I was born on December 22, 1929 in one small village name Noville near Bastogne, in the Belgian Ardennes. I can remember how I was happy on the farm with my parents. Me and my small brother Raymond use to milk our cows every day and help to bring all the thing them we harvest from the farm. In our small village, everybody use to work together to help each other.

My parents, Emile and Alice, were strong member in the Catholic church. They use to go to church every Sunday. But around 1939, some pioneers came to our village from England and they gave my pa the Consolation magazine (now-now we call it Awake!). And he use to receive it every month. My pa was quick to see that the magazine was saying the true and it made him to start reading the Bible. When he stop going to church, our neighbor them who use to be friendly with us, turn against him bad way. They try to force him to stay in the Catholic church, so they use to argue all the time.

It really use to hurt me to see them treating my pa like that. That what made me to say that prayer that I talk about from the beginning of this story. I was really happy when our neighbors stop pressuring my pa. It convince me that Jehovah that the “Hearer of prayer.”

On May 10, 1940, Nazi Germany attack Belgium and because of that plenty people left the country. Our family ran away to the south part of France. When we were  traveling, sometime we use to find our self in dangerous areas where the German and the French soldiers were fighting.

Later, we went back on our farm and saw that the people na loot all our things. Only our dog, Bobbie was there to welcome us. The thing them we pass through made me to start thinking, ‘Why people fighting war and why people suffering?’

During that time, we benefit from the visits of one faithful pioneer elder name Emile Schrantz. a He make it clear from the Bible why people suffering and he answer my other question them about life. My friendship with Jehovah started getting very strong and I was convince that he the God of love.

Even before the war finish, our family was able to see and talk more with other brother and sister them. In August 1943, Brother José-Nicolas Minet visit our farm and he gave one talk. He ask, “That who want get baptized?” My pa put his hand up, so myself I put my hand up too. We got baptize in one small river near our farm.

In December 1944 the German soldiers started their final big attack during World War II in western Europe. They call that war the Battle of the Bulge. We were living near the battle front, so we stay in our house for almost one month. One day when I went to feed the animals, bomb hit one house on the farm and spoil the whole roof. I was near one of the place they can keep the animal. One American soldier who was there, yell and say to me: “Lay down!” So, I run and lay down near him and he put his helmet on my head to protect me.

After the war, we always manage to talk with brother and sister them in Liège, that was around 90 kilometers (56 mi) from us. After some time, we were able to form one small study group in Bastogne. I started working in the tax office and I was having the opportunity to study law. Later on, I started working in one government office  in our area. . In 1951 we organize one small circuit assembly in Bastogne. About one hundred people attended that circuit assembly, and one very zealous pioneer sister name Elly Reuter, was also there. She ride 50 kilometers (31 mi) on bicycle to attend the program. It not stay long, we fall in love and I engage her. Elly receive invitation to attend Gilead School in America. She write to world headquarters and explain why she can’t accept the invitation. Brother Knorr, who was taking the lead among Jehovah people that time, was kind and tell her that maybe one day she and her husband will be able to attend. We got marry in February 1953.

That same year, me and Elly attended the New World Society Assembly that they was having in New York, to Yankee Stadium. When we were there, I met one brother who gave me good job but ask me to move to America. After we pray to Jehovah about it, Elly and myself decided to say no to the offer. We went back to support the small group in Bastogne that was having ten publishers. The next year, we were happy when Elly gave birth to boy child and we name him Serge. We were feeling really bad when Serge got sick after seven months and he die. We talk to Jehovah about how we were feeling, and the hope of the resurrection made us strong.

In October 1961, I was able to find part-time job that help me to pioneer. That same day, I receive call from the branch in Belgium. They ask me whether I was able to start serving as circuit servant (now we call it circuit overseer). I ask them, “You think we can serve as pioneers first before we can accept the assignment?” The brothers agree. After we pioneer for eight months, we started the circuit work in September 1962.

After we serve in the circuit work for two years, they invite us to serve in Bethel in Brussels. We started serving there in October 1964. We receive plenty blessings in our new assignment. Right after Brother Knorr visited our Branch in 1965, I was surprise when they appoint me as branch servant. Later, me and Elly were invited to attend the 41 class of Gilead School. The thing that Brother Knorr say 13 years ago finally came true! After our graduation, we went back to Belgium Bethel.

For plenty years now, I been having the privilege to defend Jehovah people rights to worship in Europe and other area. (Phil. 1:7) Because of this work, I was able to know plenty big-big government people in more than 55 countries where they restrict or  stop our work. Instead of telling them that I lawyer, I use to introduce myself as “man of God.” I always pray to Jehovah to guide me, because I know that “a king’s [or judge’s] heart is like streams of water in Jehovah’s hand. He directs it wherever He pleases.”—Prov. 21:1.

I still remember my experience when I talk with one member of the European Parliament. I ask to talk with him plenty times, and finally he agree for us to meet. He say, “I will give you only five minutes.” I bend my head down and started praying. The man ask me what I was doing. I lift up my head and say: “I telling God thank you, because you one of his ministers.” He ask, “What you mean?” I show him Romans 13:4. He was in the Protestant church, so he knew this Bible verse. What was the result? He talk with me for thirty minutes, and our meeting was successful. He even say he respect the work Jehovah Witnesses can do.

For plenty years now, Jehovah people been in court in Europe for their right to be neutral, child custody, tax payment and plenty other things. I happy that I was able to get the privilege to take part in plenty of the court case them and see how Jehovah help us to be successful. Jehovah people na win more than 140 cases in the European Court of Human Rights!

Later on, I work with Brother Philip Brumley, from world headquarters and Brother Valter Farneti, from Italy. We work to help our brothers and sisters in Cuba to be more free to worship Jehovah because they restrict our work. I write letter to the Cuba embassy in Belgium and I was able to meet one big man who the government assign to handle our problem. From the beginning, we were not able to come to one understanding about the problem that made the government restrict our work.

After praying for Jehovah direction, we ask them to allow us to send 5,000 Bibles to Cuba. The Bibles reach safely and they gave them to the brothers, so we were convince that Jehovah was blessing our efforts. We ask them again to allow us to send 27,500 more Bibles. The government agree. Helping our brother and sister them in Cuba to get their own Bible really make me happy.

 I na visit Cuba plenty times to help our brothers to be more free to worship Jehovah. Because of that, I was able to get good friendship with plenty big-big people in the government.

In 1994 they kill more than 1,000,000 people in the tribal war in Rwanda. Sad to say, they kill some of our brothers and sisters too. Some brothers and sisters were assign to carry relief for our brothers there.

When we reach Kigali, the capital city, we saw that the translation office and the literature depot were having bullet marks all over the wall. We hear plenty bad-bad stories about how they kill our brother and sister them with cutlass. We also hear stories about how our brother and sister them show love in helping each other. For example, we saw one Tutsi brother who hide in one hole underground for 28 days, and that one Jehovah Witness family from the Hutu tribe was hiding him there. During one meeting in Kigali, we work hard to encourage and comfort more than 900 brothers and sisters.

Then we cross the border in Zaire (now-now they call it Democratic Republic of the Congo) to look for plenty of the Rwandan brother and sister them who run away to the refugee camp near Goma. We were not able to find them, so we pray to Jehovah to help us to find them. Then we saw somebody coming, and we ask him if he knew any Jehovah Witness. He say, “Yes, myself I Jehovah Witness. I will be happy to carry you to the relief committee.” After we comfort the relief committee, we also comfort about 1,600 refugee brothers and sisters. Then we read one letter from the Governing Body. The brother and sister them were happy to hear this encouragement from the letter that say: “You always in our prayers. And we know that Jehovah will never leave you.” What the Governing Body say here that true. Today, we get more than 30,000 Jehovah Witnesses who happy to be serving Jehovah together in Rwanda!

After we were marry for almost 58 years, Elly die in 2011. I tell Jehovah about how it made me sad and he comfort me. Preaching the good news to my neighbors also comfort me.

Even though I more than 90 years old, I can still go field service every week. I also happy to help in the Legal Department in the Belgium branch, to share my experience with other people, and to encourage young people in the Bethel family.

I said my first prayer to Jehovah 84 years ago. That how I started getting closer and closer to Jehovah. I too grateful that throughout my life Jehovah been listening to my prayers.—Ps. 66:19. b