FEBRUARY 24, 2020
THAILAND
Special Campaign Reaches Thousands in Thailand
From December 1, 2019, to January 31, 2020, brothers and sisters from Thai congregations and groups in 11 countries traveled to Thailand for a special preaching campaign. The initiative was designed to help the approximately 4,800 Thai-speaking publishers in the country reach Thai-speaking people in and around the capital city of Bangkok. The over 600 publishers who participated spent 34,625 hours in the ministry, recorded 32,718 placements, showed 6,637 videos, and started 310 Bible studies.
This is the second preaching campaign in Thailand in the past two years. After the first campaign, which spanned from December 2018 to January 2019, Brother Plakorn Pestanyee, a member of the Thailand Branch Committee, reported: “The number of Bible studies started and the positive impact on the local congregations were far greater than had been anticipated.” In view of this success, the branch arranged for this second campaign.
During this latest campaign, some visiting publishers postponed their return home so that they could help more individuals learn about Jehovah. One couple from Korea had planned to stay in Thailand for one month. After finding many interested ones, the couple chose to stay an extra two weeks. Another sister from Korea who had resigned from her job to participate in the campaign decided to relocate to Thailand.
The efforts of the publishers during this campaign proved to be fruitful. Two Witnesses, a mother and her daughter, contacted a woman at her place of work. On the initial visit, the publishers placed the Awake! No. 2, 2019, with the cover title “Six Lessons Children Need to Learn.” When the sisters returned, the woman happily greeted them, waving the Awake! magazine that the publishers had previously given to her. The woman said: “This information is great! I want to know more about it, please.” The publishers arranged to study with the woman once a week during her office lunch break. They also helped her to download the JW Library app. She continues her study now twice a week and enjoys sharing videos, such as the whiteboard animations, with her children.
Another publisher met a woman who was impressed by how well-dressed and friendly the Witnesses were. The woman explained that she had been visiting churches in search of friends, but with no success. The publisher invited her to attend the meeting being held that same day. The woman attended and enjoyed getting to know brothers and sisters from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. She began a Bible study in the brochure Good News From God! and wants to continue attending meetings.
A sister met a middle-aged woman in Bang Na, one of the districts in Bangkok. The woman said that although she had been to church, she did not own a Bible. The sister then helped her to download the JW Library app and the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. When the publishers followed up on the interest, the woman explained that she had been reading the Bible using the recently downloaded app. The visiting sisters showed the woman the questions on the back of the Good News brochure and read them one by one. The woman said that she wanted to know the answers to all of them. The sisters began a Bible study, which is now being conducted by a local sister. The woman expressed how much she enjoys her study because for the first time in her life she is able to research spiritual things herself.
In the door-to-door work, a sister met a Thai man and his Laotian wife. The sister asked them what they believe is most important in life. “Family,” they answered. The sister then reviewed information about family life in the brochure Good News From God! The couple agreed that the advice was very practical and accepted a Bible study. Soon after, they attended a congregation meeting. They expressed that they enjoyed the warm, friendly atmosphere and want to continue attending meetings.
These and many other experiences from the preaching campaign in Thailand show that during these last days, Jehovah’s people continue to have “plenty to do in the work of the Lord.”—1 Corinthians 15:58.