Worldwide Report

Africa

Regardless of their cultural and religious background, people need the opportunity to hear the good news of God’s Kingdom. God’s will is that “all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.” (1 Tim. 2:3, 4) Jehovah’s Witnesses in Africa are working in harmony with that expression of the divine will.

The Governing Body approved of establishing a branch office in Malawi, as of September 1, 1995, using rented buildings. Plans for appropriate buildings are being drawn so that construction can be undertaken. There is much work yet to be done in this country. Especially in the cities, where many people are literate, great interest is being shown in our publications. Malawians love the Bible and are basically humble, peace-loving people. Because there is such interest in our literature, polished presentations are not necessary at present. The Witnesses simply introduce themselves to the householder, and after formal greetings, they show the person  what books or magazines they have with them. Often a householder will take a look through the whole pile of magazines that the publisher has and will even want to see what else is in his bag. Some publishers have offered their own underlined personal copies of older magazines, and householders have gladly accepted these. Even though people generally express love for the Bible, this does not mean that everyone wants to learn the truth. There are many so-called Christian denominations here. Some of these are quite hostile to Jehovah’s Witnesses and say that the Witnesses deserved the persecution that came upon them and that they wish that the Witnesses were still under ban. The majority of people, however, say: “We are pleased that you are now free to worship, and we welcome you in our homes.”

Polygamy is commonly accepted in Benin as well as in many other African countries. How does this affect sincere truth seekers? A woman who was the second wife of a man began studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. She soon learned that Jehovah gave only one wife to Adam and that this was to set the standard for all future marriages. (Matt. 19:4-6) Her marriage could not be recognized by God, so what would she do? Would she leave her polygamous husband? Where would she go? There is no welfare system in Benin, and she had five children by this man. She put her trust in Jehovah and courageously moved out. (Heb. 13:4-6) This was a struggle because he left it to her to care for their five children both financially and spiritually.

Her determined stand had a beneficial effect on other members of the family. Happily, the husband began studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. His first wife joined the study and was subsequently baptized. The husband now attends all the meetings and has decided to help care for the  children he had by his second wife. The second wife was recently baptized and said soon afterward: “I am determined to serve Jehovah forever.”

Elke, a missionary sister in Burkina Faso, befriended Djara, a ten-year-old girl at the Kingdom Hall. Djara attended all the meetings with her mother. In time, however, the mother abandoned the truth, and for several months Elke had no contact with Djara. Then, at the district convention, Djara was present and found Elke. What a surprise to see her! She and her brother had begged their parents until they got permission to attend the convention. Both children paid careful attention, taking notes. However, they were tempted to go to a local radio station to see “Papa Noel” (Santa Claus) on December 25, while the convention was still in session. They asked Elke’s opinion. She told them that they would have to make their own decision but that if they came to the convention, they would make Jehovah God very happy, and he could give them everlasting life in the Paradise. They were at the assembly on December 25.

A study was started with Djara, and arrangements were made for her to attend the meetings. After the second meeting, she expressed the desire to give comments. At one of the meetings, she happened to have 50 francs (10 cents) spending money with her. She used 20 francs (4 cents) to buy something to eat and, on her own, put the other 30 francs (6 cents) into the contribution box at the Kingdom Hall. Djara has learned to pray to Jehovah for even the small desires of her heart. During a period of time when the family was having difficulties, she also experienced the truth of Psalm 27:10 and found that she had many mothers, brothers, and sisters in the congregation.

The spread of AIDS has had a devastating effect on the population of central Africa. It has mainly touched educated  people who are at the prime of productivity. Years ago, the idea of “one man/​one wife” and of faithfulness to one’s mate was ridiculed by many. Now, in an attempt to stop the plague, the message being publicized on radio, television, and street posters as well as in community gatherings is the standard that was formerly ridiculed. Many who knew that Jehovah’s Witnesses faithfully teach the Bible had not progressed; they felt that there were too many restrictions. But how grateful our brothers are today that Jehovah and his organization insist on high moral standards! One of the elders in Central African Republic said this: “Because of the truth, I have succeeded in establishing a family that enjoys divine blessings. The truth has freed me from the snares of demonism, which could have caused me to be mentally unbalanced. It has also helped me to avoid premature death due to AIDS, the tragedy that most of my former companions have experienced. In appreciation for all that Jehovah has done for me, I have made room, even with my family responsibilities, to share in the pioneer service.”​—Ps. 116:12-14.

A family in the capital of Ethiopia was richly rewarded for being hospitable. (Heb. 13:1, 2) Often, relatives from the rurals have business in the city and need a place to stay. Many of them have chosen to stay with this very warmhearted Witness family, where a rare atmosphere of godly devotion has attracted them. The family has used appropriate occasions to share the good news from God’s Word with the visiting relatives. As a result, by the time of the “Godly Fear” Convention, 22 of these relatives had become baptized Witnesses, another 28 relatives were unbaptized publishers, and 6 other relatives had started studying. Over 50 of this extended family were at the convention, and among them they conduct well over 50 home Bible studies!

 Asia and Islands of the Pacific

By means of the printed page, the good news had reached the Orient before the 20th century began. Material in printed form is still being used to search out deserving ones. As a result, many thousands are personally experiencing what Jesus said, namely, that the truth can set one free.​—John 8:32.

A zealous sister in Hong Kong writes: “Hospitals, streets, parks, railway stations, bus stops, markets, car parks, and elevators are my fields for informal witnessing. When I leave home, I always pray to Jehovah, and I make sure that I have a variety of books, magazines, and tracts with me.”

Encouraged by the circuit overseer, a Witness in Japan made it her goal to place 130 magazines a week, and this in frequently worked territory. She examines new copies of the magazines as soon as they arrive in order to locate articles or statements that might appeal to various types of people. She  has also learned to keep an accurate record of those on her magazine route. The result? She has 220 calls on her route. However, when it appeared that a woman on her route was not reading the magazines, she prayed to Jehovah that since the magazines are precious, cost money to produce, and are printed by brothers at Bethel who work day and night, would he please indicate whether the householder was reading the magazines. ‘If not, let her refuse them,’ she asked. Then she called at the house. This time, the husband of the woman came out and took the magazines, saying: “Thank you for delivering these magazines regularly. I am reading them and really like them.” Upwards of 206,000 in Japan who have benefited from such magazines now eagerly share precious Bible truths with others.

A sister in Quezon City, the Philippines, says that she was able to start seven new Bible studies by making use of tracts. Explaining how it was done, she wrote: “One morning at 11 o’clock I met a mother busy preparing lunch for her family. I said that I understood her situation and so would be brief. I told her that our main purpose was to bring real comfort to all families who feel depressed, that this comfort comes from God’s Word, and that it is explained in this free Bible tract Comfort for the Depressed.” After this simple explanation, our sister was invited into the house and was able to start a study.

The number of publishers in Australia has doubled in the past 16 years. The instruments provided by Jehovah’s organization have helped to open the hearts of many people. When the son of one of our brothers was killed in an accident, the family decided to make a gift of the brochure When Someone You Love Dies to each one who attended the funeral. They distributed 189 brochures in this way, and then another 46 copies were sent to unbelieving relatives. As a result, many of them softened their attitude toward the Witnesses. One of  those who received the brochure at the funeral was president of the Catholic School Association. He was said to be one of the best fund-raisers they had ever had. He and his wife studied the entire brochure together, looking up the scriptures in their Catholic Bible. They soon realized that what they were reading was the truth, so the man promptly resigned from the Catholic School Association and refused to do any more fund-raising. In spite of efforts to get him to change his mind, he held firm. He also took a dozen brochures to distribute to other members of the Catholic Church.

A young man in Thailand had heard a missionary witness to his older sister, but he did not express interest. He was involved in spiritism. Then one day he picked up a Bible, opened it at random, and read 1 Peter 2:9, where it says that God called his people “out of darkness into his wonderful light.” This scripture puzzled him, and he began thinking of the missionary. The very next day, she was at his door. When he told her that he had wanted her to visit, she replied that the angels had probably directed her. Then, to his utter amazement, before he said anything about the scripture he had read, she opened her Bible and read the very same text. He was so surprised that he cried. He agreed to a Bible study, which the sister turned over to an elder.

However, the young man’s involvement with the demons made it difficult for him. Beset by financial and other problems, he had made a “contract” with a spirit to the effect that if he allowed it to dwell in him, it would help him and provide for him. As a result, he had been able to build up a business without much effort and had come to own a factory in which he employed many workers. He readily recognized that there are wicked spirits and realized that these spirits are powerful, but he felt gratitude to the spirit that he viewed as “benevolent.” He attended some meetings, but the demons prevented him from grasping and retaining what he heard there.  Then the night before an assembly, he had what he described as a life-and-death struggle with the demon for whom he had been a medium. The young man gained the upper hand, but after that he slowly but surely lost all the material advantages he had received from the demon. As he put his trust in Jehovah, however, God provided for him​—not the excessive wealth he had before, but everything he really needed. (1 Tim. 6:8, 9) He now serves happily as an auxiliary pioneer.

In the Solomon Islands, some communities have resisted our efforts to preach the good news, so the branch decided to send four pioneers to one such highly populated area on Santa Isabel Island for a few weeks to distribute Kingdom News No. 34. It seemed unfortunate that, after only one day, the engine on their canoe quit working and the pioneers had to return to Honiara. However, another island, N’Gela, had recently become accessible by ferry from Honiara, so the pioneers were sent there to witness. Was this arrangement simply second-best, or was the spirit that is channeled through the heavenly Head of the congregation directing matters? (Compare Acts 16:6-8.) Some days later, word came by radiotelephone: “Please send more literature. We had 17 at our first meeting on Friday.” In a few more days, additional literature was requested, and the pioneers reported that 30 had attended the Sunday meeting. When the pioneers were able to return to Santa Isabel Island, they found that had they tried to witness in that area during the previous weeks, it would have been very difficult because the governor-general was paying a visit to mark a centennial occasion, and virtually the whole area was immersed in the celebrations. However, among the interested ones they now found was a local chief who, very disillusioned with the hypocrisy in the Anglican Church, asked for a Bible study. He has since attended a circuit assembly and has invited Jehovah’s Witnesses to come to his area to teach the people.

 Europe

Vast quantities of the literature used in spreading the good news are printed in Europe. And what a year it has been for the Bethel families that share in this work!

Never before have so many books, brochures, and magazines been produced in Germany in one year as was the case during the 1995 service year. As an example, in the month of June alone, the printery there produced 10,835,200 magazines and 7,984,359 brochures, and every day, the bindery turns out about 100,000 books. At present the Germany branch packs magazines, other literature, and forms for 7,600 congregations in 30 countries, with a total of some 625,000 publishers. A large portion of the literature now being produced is for the Eastern countries, where there was very little access to Bible literature for many years. Britain, Italy, France, Spain, Finland, and Sweden also share in filling the international demand for Bible literature.

 More than just literature is sent to lands where there is great need. Qualified Witnesses from other countries have also been invited to move into these areas to help in the disciple-making work. As an example, 14 special pioneers moved from Poland to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, to help with the work. Within two months they were already conducting over 100 Bible studies.

Ten months out of the past service year, there were new publisher peaks in Russia (along with 9 of the 14 other former Soviet republics). The increase was 50 percent! A peak of 77,985 publishers reported. Displaying outstanding zeal in May, the publishers averaged 17.6 hours in the field ministry. During both May and June, they placed over a million magazines and made over a million return visits. (Similar expansion was experienced also in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia, and Ukraine.)

There was just one congregation in Moscow six years ago. Now there are some 40, and almost all of these could be divided into 2 or 3 congregations if more elders were available. In Murmansk, in the north of Russia, there is only one congregation at present. There are many excellent young ministerial servants, but the congregation cannot be divided because there is only one elder. This congregation has about 800 publishers. Ryazan and Ulyanovsk are cities that have over 500,000 inhabitants each but have no congregation. However, eight special pioneers took up work there in May, and that month they started 51 Bible studies in their new territory. What a joy to help these truth-hungry people!

An experience related in Awake! magazine made the wife of a traveling overseer in Austria consider the possibility of reaching persons in government offices. She says: “I searched the telephone directory and other printed sources  for addresses of social services. Then I looked for suitable Awake! articles for people who work in such fields. I started out with much throbbing of the heart, trembling, and prayer. After getting beyond the secretary, we experienced that the men in responsible positions are generally very friendly. When we expressed appreciation for the services rendered​—since Jehovah’s Witnesses also benefit from these—​there was usually a reaction of surprise. Then I stated the reason for my calling: ‘I have searched out articles in our magazines that concern the particular work that you do. Please take time to consider these at your own convenience.’ In this way I have been able to distribute just about 1,800 magazines during the first six months.” Now our sister says that she is finding much joy in this special activity. She calls on school principals, district commissioners, the police, institutions for social services, and judicial authorities.

A young man in Croatia had been born with a heart defect that greatly limited his activities. At age 17 he came in contact with the good news through a neighbor and began to attend all the meetings. Though his parents did not encourage him, he became convinced that he had found the truth. He had studied only a portion of the Live Forever book when his physical condition worsened, and it became evident that death was near. While his mother was sitting next to his bed, crying because she realized that he would die soon, he spoke to her earnestly about the resurrection hope. (Acts 24:15) He expressed conviction that he would be raised to live again but added that whether they would see one another in the new system would depend on her and on his father. His mother was deeply touched. Two weeks after his death, his parents requested a home Bible study, and they are continuing to make good progress.

 In Iceland two of our Christian sisters found ways to help their workmates to get better acquainted with Jehovah’s Witnesses and the good news of the Kingdom. Although their workmates celebrated birthdays and Christmas, our two sisters did not participate. However, one day the sisters brought a nice cake and some homemade bread to share with their workmates during the coffee break. The workers wanted to know what the occasion was. The sisters explained that because their workmates had been so considerate of them and of their beliefs, they now wanted to offer them something good to eat with their coffee. This opened the way for a fine discussion, many questions were answered, and everyone listened with much interest. Later on, they made a gift of a special issue of Awake! to every one of their workmates, each copy marked with the individual’s name. Again, questions were asked, and a good witness was given. When the sisters stood up to leave, one woman looked them over and said: “Despite everything, you do look quite normal.” Yes, these workmates were getting a more positive view of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the message they proclaim.

In a congregation in Denmark, a pioneer made a special effort to help unbelieving mates. He started a Bible study with Klaus, who attended some of the meetings together with his wife, who is a Witness. Klaus appreciated the study and progressed well. The pioneer also wanted to help another unbelieving mate, so he invited Klaus and his wife together with this couple for a meal. The brother’s intention was to start a Bible study with this man. During a walk after the dinner, he tried to speak to the man alone, but it was impossible because Klaus was preaching to the man all the time. By the time the brother finally got an opportunity to speak to him, Klaus had already started the study. At the recent visit of the circuit overseer, Klaus, now an unbaptized publisher,  attended the meetings for field service​—all ten of them. His study with the non-Witness husband is also progressing well.

Those who would live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Tim. 3:12) That persecution may come from family members, and it may even come upon young ones. When she was 12 years old, Monika, who is now with the Miechów Congregation in Poland, learned knitting from one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. That Witness also instilled in her a desire to study the Bible. However, Monika’s grandmother opposed. To discourage Monika, she stopped cooking for her and would not buy her any clothes. She beat Monika when the girl talked about the Bible and followed her constantly in order to prevent her from studying with the Witnesses. But Monika studied privately in the barn and on her way to school.

When she graduated from secondary school, she planned to pioneer and expressed the desire to serve where the need was greater. She wanted to get away from her hometown and as far away as possible from her opposed grandmother. How downhearted she was when the circuit overseer said that her territory would most probably be her hometown! She recalls: “I tried not to let him know how I felt, but with my head drooped, I walked away to think everything over once again. I told my future service partner: ‘You know, I think I am behaving like Jonah. But Jonah did go to Nineveh after all. Thus, I too will go where I was assigned, if this is Jehovah’s will.’ ” Four years have elapsed, and now she says: “I can see that the wise decision was to follow Jehovah’s direction. My negative attitude was the main problem. Now I experience much joy because in one month I managed to conduct 24 Bible studies. Thanks to Jehovah, I even set up a study with my once opposed grandmother.”

 The Americas

In Mexico a large-scale exodus from Babylon the Great is taking place. Many thousands of people from all walks of life are responding to the Bible’s urging: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins.” (Rev. 18:4) Most of these people are leaving the Catholic Church. In 1995 a peak of 443,640 publishers were actively serving Jehovah in Mexico. More are eager to join them, as is indicated by the 569,842 home Bible studies that were being conducted and the 33,077 who presented themselves for water immersion during the service year.

Some of those who no longer want to be identified with Babylon the Great are young folk. Witnesses in Chile went to Requinoa, a remote part of their territory that could be reached only after a long walk along a dusty road. As they approached a house, an elderly woman was already on her way out to meet them. “How nice that you came out to greet  us!” the Witnesses said. She replied: “It is to fulfill a promise I made to my grandson who died a short time ago.” Whenever her grandson, who was only 12 years old, would see the Witnesses coming, he would run to her and say: “Grandma, here come los de la Biblia [the Bible people].” And he would request money to obtain the magazines. “He would always read them,” she recalled, “but what he liked most was a red book that shows a paradise [You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth]. He would read to me and teach me, since I do not know how to read. Three weeks ago for some unknown reason he became sick. Everything possible was done to help him, but the doctors sent him home to spend his last hours with us. He was dying.”

With the family around his bed, he closed his eyes. She continued: “We thought he was dead and were crying with grief, when all of a sudden he opened his eyes and said to us: ‘Mommy, Grandma, tell me that I am not a Catholic. I’m not, am I?’ ‘No, you’re not,’ we said. ‘I’m not,’ he continued, ‘because I’m one of those who come on the road, los de la Biblia, and I am going to live in the Paradise.’ Then he took out his red book and showed us pictures. Turning to me, he said: ‘Grandma, promise me that each time you see los de la Biblia coming on the road, you will go out to receive them for me.’ I said that I would. Then he said: ‘I am not Catholic, I am one of los de la Biblia, and I am going to live in Paradise,’ and with that he died. That’s why I came out to meet you when I saw you coming on the road.” The brother consoled her with scriptures about the resurrection. Hopefully, that family can be helped to develop a firm faith, so that, if Jehovah permits, they will be able to live with their grandson in Paradise.

Just as older ones must prove their loyalty to Jehovah, younger ones too are often called upon to prove their faith  in the face of opposition. Fourteen-year-old Michael, in Costa Rica, had studied the Bible for only a few months when his high school required him to participate in ceremonies that he felt conflicted with what he had learned from the Bible. Although not yet baptized, he took a firm stand, and he and six Witness classmates were expelled from school. More trials awaited Michael. His father issued an ultimatum: “Renounce that religion, or I will disown you as my son.” On another occasion, his father drove him to the city, parked the car, and showed him a briefcase, saying: “Look, son, there’s $8,500.00 in this briefcase. It’s all yours if you return to our religion and quit their faith.” When Michael refused, his father smacked him across the face with his hand. Then he took him to a Catholic church and screamed that he was to kneel and make the sign of the cross before the Virgin Mary or else face severe punishment for refusing to do so. The youngster replied that although he was obliged to respect his parents, his exclusive devotion was to Jehovah. His father replied that he did not know Jehovah and, furthermore, that Jehovah was of no consequence to him. After that, Michael’s father refused to see him for two years! However, years later, a while before his father died, he sought out Michael and asked him to read the Bible to him. He asked Michael to forgive him, encouraged him to continue serving Jehovah, and requested a Bible study.

A woman in Panama City, Panama, listened when the Witnesses called at her home. She obtained a magazine and invited them to return. Why? She had never forgotten that when she was a teacher in a mountainous part of the country, she had some Witness children in her class. They would never participate in patriotic ceremonies in spite of pressures she put on them. One day when macaroni mixed with a sauce that contained strangled chicken was served to the children, these  children refused to eat it, even though she urged them just to pick out the macaroni and forget the sauce. They explained that the Bible forbids the eating of blood. (Acts 15:28, 29) She did not share their views, but she could not help being impressed. Never before had she known anyone to manifest such integrity on account of religious beliefs. Thus, when the Witnesses called on her years later, she invited them to return so that she could learn more about the basis for their beliefs. A Bible study was started, and she began to attend all the meetings. Now she, her husband, and three children are serving Jehovah because of the excellent example of the young Witnesses in her school.

A woman in El Salvador who admired Jehovah’s Witnesses asked Omar if he would study with her six-year-old son. Omar agreed. When he went for the study, he was surprised. The little boy, Mario, had got up early in the morning and taken his bath. He was dressed and was waiting for the brother to arrive. The study was started in My Book of Bible Stories. The boy’s mother listened while tending to her sewing. She said that she was just interested in having her son educated like the children of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The brother asked her permission to take little Mario to the meetings and eventually to assemblies. The boy made progress, and Omar helped him to have the full-time service as his long-term goal. In time, the mother also accepted a study and was baptized, Mario’s younger brother became a publisher, and his father now attends some meetings. And Mario? He is a regular pioneer. How happy Omar is that he agreed to study with that six-year-old boy!

Skillful use of the Bible can get a fine response from honesthearted ones, as the following experience from Jamaica shows: “A young lady who was introduced to me said she had lots of questions that she wanted answered. Arrangements were made for a discussion. The first time we met, she  said she did not wish to go into any of our publications, neither did she wish to be invited to any meetings. She wanted her questions answered from the Bible. Most of her questions were about the Sabbath and the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Only the Bible was used​—the King James Version. Each time she read scriptures in answer to her questions, she marveled at the clarity and reasonableness of the Scriptural answers. This went on for three weeks. At the next visit, she had no more questions, so I asked her, ‘What now?’ She said she wanted ‘to go into the red book,’ that is, the Live Forever book. Chapter 22 was chosen, ‘Identifying the True Religion.’ After that chapter, we started from chapter 1. Then she asked about our meeting times. She began attending all meetings; when her job interfered, she resigned. After just a few months of study, she enrolled in the Theocratic Ministry School and became an unbaptized publisher.”

A circuit overseer in Bolivia had a free day between visits to small isolated groups, so he used it to go in the field ministry with the congregation in whose territory he had rooming accommodations. He wondered who would be caring for the group. The conductor arrived with another brother. The brother who was the conductor had a talking watch, and when it announced that it was 8:15, he asked for someone to read the day’s text, requested voluntary comments, and then concluded with his own brief comment. After the prayer he assigned all there to work in pairs, even assigning a sister who was not present. “How strange!” the circuit overseer thought. A little later they were in the territory, and the conductor asked, “Exactly where are we, and in what direction am I facing?” At this, the circuit overseer realized that the brother was blind. After getting oriented, the conductor proceeded to make the territory assignments. And at midmorning he even arranged for a changing of service companions. What a fine  example of willingness to be used by Jehovah and of trust in him to compensate for any lack! When the circuit overseer commented to the local elders how very encouraging it was to see the brother serving in this way, they replied: “Yes, and that brother never lets us or his group down.”

There is still unassigned territory in Nicaragua, and Jehovah is raising up willing workers to care for the spiritual harvest. During a four-month campaign, 100 temporary special pioneers, self-sacrificing young brothers and sisters, were sent out to a total of 22 locations. Did they get results? For the Memorial, they reported, collectively, an attendance of 2,674. Five new isolated groups were established as a result of their efforts. Additionally, brothers and sisters, single and married, have come from Canada, Costa Rica, England, Germany, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Spain, and the United States to serve in Nicaragua as pioneers. These, along with the missionaries who were assigned here during the year, are doing excellent work.

Studies are not difficult to start in Nicaragua. On the way to the meeting, a missionary was approached by a man who first asked whether the group were Jehovah’s Witnesses. Then he said he would like to study the Bible. When they called on him, he recounted his experiences during the war in Nicaragua. On one occasion when he had been ordered to arrest some Witnesses, they had received him so hospitably that he could not carry out his orders. But now he was deeply perturbed. He had participated in much killing during the war. Would God forgive him? Isaiah 1:15-18 was used to answer his question, after which the man broke down in tears of gratitude and relief. A study was promptly started. When he realized that to please God, he needed to leave his girlfriend and return to his wife, he at once responded: “I want to serve Jehovah 100 percent, not 80 percent.”

 Hated by the World, yet Known for Their Love

On the last night before his death, Jesus Christ told his apostles: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.” He added: “If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you.” (John 13:35; 15:19) Like Jesus, Jehovah’s modern-day Witnesses are hated by the world yet known for their love.

Nevertheless, such treatment often turns out for the furtherance of the good news, rather than otherwise. Fair-minded men are at times moved to speak up in behalf of the Witnesses. Some even join them in worshiping Jehovah.

When an elder visited a group of publishers in the Caucasus Mountains, the house they met in was surrounded for two hours by a hostile crowd who demanded that the elder and other brothers in the group be turned over to them.  However, the police intervened. At the police station, the brothers seized the opportunity to give a witness. The chief of police became interested. He and his family now study the Bible regularly with Jehovah’s Witnesses.

In Belarus, pressure from the Orthodox and Catholic churches has intensified against Jehovah’s servants. People are told not to listen to Jehovah’s Witnesses but to call the police if a Witness tries to start a conversation with them. But the clergy tactics have backfired. Now people are curious to learn who Jehovah is and who Jehovah’s Witnesses are.

Two weeks before a convention was due to begin in Irkutsk, Russia, two priests visited the director of the stadium, demanding that the convention be canceled. The director asked why. Their answer: “Jehovah’s Witnesses are a false religion. They are not Christians.” The director answered: “It is not my business to investigate which religion is true and which is not. I judge people according to their actions, not by their faith. Four years I have been cooperating with Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I am convinced that they are the best people. Thanks to them and their labor, the stadium is in excellent condition. If not for them, the stadium would probably have stopped functioning and I would not be its director. As for their methods, it is their right, but who prevents you from doing the same? Why don’t you rent the stadium and attract people in the same manner?” This answer made the priests furious, and they threatened him. But the director simply said that at least for now, it is not priests who manage the stadium, but he does.

Though Jehovah’s Witnesses are, as Jesus foretold, “objects of hatred by all the nations,” they are also well-known for their outstanding love. (Matt. 24:9) Such love is readily evident when Jehovah’s Witnesses share in theocratic construction  projects. One of these is in Solnechnoye, Russia, where offices and Bethel facilities are being prepared for use in connection with the preaching of the good news in Russia. There are 530 brothers and sisters on the construction site from 30 different lands. What a fine spirit they show! Many of them take their vacation time in order to help. Others gave up their jobs or sold their homes to serve here for a longer period of time. Their keen interest in the Russian people is also reflected in the zeal of many as they apply themselves after working hours to learning the Russian language.

Such loving help has been channeled in other directions too. On June 8, at their own expense, 100 Norwegian Witnesses traveled to Iceland in order to assist their brothers in the simultaneous building of two Kingdom Halls, one in Keflavik and the other one in Selfoss.

Some who were opposers have a change of heart. For example, one day a young sister was calling from house to house in Ukraine and met an elderly man who threatened her with bodily harm if she came again. Our sister asked him to accept a brochure and promised not to trouble him further. But she lost her record of what house she should avoid and, later, inadvertently rang his bell. When she saw who opened the door, she was gripped with fear. She prayed to Jehovah. It was the man who spoke: “Lady, I have read your brochure and changed my opinion. I would like to start to study the Bible.”

Visitors to our conventions readily see evidence of the spirit that exists among Jehovah’s people. An official in charge of a convention site in Swaziland watched in amazement after the final session as hundreds of brothers and sisters helped with the dismantling and the general cleaning.  His whole outlook changed. As he said, “women, men, white men, black men, and young ones all working harmoniously and happily to produce a clean facility in a matter of hours. . . . We would welcome you to use these grounds every week, if you wanted to.”

Love also moves Jehovah’s people to act in times of economic hardship. (1 John 3:17, 18) Dande Valley, in the northeastern part of Zimbabwe, was hard hit by drought this year. When other congregations in the country were informed of the situation, they responded wonderfully. Brothers donated bags of maize, as well as clothing and money. Others made available their trucks to deliver the relief supplies. When the relief team reached a remote congregation, they found a couple whose last meal had been two days earlier. The wife is a Witness; her husband, who was sick, is not a believer. He had lost all hope, but our dear sister had expressed the conviction that her God, Jehovah, would provide them with food. When our brothers arrived, she shed tears of joy.

Danger to the dikes made necessary the evacuation of ten of our congregations in the Netherlands. Immediately, nearby congregations responded. Phone calls from all over the country offered accommodations. There were more than enough. Later, when brothers returned to their homes, they were assisted by skilled brothers from our Regional Building Committees and other volunteers to reinstall their furniture, kitchen equipment, and so forth. Again this year, with the cooperation of brothers in a number of countries, relief supplies were also delivered to our brothers in war-torn Bosnia.

All of this gives tangible evidence that we are “harmoniously joined together in love.” (Col. 2:2) How wonderful it is to be part of an international family made up of people who truly love one another!