DECEMBER 7, 2020
UNITED STATES
Youths Expand Their Ministry Despite Pandemic
Mike Iwuchukwu heard the familiar sound of his daughter, Melody, racing downstairs for her lunch break from online schooling. He decided to check on the energetic six-year-old, expecting to find her eating a sandwich or playing with her toys. What he saw instead amazed him.
“She was sitting with her laptop and a copy of Lessons You Can Learn From the Bible, and three of her classmates were listening to her,” says Mike. “Melody told me: ‘Dad, I’m conducting a Bible study!’”
Melody had been determined to start a Bible study since September 2020, when her school in Houston, Texas, began virtual classes because of the coronavirus pandemic. So she prayed to Jehovah and looked for opportunities.
Mike and her mother, Octavia, could not be prouder. Mike continues: “Melody talks to her classmates about Jehovah all the time. But to actually see her conducting a Bible study—it was highly emotional for her mother and me.”
Melody continues to study regularly with her classmates. She explains: “So far, I’ve taught them about the Paradise and about Jesus. I want them to become Jehovah’s Witnesses!”
Nine-year-old Samuel Molnar of Ingleside, Illinois, has also been sharing his faith.
Inspired by an experience in which a brother witnessed to a neighbor over a fence, Samuel decided to give it a try. When he saw his neighbor’s grandson playing on the other side of the fence in his backyard, he asked the boy if he’d like to hear about the Paradise. The boy agreed, and Samuel ran inside to get his copy of My Book of Bible Stories.
Samuel relates: “I told him that in the future he could play with the animals without getting hurt. Then I read to him the account about Daniel in the lions’ den.”
Samuel didn’t stop there. He sent the boy a letter describing the activities and videos available on jw.org. The two boys agreed to read another Bible story when they see each other again.
Samuel is excited about his experience and is working hard to reach his next goal. “I want to get to know all the tracts in the Teaching Toolbox, so I can share them with people,” he said.
Three young sisters in Houston recently accomplished their own spiritual goal: auxiliary pioneering during their summer vacation.
In August, Joselyn Horta, age 13; Melanie Alvarez, age 12; and Chloe Rodriguez, age 10, met via videoconference to write letters. They connected up to five times a week and started as early as 7:00 a.m.
“We talked and ate together,” explains Joselyn, “and then at 7:30 a.m., we began writing letters.” Occasionally, one of the three would oversleep, and the other two would send good-natured text messages reading: “Good morning! Get up! Preaching work!”
The girls’ enthusiastic efforts have encouraged not only one another but also friends and family members. “Sometimes I didn’t feel up to participating in the field ministry,” says Alicia, Joselyn’s mother. “But when I would see Joselyn sitting there, I would say to myself, ‘I want to share in the preaching work too!’”
Jehovah’s heart rejoices to see all the faithful young ones who are doing all they can in the ministry during this pandemic.—Proverbs 27:11.