A Long Search Rewarded

“JEHOVAH? Who is Jehovah?” Eight-year-old Silvia had seen the name in an Armenian Bible, a family treasure shown to her by another little girl. She asked around, but no one in Yerevan, Armenia, where she lived could tell her who Jehovah is​—not her parents, not her teachers, not even the ministers at the local church.

Silvia grew up, finished school, and got a job, but she still did not know who Jehovah is. As a young adult, she had to flee Armenia, and after some time she found herself in Poland, living in a small room with other refugees. One of her roommates received regular visitors. “Who are your guests?” Silvia asked. “They are Jehovah’s Witnesses, here to teach me the Bible,” was the reply.

Silvia’s heart leaped when she heard the name Jehovah. Finally, she began to learn who Jehovah is and what a loving God he is. Soon, though, she had to leave Poland. She sought asylum in Denmark, across the Baltic Sea. She carried only a few possessions, but among them was Bible literature published by Jehovah’s Witnesses. On the back page of one publication, Silvia found a list of addresses of Watch Tower Society branch offices. That was one of her most important possessions​—her lifeline to Jehovah!

In Denmark, Silvia was taken to a refugee camp, and she immediately started looking for Jehovah’s Witnesses. From her list of addresses, she knew that the Watch Tower Society’s branch office in Denmark was in the town of Holbæk. But where was that? Silvia was transferred by train to another camp, and on the way there, the train passed through Holbæk! Again, her heart leaped with joy.

On a sunny day soon thereafter, Silvia took the train back to Holbæk and walked from the station to the branch office. She remembers: “When I entered the garden, I sat down on a bench and said to myself, ‘This is paradise!’” She was warmly welcomed at the branch and was finally able to have her own Bible study.

But several transfers followed. From successive refugee centers, Silvia had to locate Jehovah’s Witnesses and start her Bible study over and over again. Still, after two years, she had learned enough to dedicate her life to Jehovah. She was baptized and soon thereafter entered the full-time ministry. In 1998 the Danish authorities granted her asylum.

Silvia is now 26 years old and serves in the place that reminded her of paradise, the branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Denmark. “What can I say?” she now remarks. “I have been searching for Jehovah since I was a little girl. Now I have found him. I dreamed of spending my life in his service, and here I am at Bethel. I pray that this will be my home for years to come!”