Nicaragua

Nicaragua has rightly been described as a tropical paradise. Its eastern shores look out on the clear, turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. Its western coast is washed by waves rolling in from the mighty Pacific Ocean. Viewed from above, the land is a mosaic of forests, farms, and rivers, with many lakes set like jewels in the craters of ancient volcanoes. Yet, these lakes seem like tiny blue pools when compared with the two giants​—Lakes Nicaragua and Managua. With an area of 3,100 square miles [8,200 sq km], Lake Nicaragua alone covers over 6 percent of the entire country!

The capital city, Managua, lies on the southern shore of Lake Managua, which has an area of about 400 square miles [1,000 sq km]. Fittingly, “Managua” in one of the indigenous tongues means “place where there is an extension of water.” The center of government and business, Managua has a population of about one million​—20 percent of the country’s five million inhabitants. It is situated in the narrow confines of the Pacific lowlands, home to about 60 percent of Nicaraguans. Another 30 percent live in the central highlands, and the rest​—just under 10 percent—​live farther east in two sparsely populated, politically autonomous regions that make up half the national territory.

 At the southern border of Nicaragua, the Central American isthmus narrows, with the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean only 137 miles [220 km] apart. But because the San Juan River flows from Lake Nicaragua into the Caribbean, only the 11-mile [18 km] Isthmus of Rivas separates the lake from the Pacific. Prior to the construction of the Panama Canal, the San Juan River-Lake Nicaragua waterway was a popular route for travelers, making the region highly desirable. Indeed, history reveals that it has come under the influence of many peoples, including Maya, Aztecs, Toltecs, and Chibcha, besides foreign powers​—Spain, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, the United States, and the Soviet Union.

The influence of the many tribes and nationalities is evident in Nicaragua’s multilingual and multicultural society. While the Pacific populace comprises mainly Spanish-speaking mestizos, descendants of Spanish and indigenous peoples, the Caribbean region is decidedly multiethnic. Miskito, Creoles, and mestizos predominate alongside smaller populations of Sumo, Rama, and Garifuna​—an Afro-Carib group. Although many of these communities have retained their traditional language and culture, the people are unpretentious, open, and friendly. They are also deeply religious, and many have love for the Bible.

As we will see in this account, the Nicaraguan character has also been shaped by adversity, both natural and man-made. For instance, twice in the last century, Managua was leveled by earthquakes originating on the Pacific side of the isthmus. Eastern Nicaragua has suffered a different kind of natural disaster​—destructive hurricanes spawned in the Atlantic. On top of that, civil war, political revolutions, and harsh dictatorships have brought additional woes.

 Yet, the pure waters of Bible truth have found their way into this beautiful land of lakes and rivers, bringing comfort and hope to thousands of honesthearted people. (Rev. 22:17) Yes, the torrent of spiritual provisions flowing in Nicaragua today attests to Jehovah’s rich blessing on the Kingdom-preaching work in this land, especially considering that just six decades ago, the good news was a mere trickle.

At First, a Trickle

On June 28, 1945, Francis and William Wallace, fleshly brothers and graduates of the first class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead, arrived in Managua. They began the organized preaching of the good news in Nicaragua and prepared the way for future generations of missionaries. But they did not introduce the Kingdom message to this land, for in 1934 a visiting pioneer sister had placed literature in Managua and in other parts of the country. Still, by 1945 very few had heard of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

When the Wallace brothers took to the field, they used a portable phonograph and played Bible-based recordings​—quite a novelty in those days in Nicaragua! Hence, during the first month, 705 persons listened to the Kingdom message.

In October of that same year, four more missionaries arrived​—married couples Harold and Evelyn Duncan and Wilbert and Ann Geiselman. Eager to advertise the Kingdom in every possible way, they planned a series of public meetings. Thus, in November 1945, Nicaraguans were greeted on the streets by people with handbills inviting them to a Bible discourse. Although a nearby political disturbance and street fight threatened to interrupt the  program, the meeting went ahead peacefully, and over 40 listened to that first public talk. In the meantime, a weekly Watchtower Study and Service Meeting began to be held at the missionary home.

The year 1946 was a happy time for the missionaries and those who first responded to the Bible’s message. One of the latter was 24-year-old Arnoldo Castro, who recalls with a smile how he first came to a knowledge of Bible truth. He says: “My roommates, Evaristo Sánchez and Lorenzo Obregón, and I decided to learn English together. Then one day Evaristo came home from the market waving a book and saying: ‘I’ve found an American who’s going to teach us English!’ Of course, that was not the ‘teacher’s’ intention,  but it was what Evaristo had understood. So when the appointed hour arrived, we three young men were happily expecting an English lesson. The ‘teacher,’ missionary Wilbert Geiselman, was pleasantly surprised to find such eager ‘Bible students’ awaiting him, book in hand.”

“The book was ‘The Truth Shall Make You Free,’ which we studied twice a week,” explains Arnoldo. “In the end, we didn’t learn much English, but we did learn Bible truth.” Arnoldo was baptized in August 1946 at an assembly in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A., after which he returned to Nicaragua to take up the pioneer service. By the end of that year, his two roommates were also baptized.

Now 83, Evaristo Sánchez joyfully recalls those early days. “At first,” he says, “we didn’t have a place for our meetings. But we were only a few, so we met where the missionaries were lodged. Later, a two-story house was rented, and 30 to 40 of us met there regularly.”

These three young men were the first Nicaraguans to accompany the missionaries in the ministry, first in Managua  and then in outlying areas. At the time, Managua, with about 120,000 people, was smaller than it is now. The only paved area was a section of 12 city blocks in the center of town. “We traveled on foot,” reflects Evaristo. “There were no buses, no paved roads, only train tracks and oxcart trails. So depending on whether it was the dry or the rainy season, we were deep either in dust or in mud.” But their efforts were rewarded when 52 persons attended the Memorial in April 1946.

A Branch Is Established

In that same month, Nathan H. Knorr and Frederick W. Franz, from headquarters in Brooklyn, visited Nicaragua for the first time. During the four-day visit, an audience of 158 heard Brother Knorr’s public discourse “Be Glad, Ye Nations.” Brother Franz interpreted the talk into Spanish. Before departing, Brother Knorr set up a branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Nicaragua to supervise the work. William Eugene Call, 26 years old and recently transferred from Costa Rica, was appointed branch servant.

Over the following decades, the branch office established missionary homes in such places as Jinotepe, Masaya, León, Bluefields, Granada, and Matagalpa. Arrangements were also made for a circuit overseer to visit the newly formed congregations and groups to strengthen and encourage the brothers.

Opposers Have Fleeting Success

The zeal of the brothers quickly bore fruit, which disturbed the clergy of Christendom. The first rumblings of opposition originated in Bluefields, a town on the Caribbean Coast where two missionaries were assigned. Things came to a head on October 17, 1952, when an order was  issued against Jehovah’s Witnesses. Prohibiting all Witness activity, the order was signed by an officer of the Immigration Department but was instigated by the Catholic clergy.

Missionaries in Bluefields, León, Jinotepe, and Managua were notified of the order. Appeals made to the proper authorities​—including the then president, Anastasio Somoza García—​proved unfruitful. The brothers began to meet in smaller groups, magazine street work was discontinued, and branch literature was distributed to safe locations. Our religious enemies had succeeded in getting the work banned by falsely declaring that Jehovah’s Witnesses were Communists. A lawyer was engaged to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court of Justice.

Although some brothers gave in to fear of man, the majority held firm. The missionaries, mature and fearless, were a tower of strength to the local brothers, who continued preaching and meeting together in obedience to God’s Word. (Acts 1:8; 5:29; Heb. 10:24, 25) Then on June 9, 1953​—after the ban had lasted just eight months—​the supreme court released its unanimous decision in favor of Jehovah’s Witnesses, reaffirming the constitutional right to freedom of worship and speech. The conspiracy had failed in every respect.

Challenges for the Early Missionaries

Clerical opposition was not the only challenge the early missionaries confronted. Consider the example of Sydney and Phyllis Porter, graduates of the 12th class of Gilead. When they arrived in Nicaragua in July 1949, Sydney was appointed to serve as circuit overseer of a circuit that embraced the entire country. He describes what the traveling work was like back then. “We used trains and buses for  transportation. Often there were no brothers to stay with, so we carried our bedding and a small portable stove for boiling water and cooking. Many times we were away from the branch for ten weeks at a time. The territory was so fruitful, however, that it was a challenge to keep up with the interest in some areas. For instance, when later we had the Managua circuit, Phyllis conducted 16 Bible studies! Where did she find the time? She held her studies on our day off and in the evenings when there were no congregation meetings.” How dedicated those early missionaries were!

Doris Niehoff, who arrived in 1957, says this about her first impression: “It was the end of March, the dry season, so the countryside was brown. There were very few cars back then; instead, everyone rode a horse​—and packed a  gun! It was like stepping onto the stage of a Western movie. In those days, most people were either rich or poor, mainly the latter. To make matters worse, Nicaragua was at war with Honduras over a territorial dispute, and six months before I arrived, President Somoza García was assassinated and the country came under martial law.”

“I was assigned to León, a university town,” Doris continues. “Since I didn’t understand much Spanish, students delighted in playing tricks on me. For instance, when I offered to come back to talk to certain students about the Bible, they said yes but laughed when they told me their ‘names.’ One gave his name as that of the president’s assassin, and the other gave himself the name of a notorious guerrilla! It’s a wonder I wasn’t thrown in jail when I returned and asked for the students who had given me those names!”

An Interview With the Bishop of Matagalpa

About 80 miles [130 km] north of Managua, the city of Matagalpa is nestled in the hills of a coffee-growing region. Four missionaries were assigned there in 1957. Agustín Sequeira, then a professor of mathematics at a college run by Josephine nuns, recollects the religious atmosphere in Matagalpa at the time. He states: “The people were predominantly Catholic and afraid of priests but especially of the bishop. He was the godfather of one of my children.”

This climate of fear made it hard for the branch to secure accommodations for the missionaries. For example, when arranging for the rental of a house, the branch office informed the owner, a lawyer, that the missionaries would be holding Christian meetings there. “No problem,” he said.

 Describing what ensued, Doris Niehoff says: “The day we arrived with all our furniture, the owner appeared with a worried expression. He said that he had sent us a telegram advising us not to come. Why? The bishop had threatened him that if he rented to us, his son would be unable to attend the Catholic school. Fortunately, we had not received the telegram and had already paid a month’s rent.”

“We found another house that month but with great difficulty,” Doris adds. “When the bishop tried to pressure the plucky local businessman who owned it, the latter replied: ‘Well, if you pay me the four hundred cordobas each month, I’ll kick them out.’ Of course, the bishop did not pay. Undeterred, however, he went to all the stores and put up posters, warning people not to talk to Jehovah’s Witnesses. He also told the shop owners not to sell to us.”

Despite the missionaries’ zeal, no one in Matagalpa seemed keen to take a stand for Bible truth. Agustín, the professor of mathematics, however, had many unanswered questions. For instance, he wondered why the pyramids still exist when the Pharaohs who built them are long dead! He still remembers clearly that a missionary called on him and showed him from the Bible the answers to his questions. Agustín explains: “I was captivated by the scriptures showing that man was created, not to die, but to live forever on a paradise earth and that the dead will be resurrected. I quickly recognized that this was the truth.” How did Agustín respond? “I began to preach to everyone at the college where I taught, including the principal, a nun,” says Agustín. “She then invited me to visit her on Sunday to discuss ‘the end of the world.’ To my surprise, when I arrived, the bishop of Matagalpa was there waiting for me.”

 “So, Compadre,” he said, “they tell me you are losing the faith.”

“What faith?” I replied. “The one I never had? It is now that I am learning to have true faith.”

Thus began a three-hour discussion, with the nun listening in. Agustín’s zeal for his newfound faith moved him to be quite frank at times. He even called the unchristian belief of the immortality of the human soul a moneymaking scheme that exploits innocent people. To illustrate the point to the bishop, Agustín said: “Imagine, for example, that my mother died. Naturally, I turn to you to say Mass because her soul is in purgatory. You charge me for the service. After eight days, another Mass. After one year, still another, and so on. Yet, you never say to me: ‘Compadre, I won’t perform any more Masses because your mother’s soul is now out of purgatory.’”

“Ah!” said the bishop, “That’s because only God knows when it comes out!”

“Then how did you know when it entered so that you could start charging me?” retorted Agustín.

At one point during the discussion when Agustín began to quote yet another Bible text, the nun said to the bishop: “Look, Monsignor! He uses a bad Bible; it’s Lutheran!”

 “No,” replied the bishop, “that’s the Bible I gave him.”

As the discussion continued, Agustín was surprised to hear the bishop say that one should not believe everything in the Bible. “After that meeting,” says Agustín, “I was convinced that the clergy of Christendom, like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, prefer church tradition to God’s Word.”

In February 1962, Agustín Sequeira became Matagalpa’s first baptized publisher. He continued to make spiritual progress, later serving as a pioneer and an elder and since 1991 as a member of the Nicaragua Branch Committee. As for Matagalpa, in the 2002 service year, it had two thriving congregations with a total of 153 Kingdom publishers.

Untiring Special Pioneers

Many who accepted the good news of God’s Kingdom were moved to expand their ministry by sharing in the pioneer work. Among these ones were Gilberto Solís; his  wife, María Cecilia; and his young sister, María Elsa. All three were baptized in 1961, and four years later they became quite an effective special-pioneer team. Nine different congregations in various parts of the country were either formed or strengthened by this trio. One of their assignments was Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua.

Ometepe has an area of 107 square miles [276 sq km] and is formed by two volcanoes, one of which is a mile [1,600 m] high. When seen from above, the volcanoes give the island a figure-eight shape. Starting at dawn, the three pioneers worked Ometepe by taking a bus as far as they could and then continuing on foot​—often barefoot—​along the sandy coast to the island’s many villages. Over a period of about 18 months, they organized a number of isolated groups of Bible students throughout Ometepe, the largest being at Los Hatillos.

Previously, tobacco farming was a main source of income for many of the new publishers in Los Hatillos, but now their Bible-trained consciences would not allow them to do that work. So most relied on fishing, even though it meant less income. What joy it gave the Solís family to see such faith, in addition to the many other evidences of Jehovah’s rich blessing on their ministry! In fact, the number of publishers in the area soon grew to 32, which raised the need for a Kingdom Hall. One of the new publishers, Alfonso Alemán, grew watermelons and kindly offered to donate a parcel of land for the hall. But how would the publishers at Los Hatillos obtain the funds to build?

Gilberto Solís organized volunteers to plant watermelon seeds, provided by Brother Alemán, on the piece of donated land. Gilberto encouraged the group to care for these “watermelons for Jehovah,” setting the example by working hard himself. María Elsa, a small but energetic woman,  describes how the little group of publishers took care of the crop. She says: “We would get up early, while it was still dark, to irrigate the field. We had three good crops. Using his own boat, Brother Alemán took the melons across Lake Nicaragua to Granada, where he sold them and bought construction materials. That’s how the Kingdom Hall in Los Hatillos was built, and that’s why my brother called it the little hall made from watermelons.” From those humble beginnings, Ometepe Island now has three thriving congregations.

The humility, positive spirit, and complete trust in Jehovah that Gilberto, his wife, and his sister displayed touched many hearts. Gilberto would often say: “We should always see the new ones as young calves. They are charming but still weak. Let us never become upset by their weaknesses but, instead, help them to become strong.” Such a loving attitude no doubt contributed to these three exemplary pioneers aiding 265 persons to dedication and baptism! Gilberto’s wife has since died faithful, and at 83, Gilberto finds that his own health has deteriorated considerably. Yet, his desire to serve Jehovah is as strong as ever. As for María Elsa, when recently asked how she feels after 36 years in special-pioneer service, she replied: “Like the first day! I am joyful and always thank Jehovah for bringing us into his holy organization and giving us a little place in this marvelous spiritual paradise.” Over the years, many hardworking pioneers, like the Solís family, have seen much Kingdom fruitage in Nicaragua, thanks to Jehovah’s generous blessing.

The 1972 Managua Earthquake

Just past midnight on December 23, 1972, Managua was violently shaken by an earthquake that measured 6.25 on the Richter scale, equivalent in energy to about 50  atomic bombs. The branch office was located on the east side of Managua, only 18 blocks from the epicenter. “All the missionaries were in bed,” says Levi Elwood Witherspoon, branch overseer at the time. “When the shaking stopped, we hastened outside to the middle of the street. Then two more seismic shocks struck in quick succession. Houses collapsed all around us. A thick cloud of dust filled the city, and downtown, a red glow spelled raging fires.”

The quake’s epicenter was directly under the business district, and in just 30 seconds, Managua became uninhabitable. Survivors clawed their way out of the dust and rubble, struggling to breathe. Many did not make it. Although some estimates put the death toll at over 12,000, the exact number is unknown. About 75 percent of the homes in Managua were destroyed, leaving nearly 250,000 people homeless. In the three days following the quake, about 100,000 a day fled the city.

Christian Love Comes to the Rescue

By noon on the very day of the quake, the branch office had received a full report from the congregation overseers in Managua. Acting quickly and with one accord, these faithful brothers had called on each congregation member to ascertain his or her needs. Happily, there were no deaths among the more than 1,000 Witnesses in the city, but over 80 percent had lost their homes.

Christian love moved Jehovah’s people in neighboring lands to come to the aid of their brothers quickly, and in less than 22 hours after the quake, truckloads of food, water, medicine, and clothing arrived at the branch. In fact, the branch was one of the first centers to provide relief supplies. Additionally, volunteers poured in from various  congregations in Nicaragua, and soon all were busy sorting clothes, packaging food, and dispatching these items. Relief supplies even began to arrive from Witnesses in more distant parts of the world.

The day after the quake, the branch overseer met with visiting representatives from the Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Honduras branches to organize further aid. Nicaraguan Witnesses living outside Managua lovingly opened their homes to the brothers who had to leave the capital. Remaining Witnesses were organized into groups for Christian meetings and field service. The circuit overseer visited these groups to encourage them and to deliver relief supplies.

Because of the earthquake, the whole country suffered economically. Yet, even as life became harder, the reconstruction of Kingdom Halls and brothers’ homes moved ahead. What is more, many newly interested ones swelled the congregations. Clearly, Jehovah was pleased with his people as they continued to put Kingdom interests first in their lives.​—Matt. 6:33.

The 1975 Yearbook reported: “The majority of the fourteen congregations in the Managua area are still meeting in buildings with cracked walls or just under a galvanized roof in some patio. Interestingly, the attendance at these meetings has doubled since last year. The brothers had a 20-percent increase over last year’s average of publishers. They now have 2,689 sharing the truth with others, and 417 were baptized.”

This ongoing growth soon rendered the old branch inadequate. So you can imagine how the publishers rejoiced when a new branch office and missionary home were completed in December 1974​—just two years after the big  quake! The new branch was located on a quiet street named El Raizón, ten miles [16 km] south of the Managua city center.

Missionaries Set an Example in Love and Unity

Ever since the arrival of the two Wallace brothers in 1945, the missionaries in Nicaragua proved to be examples of faith, endurance, and love for people. Such admirable qualities drew the missionaries closer to one another and to the local brothers. Says missionary Kenneth Brian: “After the Managua quake, we assisted at the branch, got the brothers out of their homes, and helped them bury their dead relatives. Working together under those conditions  draws you very close to one another.” Speaking about her fellow missionaries, Marguerite Moore (previously Foster) comments: “Although we were of different nationalities and backgrounds and had different personalities, a united family atmosphere helped us to be happy in our assignment, despite our personal shortcomings.”

Missionaries like Kenneth and Sharan Brian count it a special privilege to have benefited from the examples of seasoned missionaries, such as Francis and Angeline Wallace, Sydney and Phyllis Porter, and Emily Hardin. “All worked really hard,” reflects Sharan, “and it was obvious that they liked what they were doing.”

Over the years, many missionary couples also served in the traveling work. Indeed, the solid foundation laid by zealous missionaries contributed to the fine spiritual growth seen in Nicaragua over the first three decades of the work there. However, that spiritual building was about to be tested, not by another earthquake, but by something more long-lasting and spiritually dangerous​—nationalism and revolution.​—1 Cor. 3:12, 13.

Tested by the Flames of Political Revolution

In the late 1970’s, a political revolution led by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN in Spanish) began to sweep through Nicaragua. Eventually, it led to the overthrow of the country’s 42-year-old political/military dynasty. Ruby Block, a missionary for 15 years in Nicaragua, says of that period: “Those years of stepped-up political propaganda had everyone’s nerves on edge. Violent confrontations between the military and the Sandinistas were frequent. To carry out our ministry, we had to trust fully in Jehovah.”

 Despite their Christian neutrality in political matters, Jehovah’s Witnesses were often accused by Sandinista sympathizers of being agents of either the Somoza regime or the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Strong feelings against foreigners were also being whipped up. For instance, while missionary Elfriede Urban was out in the ministry, a man accused her of being a spy. “How could that be?” she said. “I have no camera or tape recorder with me. And besides, who or what am I going to spy on in this neighborhood?”

He replied: “You are so well trained that your eyes are the camera and your ears and brain are the tape recorder.”

Chanted in the streets of Managua during those days was the popular slogan: “Between Christianity and revolution, there is no contradiction!” This thinking, which had gained popularity in Latin America during the 1970’s, reflected liberation theology, a view promoted by a Marxist movement within the Roman Catholic Church. According to The Encyclopædia Britannica, the aim of liberation theology was to aid “the poor and oppressed through [religious] involvement in political and civic affairs.”

Ruby Block recalls: “The question people often asked us back then was, ‘What do you think of the revolution?’ We explained that the only solution for mankind’s problems is God’s Kingdom.” Remaining loyal to Jehovah in that volatile political climate was a challenge. Ruby adds: “I always prayed to Jehovah for the strength to remain neutral, not just in my speech but also in my mind and heart.”

After months of violent uprisings, in May 1979 the FSLN launched an all-out offensive to overthrow the government. President Somoza Debayle was forced to flee the country, and his National Guard was dissolved. In July of  that year, the new junta of the National Reconstruction Government took over executive power. It is estimated that 50,000 Nicaraguans died during the revolution.

How did the brothers fare? The following announcement appeared in Our Kingdom Ministry of October 1979: “The brothers are in good spirits and are resuming their meetings and their preaching and teaching work. Throughout the period of violence, . . . three of our brothers lost their lives. Many were rendered homeless, but since they were for the most part tenants, the major loss was in the looting and destruction of their possessions. As to transportation, there is very little. Most buses are destroyed, roads are only now being repaired, and gasoline is very scarce.” Nevertheless, greater trials lay ahead for Jehovah’s people.

Arrests and Deportations

It soon became evident that the new government did not approve of the neutral stand of Jehovah’s Witnesses. For example, the Customs Department made it hard to import literature. In addition, a law enacted in 1981 required  all civil and religious societies to reregister in order to be legally recognized. Until the brothers were granted this recognition, their former legal status was suspended. Regrettably, petitions to reregister went unanswered.

In September 1981, Andrew and Miriam Reed were arrested while in the circuit work in the central highlands. For ten days they were held in detention in a variety of jails and under the most unpleasant conditions. Finally, they were taken to the headquarters of the security police, who kept them in separate cells for most of the time. They were interrogated frequently, often for hours at a time, in an effort to extract from them the names of responsible brothers. Both were told that their mate had confessed to being an agent of the CIA, yet the Reeds were not even U.S. citizens! In the end, they were informed that it was all a mistake. Although no formal charges were ever brought against them, they were deported to Costa Rica. Before leaving, however, they were told that the refusal of Jehovah’s Witnesses to bear arms was unacceptable, that every Nicaraguan had to be ready to fight for his country.

Prudently, the Branch Committee intensified the training of local brothers to oversee the work should the branch office be closed down. In the meantime, a course for circuit overseers and their substitutes, a series of Kingdom Ministry School classes for elders and a number of ministerial servants, and Pioneer Service School classes were held. Large gatherings, though, were a different matter.

For example, although the Masaya city officials had guaranteed the availability of the stadium for one of two “Kingdom Loyalty” District Conventions to be held in December 1981, just 36 hours before the convention, they reneged. The decision originated, not from the mayor’s  office, but from the central government. The brothers, however, were forewarned. So the day before, they made arrangements with a generous sister to use her chicken farm as an alternative site. It was about five miles [8 km] outside Managua. In order to prepare the site, volunteers worked all through the night. Over 6,800 brothers were promptly informed of the new venue by word of mouth.

Branch Closed Down

On Saturday, March 20, 1982, at 6:40 a.m., Ian Hunter was preparing breakfast for his fellow missionaries. Outside, a busload of immigration officials and soldiers armed with machine guns arrived. The soldiers surrounded the branch office and missionary home. “The officials,” says Ian, “told us to pack just one suitcase each and a small handbag. They would not say why, only that they were taking us to a house where we would stay for a short time,  pending certain investigations. Discreetly, Reiner Thompson, the Branch Committee coordinator, slipped into the office and phoned the other missionary homes to warn them of what was happening.”

“What I learned that day,” reflects Ruby Block, “was the true meaning of Paul’s words: ‘Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication . . . let your petitions be made known to God; and the peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your mental powers.’ (Phil. 4:6, 7) With an armed soldier watching from the kitchen, Reiner Thompson offered a prayer on our behalf, to which we all said a heartfelt ‘Amen.’ After that, we felt a complete calmness of heart, even though we did not know how the day would turn out. We were confident that whatever happened, Jehovah would give us the strength to cope. That lesson is one I will always remember and cherish.”

Brother Hunter explains what happened next, saying: “They made us board the bus and took us to an old coffee farm out in the country. I reminded the officials that as foreigners we had the right to speak with our embassies. They replied that the declaration of a state of emergency, proclaimed at the beginning of the week, had canceled any such rights and that once outside the country, we could speak with whomever we liked. That was the first tacit admission that we were being expelled from Nicaragua.” That day, the nine missionaries living at the branch were driven in separate groups to the Costa Rican border.

In the meantime, the missionaries at the other two homes acted quickly on Brother Thompson’s phone call. With the help of local brothers, they removed much equipment, including an offset press, and cleared out many  personal belongings. When the immigration officials arrived, they were surprised to find the houses almost empty and the missionaries packing their suitcases. That evening the ten missionaries from those two homes were taken to the airport. “They said we were counterrevolutionaries,” relates Phyllis Porter, “yet no one did security checks on us or our luggage. Although we had no flight tickets, our baggage tickets showed that we were being deported to Panama.” The only two missionaries left in the country​—a British couple engaged in circuit work—​were deported a few months later.

In a matter of days, the missionaries were reunited at the Costa Rica branch. There they received assignments from the Governing Body to continue their service in nearby Belize, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Honduras. However, Reiner and Jeanne Thompson and Ian Hunter remained in Costa Rica for a time so as to keep in contact with the brothers now overseeing the work in Nicaragua.

How did the Nicaraguan brothers manage? “After shedding some tears at the news of our deportation,” reported Brother Hunter back then, “our dear brothers are going straight forward. Those on the newly appointed country committee are taking a strong lead, and we are confident that they will do a fine job.” Félix Pedro Paiz, a longtime Nicaraguan circuit overseer, recalls how the brothers felt about the missionaries’ departure: “We regretted it deeply. They had truly given of themselves and remained loyal. Their example left the brothers strengthened and laid a firm foundation for the work in this country.”

Restricted, Not Banned

Governments sometimes misunderstand the neutral position of Jehovah’s Witnesses with respect to politics, war,  and social conflicts. This often leads to contradictory attitudes toward God’s people. For example, under the Somoza regime during the 1950’s and 1960’s, opposers accused them of being Communists. But now the Sandinistas denounced the brothers as being agents of the American CIA. The media also chimed in, labeling them “counterrevolutionary.”

Nonetheless, Jehovah’s Witnesses were not banned, although the period between 1982 and 1990 was marked by definite restrictions on their freedom of worship. For example, they could not bring literature into the country. Additionally, a system was set up whereby their activities​—indeed, those of people in general—​could be closely monitored.

 Watched by Neighborhood Spies

A Library of Congress handbook states: “Immediately after the revolution, the FSLN also developed mass organizations representing most popular interest groups in Nicaragua.” These groups included laborers, a women’s association, cattlemen, farmers, and peasants. According to the handbook, “by 1980 Sandinista organizations embraced some 250,000 Nicaraguans.” Among the more powerful of these were the Communist-style Sandinista Defense Committees (Comités de Defensa Sandinista in Spanish), or CDS. Made up of neighborhood committees, the CDS carried out a block-by-block census in cities and thus “knew everyone’s whereabouts,” says the above reference. They were an effective instrument for gathering and disseminating information on behalf of the government.

Soon the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses were being closely monitored and all the more so because of the strong propaganda campaign that had been unleashed against them. Individuals suspected of counterrevolutionary activities and “ideological diversionism” were regularly denounced by their neighborhood CDS before the Sandinista authorities. Often these people would then be arrested by agents of the General Directorate of State Security, a secret police force.

One function of the CDS was to organize nightly guard duty. Ordinary people, both men and women, were called upon to take their turn watching out for any criminal or counterrevolutionary activity in their neighborhood. The Witnesses did not participate in this duty, nor did they permit their homes to be used for weekly CDS meetings. However, they did accept other volunteer work, such as street cleaning. Even so, the Witnesses were seen as fanatics and a  danger to the State. One brother says: “During most of that decade, the words ‘We are watching you’ were painted on the front of my house.”

Cautious yet Bold

The brothers were discreet when attending Christian meetings and participating in the ministry so as not to draw undue attention to themselves. Meetings were held in family-size groups out of the public eye, either in private homes or in unmarked Kingdom Halls. Depending on the neighborhood, the brothers did not usually sing Kingdom songs at the meetings. In time, publishers substituted numbers for their names on the various forms and reports used by the congregation. Additionally, interested ones were not invited to meetings unless they had been studying for at least six months and gave evidence of spiritual progress.

Assemblies were reduced in size, and the program, in length. Talk outlines and other material were sent to each congregation, where local elders organized and presented the program on a congregation level with the help of qualified ministerial servants. Country committee members and traveling overseers visited as many of these assemblies as possible.

Locations were advertised by word of mouth, and no assembly ever had to be canceled. However, some venues had to be changed on short notice. For instance, in one rural community in 1987, a brother’s backyard had been prepared for an assembly of about 300. Suddenly, a military official and his men appeared. “Well, what is all of this?” the official asked.

“We’re going to have a party,” the brother replied, discerning from the man’s boots that he was from State Security. After that, the official left. Convinced that the  authorities had become suspicious, the brothers and sisters worked all that night to dismantle everything. By 5:00 a.m., the chairs, the platform, and all the cooking equipment were not only gone but set up at another location about a mile [kilometer and a half] away. Healthy young runners advised the brothers of the new venue. Later that morning, a truckload of armed soldiers arrived at the original site hoping to stop the assembly, pick up youths for military service, and arrest the brothers taking the lead. But all they found was the homeowner.

“Where are all the people?” the officer asked.

“Well, we had a party last night, but it’s over now,” replied the brother.

“Didn’t you have an assembly?” asked the official.

“See for yourself,” said the brother. “There’s nothing here.”

Unsatisfied, the official continued: “Well, what about the tents that were here yesterday?”

“The party is over,” repeated the brother. “They took everything and went.”

After that, the soldiers left. Meanwhile, the brothers were enjoying a spiritually upbuilding program at the other location.

“Look!” Jesus said, “I am sending you forth as sheep amidst wolves; therefore prove yourselves cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves.” (Matt. 10:16) The publishers took these words to heart not only in conjunction with meetings and assemblies but also in conjunction with the field ministry. Thus, they avoided forming large groups but worked discreetly in pairs in preassigned territories. Circuit overseer Félix Pedro Paiz explains: “We had to be very careful. The only thing we carried in the ministry was a  Bible. Each day a different brother was assigned to accompany me in the field. When visiting certain congregations, I went to one book study group on Tuesday evening, another on Thursday, and still another on Sunday. In some parts of the country, these cautionary measures could be relaxed a little.”

Confiscations and Arrests

One night in July 1982, mobs of from 100 to over 500 people, accompanied by State Security agents, invaded several Kingdom Halls in different parts of the country, seizing them “in the name of the people.” On August 9 between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., five more Kingdom Halls, an Assembly Hall, and the former branch building on El Raizón were also taken over. After the deportation of the missionaries in March, six Nicaraguan brothers and the one remaining missionary couple had continued to live at the branch in order to safeguard the property. Eventually, however, the authorities, backed by a jeering mob, forced these ones out as well, not even allowing them to take their personal belongings.

 The government granted the CDS authority over the seized Kingdom Halls, which were now termed “property of the people.” Ostensibly, the halls were to be adapted for public use. In the end, 35 out of a total of 50 properties were illegally occupied, although never formally confiscated.

Amid this nationalistic fervor, responsible brothers were not only closely watched but often threatened. For instance, in certain neighborhoods, CDS mobs harassed brothers in front of their homes for hours, chanting accusations and political slogans. State Security officers searched homes and even plundered some. A number of elders, including members of the country committee, were arrested and treated badly.

One of the first elders to undergo this experience was Joel Obregón, a circuit overseer at the time. On July 23, 1982, State Security agents surrounded the home where he and his wife, Nila, were guests and arrested him. Only after five weeks of constant effort on her part was Nila permitted to see her husband, albeit for just three minutes and in the presence of an armed agent. Joel had obviously been mistreated, for Nila noticed that he was thin and had difficulty communicating. “Joel does not want to cooperate with us,” an agent told her.

After 90 days of confinement, Joel was finally released​—40 pounds [20 kg] lighter. Elders in other parts of the country were also arrested, interrogated, and then released. How their example of integrity fortified the faith of their brothers!​—See the box “A Bout With the Secret Police,” on pages 99-102.

Conscription Tests Christian Youths

Younger brothers in particular were affected by the enactment in 1983 of a universal conscription system known  as Patriotic Military Service. Males between the ages of 17 and 26 were legally obligated to spend two years in active service and then two more years in the reserves. When conscripted, they were taken directly to a military camp for training. There was no provision for conscientious objectors; refusal meant detention while awaiting trial and then a two-year prison sentence. The brothers faced this test with courage, determined to remain loyal to Jehovah.

For example, on February 7, 1985, Guillermo Ponce, a 20-year-old regular pioneer in Managua, was on his way to conduct some home Bible studies when the police apprehended him. Because he had no military identity card, he was sent to a military training camp. But instead of taking up weapons, Guillermo began witnessing to young recruits. Seeing this, one of the commanders snapped: “This is not a church; this is a military camp. Here you will obey us!” Guillermo replied by citing the words of Acts 5:29: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” The angry commander, a Cuban military trainer, snatched the Bible from him and threatened: “We shall chat tonight”​—meaning that Guillermo was to undergo a form of psychological torture intended to erode his will.

Thankfully, the commander did not carry out his threat. Three days later, however, Guillermo was transferred to a prison where he was held for the next nine months in primitive conditions. Even so, he continued his pioneer service, conducting Bible studies and even meetings within the prison. Later during this difficult era, Guillermo became a valuable support to the country committee.

Instead of being imprisoned, some young brothers were forced into the mountains to join military units called  Irregular Warfare Battalions. Each battalion consisted of five or six companies of 80 to 90 men trained for combat in the mountain jungle, where the heaviest fighting against the contras (guerrillas opposed to the Sandinistas) took place. Even though the brothers refused to don military uniforms and take up weapons, they were still forced into combat zones, besides being punished and verbally abused.

 Eighteen-year-old Giovanni Gaitán endured such treatment. An attempt was made to force Giovanni into the military just before the December 1984 district convention, where he had hoped to be baptized. He was sent to a military training camp where for 45 days soldiers tried to force him to learn how to use a rifle and fight in the jungle. But in harmony with his Bible-trained conscience, Giovanni refused to “learn war.” (Isa. 2:4) He did not wear a military uniform, nor did he take up arms. Nonetheless, he was forced to march with the soldiers for the next 27 months.

Says Giovanni: “I kept myself strong by praying incessantly, meditating on what I had learned in the past, and preaching to any soldiers who showed interest. Often I recalled the psalmist’s words: ‘I shall raise my eyes to the mountains. From where will my help come? My help is from Jehovah, the Maker of heaven and earth. He cannot possibly allow your foot to totter. The One guarding you cannot possibly be drowsy.’”​—Ps. 121:1-3; 1 Thess. 5:17.

Although forced into the middle of combat on some 40 different occasions, Giovanni survived unscathed. After his release, he was baptized on March 27, 1987, and soon thereafter entered the pioneer service. Many other faithful young brothers had similar experiences.​—See the box “Forced Into the Combat Zone,” on pages 105-6.

Defending Their Neutral Stand

The government-controlled press, as well as the CDS, falsely accused Jehovah’s Witnesses of using the house-to-house ministry to campaign against Patriotic Military Service. It was claimed that the Witnesses were undermining national security by persuading Nicaraguan youths to  refuse military service. Although baseless, these accusations were repeated often enough to bias prosecutors and judges. To make matters worse, leaders of prominent Evangelical churches, identifying themselves as supporters of the revolution, also accused those who remained neutral for religious reasons, labeling them “enemies of the people.”

A Witness who was a lawyer took on the appeal cases of 25 young brothers sentenced to two-year prison terms for refusing military service. Because conscientious objection was not legally recognized, the goal of the appeal was to have the sentences reduced, citing the defendants’ record of good conduct and not having resisted arrest. As a result, some sentences, but not all, were cut by 6 to 18 months.

“It is interesting to note,” says Julio Bendaña, a brother present at the trials, “that except for Jehovah’s Witnesses, no youths refused military service for religious reasons. It made me proud to see our 17-year-olds defend their neutrality with firm conviction before a judge and a military prosecutor while surrounded by opposed onlookers.”​—2 Cor. 10:4.

Printing Goes Underground

Throughout this period, the Governing Body continued to give aid and direction to the brothers in Nicaragua via the Costa Rica branch and the Nicaragua country committee. But literature imports were banned, so how was the “food at the proper time” to be provided? (Matt. 24:45) Once again, Jehovah opened the way.

In 1985 the brothers were able to obtain Watchtower study articles and other Bible-based material with the help of a commercial printer. However, this avenue was risky,  for it exposed our work to opposers. Hence, it was decided to employ the offset press that had been used to print assembly programs and Memorial invitations right up to the closing of the branch. The machine was put to work at the home of a sister who lived outside Managua.

Sadly, in November of that year, the press fell into the hands of the government. Not letting this setback hold up the work, the brothers promptly rebuilt an old mimeograph machine, which they nicknamed The Rooster. Previously, it had been used to print handbills, letters, and programs. When replacement parts became hard to get, the brothers were able to acquire locally another used mimeograph, naming this one The Chicken. Later, the El Salvador branch also provided them with a machine. Sticking to their barnyard nomenclature, they dubbed it The Hen.

A less sophisticated, but by no means less successful, printing method involved the use of mimeograph boards, which the brothers called las tablitas, or the little boards.  Made by Pedro Rodríguez, a cabinetmaker baptized in 1954, the devices consisted of two rectangular frames joined by hinges that held a piece of cloth mesh in the top frame and a pane of glass or wood in the bottom frame, or base. The design was simple, as was the printing process. A typed paper stencil was inserted in the top frame against the cloth mesh and a sheet of clean paper was placed in the bottom frame. Ink was applied to the mesh with a roller, and after each impression a fresh sheet of paper was inserted.

Although tedious, this printing method produced several items, including the songbook Sing Praises to Jehovah, with its full complement of 225 Kingdom songs. “Once the brothers became adept at using the little boards,” recalls Edmundo Sánchez, who was involved in the printing, “they turned out 20 pages per minute. All told, we produced about 5,000 copies of the songbook alone.”

Edmundo’s wife, Elda, was among the first sisters to help prepare paper stencils for the mimeograph machines. Using her own manual typewriter, Elda, who was also a mother, started in the early morning hours and often worked late into the night typing Watchtower study articles on stencils for the mimeograph machines. She recalls: “Edmundo would give me a copy of the magazine he received from Costa Rica. I never knew how many printing groups there were or where they operated; I only  knew the portion of the work I was assigned to do. I was also aware that if we were discovered, our house, our furniture​—everything—​would be confiscated and we would be arrested, possibly even ending up as ‘disappeared ones.’ Yet, our love for and fear of Jehovah dispelled any fear of man that we might have had.”

The Printing Workshops

Guillermo Ponce remembers what the printing workshops were like. He was a proofreader and a liaison between the brothers who prepared the stencils and those involved in printing and distribution. Brother Ponce explains: “The workshops were set up in the homes of certain Witness families. Each workshop was a room built within a room, which made for a small working space. In order to disguise the sound of the mimeograph, we put a tape player or a radio just outside the workshop and turned up the volume.”

Drenched in sweat, the brothers worked nine- to ten-hour days inside these tiny rooms mimeographing The Watchtower or other publications. Often, when the neighbors got curious or when someone informed the authorities, an entire operation had to be moved to another home at a moment’s notice.

The work was considered Bethel service, and those sharing in it were young, single brothers. Felipe Toruño was 19 years old and newly baptized when he was invited to serve in one of the printing shops. “My first impression,” Felipe says, “was of entering a tiny, almost airtight room that had a strong odor of stencil correction fluid. The heat seemed unbearable, and light was provided by a small fluorescent lamp.”

 There were other challenges too. For instance, when a machine needed repairs​—which was often—​one could not simply take it to a repair shop. People would ask: ‘Who owns this mimeograph? What is being printed? Is the work authorized by the central government?’ So the brothers had to make their own repairs and sometimes even fabricate parts. Another problem was the frequent power outages. “Because the printing teams never wanted to fall behind in production,” recalls Brother Ponce, “I would sometimes find them working by the light of a kerosene lamp, their noses stained with soot. The appreciation, disposition, and self-sacrificing spirit shown by these fine young men motivated me to keep going.”

Some Precious Memories

Felipe Toruño looks back with fondness on his four years as an underground printer. “I always kept in mind that the brothers were eagerly awaiting this vital spiritual food,” says Felipe. “So despite the many limitations imposed upon us, we served with joy.” Omar Widdy, who shared in this work from June 1988 until its conclusion in May 1990, recalls: “One of the things that impressed me most was the atmosphere of brotherly affection. New ones were willing and eager to learn and were taught the various jobs patiently. Working conditions were not ideal, but the volunteers, although young, were spiritual men who had a deep appreciation for the sacrifices involved in this avenue of service.”

Giovanni Gaitán also served in the printing workshops. He recalls: “What helped to sustain us was appreciation for Jehovah and his organization. None of us received a monetary  reimbursement at the time, but that didn’t worry us; we had what we needed. Personally, I had already been in many situations where I had to depend fully on Jehovah. So I was not too worried about my material needs. Such brothers as Guillermo Ponce, Nelson Alvarado, and Felipe Toruño, although young, were excellent examples for me. The older brothers who took the lead also strengthened me. Yes, in looking back, I have to say that the whole experience truly enriched my life.”

All involved in the underground activities saw Jehovah’s backing in many ways, even in regard to the printing work itself. Says Brother Gaitán: “Normally, one stencil lasts for 300 to 500 impressions. We made them give us 6,000 impressions!” Why was it necessary to extend the output of stencils and other printing materials? Besides being in limited supply in the country, they were available only at state-controlled shops where the purchase of unusual quantities would have been noticed, exposing the buyer to the risk of arrest. Yes, Jehovah blessed the efforts of the brothers, for with the exception of the original offset press, the authorities neither found nor closed down any of the workshops.

Brothers who had secular jobs in order to provide for their families also helped with the work, often at great risk. For instance, many delivered printed matter throughout the country, using their own vehicles. Sometimes they traveled all day, passing through many military checkpoints. They knew that if caught they could lose their vehicles, be arrested, and even imprisoned. Yet, they were undaunted. Naturally, these brothers needed the full support of their wives, some of whom also played a vital role during this difficult period, as we shall now see.

 Courageous Spiritual Women

Many Christian women showed outstanding courage and loyalty during the years of restriction in Nicaragua. In cooperation with their husbands, they made their homes available for underground printing, often for months at a time. They also prepared meals for the workers, using their own resources. “A close Christian bond developed between us young brothers and these sisters,” reminisces Nelson Alvarado, who helped to coordinate the printing. “They became mothers to us. And we, like sons, caused them a lot of work. At times, we labored until four in the morning to meet quotas and deadlines, especially when extra jobs were scheduled, such as the booklet Examining the Scriptures Daily. Two of us sometimes worked shifts of almost 24 hours. Yet, without fail, the sisters would have a meal ready for us, even in the wee hours of the morning.”

Families that had a printery in their home also took care of security. Housewives usually cared for this assignment, since most husbands worked secularly during the day. One sister recalls: “To camouflage the noise coming from the machines, we had a radio blasting away at full volume. When someone came to the gate, we alerted the brothers in the workshop by means of a switch that turned on a special light bulb.”

Often the visitors were fellow Witnesses or relatives. Even so, the sisters tried to dismiss them as quickly and tactfully as possible. As you can imagine, this was not always easy to do, for these sisters were normally very hospitable. Consider the example of Juana Montiel, who had a cashew tree in her yard. Because fellow Witnesses often came to take fruit from the tree, Juana’s yard had become an informal meeting place. “When we had the privilege of  having the printing operation in our home,” recalls Juana, “my husband and I had to cut the tree down. We couldn’t explain to the brothers why all of a sudden we seemed to be less sociable, but we knew that the printing operation had to be protected.”

Consuelo Beteta, now deceased, was baptized in 1956. Her home was also used for printing. However, the brothers could not park in front of her house to pick up literature without arousing suspicion. So they stopped at a safer location​—a brother’s home about a block away. In an interview prior to her death, Sister Beteta recalled those days. With a twinkle in her eye, she said: “The magazines were rolled up and stuffed into sacks destined for the different congregations. Each sack weighed about 30 pounds [15 kg]. To get to the brother’s place, my daughter-in-law and I carried the sacks on our heads and crossed a ditch behind my house. My neighbors never suspected anything, for the sacks looked no different from what most women carried on their heads.”

 How the brothers treasured those loyal, courageous sisters! “It was truly a great privilege to work with them,” says Guillermo Ponce, speaking for the many brothers who served with him back at that time. Understandably, such fine Christian women, along with their husbands, were excellent examples for their offspring. So let us now reflect on some of the challenges children faced during those eventful years.

Loyal, Trustworthy Children

Like their parents, the children of those who were involved in the secret printing operations and literature distribution also showed remarkable loyalty. Claudia Bendaña, whose two children were still at home at that time, recalls: “We had a press going in a back room of our house for five months. As soon as the children came home from school, they wanted to help the brothers. But what could they do? Instead of turning them away, the brothers allowed them to staple together mimeographed sheets of The Watchtower. How the children loved being with those young men, who encouraged them to memorize Bible texts and Kingdom songs!”

 “In the interests of confidentiality,” says Sister Bendaña, “my husband and I explained to our children that we were in difficult times, that this work was for Jehovah, and that it was very important for us to remain loyal. They were not to talk about this to anyone​—not to relatives or even to our Christian brothers and sisters. Thankfully, the children were faithful and obedient.”

The home of Aura Lila Martínez was one of the first to be used as a printing center. Her grandchildren shared in collating pages, stapling, and packing. They too grew very close to the brothers working in their home. And they never discussed the work with others. Eunice recalls: “We went to school and played almost every day with the Bendaña and Eugarrios children, yet we never knew that literature was being printed in one another’s homes until years later. ‘Really? In your house too?’ we asked one another in amazement. Here we were growing up as best friends, yet none of us said a thing to the others. Evidently, this was Jehovah’s way of protecting the work.”

Those early experiences continue to have a positive influence on these young ones. Emerson Martínez, now a ministerial servant in special full-time service, says: “The brothers in those workshops were my role models. They were only 18 or 19 years old, but they taught me to appreciate spiritual responsibilities, no matter how small, and I learned the value of doing quality work. If I missed even one page while collating, someone would miss out on that information. This instilled in me the importance of doing my very best for Jehovah and for our brothers.”

Elda María, daughter of Edmundo and Elda Sánchez, helped out by delivering stencils that her mother had typed of The Watchtower and other publications. She carried these  on her bicycle to Brother Ponce’s house five blocks away. Before giving the stencils to her daughter, Sister Sánchez carefully wrapped them and placed them in a little basket. “Ever since I was very small,” says Elda María, “my parents trained me to be obedient. So when this period of restriction came, I was accustomed to following instructions carefully.”

Did she understand the dangers faced by the brothers​—including her father—​who were involved in the oversight of the printing? Says Elda María: “Often Father would tell me before he left the house that if he was arrested, I must not be afraid or sad. Still, when he was late coming home, I remember praying many times with Mother for his safety. We often saw people from State Security parked in front of our house watching us. If Mother had to answer the door, I would gather up all her materials and hide them. I am very grateful for the example and training my parents gave me in showing loyalty to Jehovah and to our brothers.”

Having laid a solid foundation in their youth, many young ones of that era are now in full-time service, and many serve in positions of responsibility in the congregations. Their advancement is evidence of Jehovah’s rich blessing on his people, none of whom went without spiritual food during that difficult period. In fact, the good news of God’s Kingdom continued to make advancement, even finding “fine soil” among the thousands who were imprisoned during the Sandinista era. (Mark 4:8, 20) How did this come about?

Kingdom Seed Sown in Prison

Following the Sandinista Revolution, thousands of the defeated National Guard as well as political dissidents were  held in custody prior to appearing before special tribunals that sat from late 1979 to 1981. Most former National Guardsmen were sentenced to up to 30 years in Cárcel Modelo (Modelo Prison), a large penitentiary at Tipitapa, some seven miles [11 km] northeast of Managua. As we shall now see, many honesthearted people within those harsh, overcrowded confines were set free spiritually.

Late in 1979, an elder in Managua received a letter from a fellow Witness who was incarcerated, but not yet in Cárcel Modelo, for having served in the military under the Somoza government before coming to a knowledge of the truth. In his letter, the brother requested literature to share with other prisoners. The two elders who delivered the literature were not permitted to see the brother. This did not discourage him, though, for he continued witnessing to his fellow inmates, even conducting Bible studies with some of them.

One of those students, Anastasio Ramón Mendoza, made rapid spiritual progress. “I liked what I was learning so much,” he recalls, “that I began to accompany the brother as he preached to other prisoners. Some rejected us; others listened. Soon about 12 of us were studying together during recess in an open courtyard.” About a year later, one of that original group was baptized.

Early in 1981, this small group of Bible students was transferred with other prisoners to Cárcel Modelo, where they continued sharing the good news with others. At the same time, Bible-based literature also circulated quietly among the prisoners, some of it finding even more “fine soil.”

Consider the example of José de la Cruz López and his family, none of whom were Witnesses. Six months after  José was imprisoned, his wife obtained a copy of My Book of Bible Stories from Witnesses she met on the street. Her sole objective was to give it to her husband. “When I began reading the Bible Stories book,” relates José, “I thought it was an evangelical publication. I knew nothing about Jehovah’s Witnesses. The book impressed me so much that I read it several times and began sharing it with my 16 cell mates, all of whom enjoyed it. It was like a drink of refreshing water. Prisoners in other cells also asked to borrow it, so that it made its way through the entire ward, ending up worn and frayed like a pack of old playing cards.”

Several of José’s fellow prisoners were members of evangelical churches; some were even pastors. José began to read the Bible with them. He was disappointed, though, when he asked them about the meaning of Genesis 3:15 only to be told that it was a mystery. One day another prisoner, himself a Bible student, said to José: “The answer is in that book you have that is published by Jehovah’s Witnesses. I can study it with you if you like.” José accepted the offer, and with the help of the Bible Stories book, he learned the meaning of Genesis 3:15. Thereafter, he began to associate with the inmates who identified themselves with the Witnesses.

One of the things that attracted José to this unique group within Cárcel Modelo was their fine conduct. “I saw people whom I knew to have had a very corrupt life-style now manifesting fine conduct because of studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses,” says José. Meanwhile, José’s wife continued to obtain literature from the Witnesses and pass it on to her husband who, in turn, progressed spiritually. In fact, his study group even assigned him a section of a ward where he could preach from cell to cell. Thus he was  able to lend his few pieces of literature to interested ones and also invite them to the meetings, which were held in the ward during recess.

Caring for the Spiritual Needs of the Prisoners

The East Managua Congregation tended to the spiritual needs of the growing number of prisoners in Cárcel Modelo who were reading the literature and making spiritual progress. To that end, the congregation set up a program whereby certain brothers and sisters would secretly take literature to the prisoners. Visits were allowed every 30 to 60 days, but a prisoner could receive a visit only from the person he had previously requested. So not all interested ones could receive personal visits from local Witnesses. Still, that did not present a major problem because the inmates would soon get together and share things with one another.

The elders of the East Managua Congregation helped to organize and direct the activities of the expanding group within Cárcel Modelo. They maintained regular contact especially with the inmates who were taking the lead spiritually, explaining to them how to conduct weekly meetings, carry out the preaching work in an orderly fashion, and report all such activities. In turn, these prisoners passed that information on to the others. Good theocratic order certainly became necessary, for by that time a large group of Bible students had formed in the jail.

Cárcel Modelo originally had four wards, each holding as many as 2,000 prisoners. “Each ward was independent of the others,” explains Julio Núñez, one of the visiting elders, “so the weekly meetings were held separately in each ward’s recreation area, with approximately 80 people attending altogether.”

 Baptized in a Barrel

As new ones advanced, several expressed the desire to be baptized. Visiting elders approved the candidates for baptism and helped the prisoners taking the lead spiritually to arrange for a baptism on a date that coincided with an assembly being held on the outside. Usually a baptism talk would be given the night before in one of the cells, and the following morning when the prisoners went to the baths, the candidates would be baptized.

José de la Cruz López was baptized in prison in November 1982. “I was baptized in a trash barrel,” he relates. “We gave it a good scrubbing with detergent. Then we lined it with a sheet and filled it with water. However, armed guards arrived just as we had gathered around for the baptism. ‘Who authorized this baptism?’ they asked. The brother taking the lead explained that one needs no authorization to do what God says. The guards acquiesced but wanted  to watch the proceedings. So with them looking on, I was asked the two questions put to baptism candidates, and then I was immersed in the barrel.” At least 34 prisoners were eventually baptized in this way.

Some inmates made rapid progress. One of these was Omar Antonio Espinoza, who served 10 years of his 30-year sentence in Cárcel Modelo. Prisoners were moved periodically, and during Omar’s second year, one of his cell mates was a Witness. Omar noticed that other prisoners regularly visited this man, who taught them the Bible. Impressed by what he saw and heard, Omar also requested a Bible study.

Omar began studying with the aid of the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, covering a chapter a day. After 11 days, he wanted to be a publisher. When he completed the 22 chapters of the book, he asked to be baptized. However, the brothers asked him to think about the matter a little longer. They also recommended that he study a second publication, namely, You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, which had just been received in the prison. In a little over a month, Omar completed that book too. What is more, he quit smoking and made other changes as well. Clearly, Bible truth was influencing his life. Seeing these changes convinced the brothers that his desire was genuine, so Omar was baptized in a barrel on January 2, 1983.

Prison Sign Language

In order to pass on information received from the elders visiting the prison or to gather information, such as service reports, the incarcerated publishers had to communicate between wards. Brother Mendoza, who was baptized in prison in 1982, tells how they did this.

“Some of us,” he says, “learned a form of sign language that had developed among the prisoners. When it was time  to observe the Memorial, we estimated when the sun had set and then signaled one another so that all of us could join in prayer at the same time. We did this year after year. Signing also helped us with our study of The Watchtower. When brothers in one of the wards did not have the study article for that week, we signed the entire article to them. At the receiving end, an observer read aloud the signs to a friend who wrote the article out.” But how did spiritual food get into the prison in the first place?

Spiritual Food Nourishes Prisoners

Elders, their families, and other publishers of the East Managua Congregation regularly came to Cárcel Modelo to visit the prisoners. For almost ten years, they brought both material and spiritual provisions for their brothers, including The Watchtower and Our Kingdom Ministry. The spiritual food, of course, had to be concealed.

One elder hid magazines in the hollow of his big wooden crutches. “Young ones also helped out, since they were rarely searched,” relates Julio Núñez. The visitors were even able to get the Memorial emblems into the prison.

Each ward had its own specified day for visitors, and approved people usually spent the whole day with the prisoner in a large courtyard. In this way, a handful of Witness inmates could meet with their brothers and sisters from Managua and obtain spiritual supplies. Then later, when these prisoners returned to their wards, they were able to share what they had received.

Not even Kingdom songs were overlooked. “In our ward,” says Brother López, “only one of us had contact with the visiting brothers. So it fell upon that prisoner to learn the tunes to a few songs at a time and then to teach the rest of us. Because we had only one songbook, we all practiced  before the meetings.” Brother Mendoza was one of the few inmates who could have Witness visitors. “Carlos Ayala and his family visited me,” Brother Mendoza says. “His two daughters taught me at least nine Kingdom songs, which I taught my companions.” Brother López was one of those who learned the songs secondhand. He recalls: “Later when I began to attend meetings on the outside, I was delighted but, I must admit, a little surprised to learn that we really had been singing the same melodies.”

Staying Spiritually Strong in Prison

What kind of environment did the brothers and interested ones have to put up with in prison, and how did they remain spiritually strong? Brother Mendoza recalls: “Prison food was rationed. All the inmates were beaten on several occasions, and at times, guards fired shots around us as we lay facedown on the floor. These things were done to put our nerves on edge. When there were clashes between some of the other prisoners and the guards, we were all punished by being sent out into the courtyard naked to bake in the sun. We Witnesses used these occasions to upbuild and console one another. We recalled Bible texts and shared points we had learned in our personal study. These experiences helped us remain united and strong.”

Taking advantage of their abundance of free time, many Witnesses and interested ones read the Bible through four or five times. It was not unusual for them to study carefully, and several times over, all of the Bible-based publications that came into their hands. With special appreciation, Brother Mendoza remembers the Yearbooks. “The experiences from different countries, the maps​—we studied them all,” he recalls. “Each year we compared the increases, the number of congregations, the number of new ones  baptized, and the Memorial attendance in each country. These things gave us great joy.”

Under such circumstances, new publishers quickly acquired a good knowledge of God’s Word as well as theocratic organization. They also became zealous preachers and teachers. In February 1986, for instance, Cárcel Modelo had 43 publishers conducting 80 Bible studies. An average of 83 attended the weekly meetings.

All these spiritually liberated inmates were soon to experience additional freedom, for the government decided to grant a pardon to all political prisoners. As a result, the last 30 publishers within Cárcel Modelo were set free on March 17, 1989. The East Managua Congregation promptly arranged for the newly released publishers to be contacted by the elders in the areas where they moved. These elders, in turn, welcomed their new brothers, many of whom later became elders, ministerial servants, and pioneers.

Restrictions Did Not Stop the Preaching Work

Despite difficulties and dangers, the number of publishers in Nicaragua kept growing rapidly during the era of restrictions. In fact, in some areas congregations were formed that consisted almost entirely of new ones. An example is the La Reforma Congregation. Special pioneers Antonio Alemán and his wife, Adela, traveled daily to witness in the rural communities between Masaya and Granada. One of these communities was La Reforma. Here, early in 1979, the Alemáns studied with Rosalío López, a young man whose wife had just passed away. Rosalío soon told his in-laws, with whom he lived, the things he was learning. He spoke to his mother-in-law first, then to one brother- and sister-in-law after another. Soon a group of 22 family members could be seen walking to the meetings in Masaya, four miles [6 km] away.

 One day Rosalío’s in-laws said to him: “We learned at the meetings that Jehovah’s Witnesses preach from door to door, but we’re not doing it.”

“All right,” said Rosalío, “we’ll go preaching this Saturday.” And they did! With Rosalío doing the talking, all 22 went to one door together! When Antonio came for the next study, Rosalío announced, with a big smile: “We all went out preaching this week!” Although Antonio was delighted with the zeal of his students, he encouraged the young couples to get certain personal affairs in order first.

In December 1979, Rosalío and one of his late wife’s brothers, Húber López, were the first from this group to be baptized, the others following in quick succession. Just three years later, the La Reforma Congregation was established. It started out with 30 publishers​—all from the same family! In time, Húber, his brother Ramón, and Rosalío were appointed elders. In 1986, 54 members of the congregation served as pioneers.​—See box on pages 99-102.

As a result of zealous preaching by members of the La Reforma Congregation, six other congregations were eventually formed in the surrounding communities. Remember, too, that the brothers were still under the watchful eye of the authorities, who were not impressed by their zeal. “We were constantly harassed by the military,” recalls Húber López, “but that never stopped us from preaching.” In fact, the preaching work increased during this difficult era. How so? Because many brothers lost their jobs and took up regular or auxiliary pioneer service.

Jehovah blessed their efforts. In 1982, there were 4,477 publishers of the good news in Nicaragua, but by 1990​—after eight years of restrictions and persecution—​that number had grown to 7,894. That was a 76-percent increase!

 Restrictions Removed

In February 1990, internationally monitored elections saw a change of government in Nicaragua. Soon thereafter, the restrictions on Jehovah’s Witnesses were lifted, military conscription was ended, and the defense committees were disbanded. While cautious, the brothers no longer feared the prying eyes of neighbors. In September of that year, Ian Hunter, who had been serving on the Branch Committee in Guatemala, became the new coordinator of the Nicaragua country committee.

For the preceding eight years, the country committee oversaw the work in Nicaragua without the benefit of an office and office equipment. Indeed, Brother Hunter was glad that he brought along the typewriter he had been using at the Guatemala branch! A local brother, Julio Bendaña, kindly offered much of his own office equipment to the brothers, who had a lot of work to do.

A house on the outskirts of Managua was obtained to serve as a branch office. A number of the brothers, however, were unfamiliar with the normal Bethel routine, for they were used to working in secret at different locations and at odd hours. But they responded well to training and made the necessary adjustments. Most of these young men continue to serve Jehovah faithfully, some in different avenues of full-time service.

To help with the work at the branch, brothers were also sent in from other countries. Missionaries Kenneth and Sharan Brian were reassigned from Honduras back to Nicaragua late in 1990. In January 1991, Juan and Rebecca Reyes, graduates of the first class of the Gilead Extension School in Mexico, came over from Costa Rica, followed by Arnaldo Chávez, also a graduate of Mexico’s first class, and  his wife, María. Lothar and Carmen Mihank arrived two years later from Panama, where Lothar had served on the Branch Committee. Most were assigned to the new branch, where they helped get the work back onto a proper organizational footing. Today, the Nicaragua Bethel family comprises 37 members of various nationalities.

In February 1991 a Branch Committee was appointed to replace the country committee, and the Nicaragua branch officially reopened on May 1, 1991. The foundation was now laid for future growth, and how impressive that growth would prove to be! From 1990 to 1995, 4,026 new disciples were baptized​—a 51-percent increase. This growth created a pressing need for suitable places to meet. However, you may recall that back in 1982, a total of 35 properties were seized by mobs.

Reclaiming the Properties

When the Kingdom Halls were first illegally occupied, the brothers did not passively concede defeat but promptly  appealed to the government, citing the Constitution of Nicaragua in their defense. Yet, despite the brothers’ compliance with every legal requirement, their requests fell on deaf ears. In 1985 the brothers even wrote to the then president of Nicaragua requesting legal recognition and the return of all properties. Besides that, they made numerous requests for an interview with the minister of the interior. But all these efforts bore no fruit.

When the new government took office in April 1990, the brothers promptly submitted another petition, this time to the new minister of the interior, requesting that Jehovah’s Witnesses be legally reregistered. How they rejoiced and thanked Jehovah when, just four months later, their petition was granted! Since then, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society has been given international mission status by the Nicaraguan government and can operate freely and with  the usual tax exemptions accorded to such nonprofit organizations. Recovering the Kingdom Halls, however, has not been easy, for some of these were “given” to supporters of the former regime.

The brothers appealed to the newly formed National Committee for the Revision of Confiscated Properties, requesting the restitution of all properties. This proved to be a complicated, frustrating process, owing, in part, to the volume of similar appeals from other organizations and individuals. After a year of intense effort, one property was returned in January 1991. The brothers also visited the individuals occupying Kingdom Halls, in order to come to some agreement. But most of these people felt that their acquisition was a legitimate “gain” from the revolution.

The branch property was returned later that year, but an alternative dwelling had to be purchased for the family occupying the premises. Over the following years, the brothers gradually recovered 30 of the 35 properties and received compensation in the form of government bonds for those that were nonrecoverable.

Coping With Natural Disasters

Besides the earthquakes mentioned earlier in this report, volcanoes and hurricanes have also exacted a toll on Nicaragua. Since 1914 the country’s most active volcano, Cerro Negro, has erupted 12 times, smothering vast areas of crops with ash. Elfriede Urban, a missionary serving in León during the eruptions of 1968 and 1971, describes what they were like: “Black sand and ash rained over the city for two weeks. It had to be shoveled from roofs lest they cave in. People had good reason to worry because old León had been buried that way centuries ago. Wind carried fine sand everywhere. It was in our shoes, clothes, beds, food, and even  between the pages of our books! Yet, through all of this, the brothers continued attending meetings and participating in the field ministry.”

In October 1998, Hurricane Mitch, which some experts called “the most deadly hurricane to strike the Western Hemisphere in the last two centuries,” deluged all of Central America. “Mitch killed between 3,000 and 4,000 people in Nicaragua and caused extensive property damage,” says Encarta Encyclopedia. “Heavy rains formed a lake in the crater of Casitas volcano, causing a landslide that covered 80 sq km (30 sq mi), wiping out several villages.” Recent figures put the death toll at over 2,000.

As in other affected countries, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Nicaragua implemented a massive relief effort. In certain cities, Witness volunteers formed teams of cyclists who rode into areas impassable to vehicles so as to inquire after the brothers and to deliver food and other supplies. Often they were the first relief workers to arrive, much to the joy of their now homeless brothers. Witnesses in Costa Rica and Panama promptly sent 72 tons of food and clothing. After immediate needs were cared for, relief workers continued for several months repairing Kingdom Halls and constructing new homes for the brothers.

The “Other” Nicaragua

In 1987 the government created two autonomous regions that form the eastern part of Nicaragua. Previously known as Zelaya, they are now called the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN in Spanish) and the South Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS). Although these regions represent about 45 percent of Nicaragua’s land area, they are home to only about 10 percent of the population.

 Dotted with gold and silver mines, the RAAN and RAAS extend from the eastern slopes of the rugged central highlands to the lagoons and marshes of the Mosquito Coast. In between lies a variegated landscape of tropical rain forest, pine and palm savannas, and numerous rivers and streams that snake their way down to the Caribbean. Over the years, villages, towns, and small cities populated by mestizos, as well as Miskito and other indigenous peoples, have been established there.

To the majority of Miskito, Sumo, Rama, and Creole inhabitants of this region, the capital city, Managua, seems like another world. Indeed, there is still no paved road linking the east with the west. Although Spanish is spoken in the Atlantic region, many people speak Miskito, Creole, or some other indigenous tongue. And most profess to be Protestant, generally Moravian, in contrast with those in the predominantly Catholic Pacific region. So in almost every way​—geographically, linguistically, historically, culturally, and religiously—​east and west stand in sharp contrast. So how would the good news be received in this “other” Nicaragua?

The Kingdom Message Goes Farther Afield

Witness missionaries made exploratory visits to the eastern zone as early as 1946 and placed literature. In the 1950’s, circuit overseer Sydney Porter and his wife, Phyllis, visited the small coastal cities of Bluefields and Puerto Cabezas, the Corn Islands, and the mining towns of Rosita, Bonanza, and Siuna. “On one trip to the mines,” Sydney relates, “we each placed over 1,000 magazines and 100 books. Everyone loved to read.” Isolated groups were soon formed in many of these towns, and since the 1970’s, these groups have progressively become congregations.

 However, other areas of the RAAN and the RAAS were hardly touched for years. Isolation, a lack of connecting roads, and tropical downpours for over eight months of the year presented major challenges to the preaching work. But these were not insurmountable, as demonstrated by many zealous and intrepid pioneers. Largely as a result of their determination and hard work, there are now seven congregations and nine groups, comprising some 400 Kingdom publishers, in the RAAN and the RAAS.

To illustrate the challenges faced by Witnesses in these regions, consider the example of one 22-year-old brother. Three times a week, he travels through the mountains for approximately eight hours to attend meetings in the mining town of Rosita, where the nearest congregation is located. He serves there as a ministerial servant and regular pioneer. The only baptized Witness in his family, he generally works alone in this mountainous area where houses are often two hours’ walking distance apart. If it gets late while he is at one house, he sleeps there and resumes witnessing in the area the next day, since it is impractical to travel home for the night. Recently, his father died, leaving this young brother, as the eldest son, responsible to care for his family. Yet, he is still able to pioneer. In fact, one of his fleshly brothers is now an unbaptized publisher and accompanies him in the ministry.

Since 1994 the branch has organized yearly preaching campaigns in this vast region. Temporary special pioneers, drawn from the ranks of zealous regular pioneers, work remote towns and villages in the RAAN and the RAAS for four months during the dry season. These hardy pioneers contend with extreme heat, rugged terrain, snakes, wild animals, contaminated water, and the risk of contracting an infectious disease. Their goal is to give a thorough witness,  conduct Bible studies with interested ones, and hold Christian meetings, including the Memorial. The results they obtain also help the branch office to determine where special pioneers should be assigned. Over the years, this program has led to the forming of congregations and groups in the towns of Waspam and San Carlos, along the Coco River in the far northeast.

Although the RAAN and the RAAS have seen a heavy influx of Spanish-speaking mestizos, indigenous Miskito remain the largest group in these regions. Some Bible-based publications are available in Miskito, and a number of pioneers have learned the language. As a result, the Kingdom message has made a favorable impression on many of these hospitable, Bible-loving people.

For instance, near the Likus River in the RAAN lies Kwiwitingni, a Miskito village of 46 houses, 6 of which were unoccupied during the 2001 pioneer campaign. That year temporary special pioneers conducted 40 Bible studies in the village​—one per home! After just one month, three students expressed the desire to be baptized, one having been  the assistant to the pastor of the local Moravian Church. Two couples wanted to become publishers, but were not legally married. Hence, the pioneers kindly explained to them the Bible’s standards regarding marriage and baptism. Imagine the joy of the pioneers when just before they were to go home, they were approached by these two couples holding high their marriage certificates!

Since that fruitful campaign, publishers in Waspam have regularly traveled the 12 miles [19 km] to Kwiwitingni to help the newly interested ones continue making spiritual progress and to train them for the ministry.

Temporary special pioneers preaching in several Miskito villages along the Coco River met a large group of Americans doing social work. The pioneers placed a number of English-language magazines with them. In the village of Francia Sirpi, near the Wawa River, members of a Baptist church were building a small school. The leader of the construction group told one of the pioneers: “I admire the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses. You’re here teaching the Bible. I wish my religion would promote that.”

A Need for Experienced Brothers

During the era of restrictions, about 60 percent of the Witnesses in Nicaragua attended meetings that were no larger than small family groups. And they had just a few publications for the ministry. Assemblies were held on a congregation level, and the program was condensed. A number of mature brothers who were also family heads substituted for traveling overseers but could do so only on a part-time basis. Additionally, many longtime Witness families emigrated elsewhere during those tumultuous years. Hence, when the work was legally registered again, there was an urgent need for experienced elders and pioneers.

 Indeed, the elders themselves yearned for training in organizational procedures, while the publishers required direction in such things as how to offer literature in the field. In order to address these needs, the Governing Body assigned to Nicaragua graduates of Ministerial Training Schools held in El Salvador, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. One of these brothers, Pedro Henríquez, a graduate of the first class of Ministerial Training School in El Salvador, began circuit work in Nicaragua in 1993. Eleven experienced circuit overseers from Mexico also ‘stepped over’ to this modern-day Macedonia to help out.​—Acts 16:9.

In the last nine years, Nicaragua has also received 58 Gilead graduates, who are based in six missionary homes throughout the country. Their maturity has contributed to a healthy spiritual atmosphere in the congregations, and they have helped many youths view full-time service as a desirable goal.

Those who came to Nicaragua during the 1960’s and 1970’s to serve where the need was greater called it a preacher’s paradise. This still holds true today. A brother in the Service Department at the branch comments: “Nicaragua  is still a country where publishers and pioneers determine how many Bible studies they will conduct, for there is so much interest.” Understandably, many who are eager to help where the need is greater and who have counted the cost have inquired about serving in Nicaragua. In fact, by April 2002, 289 pioneers from 19 countries had moved there to help out. How grateful the local Witnesses are for all these harvest workers!​—Matt. 9:37, 38.

An Exciting National Gathering

Prior to the restrictions, the last national convention had been held in 1978. So imagine how thrilled the brothers were to receive an invitation to a district convention to be held in Managua in December 1999! Family members were encouraged to start saving money for travel and other expenses so that all could attend. In obtaining these funds, some Witnesses were quite resourceful. For instance, since pork is popular in Nicaragua, a number obtained living “piggy banks” by buying, raising, and later selling pigs. As a result of wise planning and determination, 28,356 Witnesses and interested ones from coast to coast were able to come to Managua’s national baseball stadium for the “God’s Prophetic Word” District Convention, which began on December 24.

How thrilled the delegates were on Saturday of that convention to see 784 persons immersed​—the largest baptism in the history of the work in Nicaragua! Missionaries who had earlier served there were present and shared encouraging experiences with the audience. What is more, the convention had a powerful unifying effect by moving all, regardless of language or tribal background, to be even more determined than ever to progress in the one “pure language” of spiritual truth “in order to serve [Jehovah] shoulder to shoulder.”​—Zeph. 3:9.

 Defending Our Right to Receive Bloodless Medical Treatment

Nicaragua has three Hospital Liaison Committees (HLCs), whose work is coordinated by Hospital Information Services at the branch. Besides helping Witness patients when the blood transfusion issue arises, these committees strive to inform medical professionals and students of the many alternatives to blood transfusion that are acceptable to Jehovah’s Witnesses.

To that end, members of the HLCs have given lectures and audiovisual presentations to doctors and medical students, some of whom have volunteered very positive comments. In fact, a growing number of surgeons and  anesthesiologists have indicated their willingness to cooperate with Jehovah’s Witnesses by respecting their Bible-based stand on the matter of blood transfusion.

Resolved to Forge Ahead

The theocratic history of Nicaragua provides ample testimony that neither natural nor man-made disasters can check the progress of the good news. Yes, Jehovah has truly made “the little one” himself become “a thousand.” (Isa. 60:22) The first field service report for the country, submitted in 1943, represented the activity of just three publishers; 40 years later saw a peak of 4,477 publishers. By 1990 when the missionaries were allowed to return, the number had climbed to 7,894! Jehovah’s blessing continued through the decade of the ’90’s, which saw the number of Kingdom proclaimers almost double.

Naturally, this rapid growth has created an urgent need for more Kingdom Halls. Hence, the branch office has directed  an extensive construction program that includes the building of about 120 additional Kingdom Halls, besides a new branch in Ticuantepe, seven miles [11 km] south of Managua. The branch should be completed by April 2003.

In recent years Nicaragua has made some economic strides, especially in Managua, a city that has seen rapid growth in job opportunities, education, and entertainment. Construction seems to be an ongoing feature of the city, which now boasts modern restaurants, gasoline stations, and shopping centers filled with consumer goods and the numerous other trappings of Western society.

Such an environment with its many temptations presents new challenges to Christians. One longtime elder observed: “Change is happening fast. It is like putting a plateful of candy before a child who has never eaten anything but rice and beans and telling him: ‘Now, be careful!’ Yes, we know how to serve Jehovah under hardship, but now the enemy is subtle. This situation is harder to deal with.”

Still, the loyalty, zeal, and courage that Jehovah’s people displayed during the years of restriction continue to bear fine fruitage. Many of the children who grew up in that era now serve as elders, pioneers, and Bethel volunteers. Nicaragua now has 17 circuits made up of 295 congregations, including 31 isolated groups. The August 2002 report showed a new peak of 16,676 publishers, yet the Memorial attendance for that year was 66,751!

Hence, our prayer is that many more people in this diverse land will come to know Jehovah before his “year of goodwill” concludes. (Isa. 61:2) Yes, may our heavenly Father continue to extend the boundaries of our spiritual paradise until the entire earth is “filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.”​—Isa. 11:9.

 [Box on page 72]

An Overview of Nicaragua

The land: Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America. It is divided into two parts by the central mountains. The western part is a region of freshwater lakes. Less fertile, the eastern region is mostly rain forest and plains. Nicaragua has about 40 volcanoes; some are active.

The people: Most are Spanish-speaking mestizos​—people of mixed American Indian and European ancestry. A small number of Monimbó and Subtiaba Indians live on the west coast, while the eastern region includes Miskito, Sumo, and Rama Indians, as well as Creoles and Afro-Caribs. The main religion is Roman Catholicism.

The language: Spanish is the official language. Indigenous languages are also spoken.

The livelihood: Agriculture is Nicaragua’s economic mainstay.

The food: Major crops consumed domestically are rice, corn, beans, sorghum, plantains, cassava, and various fruits. Exports include coffee, sugar, bananas, seafood, and beef.

The climate: Nicaragua is tropical. Rainfall varies from 75 [190 cm] to 150 inches [380 cm], depending on the region. Coastal temperatures average around 80 degrees Fahrenheit [26°C], while the highlands are a little cooler.

 [Box/Picture on page 99-102]

A Bout With the Secret Police

Húber and Telma López

Profile: Parents of three grown children. Húber serves as an elder in the local congregation.

Under the revolutionary government, ministerial servants and elders were often arrested by State Security and detained from one day to several weeks for questioning. Because of their Bible-based neutrality, Jehovah’s Witnesses were accused of but never formally charged with inciting people to rebel against the government. The interrogators also wanted the names of our “instructors” and “leaders.”

One of the many brothers to undergo this experience was Húber López, today an elder and the father of three grown children. In December 1985, Brother López was arrested at his home in La Reforma, a rural community about 25 miles [40 km] southeast of Managua. His wife, Telma, recounts the anguish of that day:

“At 4:00 p.m., two jeeps stopped in front of our house, one with agents from State Security, the other with soldiers who surrounded the house. After I  told the agents that my husband was not at home, they ordered me and the children outside, saying that they would search the house. However, our eldest son, Elmer, who was ten years old, stayed inside. He watched as they started to empty a cabinet of books, secular and theocratic. In between those books, my husband had hidden some congregation records. When the intruders took the books out to the jeeps, Elmer cried out: ‘Sir, are you going to take my schoolbooks too?’ A soldier gruffly replied: ‘All right, take them back.’ In that way, our son was able to rescue his books and the congregation records.

“While we were eating supper that evening, the soldiers returned. Pointing rifles at us, they took my husband away while the children looked on, crying. The soldiers wouldn’t tell us why or where they were taking him.”

Describing what followed, Brother López says: “I was taken to the Masaya jail and put into a cell with all sorts of criminals. I immediately identified myself as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and witnessed to these men for several hours. At midnight, someone ordered me out of the cell at gunpoint and into a jeep waiting outside in the dark. I was told to keep my face down, but as I got in, I recognized four others in the jeep with their heads down. They were ministerial servants and elders from the Masaya area who had been arrested that same evening.

 “Twice that night they threatened to kill us, first in a coffee field and then in an urban area, where they lined us up against a wall. On both occasions they seemed to wait for us to say something, but none of us did. Finally, they took us to the prison in Jinotepe and kept us in separate cells for three days.

“We were not allowed to sleep more than a few hours at a time. Our cells were kept dark, so we didn’t know if it was day or night. We were repeatedly called into the interrogation room and questioned about our preaching activities, the meetings, and the names of our ‘leaders.’ One of my interrogators even threatened to arrest my parents and force the information from them. In fact, I even heard the voices of my parents, my wife, and other family members while I was in my cell. What I heard, however, was a recording that was supposed to fool me into believing that my family members had been brought in for questioning.

“On the fourth day, Thursday, I was told that I would be released. But first I had to sign a declaration vowing that I would discontinue preaching about my religion. I was also told that my Witness companions had already signed​—which, of course, was untrue. ‘If you refuse to sign,’ my interrogators said, ‘we will bring you back and you’ll rot here.’

“‘Then please don’t release me; just leave me here,’ I replied.

“‘Why do you say that?’

“‘Because I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and that means I preach.’

“To my surprise, the five of us were released on the same day. Yes, Jehovah answered our prayers and strengthened us so that we remained calm and did not betray our brothers. After that episode, though, we were constantly under surveillance.”

 [Box/Picture on page 105, 106]

Forced Into the Combat Zone

Giovanni Gaitán

Baptized: 1987

Profile: Arrested just weeks before he was to be baptized, he was forced to accompany the BLI for 28 months. Served as a pioneer for over eight years.

Some young brothers were forced to accompany the Irregular Warfare Battalions (BLI in Spanish) that fought in the dense mountain jungle.

One of these young men was Giovanni Gaitán. While still an unbaptized publisher, Giovanni spent 28 months with the BLI. He was arrested just a few weeks before he was to be baptized. Giovanni relates: “My trials began after the first combat. An officer ordered me to wash a bloodstained uniform taken from a dead soldier. I refused, reasoning that this could become the first link in a chain of events that ended with my compromising my Christian neutrality. The officer was furious and struck me hard on the cheek. He took out his pistol, pressed it against my head, and pulled the trigger, but the gun did not fire. So he smashed it against my face and threatened that if I disobeyed him again, he would kill me.

“Over the next 18 months, this person made my life very difficult. On a number of occasions, he had my hands tied for the entire day so that I had no way to eat. In this condition, I was often forced to walk through the jungle ahead of the group, with a rifle and grenades strapped to my back​—a prime target for the enemy! He beat me and threatened to kill me, especially during the heat of battle when others were dying around me and I refused to pick up their rifles. Yet, I did not hate him, nor did I show fear, for Jehovah gave me courage.

“One morning in March 1985, some other brothers and I were brought down from the mountains to an area where our families were allowed to visit us near Mulukukú, about 180 miles [300 km] northeast of Managua. While eating and conversing with family members, I noticed this same officer sitting by himself. I took him a plate of food. When he finished eating, he called me over. Bracing myself for the worst, I was surprised when he apologized for the way he had treated me. He even asked me about my beliefs. That was the last time I saw him; he died shortly thereafter in an accident involving a military truck.”

 [Box/Pictures on page 116-118]

Two Country Committee Members Reflect

During the period of restriction, the work in Nicaragua came under the direction of the Costa Rica branch. A country committee was appointed in Nicaragua to provide local oversight. Two brothers who served on that committee, Alfonso Joya and Agustín Sequeira, reflect on those times of testing.

Alfonso Joya: “I was serving as an elder in Managua when invited to serve on the country committee in 1985. For my secular work, I managed the largest branch of a well-known bank. My knowledge of banking enabled me to help make the most of the financial assets of Jehovah’s organization at a time when the Nicaraguan currency was rapidly devaluing, crippling the economy. Even an ordinary pair of shoes, which had cost about 250 cordobas, soon sold for two million cordobas!

“During this economically difficult period, the country also experienced fuel shortages, which made it difficult for the brothers to deliver literature to distant congregations. Jehovah came to our aid by making it possible for me to assist the brothers with needed fuel.

“My own family did not know that I was a member of the country committee. At the time, I was 35 years old and eligible for military reserve status. On  four separate occasions, the military tried to conscript me, even in my own house in one case. I remember the incident well, for my wife and three young children were at my side as I stared down the barrel of a rifle. Remarkably, I never lost my job at the bank.”

Agustín Sequeira: “I was serving as a special pioneer in a small town in Boaco when the missionaries were deported in 1982. Later, I had the privilege of being appointed to the country committee. The brothers in my congregation had no knowledge of this appointment. I would get up at 4:00 a.m., do my office work, and then share in field service with the congregation.

“The country committee members all used pseudonyms as we carried out our responsibilities, and we agreed not to give one another details about our work. This served as a protection in case of arrest. We didn’t have an office but worked at different homes. Because a briefcase might arouse curiosity, I sometimes placed office papers in a bag with some onions on top with their stalks showing. I had a few narrow escapes but was never arrested.

“Members of the Costa Rica Branch Committee visited us on several occasions to give us encouragement and direction. A most memorable and encouraging event for me was the dedication of the Costa Rica branch in January 1987, for on that occasion another member of the country committee and I had the joy of meeting with two members of the Governing Body.”

Shortly before this report went to press, Brother Sequeira passed away peacefully in death. He was 86 years old and had been in full-time service for over 22 years. He was a member of the Branch Committee in Nicaragua.

 [Box/Pictures on page 122, 123]

We Found True Freedom in Prison

Between 1979 and 1989, Cárcel Modelo was filled with military and political prisoners who had been associated with the former government. The Kingdom message penetrated these walls, filled the hearts and minds of honesthearted individuals, and nurtured within them a Christlike personality. (Col. 3:5-10) Here are a few comments from some former inmates.

José de la Cruz López: “When imprisoned, I was embittered and had no hope, no future. Then I met fellow inmates who had become Jehovah’s Witnesses. I was impressed both by their explanation of the Bible and by their fine conduct. At last, I was spiritually satisfied and had a hope. I felt that if I had been willing to give my life for a human government that could offer no genuine hope, how much more so should I be loyal to the One who gave his Son for me! After my release, my wife and daughters and three other family members also learned the truth. Truly, I can never repay Jehovah for what he has done for me.”

Brother López serves as an elder in Managua.

Omar Antonio Espinoza: “When I was 18, I was given a 30-year sentence and served 10 years before receiving a pardon. Although I regret having lost my liberty, it was in prison that I came to know Jehovah  and true freedom. Previously, I had led a dissolute life, but now I made a complete turnabout. I am grateful to Jehovah that my cup is full in a spiritual sense. My determination is like that of Joshua: ‘As for me and my household, we shall serve Jehovah.’​—Josh. 24:15.”

Brother Espinoza serves as an elder in the city of Rivas.

Anastasio Ramón Mendoza: “Within a few months of confinement, I began to read the Bible on my own. Then I began to study it with a fellow prisoner who was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I soon became convinced that I had found the truth. Yet, I put off baptism because I was seething with hatred for my captors​—a state of mind that I knew did not have Jehovah’s approval.

“I prayed intensely, both for forgiveness and for help to overcome my hurtful attitude. Jehovah heard my supplications, for he patiently taught me to hate not individuals but bad attitudes and actions. I was baptized in 1982. Since my release in 1989, I have studied the Bible with many former military men and others who were in a situation similar to mine. Some are now my spiritual brothers.”

Brother Mendoza serves as a ministerial servant in Managua.

 [Box/Picture on page 141-145]

A Pastor’s Prayers Are Answered

Teodosio Gurdián

Baptized: 1986

Profile: Brother Gurdián currently serves as an elder in the Wamblán Congregation.

In 1986, at the height of the Sandinista-contra war, two publishers from the small congregation of San Juan del Río Coco made the 60-mile [100 km] journey north to Wamblán, a central-highlands town set in an area of almost barren hills near the border of Honduras. The small group of Witnesses that had lived there left Wamblán two years earlier because of the fighting. The two brothers were searching for a man named Teodosio Gurdián. Teodosio explains why.

“I had been the pastor of an evangelical church in Wamblán. Our church leadership came from the National Association of Nicaraguan Pastors (ANPEN in Spanish), an organization of pastors from all of the Protestant religions in Managua. Shortly after the Sandinistas took power, ANPEN signed an agreement approving the participation of pastors and parishioners in the Sandinista Defense Committees and other organizations, including the army. But this troubled me, for I asked myself, ‘How could a minister of God bear arms?’

 “Then I obtained the book True Peace and Security​—From What Source? from a Witness family that lived in Wamblán at the time. I read it well into the night. I also began to read the Watchtower and Awake! magazines regularly. This, at last, was real spiritual food. In fact, I even used the information in my sermons. When this was brought to the attention of the church officials, they called me to the central offices in Managua.

“Thinking that I was being misled for want of knowledge as a pastor, the officials offered me an eight-month scholarship to study in Managua. The things I had learned from the Witness publications, however, were well-founded in the Bible. So I asked the church officials many questions, such as, ‘Why aren’t we preaching from door to door like the early Christians did? Why do we tithe if the apostles did not require it?’ My questions were not satisfactorily answered, and soon these people began calling me a Witness.

“After this experience, I cut off my association with the church and went to look for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Managua. But it was 1984, and the Witnesses were meeting secretly. So after two weeks of fruitless searching, I returned to Wamblán and supported my family by farming a small plot of corn and beans.

“The Witnesses who had lived in Wamblán had distributed much of their literature before leaving the area. So whenever I came across these publications  in the homes I visited, I would ask: ‘Are you reading this book? May I buy it from you?’ Most would give it to me, so in time I built up a small theocratic library.

“Although I had not identified myself openly as a Witness, people in Wamblán also began to call me that. Hence, it was not long before State Security agents questioned me about my activities. They even told me that I could preach in nearby villages, provided I brought back such information as the names of those who were supporting the contras. ‘If I were to do as you request,’ I replied, ‘I would be renouncing my God, and I cannot do that. Jehovah demands exclusive devotion.’

“On another occasion, an army officer asked me to sign a document showing my support of the Sandinistas. I refused. He then drew a pistol and threatened: ‘Don’t you know that we can eliminate parasites who do not serve the revolution?’ But instead of shooting me, he gave me time to reconsider. That night I said good-bye to my wife. ‘If I sign that paper, I will die anyway,’ I told her. ‘But if I die without signing it, Jehovah may remember me in the resurrection. Take care of the children, and trust in Jehovah. He will help us.’ The next morning I told the officer: ‘Here I am. Do as you wish, but I will not sign.’ He nodded and said: ‘Congratulations. I knew you would answer that way. I know who Jehovah’s Witnesses are.’ He then let me go.

 “After that, I preached more openly, traveling to many outlying villages and inviting interested ones to meet together. An elderly married couple were among the first to respond; then other families followed. Soon 30 of us were meeting regularly. I used older issues of The Watchtower, presenting the material as a discourse, since we had only one copy. I even studied the Bible with some soldiers, one of whom later became a Witness.

“In 1985 a passing soldier told me of a congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Jinotega, about 70 miles [110 km] south of Wamblán. I asked a Bible student from Wamblán to accompany me there. After inquiring at the marketplace in Jinotega, we finally found the home of a Witness family. The wife answered the door. When we identified ourselves as Jehovah’s Witnesses, she inquired if we had come for the Memorial. ‘What is the Memorial?’ we asked. Upon that, she called her husband. When convinced of our sincerity, he invited us in. Regrettably, the Memorial had been held on the previous evening, but we stayed at their home for three days and attended our first Congregation Book Study.

“After returning to Wamblán, I continued to preach and to conduct the meetings on my own. Then, the day before the 1986 Memorial, the two brothers mentioned at the outset arrived. Our little group of Bible students quickly spread the word to all the interested ones in the local villages, and 85 attended our first Memorial.

“I was baptized in October of that year, together with my first Bible students​—the elderly couple mentioned earlier, who were then in their 80’s. Today the Wamblán Congregation is made up of 74 publishers and 3 regular pioneers. I am privileged to serve as one of the elders. In 2001, we held the Memorial in three other villages besides Wamblán, with a total attendance of 452.”

 [Chart/Graph on page 80, 81]

NICARAGUA​—A TIME LINE

1925

1934: A visiting pioneer sister places literature in the country.

1937: Somoza regime begins.

1945: First Gilead graduates arrive.

1946: N. H. Knorr and F. W. Franz visit Managua. A branch is established.

1950

1952: Prompted by Catholic clergy, a ban is imposed.

1953: Supreme Court of Justice lifts ban.

 1972: Earthquake devastates Managua.

1974: New branch office and missionary home are completed.

1975

1979: Sandinistas gain victory over Somoza regime. Up to 50,000 die in the revolution.

1981: Jehovah’s Witnesses’ legal status is suspended.

1990: Jehovah’s Witnesses regain legal recognition.

1994: One hundred temporary special pioneers are appointed. Similar campaigns follow.

1998: Hurricane Mitch slams into Central America, killing 4,000 in Nicaragua.

2000

2002: 16,676 publishers are active in Nicaragua.

[Graph]

(See publication)

Total Publishers

Total Pioneers

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

1950 1975 2000

 [Maps on page 73]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

HONDURAS

NICARAGUA

Matagalpa

León

MANAGUA

Masaya

Jinotepe

Granada

Lake Nicaragua

Ometepe Island

Isthmus of Rivas

San Juan River

Bluefields

COSTA RICA

 [Full-page picture on page 66]

[Picture on page 70]

Above: Francis (left) and William Wallace and their sister Jane

[Picture on page 70]

Below (back row, top to bottom): Wilbert Geiselman, Harold Duncan, and Francis Wallace; (front row, top to bottom): Blanche Casey, Eugene Call, Ann Geiselman, Jane Wallace, and Evelyn Duncan

[Pictures on page 71]

Above: Adelina and Arnoldo Castro

Right: Dora and Evaristo Sánchez

[Picture on page 76]

Doris Niehoff

[Picture on page 76]

Sydney and Phyllis Porter

[Picture on page 79]

Agustín Sequeira was the first publisher in Matagalpa

[Picture on page 82]

María Elsa

[Picture on page 82]

Gilberto Solís and his wife, María Cecilia

[Pictures on page 87]

An earthquake in 1972 devastated Managua

[Picture on page 90]

Andrew and Miriam Reed

[Picture on page 90]

Ruby and Kevin Block

[Picture on page 92]

A farm was used for the “Kingdom Loyalty” District Convention

[Pictures on page 95]

Missionaries who were deported from Nicaragua in 1982

[Picture on page 109]

Brothers who printed literature while under ban, with their mimeograph machines The Rooster, The Hen, and The Chicken

[Picture on page 110]

Elda Sánchez fearlessly prepared stencils

[Picture on page 115]

These sisters prepared food and kept watch while the brothers were printing

[Picture on page 126]

Front row: Some of the brothers who learned the truth in prison, from left to right: J. López, A. Mendoza, and O. Espinoza; back row: Carlos Ayala and Julio Núñez, elders who visited the prison to help the brothers spiritually

[Picture on page 133]

After the restrictions on Jehovah’s Witnesses were lifted, this house served as a branch office

[Pictures on page 134]

After Hurricane Mitch, some volunteers used bicycles to deliver food and supplies. Others worked to rebuild Kingdom Halls and homes

[Picture on page 139]

Banacruz, a community in the RAAN where the good news is being preached despite challenges

[Picture on page 147]

The 1999 “God’s Prophetic Word” District Convention, the first national convention held since 1978, was attended by 28,356

[Picture on page 147]

Delegates saw 784 being immersed​—the largest baptism in the history of Nicaragua

[Picture on page 148]

Branch Committee in early 2002, from left to right: Ian Hunter, Agustín Sequeira, Luis Antonio González, and Lothar Mihank