing. Quite surprisingly our request was refused. When the branch made application on the basis of a free-gift arrangement, even this was refused. What were we to do?

 The only thing to do was to continue applying, in the hope that the officials would relent and let us import literature. Finally, in August 1951, it was agreed that we could import literature on a free-gift arrangement. This would mean that no foreign currency would be going out of the country, and so it would not affect the external resources of the government.

The first license we were given under this arrangement was to the value of $11,200. This, we thought, must have been a mistake. So we decided to take advantage of it for fear we would not get another one. With this in mind we ordered the full amount, which included 32,000 copies of the book What Has Religion Done for Mankind? We are glad that this book proved to be a fine aid in Bible study because we continued offering copies from that original order until 1975​—24 years later!

BETTER ORGANIZATION TO MEET NEEDS

The years following the formation of the branch office in 1948 proved to be years of very rapid growth. Figures can be dry. But sometimes they tell a tale. For instance, in 1949 we had five circuit assemblies with a total attendance of 7,415, with 647 baptized. In the next three years 5,186 were baptized in symbol of their dedication to Jehovah. That was 1,587 more than the average number of publishers in the whole country the year the branch was formed.

Then something else happened. In December 1952 we had another visit from Brothers Knorr and Henschel. This time, at an open-air convention right  in the middle of a heavy rainy season, our visitors spoke to an attendance of 15,000, twice as many as we had in 1949.

All of this meant that better organization was required. So, during this visit, a home was bought right in the center of the capital city. It was to serve as a missionary home and also as the location of the branch office for the next 20 years.

DISTRICT WORK BRINGS BENEFITS

Until 1953 the work of the district overseer was handled from the branch office. But now it was clear that a permanent district overseer was needed. For one thing, the number of circuits had risen to 13. So from this time on, there were permanently assigned district overseers, who, for the next several years, were mainly Gilead graduates.

Although the district overseers were still barred from certain areas, their work did have its benefits. For one thing, it helped many farmers and miners to become free of wrong impressions concerning our work.

An example of this was when a circuit assembly was arranged at Mberengwa, a small village in a large European farming and mining area in the southern part of the country. While preparations for the assembly were going on, Ruby Bradley was out witnessing and called on a retired gentleman living at a mine. This man showed considerable prejudice against our activity. He was deeply concerned about the effect it would have on the African people.

After he got his feelings off his chest, Sister  Bradley asked him: “Will you just give me a chance to explain what our work is all about?” To this he agreed. So for the next few minutes she explained the nature and purpose of the Kingdom work. She also told him what managers of large mining companies (one of whom he knew) had said about the honesty and reliability of the African Witnesses. The man was very impressed with what he heard​—so much so that he took four books and a subscription for both The Watchtower and Awake!

That visit proved to be very beneficial. Opposition to our assembly was strong, and we knew that efforts were going to be made to stop it. This honest man took it upon himself to correct the misunderstandings. He went to the local village hotel, where many were gathered, and told them what he had learned. We had no further trouble in that area in connection with assemblies.

The interest developed in the Kingdom message in these outlying areas at that time was outstanding. Often the district overseer and his wife would run out of literature, so they resorted to offering subscriptions.

Another benefit that the district work brought was the showing of the Society’s films, beginning with The New World Society in Action in 1954. The first showing was at a circuit assembly. The total number of publishers in the circuit was about 700, but the attendance reached 3,378. What a thrill that was! Other films shown since that time continued to draw large crowds, many of whom expressed surprise at the worldwide scope of Jehovah’s organization.

 A CLEANSING WORK BEGINS

Already mentioned was the fact that in the early 1950’s we had very rapid growth. However, this was not to be without its problems. It became apparent that large numbers were being baptized who never really had cleansed themselves from wrong customs and practices. For one thing, many were baptized who were merely attenders at circuit assemblies and who had not really made a dedication to Jehovah. With some it was merely a passing phase, with others nothing more than curiosity over something new.

In addition to this, many had not properly legalized their marriages. You see, before the white man came to this country, marriages were performed according to African custom, which included go-between, bride-price, and so forth. Such practices continued even after the government required registration of marriages with the civil authorities. To cope with the problem, the government decided to give validity to all tribal marriages that took place prior to January 1, 1951. However, from that date on, all marriages have had to be legally registered in order to have official recognition. Customs, of course, die hard. So, many continued sticking to their old practices.

The Society, however, could not accept tribal marriages entered into after January 1, 1951, when they were no longer recognized by the government. (Rom. 13:1, 2; Luke 2:1-5) This whole matter was carefully examined, and the congregations were notified of the Scriptural requirements. All those married since January 1951 and whose marriages had not been legalized were given six months to  have them registered. If, by the end of that time, the couples had done nothing and there were no extenuating circumstances, then the only course was to disfellowship them.

It was encouraging to see that large numbers of those in this position, because of their love for Jehovah, immediately took steps to put their marriages on a proper Scriptural basis. This was not a simple matter. Often it entailed going to neighboring countries, or having relatives come from these countries, before permission was granted for Witnesses to go ahead with the registering of their marriages.

There were quite a few, however, who did not really want to bring their lives into harmony with Jehovah’s will. So the early part of 1955 saw the disfellowshipping of hundreds who would not accept Jehovah’s standards of righteousness. It has been very encouraging to see that, after all these years, some who were disfellowshipped during that time have recently legalized their marriages, have been reinstated and are now happily serving Jehovah.

A SETBACK IN PIONEER SERVICE

In 1949 the pioneer service began moving ahead. In that year we had 114. Just three years later, in 1952, there was an average of 949 pioneers, plus 6 special pioneers. This was wonderful! As time went on, however, it became obvious that a very large number of these pioneers were not sending in accurate reports. Many of them, rather than report the actual time spent in field service, would report the quota of 100 hours. Why was this? Because many of them could neither read nor write and so could not keep a proper record of their field service.

 In 1955 this matter was taken up with the Society’s headquarters, and the branch office was advised that only those who could read and write should be on the pioneer list. So down went our number of pioneers. Of course, this was done gradually, as circuit overseers visited the congregations where these pioneers were serving. We are happy to say that even into the 1970’s some of these rejoined the pioneer ranks as a result of the congregations’ reading and writing classes.

THE STRUGGLE FOR RECOGNITION

It seems appropriate here to bring in again the matter of better supervision of our congregations in the Communal Lands. Until this time the district overseers, who were Europeans, still did not have permission to enter these areas of the country. This meant that virtually half the country was out of bounds to them. While they could serve the circuit overseers and attend circuit assemblies, it had to be outside these areas. This greatly hindered the efforts of the Society to strengthen the congregations in Communal Lands.

What was to be done? The basic problem was that we were not a recognized religion. So the question was, How were we to get recognized?

Lester Davey, who had come from Gilead School in 1954 and who was now serving as branch overseer, felt that having the right to perform marriages would be a great step toward recognition. As far back as 1949 application had been made for the right to have Witness marriage officers, but this had consistently been turned down.

One of the big obstacles to having Witness marriage  officers was the fact that all of Jehovah’s Witnesses are ministers. The official argument was that, since the Christian Marriage Act provided that any minister of a recognized religion could perform marriages, any of Jehovah’s Witnesses would be able to do so. Assurance was given, however, that it would be only those serving as special representatives of the Society, those who had special ordination certificates, who would be used for this purpose.

At last, success! In May 1956, seven Gilead graduates and Bethel brothers were appointed as marriage officers. A big step forward toward full recognition!

FURTHER VICTORIES

About this time, in June 1956, we were able to welcome an American couple, Bud and Joan Miller. After going through Gilead, Brother Miller was sent out to become branch overseer. Under his direction the struggle continued for right of entry of the European traveling overseers into the reserves. It was at this time that the decision to let the Witnesses have marriage officers proved to be providential. Continual correspondence was carried on with the office of the Secretary of Native Affairs. The following are some quotations from letters from that office:

September 27, 1956: “Re: Entry of European Supervisors into Native Reserves. The matter is under consideration.”

December 8, 1956: “Only those European supervisors of the Society who are registered as marriage  officers with the Department of Justice and Internal Affairs will be permitted to enter the native reserves and native areas.”

January 14, 1957: “I now forward permits for the gentlemen mentioned to enter native reserves and native areas.”

At last the district overseers were able to visit congregations with the circuit overseers in a vast area, which, until that time, they had not been allowed to enter. Truly Jehovah was directing matters in order that his will might be done in all parts of the country.

REASONS FOR THE DECREASES

In addition to what has just been mentioned, there are other reasons why, for a period of time, our rate of increase greatly slowed down. In order to be sure that only those who really qualified were baptized, it was made a requirement that all baptismal candidates first go through a course of study, not unlike what is now outlined in Organized to Accomplish Our Ministry. When this was done, each candidate was approved by the congregation overseer. But that was not all. Candidates were further interviewed by the district overseer at circuit assemblies and by special representatives of the Society at district conventions.

Well, you can imagine what the results of this must have been! Yes, a decrease in the number being baptized. For instance, in 1957, at a convention attended by 16,000, only 100 were baptized​—quite a drop from the previous number. The ultimate result of this, however, was spiritually strong congregations​—congregations made up of those  who were really putting on the new personality through accurate knowledge.​—Col. 3:10.

Another reason for a slowing down in the rate of increase in publishers was the matter of incorrect reporting. This matter had been handled as far as pioneers were concerned, but many publishers were reporting incorrectly.

The effect of such happenings can be seen in the five years from 1957 to 1962. During that period 3,600 new ones were baptized, but with no increase in publishers. In fact, from 1962 to 1967 we continued to decrease. It was not until 1968 that the number of publishers began to go up again.

FULL RECOGNITION STILL AHEAD

Strange as it may seem, recognition could be given to Jehovah’s people by one government department without others necessarily doing so. Thus, while the Department of Justice and Internal Affairs, as well as the Department of Native Affairs, finally gave the Witnesses recognition, the Department of Education still refused. This presented complications. In what way?

Most of the schooling away from the large centers at that time came under the control of religious organizations. Government regulations required that students be enrolled in the schools without discrimination and that children were not to be given religious instruction contrary to the wishes of their parents.

Some religious organizations followed government regulations on the matter, but others would not. These latter ones were determined not to let the children of Jehovah’s Witnesses receive education in their schools unless they would also attend  Sunday school and other religious classes outside the school syllabus.

Don Morrison, who, with his wife, Marj, arrived from Gilead School in 1955, and who was doing district work, says: “Some religions openly declared that they would expel any of Jehovah’s Witnesses who did not comply and would also keep them from reentering the next year.” When the matter came before the Department of Education, however, the schools would claim lack of facilities. They could take only so many students, but they would always make sure that the children of Jehovah’s Witnesses were not among them. Others reported to the Department that their reason for expelling the children was “disobedience.” This “disobedience” was their refusal to attend Sunday school, which the Department of Education did not require them to do.

So with this issue, as with others, recognition as a religion became a must.

As far back as 1950, the Department of Education notified all schools that adult Jehovah’s Witnesses were not to be allowed into the schools for the purpose of giving religious education, even to instruct the children of Witnesses. In 1956 came the same answer: “I have to advise you, with much regret, that the Minister is not prepared to recognize the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania as a religious denomination for the purpose of giving religious instruction to pupils in school.” A similar reply came in 1957.

It was not until years later that the Department of Education finally changed its stand on the matter. But more about that later.

 EXPERIENCED BROTHERS STRENGTHEN THE FIELD

At this point, to give you an idea of the caliber of most of the missionaries who were sent to this country, it would be good to mention two couples.

The first couple, Ted and Joyce Buckingham, arrived here in June 1959, after graduating from Gilead School. From then until their transfer to Sierra Leone in the mid-1970’s, they served mainly in the English field, in circuit work. For more than a decade these two traveled from one congregation to another almost every week. Their field was the whole country, which was one circuit. After Brother Buckingham became seriously ill while in Sierra Leone, they left to serve in the branch office in London. The brothers here still have a warm affection for them.

The other couple is John and Val Miles. These folks, an American couple, were transferred here from Zambia in June 1960, because of the need of a district overseer. They could no doubt write a book about their experiences. But here is one. They were visiting a small congregation close to the main road. Brother Miles relates:

“For the week we decided to camp at a lovely secluded wayside on the main road close to the congregation. However, the local brothers felt we should camp at another place even closer. Although we would have preferred the place we chose, for the sake of convenience we decided to move to the closer spot.

“During the week, while we were having our evening meal, we heard something like gunfire, but  dismissed it as the sound of a truck backfiring. Next day, while eating lunch we heard on the radio that there had been a gun battle between the police and ‘freedom fighters’ right at the lay-by where we had planned to camp. During the battle three ‘freedom fighters’ were killed, and some police were wounded. You can imagine how we felt when, later, we saw the bullet holes in the camp table and benches and the surrounding trees. How thankful we were to Jehovah that we were moved to change our camping grounds!” Brother and Sister Miles are now serving faithfully in Lesotho.

DISTRICT EXPERIENCES

Would you like to hear more about the unusual experiences of some of the district overseers and their wives? We already mentioned Don and Marj Morrison. On one occasion in the western part of the country, at a place called Kariba, Brother Morrison was sitting outside his tent one evening, doing some typing. Sister Morrison had gone to bed in the tent. As she says: “I was lying there in bed when I heard a strange puffing noise. I called Don, but he did not hear me. Again I heard the noise. This time I went out where Don was, to tell him about it.”

“I then took the torch [flashlight],” says Brother Morrison, “and went into the tent. There, between the edge of the tent and some literature in the tent I could see the middle section of a snake, thicker than your fist. Quickly I went out and, taking an iron pipe, went around the back of the tent. There was the tail end of the snake sticking out. I hit it with the pipe. Suddenly the head of the snake appeared and it raised itself, puffing at me. It was a puff adder. I had already crippled it, and now I  finished it off with the iron pipe.” Needless to say, Sister Morrison did not sleep too well that night.

“Our first experience with scorpions,” says Ruby Bradley, “was the first time we put up our tent in the district work. We were just ready to go to bed when we noticed something crawling in under the tent. It was a scorpion. Quickly we killed it. But then another came, and another. It was not until we had killed four of them that we realized it was our light that was attracting them. So we decided the best thing to do was to put out the light.”

In March 1962, another missionary couple arrived here, John and Irene McBrine. Brother McBrine had gone through the ten-month course at Gilead School and was sent here to take over the duties of branch overseer. First of all, however, he did some district work to get used to the field. He tells us what happened:

 “George Bradley from the branch office took Irene and me to a small circuit assembly in the bush about 55 miles from the nearest town. As it happened we caught the tail end of a hurricane, and it was raining in torrents.

“The location for the assembly was across from what had been a small stream. But now it was a raging river. It was quite evident the assembly sessions could not be held that night, so the African brothers found what shelter they could.

“What were we to do now? Actually, there was nothing we could do but wait. Soon after our arrival we had erected our tent. But fearing it would leak in the heavy storm, we three decided to sleep in the van, George trying to lie across the front seat, and Irene and I were in the back portion. Well! What a night that was! Outside, the storm’s fierceness became more intense with the increasing velocity of the wind. At one point we looked into the tent, and what did we see? The entire floor was under four inches of water! We were thankful we had decided to sleep, or try to sleep, in the van.

“The next morning things looked brighter. The rains had eased off. Soon the local brothers found a schoolroom where we could have our assembly program. The warmth of our brothers, who endured much more than we ourselves did, more than made up for all we went through.”

CLOUDS BEGIN TO FORM

As we approached the mid-1960’s, rumblings of unrest began to be noticed. In former days, traveling overseers had to protect themselves against wild animals. Some overseers had even tied themselves  in the high branches of trees overnight when they were traveling from one congregation to another, in order to protect themselves from prowling beasts. But now there were dangers from a different source​—from humans. (Compare 2 Corinthians 11:23-27.) Political intimidation began to show itself.

One of the first brothers to feel the effects of this was Arimon Muringa, who was serving as a congregation overseer in the capital city. On January 12, 1965, he was arrested. Why? Because it was said he had been identified “as one of many who had in the past been guilty of acts of violence.” This, of course, was false. But he had to go through a month of the  most trying of experiences before being proved innocent.

Having been given a 90-day sentence, without trial, Brother Muringa made application for an appeal. He was told there would be no appeal. Not satisfied with this, John McBrine, representing the branch office, appealed directly to the Minister of Law and Order. This, plus an excellent recommendation from Brother Muringa’s employer, finally resulted in his release, after one month in prison.

But how was he treated in prison? He said: “The prison authorities treated me well, but some of the prisoners were brutal toward me. I was beaten so badly on two occasions that I lost consciousness both times. This was to try to force me to become a member of their political party. These beatings were inflicted on my naked back by means of a heavy belt and then by heavy slaps on my face from the hands of at least nine men at each beating.”

 Through it all Brother Muringa maintained such fine Christian conduct that, toward the last, some of his former tormentors began to stand up for him. His uncompromising stand was to prove to be a great source of encouragement for others later on.

LOCAL DISTRICT OVERSEERS

For years the missionaries did the bulk of the supervisory work. As we entered the 1960’s, however, it seemed wise to make more use of local brothers. This move proved to be providential.

The first local brother to serve as district overseer was Isaac Chiadzwa, who entered this work, together with his wife, Ivy, in December 1962. Then, in 1966, another experienced local brother, Sizulu Khumalo, went into the district work. He proved to be an excellent help to the brothers during the years of extreme difficulty and hardship ahead.

Having such brothers in the district work was a real blessing. For one thing, being familiar with the local language and customs, they could do much more in getting to the root of the problems of the publishers. They knew their brothers and what they were faced with. Being natives, they could move about much more freely than the missionaries. Tensions began to mount, and strangers quickly came under suspicion. As things later turned out, we were sure it was Jehovah’s direction that local brothers were now being used.

EMERGENCY REGULATIONS AFFECT CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES

When the Rhodesia government declared its independence on November 11, 1965, emergency regulations  were instituted. These affected our activities. For one thing, the government required us to present to the Censorship Board a sample of all publications, including every issue of the magazines, that came into the country. This was more of an inconvenience than anything else, for not once did they find anything in our publications that prevented the literature from entering the country.

What affected us more were the rigid controls on public meetings. Gatherings of more than a few persons were forbidden except by permission of the Regulating Authority. Although, strictly speaking, this did not apply to purely religious meetings, such gatherings were prohibited in some of the troubled areas.

It became quite frustrating. For just about every time the branch office applied to the Regulating Authority for permission to have a circuit assembly, it was turned down. So, finally, it was decided not to have circuit assemblies. Instead, we would concentrate on district conventions, which were in well-protected places.

Imagine our surprise when, one day in 1969, we received a letter from some congregations in Bulawayo, and along with it was a circuit assembly program! Yes, they had put on their own assembly, making up their own program, giving out assignments and arranging for a cafeteria. While it may be that they should not have gone ahead this way on their own, it turned out for the best. At that assembly hundreds of our brothers gathered together.

This gave us ideas. Instead of the Society’s applying to the Regulating Authority on behalf of the circuits, why not let the local brothers do the applying  to the local authorities? So again circuit assemblies were arranged. The circuit overseer selected well-known local brothers to put in the application. It worked every time. From then until now we have been having our circuit assemblies in all areas, even though the emergency regulations continue. Obviously this was Jehovah’s direction.

A LONG-STANDING ISSUE DECIDED

At this point let us go back to the struggle for full recognition as a religious organization. You may remember that Jehovah’s people already gained this recognition from two of the government departments, the Ministry of Native Affairs and the Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs, but not from the Ministry of Education.

Thus it was that, in February 1966, the branch office once again brought this matter to the fore by writing a detailed letter stating our request to be recognized as a religious organization. On March 8 came the answer: “I regret that after consideration I am unable to accede to your request.”

Immediately we got on the telephone and, after much discussion, arranged an interview with the Minister. This was for March 23. After the interview, four months went by and no answer. Were they going to ignore our request?

Then on July 21 we received a letter from the Minister of Education: “We have now been thoroughly into this question and decided to put Jehovah’s Witnesses on the official list of religious denominations recognized by the Ministry of Education.” Victory after a 16-year struggle! Not only did this open up the way for Jehovah’s Witnesses to  enter schools to give religious instruction but it also solved the problem of our children being expelled from school. For this victory we gave thanks to Jehovah!

MISSIONARIES FROM MALAWI

The year 1968 began a new chapter for our branch, the oversight of the Kingdom interests in Malawi. The initial reason for this was the ban placed on the Witnesses in that country in October 1967. In November 1967, the missionaries were expelled from Malawi. Of these missionaries two couples were finally assigned to Zimbabwe, Keith and Anne Eaton and Hal and Joyce Bentley.

A UNIQUE ASSIGNMENT

The Bentleys had a unique assignment. This was to serve in Mozambique, which, until the ban, had come under the direction of the Malawi branch. If you check a map of Africa, you will see that Mozambique is a long, rather narrow country on the east coast of Africa. It stretches up from South Africa, along the eastern border of Zimbabwe, then up either side of Malawi. The Mozambique government has never recognized the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Thus far, all efforts to get legal recognition have failed. But let us listen to Brother Bentley as he tells us about their assignment:

“It was about February 1962, when Joyce and I were first assigned to Mozambique. Our first trip was by plane from Blantyre in Malawi to Lourenço Marques (now Maputo), the capital of Mozambique. There we found a small group of interested persons meeting inside the army compound in the home of an army sergeant.

 “After a few trips this way, it was decided we should travel by road and take our camping equipment with us, entering the country as tourists. To do this, we used a Volkswagen van. The roads down the coastline through Beira were mostly gravel and horribly corrugated. The distance is about 1,000 miles.”

Due to warring conditions in Mozambique, the Bentleys later found it necessary to go from Beira to Lourenço Marques via Salisbury. This meant a trip, one way, of over 1,300 miles. They made this journey every six months. Quite a bit of traveling by road! They were blessed, however, as they watched the congregation grow.

After a few years, the Bentleys limited their trips to the northern part of the country. “We learned later that this change was probably Jehovah’s maneuvering,” said Brother Bentley, “as the secret  police in Lourenço Marques were waiting to pick us up the next time we visited there.”

The Bentleys had many exciting experiences​—arrests, near-arrests, orders to leave the country. But they were able to do a fine work, strengthening many new publishers and interested ones. Sister Bentley tells of one experience in Beira:

“A young woman who had been studying in Portugal moved to Mozambique. She wrote to the Society, asking if the study could be continued. We were given the name and address. When we called at the apartment a woman came to the door. We asked her: ‘Are you Clotilde de Gomes?’ ‘I am Clotilde but not de Gomes,’ was the reply. ‘I am Clotilde de Almeida.’ Not wishing to miss an opportunity to witness, we explained why we were asking for the other woman.” Quickly this woman went to call a neighbor. Later the original Clotilde was also contacted. What was the outcome?

Sister Bentley tells us: “The original one we wanted to see is now a dedicated Witness; her husband is an elder; her five children, her husband’s parents and brother are all Witnesses. The second woman is baptized as are also the neighbor woman, her husband and son.”

When asked how they felt about that assignment, Brother Bentley summed it up: “There were times when we felt that it would be nice to be somewhere away from the heat and humidity and free from the feeling that we could be arrested at any moment. Looking back, however, we realize that we had a wonderful privilege of service in that assignment and that Jehovah’s blessing and protection never failed to be with us.”

 The Bentleys were later transferred to Botswana, where they continue setting fine examples as missionaries.

PERSECUTION IN MALAWI

But now let us go back to the banning of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Malawi in October 1967. Following this ban, there was a wave of persecution described in one magazine as “the most brutal, inhuman persecution of Christians in this twentieth century.” This same article declared: “To match the harrowing accounts of suffering, cruelty and obscenity . . . , one would have to go back to the extermination of the early Protestant Waldenses in southeast France and Italy in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.”

Why were these atrocities committed? Because of the strictly neutral stand that Jehovah’s people maintain in political affairs. Asked at the time why these true Christians were subjected to such treatment, one Witness, Brother Justin Zacuruka, declared: “Because we refused to buy a political card.” Yes, as is the case with Jehovah’s Witnesses the world over, these Christians refused to violate their Christian neutrality, even though they had to endure the cruelest of treatment. In fact, some even lost their lives.

The attitude of all the loyal ones could well be summed up in the words of one older brother, Samson Khumbanyiwa, who lost his home, furniture, clothing and everything he had. He said: “I know that I am never alone, and Jehovah has protected me.” It is true, as the psalmist says: “Many are the calamities of the righteous one, but out of them all Jehovah delivers him.”​—Ps. 34:19.

 RELIEF FOR THOSE IN NEED

Because of the intensity of the persecution, thousands of the Witnesses in Malawi found it necessary to flee the country. Some went to Zambia, only to be returned to Malawi. Thousands of others fled into Mozambique, to Milange, across the border from Malawi. Here they remained until about 1970, when they began to filter back into their home country.

In Mozambique our brothers were safe from the hands of their persecutors. But now they faced other problems. They were without food, clothing or shelter. These were all left behind in the flight. So what were they to do?

Happily, although the Witnesses have never had legal recognition in Mozambique, these refugees were treated with the greatest of kindness. The Mozambique authorities provided trucks for the transportation of our brothers into the country to a place called Mocuba, about 100 miles from the Malawi border. Here they gave them land and provided houses, axes, hoes and seed. They also supplied 200-pound * bags of meal (ground maize) each day for their food. This was a great relief for our brothers and made them feel it was Jehovah’s way of providing for them.

More relief, however, was required. In addition to what was being provided by the Mozambique government, there was a dire need for food, clothing, blankets and medicines. How were these needs to be met? The only way to transport these things from Zimbabwe was by road, and this through Malawi! With what had just happened in Malawi, would  there be any chance of getting through with the necessary goods?

AN EXCITING TRIP

It was with these questions in mind that John McBrine and Jim Mundell, a missionary who, with his wife Kathy, had just been deported from Zambia and was temporarily in Zimbabwe, set out on February 22, 1968, from Salisbury with a Volkswagen van packed full with donated clothing and blankets. Prior to departure they had done everything possible to obtain customs clearance for their load through the various border posts. This, however, was not possible due to regulations and restrictions. So the only thing left was to rely entirely upon Jehovah for guidance and direction. Each border post was a cause for concern, but each one was passed without difficulty. It was as if the angels were present all the way through.

The trip was not an easy one. It was 400 miles from Salisbury to the Mozambique border on the eastern side of Malawi. Most of the road was extremely rough, and it was even more so for the remaining 100 miles to Mocuba.

SOME DISAPPOINTMENTS

Of course, one of the first things John McBrine and Jim Mundell wanted to do was to visit the brothers in the two camps in which they were located. So off they went first thing the morning of February 24 to see the camp administrator about this. How disappointed they were when the administrator said that this would not be possible! Why? Because Jehovah’s Witnesses were not recognized by his government.

 The administrator was a kindly man, however, and suggested that they wait until he took the matter up with government headquarters. This they did​—for three days. The answer finally came back: ‘There were no Jehovah’s Witnesses in Mozambique, only refugees whom the government had helped for humanitarian reasons. If they trusted the camp administrator they should leave the clothes with him; if they could not, take them back.’ Disappointment! Traveling all that way and not even being able to see those loyal brothers who had endured so much! Sadly, there was nothing they could do about it.

Now they had to decide what to do with the clothing and blankets. What could they do but trust the administrator? This they did.

Of course, the clothing and blankets transported in the van were nowhere near sufficient for the needs of the Malawi brothers. However, the two brothers also had funds that were contributed for the further needs of these brothers. An agreement was entered into, signed by the two brothers, the government administrator and an Indian trader. The contributed funds were given to the administrator, and an order, equaling this amount, was given to the trader. He was to supply dresses, trousers and more blankets. The administrator would then pay him the money and deliver the goods to the camps where the brothers were.

A HAPPY ENDING

A sequel to this account shows the outcome of the trip. On the way home, while still in Mozambique, the two brothers saw some African men alongside  the road with large loads of folded blankets on their bicycles. Yes, they were brothers! And they had received these things from the administrator. Of course, our two travelers were happy to know that the administrator was sticking to his word and was acting quickly. But the greatest happiness came from knowing they had at least contacted some Witnesses from the camps. As would be expected, this proved to be a great interchange of encouragement, for the travelers as well as the brothers from the camps.

From that time on, the two countries, Malawi and Mozambique, came under the supervision of the Zimbabwe branch. Malawi remained under our branch oversight for several years, and Mozambique continues to be our responsibility.

WITCHCRAFT​—ANOTHER ISSUE TO FACE

It was about this time that many of the brothers in Zimbabwe had another problem to face. Witchcraft has been practiced here for centuries. But it was about the year 1969 that it took a twist that brought it into prominence. In order to help you understand the problem that it presented to our brothers, it seems advisable to give a little of the background of the matter.

Although almost all the African people in Zimbabwe are nominally Christian, with a small percentage being Muslim, superstition and witchcraft are still widespread. There are witch doctors with their bones, animal skins, feather headdress and incantations.

Witchery is divided into two classes: the muroyi,  who is a witch or practicer of black magic, and the n’anga, who is a diviner or healer. The muroyi is the killer. He casts spells on people and is said to be responsible for untimely and strange deaths. He is outlawed and, if found practicing, can be apprehended and prosecuted.

The n’anga, on the other hand, is not necessarily a killer. He is a healer, although n’angas are sometimes used to cast death-dealing spells on others. He is said to be able to break the spell of the muroyi. The n’anga can be legally registered with the government.

By the year 1969, the n’anga was coming into prominence as one who could ferret out practicers of witchcraft. This was so not only in communal lands (formerly reservations) but also on farms and mines where often hundreds of workers lived with their families. Whenever there was a report of witchery, the community would call for the n’anga. Then all in the community would be summoned to appear before him.

After going through incantations, the n’anga, helped by his singers, would call upon the spirits for information about who was practicing witchcraft. If the culprit was “identified,” the chief would then turn him over to the court, where he would be judged under the Witchcraft Act. Of course, he still had to be proved guilty under the normal procedure of law.

OUR BROTHERS TESTED

But why did this present an issue for our brothers? Although the n’anga is considered to be a  healer and a good man, still he is involved in spiritism. And here is where the problem arose for the brothers. Naturally, when the community was called before the n’anga the brothers would refuse to go. So the chief, or mine or farm manager, whichever the case might be, would have them forcibly brought in.

The great majority stood firm, but sad to say, there were a few who compromised under these circumstances. Later some of these genuinely repented and are now happily serving Jehovah once more.

The general attitude of the brothers was well exemplified in the experience of Paul Ndlovu, who at the time was serving as a special pioneer. He was 67 years of age and crippled from a stroke. When he was forcibly brought before the chief, he was told: “You had better kneel down [in recognition of the n’anga] just like everyone else is doing.” His answer was clear: “I will not bow down to any man because this is false worship. You well know that I am a minister of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I am not able to obey your command in this respect.”

This brother’s firm stand caused the chief to become very angry. He called four policemen to put handcuffs on him and force him into the room with the n’anga. As Brother Ndlovu puts it: “They then pushed me into the room where I found some singers waiting to greet me with their ceremonial songs, as is the custom.” And what did he say to them? “I am not participating in demonism, and I will never kneel before you because I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

The brother’s firm stand was rewarded by the  n’anga’s accepting and contributing for a copy of the Truth book!

VICTORY FOR TRUE WORSHIP

It was not long before this practice began to spread throughout all parts of the country, bringing many tests upon Jehovah’s loyal ones. An experience of a congregation located at a mine in the northern part of the country shows the extent to which they would go to try to break the integrity of God’s people. Because of reports of witchcraft being practiced, the senior employees requested the hiring of a n’anga. The police report on this event tells us what then happened:

“The proposal was put to the Mine Manager who agreed after checking the Nganga’s [now spelled n’anga’s] credentials and finding them in order, on condition that everyone [italics ours] in the compound participated. This was agreed to by the senior employees.

“On the day the Nganga carried out his ritual, all the people in the compound, with the exception of Jehovah’s Witnesses, . . . went before the Nganga. The senior employees attempted to persuade the sect, . . . but they still refused. They were taken to the Mine Manager, but to no avail and they told him they would prefer to leave their employment than go before the Nganga.”

This is exactly what happened. All our brothers were dismissed from their employment. But then what happened?

The whole congregation moved to another mine, where the brothers all obtained employment. So they still had a complete congregation, with all the  responsible brothers and one pioneer. Furthermore, this mine was located in unassigned territory, an area that suddenly became cared for by a fully organized congregation! In fact, even the name of the congregation did not have to change because its name was Chrome, and they moved from one chrome mine to another.

And what about the mine manager who dismissed all his employees who were Witnesses? He was very sorry when he realized that he had chased away his best workers. In fact, later on he reemployed some of them. As he said to the district overseer who was in the area: “I sent away the best workers I had.” A fine witness indeed resulted because of the faithfulness of our brothers!

ENTERING THE 1970’S

The year 1960 saw an all-time high in the average number of publishers​—12,487, with a peak of 13,493. From then until 1967 the trend was downward. In fact, the number of publishers went down to an average of 9,384, which was the lowest since 1952. This was due largely to cleaning out from the organization those who were not really Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Then from 1967 the upward trend began again, so much so that in 1971 we had an average of 11,430, with a peak for that year of 12,456. This trend continued until 1976, when once again the number of publishers started on the way down. Why so? Because from then until the end of the decade, this country went through what must have been the darkest years of its history. How did this affect our  brothers? For an answer, let us go back to where we enter the 1970’s.

This decade proved to be one of many trials and testings for Jehovah’s people. Among these were tests regarding employment, the neutrality issue and the ravages of war, including such things as loss of homes, livestock and fields, as well as physical abuse and even death itself. There were also attempts by opposers to pressure the government to ban the Kingdom work. It reminds us of the words of the apostle Paul after he was stoned and left for dead just outside Lystra. He said: “We must enter into the kingdom of God through many tribulations.”​—Acts 14:22.

JEHOVAH PROVIDES HELP

How would Jehovah’s people be prepared to face the trials that were ahead? Providentially there were two ways by which this was done. One of these was through the arrangement of having the Governing Body appoint elders and ministerial servants in the congregations. It was in 1972 that this arrangement began, and it could not have come at a more appropriate time.

It was heartwarming to see the response of the brothers to the Scripturally supported direction by the Governing Body as to the appointment of these brothers. As the Scriptural qualifications were examined, several congregations found themselves without either elders or ministerial servants. As one congregation wrote: “After discussing the qualifications, along with the circuit overseer, we found that no one qualifies as elder or ministerial servant. But we shall strive to meet the requirements next year.”

 James Mubata, a member of the Branch Committee, who has been in Bethel since 1966, recently commented on the almost immediate effects of the elder arrangement on the congregations. He says: “Not only did more brothers with teaching qualities become available for the benefit of the congregations, but also those already used as teachers began to improve as they applied themselves. In addition to this, the cleanness of the congregations received much better attention. Prior to 1972 the servants in many congregations were not quickly handling cases of uncleanness. But almost immediately after the establishment of bodies of elders these cases were given attention. So much so that for some time we were busier than ever before, handling such cases.”

This whole arrangement gave the congregations a tremendous boost spiritually. Brothers who were disqualified because they did not give proper supervision to the spiritual growth of their families became conscious of the need to apply the Scriptural counsel. Other brothers who until then were not given the opportunity to put their skills, abilities and spiritual advancement to the best use were now using these to the advantage of the congregations. Out of it all came a much stronger organization that was clearly in a better position to help the brothers meet what was to come in the years ahead.

NEW BRANCH FACILITIES

The other timely provision from Jehovah was the building of a fine new three-story Bethel home. During his visit in 1971, Brother Knorr gave many hours of attention to our need for a more spacious home and branch office. At the time of his visit,  several members of the Bethel family were living in nearby apartments, and the office and shipping facilities were woefully inadequate. Since 1953 we had been living in a single-story house with only five bedrooms. In fact, at the time of Brother Knorr’s visit three of these bedrooms had been converted into offices. So it was decided that new facilities should be sought.

After several fruitless attempts to get permission to build just what we wanted somewhere else, it was decided to tear down our old home and build new facilities on the spot. This building project began in December 1972. Ten months later we moved in. What a happy occasion that was!

While this construction was not one of the “two-day wonders” seen nowadays in the construction of Kingdom Halls, it certainly was something that was  talked about in the neighborhood. Indeed, a fine witness was given, both to local officials and to people in the surrounding area. The fact that hundreds of people, male and female, little children and old men, were helping in some way was a cause for much comment.

One who commented favorably was the municipal building inspector. Although at first he was quite cool, gradually he warmed up to the friendliness of everyone. His comment was: “You’re making good progress. You’ve got some good labor there. You wouldn’t get that if you were paying for it.” Another man, a building contractor working across the road, said: “It is good to know that there are still people who believe strongly enough in something to do something like that.” Actually our fine building was constructed almost 100 percent either by volunteer labor or under the direction of such volunteers.

While it would be impossible to mention by name all those who showed such willingness and self-sacrifice, we do think that mention should be made of some outstanding examples. Take, for instance, Peter Drewett. He left his secular employment and came to the city with his wife and daughter to live in a trailer for the duration of the whole project. Then there was Noel Ellerman who, with his wife and two children, moved their tiny trailer right onto the dusty site. There they lived, right in the middle of things, for about eight months. We must also mention Eric Cargill, a businessman who not only provided essential building equipment and some of his own labor force but also spent half his time every day on the project until it was completed.

 THE TOBACCO ISSUE

As mentioned earlier in the account, the beginning of the 1970’s brought several issues to the fore. One of these was the matter of growing tobacco or working on farms or for firms having to do with the production and processing of tobacco. In Zimbabwe this became quite a problem, since tobacco is one of the principal sources of income for the country. It is the principal export product and brings in much sorely needed foreign currency.

As far back as 1972, the brothers working in such places were beginning to question the Scripturalness of their employment. In fact, when brothers were first being recommended as elders or ministerial servants, several declined on grounds of conscience. As one traveling overseer put it: “There are a number of brothers who would have qualified as elders because of their fine records. They themselves have asked not to be recommended as elders or ministerial servants because they work on a farm where tobacco is grown and packed. Because of their conscience they have asked not to be recommended.”

Some who had been growing tobacco soon stopped doing so, and others made similar plans. One expressed it this way: “Many of us put away our second wives when we understood how God viewed it, so quitting tobacco-growing must be easy.”

BROTHERS STAND FIRM

It was good that the brothers were already reasoning this way because this line of thinking was to make it much easier for them just two years later. It was in the early part of 1974 that the Kingdom  Ministry contained a special insert headed “Harmonizing Our Employment with ‘Love of Neighbor.’” This insert clearly presented the Scriptural view of the matter. Tobacco smoking is a defilement of the flesh and hence a disfellowshipping offense, according to 2 Corinthians 7:1. That being the case, would it be right for a Christian to grow this plant, or process and sell it to others? The obvious Scriptural answer is, No. We could not do that and still show love to our neighbors. This is the way the insert reasoned.

The response of the brothers was nothing short of thrilling! Try to imagine yourself in the position of these brothers. Suppose you have a very responsible job on a tobacco-producing farm. With it comes a house and possibly a tract of land where you can graze some of your own cattle. Now all of a sudden you are faced with a big decision. Your employer tells you that if you do not want to work in the production of tobacco, you will have to find employment elsewhere. You may have several small children. What are you going to do?

Well, our brothers did it! Yes, they were willing to give up all of this rather than be separated from Jehovah’s organization. Many suffered severe financial losses. But they maintained favor with Jehovah. You could count on your fingers the number of those who had to be disfellowshipped. How our hearts went out to the dear brothers who stood so firmly for God’s righteousness!

MIXED REACTIONS

Of course, this stand of the brothers caused a widespread reaction, most of it adverse. Newspaper  articles and letters to the editor became regular features. Members of Parliament voiced their criticism inside as well as outside Parliament, some of them vehemently. Showing how far it went, one writer in a monthly magazine stated: “The Jehovah’s Witnesses have been severely criticized inside and outside Parliament. . . . Under new legislation they can now be stripped of their citizenship and lose their immunity against deportation.” He called it “a storm in a teacup.”

The farmers themselves had mixed reactions. Some of them were malicious. Some wrote to the Society, saying what they thought about Jehovah’s Witnesses; others used the telephone. However, they still would like to have had Jehovah’s Witnesses in trusted positions on their farms.

Thus there were several farmers who tried very hard to accommodate the brothers. Rather than lose good, reliable workers, they were willing to give them jobs that did not involve the production of tobacco. This, of course, the brothers appreciated.

There is the experience of one brother who was employed as a tobacco salesman. Realizing he could not remain in this type of work, the brother turned in his resignation, which his employer refused. So the brother just did not turn up for work. When his employer came to his house to find out why he was not at work, the brother explained the situation. Thereupon the employer commended the brother for his honesty and stressed that he did not want to lose him as an employee.

Taking advantage of this situation, the brother then laid down the terms under which he would remain there. Not only was he to be free from work  involving tobacco but he also wanted time off for all meetings. To this the employer agreed, although it meant a reduction in pay for the brother.

“From my experience,” this brother concluded, “I have learned that as long as we endure when we encounter problems at our places of secular work we will be blessed. I also learned the importance of being more concerned with our spiritual growth as we advance with Jehovah’s organization.” This brother is now serving as an elder.

THE GOOD NEWS SPREAD THROUGH ADVERSITY

Actually, this shifting around of the brothers did much to spread the good news of the Kingdom. Through it even new congregations were organized in formerly isolated areas. For instance, one brother owned a mine in isolated territory. The brothers got to know that he needed laborers and that he was willing to help out the needy ones. Soon he had 20 brothers working for him. These, plus their families, were formed into a congregation that continues to exist. Others also were quick to help out where they could.

Some who found themselves unemployed because of the tobacco issue went back to their homes, where, often, there were no congregations. As a result, Jehovah’s Word was being preached in areas where it had not been preached before.

But how did all of this end? Strange to say, it was the Tobacco Association itself that finally settled the matter, by the simple process of publishing an announcement by the chairman of the association in one of its monthly bulletins to tobacco growers.  This announcement stated that it was a religious matter for the Witnesses and should not become an issue. An interesting comment was made in the June 1974 issue of Rhodesia Tobacco Forum. It said on page 27, regarding Jehovah’s Witnesses: “In the same article [a newspaper article] the Secretary for Agriculture . . . was reported to have described the move as ‘apparently a deliberate attempt to cause a dislocation in the economy.’ However, the numbers involved would hardly appear to warrant such an assumption.” This comment by the Rhodesia Tobacco Association itself seemed to quiet things down, so that the brothers were no longer harassed. Indeed, a fine witness was given regarding the loyalty of Jehovah’s people.

NEUTRALITY ISSUE COMES TO THE FORE

While the tobacco problem was affecting our African brothers, another issue came to the fore, also in 1972, that at first involved only our white brothers. This concerned a Christian’s neutrality in the affairs of the nations. The issue did not become a widespread problem until there began what became known as the “liberation struggle” or, as others called it, the “terrorist war.” The problem arose, of course, as a result of compulsory military service for white males.

With the intensifying of the struggle, especially along the borders of the country, more efforts were made to involve the entire population in national defense. Conscription, however, was at first confined to white males. This involved quite a number of young Witnesses, many of whom had to serve  prison sentences, some more than once, because of conscientiously maintaining their course of Christian neutrality.

The nature of the draft was such that men were given call-ups for certain periods of the year, after which they could follow their secular employment. So a brother could be brought before the courts each time he conscientiously refused to obey a call-up, which meant he could be exposed to the possibility of one term of imprisonment after another. In fact, some even received call-up papers while they were still in prison!

Young married men with families found it especially difficult, not only because they had to leave behind their families when they went to prison but also because of their employment. Often these brothers would lose their employment when they went to prison, necessitating their looking for another job when they came out. When doing so, they would invariably be asked about their military status. When a prospective employer was told the facts, the answer would often be: “I am sorry. I would like to give you employment, but I cannot do so unless you have done your military training.” For some, this became a very big problem.

AN EARLY EXAMPLE

One of the first ones to endure these trials was Bob Hawkes. He had already done military training when he first began studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. He had only been studying for six months when, in January 1973, he was ordered to report for duty. Shall we let him tell his own story?

“Because of what I learned in my studies of the  Bible I decided not to go. At this time Molly, my wife, was about two months pregnant.”

What happened when he failed to report?

“I was summoned to appear in court and given an effective 30 days in jail with three months’ suspended sentence.”

Did he find it a hard test to go through?

“Very much so. Here I was, not even baptized and sitting behind bars. Now I was all alone in a very strange world. It was all so very confusing. Then Molly got upset and wrote me a letter indicating she was going to leave me. On top of that, my father came to see me, bringing a lot of literature condemning the Witnesses. I let him know that whatever happened I was determined to stick to my conscientious stand. My only comfort was in prayer to Jehovah.”

TROUBLES COMPOUND

When Bob Hawkes was released from prison, he found his troubles were far from over. At home, Molly, his wife, handed him his army kit and suggested he go to the “bush,” that is, to the battlefield. Says Bob: “I told her she must never try to force me to go and not even to mention it again.”

Then Bob went back to his employment only to be told he was fired on the spot. “When I told Molly I had been fired,” says Bob, “it’s a wonder she stayed with me, seeing she was still cool toward the truth.”

Shortly after this, Bob was baptized. Then back into prison again, this time for six months, plus the three months suspended on the previous occasion. All together he was in prison three times, the last time for eight months.

 AND WHAT ABOUT MOLLY?

We might ask, “Molly, what have you to say about all of this?”

“While we were studying, the truth did not really mean much to me. With Bob it was different. As soon as he learned something, he made changes. Consequently, smoking, parties and other things had to stop. Then I became pregnant, and the blood issue bothered me. Our entire life was being affected.

“Then Bob went to prison. This I felt was terrible. How could he do all of this to us? It was then that I decided to give him an ultimatum. So I wrote and threatened to leave him. Deep down, however, I knew I didn’t really mean it and couldn’t go through with it.”

What made Molly change and accept the truth?

“Much of it was due to the kindness shown by the sisters. There were parcels of groceries, meat, bread, as well as other material assistance. But, in addition, there was the loving concern of the brothers and sisters who would build me up spiritually. Gradually this influenced me. It made me think. So I started working toward baptism. I was baptized just after Bob got out of prison the last time.”

Brother Hawkes received one more call-up after that. This time, however, he was not imprisoned because of his plans to accept employment in another country.

This experience is typical of what several of our brothers went through. In fact, as the age of conscription went up, to 50 and, finally, even to 60,  quite a number became involved. But more about that later.

POLITICAL OPPOSITION BEGINS TO SHOW

With all this publicity over such issues as tobacco and Christian neutrality, you can well imagine that the Witnesses were in the news. Abetted no doubt by some irate members of the public who were annoyed by the neutral stand of the Witnesses, some Members of Parliament began agitating for government action to curb the preaching work.

In addition to being objects of criticism and attacks through the news media, the Witnesses also became a popular subject for discussion in parliamentary debates. This was particularly so on December 4, 1973, when Parliament debated amendments to the Defence Act and the Citizenship Act. Following are some excerpts from these debates:

“The beliefs of this sect [Jehovah’s Witnesses] are the very antithesis of the reputable and established churches.”​—Minister of Defence.

“In brief it is intended . . . to provide that a Jehovah’s Witness sentenced to six months’ imprisonment or more without the option of a fine for an offence involving refusal to obey orders on the grounds of religious conscience may suffer loss of citizenship and, in the case of a non-citizen, may be deported.”​—Minister of Defence.

“These convictions [of conscientious objectors in general] generally relate to the question of the taking of human life and can be accommodated by allocation to non-combatant duties. . . . The exception  . . . is the cult or sect known as the Jehovah’s Witnesses whom I feel are a pernicious organization, with no foundation for and no justification in their attitude towards military service.”​—Member of Parliament.

“What we are seeking to ensure is that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not have an impact and influence upon young men who are liable and who are doing their military service.”​—Minister of Defence.

It seems that the courageous stand of the brothers was having an impact in more ways than one.

TENSION MOUNTS

Toward the end of 1974 one could feel the tension increasing. This was indicated in a letter from this branch to the Society’s headquarters, dated October 8, 1974. In part, it referred to a rumor of a “full-scale inquiry” into our organization and then said: “At date of writing we have not heard any more, neither have we been contacted by the authorities. Rumors have been heard that some action will be taken by December, but we have not been able to confirm any of these.

“Throughout the country a large portion of the populace is very definitely ‘up in arms’ against our activities, especially our house-to-house ministry.”

“No Jehovah’s Witnesses” signs began to appear everywhere. In fact, one enterprising person started selling them from house to house. He did quite a business for a while.

PROPOSED ACTION

In the early part of February 1975, the branch office came into possession of the minutes of a very  significant meeting. It was a meeting of the National Executive of the Rhodesian Front, the ruling political party at that time. Much of this meeting, held on January 31, 1975, was about Jehovah’s Witnesses. A number of points were presented as to why they felt some action should be taken against Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Well, you can imagine how we were feeling about that time! What was going to happen? Would Jehovah’s Witnesses be banned? Would the missionaries be deported? We just did not know what to expect.

While those who presented these suggestions to the government were themselves members of the ruling party, some of them, in fact, Members of Parliament, it seems that the government itself took a more rational view, for neither then nor at any time later was any official action taken against the preaching work or the organization. We are very grateful to Jehovah for that.

NEUTRALITY IN “HOT” AREAS

It was not only the military issue that required the brothers to take a firm stand on separateness from the world but other situations also arose. (John 15:19) For example, Brother Will Vosloo had a farm that turned out to be in a truly “hot” area during the war. It was 39 miles from the congregation where he served as an elder. Just beyond was a stronghold of the “freedom fighters.” Many were the clashes between these and the government’s security forces.

One day, shortly after his baptism, Brother Vosloo  and his wife, Gisela, were sitting in their home, reading from the Bible at Psalm 112:7, which says: “He will not be afraid even of bad news. His heart is steadfast, made reliant upon Jehovah.” Within an hour a member of the police appeared, warning people that “terrorists” were in the area. He insisted that the farmer arm himself for protection. Brother Vosloo refused.

He explains: “From that time on, more and more pressure was put on me to share in the protection of our community. My neighbors could not understand my attitude​—to them I was cowardly. In field service one day a man said to me: ‘You will be the first to run away when things get really hot.’ He was wrong. Today I am still on the farm, but they are all gone.”

NEUTRALITY A PROTECTION

Although harassed by neighboring farmers, Brother Vosloo and his family did receive comfort from an unexpected source. One day a circuit overseer came to see him and said: “I am your brother from across the Umfuli River. You must not worry. The people in that area know all about your neutral stand. You will be safe.” These words proved to be true.

One day shortly thereafter, when Brother Vosloo’s tractor drivers were working in the field, they were suddenly accosted by a band of guerrillas. They said: “We know that man. We do not want to burn his tractors.” Sure enough, although neighbors had their tractors burned, as well as pump installations destroyed, Brother Vosloo’s equipment  remained intact. Later, while he and his family were away on vacation, several farm homes in the area were destroyed, but the Vosloos’ house remained intact. All of this because of their known stand of neutrality in political affairs.

This went on for quite a few years, in fact, right up to the end of the war. Even delegations representing the community would visit the Vosloos and try to pressure and “shame” them into arming themselves for their own protection, as well as that of others. Everyone else in the area traveled heavily armed. But Brother Vosloo quotes Gisela as saying adamantly, “No gun or rifle.”

Things began to get worse and worse: Local country stores were being burned down. Land mines were planted on the roads. A curfew made it extremely difficult for the children to travel to school. So, finally, Brother Vosloo decided to rent a house in town where his family could live while he continued to work the farm. But through it all, he feels that his real protection resulted from his neutral stand and his complete trust in Jehovah, as it is written: “Whenever you lie down you will feel no dread; and you will certainly lie down, and your sleep must be pleasurable. You will not need to be afraid of any sudden dreadful thing, . . . for Jehovah himself will prove to be, in effect, your confidence, and he will certainly keep your foot against capture.”​—Prov. 3:24-26.

A PARADOX

It is a strange thing indeed: The very stand that sent our young white brothers to prison gave our  African brothers a freedom that often was not enjoyed by other organizations, religious or otherwise.

As time went on, the increase of guerrilla activity in some areas resulted in a step-up of security measures. Meetings were prohibited; schools and stores were closed. The brothers had to be particularly cautious in their field ministry and the way they gathered together for Christian worship.

In February 1973 a circuit assembly was scheduled for one of these areas. Would we be allowed to hold it? With full faith in Jehovah’s direction, the local brothers approached the chief for a letter to take to the district commissioner. While he would not deliver the letter at that time, he did allow the brothers to begin preparations.

When the district overseer, Isaac Chiadzwa, came to the area later, he went to the district commissioner’s office to report his presence and obtain permission to enter the area for the circuit assembly. “When I asked for permission to enter the Dotito area,” he said, “everyone in the district commissioner’s office laughed and thought I was mad. How surprised they were when they later heard one of the officials saying, ‘We know you people. We know your position regarding the present conditions.’”

Sure enough! Permission was granted for the assembly! The only restriction was that we were not to have any evening sessions. Even the chief was surprised and impressed!

Brother Chiadzwa said that in the district work at that time he encountered many roadblocks. He  relates: “Always I was let through because I was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. At one roadblock everyone was ordered to unload his vehicle for inspection. As soon as I jumped out of the van, a policeman saw my briefcase. After opening it, he asked me who I was and what I was doing. When I told him I was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, he instructed me not to unload my van, which, incidentally, was filled with literature and all our equipment. When another policeman heard this, he wanted to know why the van should not be unloaded. I could hear the first one saying, ‘He is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. We do not have problems with these people.’”

The district overseer said that the brothers in that area all carried the Society’s literature with them, even when working in the fields. Many times it saved them from beatings and other ill-treatment. Strange indeed how the same group of people who could be anathema to the authorities in the one instance could be so highly favored in another!

We have more to tell you about this later on, but now let us go back to Malawi.

PERSECUTION IN MALAWI

When we last spoke of the brothers in Malawi, they had fled from their home country to Milange in Mozambique, east of Malawi. In about 1970 many of them started filtering back to their homeland, where they tried to pick up where they had left off. But this situation did not last long.

In 1972 another wave of cruel persecution  struck our brothers. The San Francisco Examiner called it a “religious war” and said: “It’s a very one-sided war, pitting force against faith.” The pattern followed very closely the wave of persecution in 1967, only this time it was much more intense.

The Youth League and the Young Pioneers movement took the lead in this “war.” “They organized themselves into bands, ranging from a dozen or so on up to as many as a hundred. They then went from village to village, armed with sticks, knobkerries, pangas and axes, searching out and attacking Jehovah’s Witnesses and their properties.”​—Awake! December 8, 1972.

There were rapings of our sisters and cruel beatings with planks that had spikes in them. One brother had dry grass tied to his body, and then this was set afire. He was literally burned to death.

Brother Michael Yadanga and his family were set loose in the center of a game reserve with wild animals all around. They had to walk several miles to get a bus. When they got back home, attempts were again made, with threats, to persuade them to buy a political party card. Brother Yadanga’s answer to them was: “I’ve lost my teeth because I would not buy a card. I’ve lost my job because I would not buy a card. I was severely beaten, my property was destroyed and I was forced to flee to Zambia​—all of this because I would not buy a card. I am not going to buy one now.” Later, warned by a friendly member of the Youth League that they were coming after him, this brother and his family fled to Mozambique.

 Added to the beatings and other physical cruelties were the closing of businesses, the freezing of bank accounts, the confiscating of property, the destroying or stealing of crops, and the forcing of Witnesses out of employment. What did they do? They did the only thing they could do​—they fled the country.

This time most of them fled to Zambia. Over 19,000 of them set up a refugee camp at Sinda Misale.

HELP FROM WORLDWIDE BROTHERHOOD

It was not long before help started coming to these brothers. From all parts of the earth it came, in the form of money, clothing, food and other items. The brothers in Zambia quickly provided thousands of pounds of foodstuffs, blankets and bedding, garden tools and other things. Truckloads of tarpaulins, blankets, plastic sheeting, shovels, axes and other items came from South Africa, our brothers driving 1,500 miles to Sinda Misale to deliver these goods. Although these experienced many difficulties, they delivered the goods under Jehovah’s loving guidance. All in all, many, many tons of food, clothing, medicines and other items were provided for the brothers at Sinda Misale.

ON THE MOVE AGAIN

Sad to say, this respite was only temporary. The Zambian government, under the pretext of moving these brothers to another place, actually sent them back to Malawi. There the persecutions started all over again. So the brothers once more fled their  homeland, this time to Mlangeni in Mozambique west of Malawi.

Soon there were 12 refugee camps set up in Mozambique, with a peak of about 34,000 living in them. Later, in 1975, the Mozambique government forcibly repatriated our brothers from the Mlangeni area to Malawi. From there the majority fled east back into Mozambique, where many of them are today.

At this point we believe you would be very interested in experiences recounted by Cyril and Ina Long. They were living in Blantyre, Malawi, when the persecution broke out again in 1972. They reported:

“One family was crossing a bridge over flooding waters when they were accosted and asked for their political party cards. When the parents explained why they did not have any, the children were thrown over the rail of the bridge into the raging waters below. One of the children was a six-month-old baby. Fortunately, the older children were able to swim and saved the baby. With Jehovah’s hand over them, all escaped death.

“Another brother was beaten unconscious and then had petrol poured all over him. He was set afire and burned to death. Sadly, his wife, who was pregnant, and his six children were forced to watch the whole cruel procedure.”

PROVIDING HELP FOR THE PERSECUTED

Brother Long realized that something was going to have to be done to help the brothers who were being robbed and beaten. So arrangements were  made for a secret rendezvous where fleeing brothers and sisters could be picked up and transported to the border. In the first load there were about 30 transported in two Volkswagen vans. Several came with bicycles but realized they could not take them, so they just threw them into the bush on the roadside, knowing they would never see them again.

“All along the road,” says Ina, “there were roadblocks, and each time the brothers and sisters would lie flat on the floor of the van, covered with blankets. Cyril, being white and the only one visible, was waved on without searching. At three o’clock in the morning they safely reached the refugee camp in Mozambique.

“Some days later we were approached by a circuit overseer with the report that there was an urgent need for medicines and blankets, as the camp in Zambia had nearly 12,000 people living in the open. It was winter and many suffered from colds, diarrhea, sore throats, and so forth. Moreover, several had cuts, bruises and bad burns from the ill-treatment they had received. What could we do to help them?

“Following fervent prayer to Jehovah, we decided to approach a chemist [pharmacist] and ask to buy medical supplies. This was a dangerous thing to do because he could easily have reported us to the authorities. However, we approached him and told him the situation.

“As it turned out, this chemist was angry because the government had forced him to fire one of his most trusted employees, who was one of Jehovah’s  Witnesses. So rather than report us, he was only too happy to be of assistance.” Imagine the surprise and joy of Cyril and Ina Long, when they went back the next day for their order and received two huge boxes of medical supplies as a free gift for the brothers in the refugee camp! When they tried to pay for these supplies, they were told by the chemist: “It is the least I can do for such loyal people who are being treated so disgracefully.”

Shortly afterward, Cyril Long and another brother made a nocturnal trip to the camp, this time with a load of blankets. Brother Long said: “Tears came to our eyes at what we saw: A whole family of six huddled under one blanket, trying to get warmth from one another’s body; a sister so badly beaten and burned with hot logs that she could not lie down. They had to prop her up with grass bundles.”

To close this account we want to tell you one more experience that really moved Sister Long. Because the government froze all the bank accounts of the brothers, no one could withdraw funds to pay for public transport for escape. She said: “Two brothers approached us and said: ‘We were able to withdraw our savings before they were frozen. We have bought bus tickets for our family and have this money left over. Could you please give it to others who need it?’ Even though these brothers had lost their own jobs, their brotherly love moved them to share with others what they had left, knowing that Jehovah would provide!”

No doubt as Cyril and Ina Long let their minds  go back to that occasion, their own faith in Jehovah’s loving care becomes stronger and stronger.

A TRIP TO MOZAMBIQUE

It was in 1975, while the refugee camps still existed in Mozambique on the west of Malawi, that a problem arose similar to one experienced in the early Christian congregation. (Acts 6:1-6) This was over the distribution of relief goods. It was decided that the best way to settle this would be by a personal visit of a brother from the branch office. So in February 1975, Keith Eaton, a member of the Branch Committee, set out for these camps. Getting there was not easy. The trip had to be made in a roundabout way by air. He went from Salisbury to Beira on the east coast of Mozambique, where he stayed overnight, visiting a few brothers there. Then he went to Tete on the Zambezi River and on to Vila Coutinho (now Ulongue), where there were six refugee camps at the time.

One of the things that made it difficult to reach this destination was the fact that Mozambique was in the throes of a changeover from Portuguese minority rule to black majority rule. So crossing the border was not easy, especially for strangers to the area.

However, with the help of brothers who met him at the Vila Coutinho airport, Brother Eaton was able to visit the camps. There he discussed the problems of the brothers, listening to their heartrending reports on their situation and offering helpful suggestions. There is no doubt that this personal contact with a representative of the Society did much to encourage the brothers.

 APOSTASY IN THE CAMPS

When the brothers finally got settled in camps east of Malawi at Milange, Mozambique, they became quite well established. However, further problems arose in time.

In 1976 some suddenly started to claim to be of the anointed and began holding special meetings separate from those of the congregations. They advocated teachings that were unscriptural. According to them, they were of the anointed, and since 1975 Jehovah was no longer dealing with the congregations through the elders but through these individuals.

One of the ringleaders was found naked by the police near Mount Mlanje on the Mozambique border and was escorted back to the area of the refugee camps in eastern Mozambique. He told his followers that, like Moses, he was obeying a call from Jehovah to go up the mountain to receive instructions. Sad to say, these false teachers professing to be of the anointed gained quite a following, and the apostasy was not halted until over 500 had been disfellowshipped. A good number of those who were misled eventually realized their error, returned with a repentant attitude and have been reinstated in the congregation.

We are very happy over the fact that two of the brothers in Mozambique responsible for the work in that land were able to attend the five-week Gilead course for Branch Committee members. This has helped greatly toward providing good theocratic supervision of the work in that country.

 WAR BRINGS INCREASED PROBLEMS

Now back to Zimbabwe. As the war began to grow in intensity so also did the problems that our brothers had to face. Life became quite hectic. In many areas a normal life was out of the question. For many, there was no knowing what the next day was going to bring. Try to put yourselves in the place of the family of this brother who wrote to the Society:

“I am writing to tell you what happened to my family, my wife and five children. They narrowly escaped death while working in my maize field. Soldiers on both sides started firing at one another across the field. My family lay flat on the ground as bullets passed over them. Mortar shells exploded just ten yards away from them. They were caught in the cross fire, and yet they escaped unharmed. I believe this was because of Jehovah’s protection. The trees around my home were badly damaged as they were hit with bazookas, but my home was not damaged.”

This brother also tells of a different kind of problem that arose:

“Soldiers came to our home in the evening. They asked me several questions, and I told them that I was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They wanted to take my daughters for the night. On their own initiative, my daughters refused and said they would not go. The men threatened to kill them, but still the girls resisted. They had in mind the words of Jesus at Matthew 10:28 and Revelation 2:10, which we had earlier discussed in our family study. Finally, the men decided to leave them alone.

“The girls of the world who consented to go with the soldiers were sexually abused. We are grateful  to Jehovah for the way he continues to care for us in these perilous times.”

Sad to say, not all our young sisters escaped so easily. Michael Chikara, a traveling overseer, tells of what one young sister went through. First, she was hit on the chin. Then “while she was recovering from this wound a group of men overpowered her and raped her, with the result that she now has a child.”

Brother Chikara also tells of an experience related to him by a 17-year-old sister. This is her sad story: “I was forcibly taken by soldiers and beaten on four different occasions, twice by soldiers on one side and twice by those on the other side.

“The first time I was beaten I was uncertain if I would even live. While I was recovering from this beating, soldiers of the other side came to the area, collecting all the young girls and forcing them to attend their meetings.

“On this occasion one man demanded that I spread a blanket for him on the ground and insisted that I sleep with him. I ran away, crying, followed by this man. Another one joined him in trying to force me to commit an immoral act. I was struck down with the butt of a gun, but as I fell I cried out loud so that eventually they left me. I then mingled with a big crowd of people who were present and was later helped home in the dark without the knowledge of those who had accosted me.

“A few months later another band of soldiers came to our area and took me, along with nine other girls, claiming that we had been serving as girl friends for those on the opposing side. Of course, in my case this was not true. All of us were beaten until we were not  able to move for weeks. All together, I was beaten four times.”

This fine young sister continues to remain spiritually strong even though she is the only one in her family who is in the truth.

ABDUCTIONS​—A COMMON PRACTICE

It became quite a common practice in certain areas for young teenage children to be abducted. Bands of soldiers would come to small villages and order all out into the open. Then, while the adults were forced to sing songs, soldiers would pick out young boys and girls in their mid-teens. The practice was to take the young boys for training as soldiers and the young girls to serve as cooks and for immoral purposes. Some parents never saw their children again.

At times even our brothers had to suffer this terrible heartache. A pioneer brother wrote to the Society as follows: “My daughter and five other young ones were abducted. All six were dedicated, baptized Witnesses.” Some of our Christian brothers had the sad experience of seeing their children return, not as Witnesses, but as soldiers trained in the art of warfare. However, such cases were very rare.

A BRAVE LITTLE WITNESS

One thrilling case was that of Catherine Mbona, a 14-year-old sister in the Eastern Districts, who was abducted. Her parents (her father, Michael, has been a pioneer for many years) wondered if they would ever see her again. Imagine their joy and relief when, a few days later, she was returned to their village, unharmed.

 “What did they do to you?” they asked Catherine. “Nothing,” she said.

“What were you doing, then, all the time you were away?”

“I was speaking to them about Jehovah. I was witnessing.”

A few days later the leader of the soldier band appeared in the village and sought out the girl’s parents. The parents were quite apprehensive as to the reason for this visit. However, this man had made a special journey to the village to commend the parents on how well they had brought up their daughter.

PROTECTED VILLAGES

Because more and more villages were becoming “hot” areas, and also because some of them were being used as hideouts and strongholds for guerrilla forces, the government started moving the people of these villages into fenced-in areas, or protected villages, locally known as “keeps.” Although this was done with a view to protecting the people, it did result in their having to leave behind homes, property, cattle, crops and all but the few belongings they could carry with them.

As far back as 1973 one of the circuit overseers, Reuben Mpedza, reported: “Concerning the Mukumbura, Musingwa and Chiutsi congregations, people in these areas are being moved by the government to any particular place they want them to stay. Some of our brothers now do not have any homes due to their being moved.”

You can imagine what it must have been like, suddenly finding yourself and your family in a  fenced-in area without anything but the barest of belongings. No house, no sanitation​—nothing but the open ground to sleep on. How did our brothers react to this? The circuit overseer said in his report: “It is still an encouraging fact to know that despite these obstacles brothers are zealously preaching to others about Jehovah’s Kingdom as the only hope for distressed humanity.”

It is interesting to see the difference in attitude toward these “keeps” on the part of people in general and Jehovah’s Witnesses. While most were lamenting their material losses, the Witnesses were busy adjusting themselves to the new situation. In fact, because people were so close together, the brothers found it much easier to reach them with the Kingdom message!

In one such place, the older sisters were very happy. Previously they could not auxiliary pioneer because of the curfew and the fact that the people in their congregation territory were very scattered. But as they said: “Now all the people are close together, and it will be easy for us to serve as auxiliary pioneers.”

Of course, this moving about of the people, putting them in these protected villages, did have the effect of disrupting the organizational care of some of the congregations. Circuit overseers often did not know whether or not the congregation they were to visit would be there when they arrived. However, when the protected villages were done away with at the end of the war, the brothers gradually returned to their former homes and tried to continue where they had left off. Some congregations that had not received a visit from a circuit overseer for two or three  years were once again being served by a traveling overseer.

ORGANIZED TO MEET THE SITUATION

It is not difficult to see that during the war, changes would have to be made to cope with the different circumstances.

One arrangement made to help the elders was for special meetings to be held once every year, conducted in each circuit by the circuit and district overseers, using a program prepared by the branch office. This program dealt especially with the needs of the brothers at the time. This arrangement was very much appreciated by the elders, who felt it was just what they needed to help them in their shepherding work under such adverse conditions. Not only the elders themselves but also several of the brothers wrote to let the Society know how much they were benefiting from the training received by the elders.

There is no doubt whatever that this special arrangement, plus the regular training of the elders through the Kingdom Ministry School and the special meetings at the circuit assemblies, contributed greatly toward the united stand of the brothers all during the war.

“TIE HIM TO A TREE AND LET HIM DIE”

It was just after he attended one of these special elders’ meetings that Jeremiah Chesa, a brother well up in years, had quite an experience. Brother Chesa lives in a rural area. He related:

“A band of soldiers took me from my home at night into the bush; then I was asked, ‘Where were you on  Saturday and Sunday?’ I told them I had gone to a religious meeting. ‘Do you know, old man, that this is the end of your life? We have already killed people more special than you, a poor dog.’ They then shouted, ‘Let us kill him!’

“However, one of them said, ‘Rather, let us tie his hands and legs to a tree and leave him there to die on his own.’ After getting a rope, they then said, ‘Tell us now what you choose​—to die or to stop worshiping your God.’

“‘Frankly,’ I said, ‘I do not want to cheat you by saying I am going to quit worshiping. I worship day and night.’

“Angered at this, someone shouted, ‘Tie him to a tree and let him die there!’ So I spent the whole night tied to a tree.”

 The next day, around noon, a hunter happened to pass by and saw Brother Chesa tied to the tree. Although the hunter was shocked and a bit fearful at what he saw, this man did have the courage to release our brother, who then made his way home. But what next? Brother Chesa’s story continues:

“A few days later the soldiers came to my house and wanted to know how I had got free from the tree. They took me into the bush and asked who had released me. I said my reply was in the Bible at Psalm 146:5-7. Orders were given for this scripture to be read.

“Five persons who were ordered to reread the passage were beaten because the leaders thought they were not reading it correctly. It was interesting to listen to their conversation. ‘Who actually released him?’ ‘We had better leave him alone and let him go.’ ‘You are lucky, old man.’”

What was it that suddenly changed the minds of these would-be killers? The scripture they read says in part: “Happy is the one . . . whose hope is in Jehovah his God . . . Jehovah is releasing those who are bound.” Brother Chesa went back home a free man.

“JEHOVAH . . . IS ALWAYS WITH YOU”

This was the expression of a non-Witness woman to one of our faithful sisters. What were the circumstances that prompted those words? Brother Tauzen Chawanda has the answer for you in an experience that he and his wife went through while working on a tea estate in the Eastern Districts:

“On December 23, 1976, a band of soldiers came to my house in the compound. Some of the soldiers  were sent to all the homes to gather the people together. We were taken to the factory area and were told to sit in a circle. My wife and I were the only Witnesses.

“Next, they told all the women to stand back and see how their husbands were going to be killed. Out loud my wife and I prayed to Jehovah for protection. As my wife was stepping back, a woman said to her, ‘It’s better for you because Jehovah is your Savior, and he is always with you.’

“Once the women were out of the way, the soldiers said to the men: ‘We told you that you were not to work but you continued doing so.’ With that, two soldiers fired their machine guns into the men. Then the soldiers hurriedly departed.

“As soon as this happened the women ran back to their husbands, not knowing whether their men had been killed or not. When my wife tried to pick me up, I told her I was all right, but she did not believe me at first. All the other women found that their husbands had been killed, and they went back to the compound. Later, I also went back, to find they were all gathered at our house.

“As I came up, the woman who previously had spoken about Jehovah’s protection was saying to my wife: ‘I told you​—Jehovah is with your husband. See, he is back alive because of God’s protection!’”

ASSEMBLING TOGETHER UNDER ADVERSE CONDITIONS

We are happy to say that during all these trialsome times it was possible to continue having district conventions and circuit assemblies. This was because, for the most part, they were held in the  safer areas of the country. There were a few times when the brothers from circuits in dangerous areas had to join with their fellow Christians in another circuit. But at least they had the program and were kept spiritually strong.

Congregation meetings in many places, however, were more of a problem. This was mainly due to curfews that restricted movement from one place to another. Since the Memorial celebration must be held in the evening, it sometimes posed a great problem. Usually the curfew was from dusk to dawn, although at times it was from as early as 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the following day.

One fine arrangement for overcoming this problem at Memorial time, especially in small rural congregations, was for all the brothers to go to the home of one brother. There they would celebrate the Memorial of Christ’s death at the proper time. Of course, after that they could not return home, because under curfew regulations they could go no more than a few feet from the brother’s house. So they would spend the evening singing Kingdom songs and relating experiences. Then the next morning they would return to their homes, happy at having been able to obey Jesus’ command to assemble for this most significant occasion.​—1 Cor. 11:23, 24.

INTERESTED ONES HELPED

Actually these special arrangements for the Memorial, along with other congregation meetings, did much to help interested ones in those areas, as well as the brothers themselves. Out of fear of beatings or other mistreatment, interested ones would hesitate  to attend the meetings openly. But they did seem to get encouragement from this idea of staying overnight.

One brother from a congregation of 13 Witnesses wrote to the office to say how thrilled they were to have 106 attend the Memorial celebration​—over 90 more than the number of publishers!

Another brother, Michael Mafara, who was serving as a special pioneer at the time, had a unique way of overcoming the curfew problem and helping even interested ones. In his area the curfew was very strict. Movement away from home was allowed only from noon to 2:00 p.m. each day. In the congregation the brothers were scattered into three groups, and the only way to travel was to walk. What could be done?

Well, Brother Mafara got an idea. He designated three homes where meetings could be held. During the two hours of freedom to travel, all the brothers and sisters would go to one of these homes. There they would remain until noon the next day, at which time they would return to their homes. At the next meeting time all would go to one of the other places, and so on. This afforded them many hours for meetings and fellowship, strengthening one another spiritually.

As to the results, Brother Mafara writes: “When I visited these groups, I found that even interested persons had come and were staying overnight to attend the meetings. Although there are only 13 publishers in the congregation, during the time of this curfew the attendance came to be 21​—more than before the curfew was imposed.”

 “LIKE A HIDING PLACE FROM THE WIND”

The prophet Isaiah spoke of those who would be serving as shepherds and overseers in Jehovah’s visible organization. He likened them to “a hiding place from the wind and a place of concealment from the rainstorm.” (Isa. 32:2) Our loyal traveling overseers proved to be just that, all throughout the war years.

Courageously they would endure all sorts of hardships for the sake of their brothers. Some would walk for days through bush country, up and down mountains, crossing dangerous rivers, sleeping all night in the open​—all in order to reach isolated congregations and publishers, to encourage them to remain firm in the faith.

To illustrate this fact, we would like to relate the experience of one of the circuit overseers, Isaiah Makore. He, together with another brother, Obet Sose, traveled 80 miles by bicycle to a remote and dangerous part of the country to visit three tiny congregations in this area. On the way back they were accosted by “freedom fighters.” But let us have the circuit overseer relate the account:

“When we had traveled about nine miles, we suddenly saw men with guns from the bush calling us. We stopped and went with our bicycles to where they were. We soon were stripped of such things as our new wristwatches, money, and so forth. Included among the money I had was that given to me by the congregations we had just visited, for sending on to the Society for their accounts.

“While this was going on, we were also being questioned as to who we were and what we were  doing there. It seems that these men suspected we were government agents or employees. Not knowing what would happen to us, I silently prayed to Jehovah for help, especially so as not to compromise. Later, Brother Sose told me he had been doing the same thing.

“Finally, we were able to convince these men that we were Jehovah’s Witnesses and ministers of religion. I was quite surprised when they handed back all the money they had taken from us, although they did keep our watches and one or two other items.

“They then told us we could go, and we were just about to leave when we heard the sound of an approaching army vehicle. The battle was on! Soon we were lying flat on the ground with bullets going every which way. Happily, we came out of this unscratched, and we continued cycling back the 127 kilometers * to our base.”

ENDURING TORTURE

Some of our traveling overseers, along with brothers and sisters, were subjected to cruel torture. One example was that of John Hunguka. Generally the neutral stand of Jehovah’s Witnesses was known and respected. In this case, however, it seems that John’s firm stand as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses prompted the terrible treatment he received. He relates:

“I was walking on my way to the next congregation. On the road, I was to meet a brother who was going to accompany me. Just as we met we suddenly were surrounded by soldiers. They had with them an electrical machine that they used for torturing people  into revealing information concerning those in the opposing camp.

“Brother Mukwambo was the first one to become subjected to this form of torture. Repeated shocks were sent through his body as they tried to extract from him information that he did not have. While this was going on, I was ordered to sit with my back toward them so I would not see what was going on. It was then that I offered a silent prayer to Jehovah, asking him to help us both maintain our faith firmly. Brother Mukwambo finally lapsed into unconsciousness.

“After this, I was interrogated. When they learned I was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, one of the soldiers started putting electrical shocks through me until I went unconscious. When I regained consciousness, they started questioning me again. I repeated my neutral stand. It seems that every time I mentioned Jehovah’s Witnesses their anger increased.

“Next they made me undress and attached their machine to my private parts, subjecting me again to the shocks. Then, threatening to kill me if I reported what they had done to me, they let me go. With Brother Mukwambo’s help, I was able to get to his house. The next day the brothers put me on a bus to Mutare, where I received medical treatment.”

How did John Hunguka feel about this experience? “I did not doubt Jehovah’s protection through all this persecution. Rather, it drew me closer to him than ever before. I was determined to continue visiting the brothers in those areas despite problems.” And that is exactly what he did, for the very next week he was back in the same area continuing with his circuit work.

 BACK TO THE NEUTRALITY ISSUE

While our African brothers, especially in the rural areas, were having their faith greatly tested, several of our white brothers were still having to defend their faith before the courts. In fact, by now many more were involved, since the call-up age had gone up to 50 years.

This did have a good aspect to it in that these older brothers, many of them elders, were in a better position to speak out boldly concerning their loyalty to the Messianic Kingdom. They gave many a fine witness. For instance, Gordon Hein said kindly, but firmly, to the Exemption Board: “You can stand me up against that wall and shoot me, but I will not  compromise on my stand for Jehovah and his Kingdom.”

Another one who had an opportunity to give a fine witness before the Exemption Board was Koos deWet. In spite of the fact that this brother presented his Scriptural stand very clearly and forcefully, the Board refused his request for exemption. Brother deWet relates what then happened:

“After they had decided not to grant me an exemption, the Director of Security Manpower came to inform me privately of their decision. In conversation I drew to his attention the fact that not a single witness of Jehovah was among those who were fighting against this country. He replied that he was aware of that. ‘And why are you aware of that?’ I asked, and added, ‘Because Jehovah’s Witnesses in these countries around us are making exactly the same stand as I have made before you today.’

“He then admitted that although he had looked upon Jehovah’s Witnesses as a nuisance, he had over the years come to realize that they have the most desirable religion.”

NEUTRAL STAND WIDELY KNOWN

By now it was becoming clear throughout the entire country that Jehovah’s Witnesses were not on either side. Our brothers in communal areas can well testify to this fact.

This experience took place in 1978. An announcement had been made concerning the “Victorious Faith” District Convention. The brothers in the Hurungwe area wanted to attend the convention. To do this, they would have to hire a bus. But, now, let  David Mupfururirwa relate the account. He was a district overseer at the time and is presently serving along with his wife, Betty, as a special pioneer.

“The ‘freedom fighters’ controlled this particular area, which included the use of buses to and from the area. No one could hire a bus or even leave the locality without the permission of the ‘freedom fighters.’ But even if permission was granted, there would still be troubles. Why? Because along the way there would be a roadblock by the government security forces. They knew that a bus could come along only if it had permission from the guerrillas. So such buses became suspect and were thoroughly searched, including luggage and parcels, for bombs or other lethal weapons.

“Under these circumstances, word got to the commander of the ‘freedom fighters’ that the Witnesses were trying to hire a bus. Certain ones were then sent to the bus owner to ask if this was true. He told them that it was Jehovah’s Witnesses who wanted to hire the bus but that he had not made any decision. This news went back to the commander. As was reported to the brothers, the conversation went something like this:

“‘Commander, did you know that the people who were hiring the bus are Jehovah’s Witnesses?’ ‘Yes,’ was the reply. ‘Then why did you not say so before! We would not have wasted time checking on them. You know they are neutral in politics. They are not a threat to us. In fact, I feel much better among them than I do among ourselves. We will allow them to hire the bus.’

 “Later, when talking to the brothers, the bus operator said: ‘You people are backed by Jehovah! Other churches have tried to hire buses but have been refused, by both the “freedom fighters” and the security forces.’”

ANOTHER HURDLE TO OVERCOME

Off the brothers went, heading for Chinhoyi and the district convention. But then they came to a roadblock. This time it was the security forces. Everyone was ordered out of the bus and told to open his luggage and parcels. Just as the brothers began to do this a soldier asked where they had come from and where they were going. One brother said: “We are Jehovah’s Witnesses, and we are going to Chinhoyi for our religious convention.”

“Are all of you Jehovah’s Witnesses?” asked the soldier.

“Yes, sir,” came the answer.

“Then put back your luggage and carry on to your convention.”

As they were getting into the bus, the following conversation was overheard between two of the soldiers:

“Hey, why are you letting that bus off?”

“They are Jehovah’s Witnesses, the most peaceful citizens you can ever come across. We can’t waste time on them.”

Incidentally, regarding this convention, the “freedom fighters” in the area sent word to the brothers that they were not to worry. There would be no interference with the convention. And that proved to be true.

 DARKEST DAYS OF THE WAR

By now we were entering into the most crucial time of the war. There was no place of safety. As more pressure was put upon the government forces, the battle line could be anywhere in the country​—city or rural area. By the early part of 1978, bombs and hand grenades were going off in cities and towns. In the capital city a bomb blew out the side of one of the Woolworth buildings, killing and maiming several people. In Mutare a woman walked into a department store with a grenade tied to her leg. It exploded, killing her, as well as others.

Because of this, rigid security measures were instituted. You could not enter a store without being searched. Rural gravel roads were loaded with land mines, and travel on most of the highways was permissible only in convoy under army protection and during daylight hours.

THE CONGREGATIONS AFFECTED

All of this, of course, greatly affected congregation activities, which, in many places, were interrupted. Circuit overseers were finding they could not reach some of the congregations in their circuits. In an effort to overcome this, reliable local brothers were assigned to do the best they could to keep in touch with these congregations. Being local, they had an advantage over the traveling overseers, who were often strangers to the area.

In spite of this arrangement, some congregations were so completely cut off that nothing was heard from them for two or three years. Stories reached the branch office of whole congregations having to  flee from their homes, living in caves in the hills until such time as they could safely return.

Such conditions, of course, had quite an effect on the reports received by the Society. In fact, there was a steady drop in the number of publishers reporting, on the average, from 12,127 in 1976 to 10,087 in 1981. Much of this was due to the conditions existing during that time.

As soon as they were able to do so, the circuit overseers started getting in touch with these “lost” congregations. One very encouraging report came from John Hunguka. He wrote:

“These brothers and sisters have not had a visit from a circuit overseer for two years, due to the war conditions. It is encouraging to hear how they faced the problems. Parents stood firm to protect their children from intimidation, violence and armed rapists. They upheld the Bible’s high moral standards. They still are conducting themselves as Jehovah’s Witnesses in spite of being separated from others for at least two years.”

Brother Hunguka goes on to state that some became inactive during that period of time, and a few compromised on their neutral stand out of fear. How thrilling it was, however, to learn that by far the majority of our brothers endured all these tests without violating their dedicated relationship with Jehovah!

THEY TRUSTED IN JEHOVAH

As we look back over those most critical years, one thing stands out very clearly. Jehovah’s loyal ones ‘trusted in him with all their hearts,’ and he, in turn, gave them his protection and help to endure.  (Prov. 3:5) Our reflecting on a few experiences might help to impress us with this fact.

Consider the situation of Eric and Jane Hitz, who, during much of this time, served in the circuit work for the English-speaking congregations. Please keep in mind that especially during the later years of the war most of the main roads could be traveled only by convoy, and many of the gravel roads were riddled with land mines. Furthermore, gangs of men could appear suddenly at any time.

Well, Brother and Sister Hitz had to travel many of these roads. In spite of pressures to the contrary, they were determined not to carry arms for protection; rather, they trusted in Jehovah. Brother Hitz said: “Often we were told that we were mad to travel on certain roads and that we would never get through alive. But Jehovah protected us. The loving concern of the brothers we were visiting at these times was most outstanding and made us feel it was worth it all.”

Sister Hitz relates that on one occasion they, for some reason, left a congregation a day later than they were supposed to. The next day as they were traveling along, they saw the charred vehicles of a convoy that had been attacked. Had they traveled the day before, as was intended, they would have been in that convoy. “This was only one of many similar experiences,” she adds.

This faithful couple later went to Gilead School and are now enjoying their missionary work in Switzerland.

Another example of full trust in Jehovah was that of Stephen Gumpo. He and his wife, Gladys, are now serving in Bethel. While in the special pioneer work,  Brother Gumpo had the same experience with the electric torture machine as did John Hunguka. “When you are attached to that machine,” he observed, “it is the easiest thing in the world to do anything, to lie, to compromise, anything to get rid of the excruciating pain. It was only in Jehovah’s strength that I was able to endure and remain faithful to him.” Brother Gumpo related that others had died from the same treatment.

RESURRECTION HOPE, A HELP TO ENDURANCE

Although there are many examples of Jehovah’s evident miraculous protection and deliverance from certain death, it does not mean that death will always be avoided. Sometimes ‘faithfulness unto death’ is the means by which we prove our loyalty to Jehovah and thus are assured of “the crown of life” through the resurrection.​—Jas. 1:12.

It was sad and yet encouraging to read a letter from a very faithful brother, Tembe Mtshiywa, who has shown his trust in Jehovah by a firm belief in the resurrection. He lost three sons because of the war. Two of them were killed when their car was attacked; and the third one, Abutte, a young brother who was serving in the circuit work, was murdered while bicycling from one congregation to another. As far as we know, he was the only one of Jehovah’s Witnesses who was killed during the war because he was a Witness.

Brother Mtshiywa says that great pressure was put on him by friends and relatives and even by the chief of the area to appease his ancestors, claiming that the calamity that came upon him was because  of his rejecting ancestor worship. However, he firmly resisted this pressure, maintaining a strong faith in the resurrection hope. He says that the comfort he received from the brothers and from Jehovah’s organization did much to sustain him. This brother is still serving as a pioneer and an elder.

“JEHOVAH KNOWS HOW TO DELIVER”

How true these words have proved to be! (2 Pet. 2:9) One who can certainly testify to this is Jeremiah Mupondi. He is a young special pioneer with one ear. How did this come about? He relates:

“We had just parted company with the circuit overseer and a group of publishers when we arrived back home [in the rurals] to find a group of soldiers waiting for us. They had seen us with the circuit overseer and thought we were sell-outs. They said they were sent to get us.

“In the course of the conversation, efforts were made to try to get us to shout slogans, such as ‘On with the war!’ ‘Down with Jesus!’ We steadfastly refused. Next, they tied the brothers’ hands behind their backs with wire. They also took our literature and burned it.

“With us was one young sister. They demanded that she admit she was forced to become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. When she refused, they beat her until she went unconscious. When she awoke, she heard them saying that she had confessed to being forced to become such. From the ground she yelled out: ‘That is a lie. I did not say that!’ Again she was beaten to unconsciousness.

“Another brother and myself were forced to lie on the ground. This brother was beaten until he nearly  went blind. As for myself, they grabbed me by the ear and brandished a knife, saying that if I did not repeat the slogans they would cut off my ear. I remained silent. True to their threat, off came my ear. It was then that I began to draw heavily on the power of the resurrection hope.

“Next, our persecutors turned to Sister Muchini and threatened to cut her five-month-old baby into pieces if she refused to say the slogans, ‘On with the war!’ and ‘Down with Jesus!’ In the face of this threat, and knowing what they had already done, this loyal sister refused to repeat the slogans. They must have been impressed, because the baby was not killed.

“Finally, we were let go. However, ten days later another gang accosted us with the same threats and beatings. All five of us continued to remain faithful.”

 On this last occasion Brother Mupondi said to the men who were so cruelly mistreating them: “We are not going to leave our preaching work and our gathering together, whether this is a cause of death or not. We are determined even to die for the name of Jehovah.” It was then that some of the persecutors were heard to say, as they walked away, “Jehovah is the true God.”

Just after this experience both Brother Mupondi and his older brother began pioneering. Since then he and his partner, Arnold Chamburuka, have had many thrilling experiences in the special pioneer work.

REHABILITATION AFTER THE WAR

At last the war came to an end. After a short interim rule under a British governor from the beginning of 1980 until April of that year, this country came under its first majority rule. At that time it also received its new name​—Zimbabwe.

Now a time of rehabilitation began, both in the country in general and also among Jehovah’s people. However, while the rehabilitation program instituted by the new government has been, and continues to be, fraught with problems, with Jehovah’s people it has been steady progress all the way. Indeed, it makes one think of the situation among the members of the Christian congregation of the first century. After quite a period of trouble and persecution, the account says at Acts 9:31: “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.”

That is the way it seemed to be here. Under the government’s amnesty program, our brothers in prison were released and allowed to go back to their normal pursuits. Brothers who had sent their families into the cities and towns for protection during the war were once again reunited with their loved ones. Congregations that were once disrupted were now becoming stabilized again. Indeed, under an atmosphere of peace the work of Kingdom witnessing began to take an upward swing, and in just two years there was the following fine increase:

Average Average Memorial

Publishers Pioneers Attendance

1981 10,078 560 28,103

1983 11,552 750 33,914

As you can see from these figures, it did not take our brothers long to get into good, wholesome theocratic activity. In fact, the averages for the individual publishers have seen a healthy increase, showing that individually the brothers and sisters are doing much more than they were prior to 1981.

INTEREST IN THE KINGDOM MESSAGE GROWS

For a short time after the end of the war, people had no time to listen to the Kingdom message. Many promises had been made during the war, and now people hoped to realize the fulfillment of these promises. But it did not turn out this way.

 The aftermath of the war soon became evident​—an increase in crime and violence, something almost foreign to the country before the war. Even shortages of necessities were becoming a big problem for the first time. Kidnappings as well as dissident activities made some areas of the country dangerous to move around in.

All of this had quite an effect on many people, who were beginning to have serious doubts as to man’s ability to handle his affairs. Many of these began to call to mind the stand of Jehovah’s Witnesses during the war​—that of remaining firm for God’s Messianic Kingdom as the only remedy for man’s ills. As one person said in a letter to the Society: “I was very much against you people because of your stand during the war. But now I realise that you are really the people of God.”

In fact, never has the branch office had so many letters asking for help from Jehovah’s Witnesses as it has been getting since the war ended. For example, there was a letter received from an interested person, who said: “I was delighted to read about such good news because I used to drink and smoke and was involved in politics until I was given a book by a friend. I used to feel bound, but now I feel free. I am asking to study the Bible with you, please. Can you send me a Bible so that I can study with Jehovah’s Witnesses?”

The brothers in the congregations have been having similar experiences. Rabson Daniel, a circuit overseer who has been in the full-time service for 34 years, wrote about the situation. He said that, in some areas, at the end of each month the people  have been coming to the homes of the brothers for magazines. One pioneer sister, while preparing for magazine work, placed all her magazines before she left home, with people who came to her door!

A school headmaster recently wrote to the Society, asking for 45 copies of any book or booklet that we felt he could use as a basis for religious instruction. From another school the branch office received this letter:

“I am writing on behalf of the staff and students in Nyangani Secondary School. Established in 1981, we are a developing school which in the past few months has undertaken the formation of a library. Naturally we consider religious education an essential aspect of education. Recently a few of your publications were donated to us and we found them excellent for our needs, and would now like more information. As an example of this, Awake! is easy to read and covers a wide range of articles.

“If you have any booklets with current prices they would certainly be helpful to us in the future.”

PROBLEMS STILL EXIST

Of course, the changed circumstances did not mean that God’s servants were now free from problems. The conditions that faced the people in general also faced them. Dangerous areas due to antigovernment activity, crime and bomb scares were still things with which to contend.

In addition to these conditions, other problems continued to confront our brothers, further testing their faith. Many of these arose from the efforts of local political organizations to compel the Witnesses to get involved in political affairs. Our consistent  refusal to become involved caused much harassment​—but it also resulted in many fine opportunities to give a witness before local authorities, as well as to groups of people.

Ben Mapuranga, a circuit overseer, tells of one brother, Tauzen Brown, who was brought before a crowd of over 400 people to explain the reason for his refusal to take out political membership. But first Brother Brown had to explain why he refused to repeat a political slogan. After that he gave an excellent witness in defense of God’s Kingdom and Christian neutrality.

When he finished, the chairman asked all of Jehovah’s Witnesses present to stand up. When they did so, he asked them: “Do you agree that you also do not take out political cards?” “Yes!” they all said with enthusiasm. They added, “We agree because we are also ministers of God.” With this the people shouted for them to be beaten, but the chairman said: “They must not be beaten. These people are innocent. Let them go to their homes. They have explained their stand.”

OFFICIAL ATTITUDE TOWARD THE WITNESSES

While all over the country local political groups, especially the youth movements, have tried to force our brothers to compromise on their neutral stand, the official position of the government on this matter has been very encouraging. The general policy has been to let Jehovah’s people continue in the Kingdom work unmolested.

In the early part of 1983, there was a political rally in a town, and it was attended by a cabinet  minister. At the conclusion of his talk the meeting was thrown open for questions. One question had to do with Jehovah’s Witnesses because of their refusal to support political activities. The cabinet minister asked the crowd: “Did Jehovah’s Witnesses fight against us during our freedom struggle?”

“No.”

“Are they fighting against us now?”

Again, “No.”

“Then leave them alone. They are not our enemies.”

In other parts of the country similar questions have been asked with similar answers being given.

“LET THEM GO AND CARRY ON”

A recent experience sent in by district overseer Caleb Mandiwanza provides further insight into the present view that the government authorities have toward the Kingdom work. He tells us of two brothers in a rural area who were brought before the officials of the local political party to explain why they refused to take out party cards. The explanation was not accepted. Instead, the party officials decided to send these two brothers to the party headquarters at a larger center. Here they had another opportunity to explain the Scriptural reason for their stand.

Once again there was confusion as to what should be done. So the two were sent to the police headquarters. The police suggested a telephone call to the government headquarters in Harare. This was done. The reply? “The government knows that organization. Let them go. Do not bring them in again. Let them go and carry on with their preaching  work. Do not bother them or call them to your [political] meetings.”

“FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE GOOD NEWS”

Writing to the Philippian congregation, the apostle Paul said that the things happening to him “turned out for the advancement of the good news.” (Phil. 1:12) This is also true for our day. The experience just related resulted in a very fine witness in the home area of the two brothers, with one person officially resigning from her religion and asking for a Bible study with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Another experience demonstrates this even more so.

Kenias Chemere, a special pioneer, had several studies with teachers, headmasters and others. Six of these realized they were learning the truth and so resigned from membership in the local political party. This caused a furor. The local councillor took the matter up and even ordered all of Jehovah’s Witnesses out of the territory of his jurisdiction within a few weeks.

Following up on a suggestion from the branch office, the special pioneer and the circuit overseer, Steyn Madakuchekwa, took the matter to the district administrator. From there it was taken up by the police. The outcome was that the councillor who ordered the Witnesses out of the area was given warning to leave Jehovah’s Witnesses alone. So also was the chairman of the local political party. As he said to Brother Chemere: “Your matter is finished. We have been given a strong warning.”

The result? Certainly “for the advancement of the good news.” New Bible studies have been started.  Those already showing an interest in the truth have been moved to take a firm stand, some even preparing for baptism. Although the special pioneer was due to be moved to another assignment, the circuit overseer urged that he be allowed to remain there because of the sudden upsurge of interest in the Kingdom message.

Two other young special pioneers who had a similar experience recently wrote about the results in their area. They said: “A certain man, who was so opposed when the whole congregation took a neutral stand, is now studying the Bible with us. He is making fine progress. He stopped smoking in one week, after smoking for 25 years. When he learned that his religion was part of Babylon the Great, he stopped association with it.”

Many more similar experiences could be related to demonstrate the ‘large door of activity’ that has been opened to us. (1 Cor. 16:9) We thank Jehovah for giving us such a fruitful field. But, as Paul also said, “there are many opposers.” This is to be expected. However, due to official action to prevent our brothers from being intimidated, the situation has become much calmer, and we are enjoying more freedom in our work.

ZEALOUS FOR FINE WORKS

Our brothers have been quick to take advantage of present circumstances to further the interests of the Kingdom. The publication My Book of Bible Stories has enjoyed tremendous popularity among students and teachers. One brother, Sheva Mawasu, who is a schoolteacher, says that “the headmaster concluded that the Bible Stories book suited well  the syllabus for Scripture education. I am glad to say he is using this book now in his class.”

This same brother took advantage of the situation and arranged for the publication Learn to Read and Write to be used for grade II students and Your Youth​—Getting the Best out of It for the upper grades.

Another very enterprising young brother found out how to overcome a problem in school. This brother refused to sing political songs and share in prayer with others at school. He also refused to engage in certain types of entertainment. Here is what happened:

“When the headmaster was told that I was not sharing in singing and praying, he called me to his office. He asked me why I was not sharing, and I gave him the reasons. I then asked him if he wanted us to sing our songs. To this he agreed. Soon the children of Jehovah’s Witnesses and others, as well as the teacher, were singing the song ‘Worship Jehovah During Youth!’”

This young brother, Jerasi Nyakurita, served as an auxiliary pioneer while at school and is now a regular pioneer.

INTEREST STIRRED

All this activity, as well as the excellent articles in the Watchtower and Awake! magazines and the other publications, has stirred a great amount of interest in the Kingdom message. Letters of appreciation continue to pour into the branch office. For instance, here is a quote from a letter sent in by a young high school student:

“I cannot tell you how grateful I am for your  kindness because it seems to me as if God himself has blessed me. I am grateful to you for sending your loyal, loving messenger to help me. I wish to encourage all of Jehovah’s Witnesses to keep doing their work, including the printing of such useful books as Choosing the Best Way of Life. I have not come across anything I can criticise in your books.”

Some interested persons are even using the publications to study with others in areas where there are no Witnesses at present. One such person sent money to cover the cost of four subscriptions for The Watchtower. In his letter he wrote: “We are down in remote country where we are starting to read Nharire [The Watchtower in Shona]. We will soon ask you to send a leader to help us. We have about seven families, approximately 12 people.”

Even local authorities are now welcoming the Witnesses. A special pioneer was just recently assigned to an isolated area. Brother Chinamhora, who owns property in the area, went to see the local authorities about having the special pioneer there. The village chairman of the local political party said to Brother Chinamhora: “That is good news to hear. Bring him to us, and we shall tell the party that we will have a preacher going from house to house and they are not to worry him.”

The local subchief commented: “It is a good thing. It makes the place full of love and drops crime in the country.” If you were a special pioneer, would you not like an assignment like that?

DROUGHT A PRESENT PROBLEM

During the past three years a problem of a different kind has arisen. Like some other countries in  the southern hemisphere, Zimbabwe has been hard hit by drought conditions. In fact, it has proved to be the worst on record. In some places cattle are dying like flies. Wild animals are eating the bark off trees, stripping them, just to get moisture for their bodies. This, of course, has greatly affected the people, including our brothers.

Concerned brothers and sisters have been quick to rally to the needs of their less fortunate fellow Christians. One way in which this problem is now being met is through the circuits. The district overseers discuss the matter with the elders at circuit assemblies. Then they are charged with the responsibility of taking whatever help is donated and passing it on to where it is needed most. This arrangement prevents any possibility of unscrupulous postal agents’ stealing clothing and food that is sent for relief. Several letters have been sent to the branch office, expressing gratitude for the help given.

As we come to the conclusion of this report we do so with great rejoicing. For the past 24 years we had not been able to pass our all-time peak in publishers of 13,493. However, in April of 1984 we reached a new peak of 13,621. Additionally, our previous high for regular and auxiliary pioneers was 1,191, but in April our figure was 2,114, nearly double the previous peak! Our Memorial attendance for 1984 was over 38,000, which is three times the number of publishers and some 4,000 more than the peak attendance of 33,914 in 1983! Indeed, Jehovah is giving the increase!

 JEHOVAH OUR HELPER

The saying, “Oh, for the good old days,” need not be in the vocabulary of Jehovah’s forward-looking people. We have too much ahead of us to begin longing for the past. However, we can reflect upon the past with much profit. And as we do so, we can come to only one conclusion, that expressed by David in Psalm 34:19: “Many are the calamities of the righteous one, but out of them all Jehovah delivers him.” How true this has been in Zimbabwe!

Reflecting upon the early days when the Kingdom work in this country was just getting a footing, we think of such stalwart ones as Nason Mukaronda, Robin Manyochi, Wilson Stima, Willie McGregor, the McLuckies and others. All of them are still going strong in their advanced years. How happy they must be to see the way in which Jehovah has sustained his people through all their trials and brought them to their present state of spiritual prosperity!

We are grateful to the government authorities who have taken such a fine attitude toward our work. We pray concerning them “in order that we may go on leading a calm and quiet life with full godly devotion and seriousness.” (1 Tim. 2:2) But at the same time we know that it is Jehovah who protects his people and lovingly cares for them, as he leads them on to final deliverance into the righteous New Order of his making. Whatever may come, he will prove to be our “fortress in the time of distress” as well as at all other times, because we take refuge in him.​—Ps. 37:39, 40.

[Footnotes]

 [Map on page 173]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

ZIMBABWE

Chinhoyi

Victoria Falls

Harare

Hwange

Mutare

Bulawayo

ZAMBIA

BOTSWANA

MOZAMBIQUE

Ulongue

Tete

Milange

Mocuba

Beira

MALAWI

Mt. Mlanje

Blantyre

INDIAN OCEAN

[Picture on page 114]

In 1924 Hamilton K. Maseko (left) began witnessing in Bulawayo. Nason Mukaronda was the first one to be baptized in this country (1924)

[Picture on page 117]

Wilson Stima (age 76) and Robin Manyochi (age 85) learned the truth in the 1920’s. Both are special pioneers

[Picture on page 119]

Part of the McLuckie family, who were prominent in the early preaching work in Zimbabwe and Malawi

[Picture on page 122]

Willie McGregor went to Zimbabwe in 1929 and contributed greatly toward establishing the Kingdom work in the Bulawayo area

[Picture on page 127]

Eric Cooke (shown with his wife, Myrtle) became the first branch overseer in Zimbabwe

[Picture on page 129]

Convention in Zimbabwe during Brother Henschel’s visit in 1955

[Picture on page 130]

Baptism at the 1955 convention

[Picture on page 143]

John Miles (shown with his wife, Val) served in the district work and in the branch office from 1960 until 1979, when they were assigned as missionaries in Lesotho

[Picture on page 145]

Gilead graduates presently serving in Zimbabwe. From left to right, back row: George Bradley, Irene McBrine, Lester Davey, Keith Eaton, Don Morrison; front row: Ruby Bradley, John McBrine, Anne Eaton, Marj Morrison

[Picture on page 146]

As a circuit and district overseer, Gilead graduate Sizulu Khumalo has been of great help to the African brothers

[Picture on page 151]

After serving in Malawi, Hal and Joyce Bentley were assigned to Zimbabwe

[Picture on page 164]

Zimbabwe branch office, completed in 1973

[Picture on page 195]

Jeremiah Chesa was tied to a tree and left to die

[Picture on page 203]

Traveling overseers John Hunguka (who was tortured with an electric machine) and Michael Chikara

[Picture on page 212]

When Jeremiah Mupondi refused to shout slogans, such as “Down with Jesus!” his ear was cut off