Seeds of Truth Reach Remote Regions

THE Tuva Republic in Russia is located at the southernmost edge of Siberia, with Mongolia to the south and east. Many people in Tuva live in remote communities that are hard to reach with the Kingdom message. However, some time ago, a group of people traveled from several outlying parts of Tuva to Kyzyl, its capital, to attend a seminar. Maria, a pioneer in Kyzyl, learned about their arrival, and she realized that this presented a rare opportunity to share the good news with them.

Maria relates what happened: “The school where I work as a teacher scheduled a seminar on the treatment of substance abuse. About 50 people from the remotest regions of Tuva were to attend. The group included teachers, psychologists, child-welfare inspectors, and others.” For Maria, this meeting was an opportunity and a challenge. She explains: “By nature I am shy, and I find it hard to witness informally. However, I prayed to Jehovah for courage to overcome my fear and use this opportunity to give a witness.” Did she succeed?

Maria continues: “I found an Awake! magazine that discussed the subject of phobias. ‘That might interest a psychologist,’ I thought, so I took the magazine with me to school. That day, one of the teachers attending the seminar came into my office, and I offered her the magazine. She gladly accepted it. In fact, she said that she herself had a phobia. The next day, I brought her the book Questions Young People Ask​—Answers That Work, Volume 1. That too she gladly accepted. Her positive reaction made me think that other teachers might also be interested in that publication. So I took a carton of Young People Ask books and other publications to school.” Before long, the carton was empty. Maria recounts what happened: “Several colleagues of the teacher to whom I had given the Young People Ask book came into my office and asked, ‘Where are they distributing the books?’” They had come to the right place!

The last day of the seminar was a Saturday. It was Maria’s day off, so she placed literature on several tables in her office. On a board, she wrote: “Dear Teachers! You may take literature for yourselves and your acquaintances. These fine publications will help you to be successful in your work and will strengthen your families.” What was the response? “I went to my office that day and saw that most of the literature was gone. I quickly got a new supply of books and magazines.” By the end of the seminar, Maria had placed 380 magazines, 173 books, and 34 brochures. When those who attended the seminar returned to the isolated regions where they lived and worked, the literature went with them. Says Maria, “I am so happy that seeds of truth have now reached the remotest parts of Tuva!”​—Eccl. 11:6.

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RUSSIA

TUVA REPUBLIC