My parents started studying the Bible with Jehovah Witnesses in the beginning of the 1940’s. Even though they stop studying, my ma still use to receive the Watchtower and Awake! magazines from Jehovah Witnesses. In 1950 they invited my family to the international convention that they were having in New York City, and we went there.

Right after that, Brother Lawrence Jeffries started studying with us. He try helping me to learn the truth. First, I never use to agree with him about the way Jehovah Witnesses refuse to put their hand in politics and join the army. I use to say if everybody in America refuse to go fight war, our enemies will come and take over the whole country. Brother Jeffries was patient with me, he ask me: “What you think God will do if everybody in America was serving him and enemies come attack them?” The way he explain this and other things to me, help me to see that I was not having any reason not to agree with him. This one made me to get more interest in the Bible.

I use to spent hours reading old-old Watchtower and Awake! magazine them that my ma was keeping. After some time, I notice that I was learning the truth, so I agree to study the Bible with Brother Jeffries. I also started attending meetings regularly. The truth really touch my heart, so I became unbaptize publisher. My goals change when I learn that “the great day of Jehovah [was] near.” (Zeph. 1:14) Instead of going to college, I wanted to help other people to learn the Bible.

 I graduated from high school on June 13, 1956, and three days later, I got baptize to one circuit assembly. I never knew that I was going to get plenty blessings because I choose to use my whole life to learn about Jehovah and teach other people about him.

Six months after my baptism, I started regular pioneering. The December 1956 Kingdom Ministry was having the article “Can You Serve Where the Need Is Great?” I knew I was able to do it. I wanted to preach the good news to where the need was great.​—​Matt. 24:​14.

I move to Edgefield, South Carolina. The congregation was having only four publishers. When I move there, I make them five. We use to have meetings in one brother house. Every month, I use to spent 100 hours in the field service. I was busy because I was taking the lead in field service and I use to handle parts on the meeting. But interestingly, the more I was doing this work, that the more I was learning about Jehovah.

One woman who I was studying the Bible with in Johnston, was having funeral home. The place was not too far from where I was living. She gave me part-time work and gave us one small building for us to use for the meetings.

The brother who study with me, his son, brother Jolly Jeffries, move from Brooklyn, New York, and came to be my pioneer partner. One brother let us his car that look like container for us to sleep in.

To the place I was living the people use to pay small money when you work. They use to pay two or three dollars for one day work. One day, I use all the small money I was having to buy food. Soon I came out of the store, one man came to me and ask: “You want work? I will pay you one dollar for one hour.” He told me to clean one construction site for three days. It was clear that Jehovah was helping me to stay in Edgefield. So I went for the 1958 international convention in New York City.

On the second day of the convention, something special happen. I met Ruby Wadlington, who was serving as regular pioneer in Gallatin, Tennessee. Since two of us wanted to be missionary, we attended the Gilead meeting they were having to the convention. Later on, we started writing each other. Then they invited me to Gallatin to give talk. I use that opportunity to ask her to marry me. I move to Ruby congregation, and we got marry in 1959.

When I was 23 years old, I was appointed in Gallatin as congregation servant (now, we can call it coordinator of the body of elders). As soon Charles Thompson became circuit  overseer, our congregation was the first he visited. Even though he was having more experience; he use to ask me for suggestions about how to help the brothers and how the other circuit overseers use to do things. I learn from him that it good to ask questions and get all the facts before making decision.

In May 1964, I was invited to attend the Kingdom Ministry School that they were having in South Lansing, New York for one month. The school made me to want learn more about Jehovah and draw close to him.

Me and Ruby were invited to start doing circuit work in January1965. Our first territory was really big. It started from Knoxville, in Tennessee and it almost reach to Richmond in Virginia. We also use to visit congregations in North Carolina, Kentucky, and West Virginia. We only use to visit congregations that get only black people because the government law in the South never allow the black and white to meet together. The brothers were poor, so we use to share with them. I learn important lesson from one brother who na stay long in the circuit work. He use to say: “Don’t visit the congregation and act like you the boss man. Try to be their brother. You can help them if they see you as their brother.”

When we went to visit one small congregation, Ruby started studying with one young woman who was having her one-year-old daughter. When no one in the congregation was able to do her study, Ruby use letter to do it. The next time we visited, she was attending all the meetings. When two special pioneer sisters move in the congregation, they continue the woman study, and it not stay long she got baptize. About 30 years later in 1995, one young sister in Patterson Bethel came to talk with Ruby. That was the daughter of the woman who Ruby study with. She and her husband were attending the 100th class of Gilead School.

Our second circuit assignment was in central Florida. By this time we needed car, so we bought one for small money. But in the first week, the water pump spoil and we was not having money to fix it. I call one brother that I was thinking was going to help us. He told one of his workers to fix the car and he not take any money from us. He just say, “it alright, don’t pay anything.” And he even gave us some money! This one that good example of how Jehovah can take care of his people. It just show us that we must be good to other people.

Anytime we go for visit, we use to stay with the brother them in their house. Because of that, we were having plenty good-good friends. One day, I started typing the congregation report and left it in the typewriter. When I came back that evening, the family we were staying with, three-year-old son chakla everything. I tease him about it for many years.

In 1971, I receive new assignment to serve as district overseer in New York City. We were really surprise! I was just 34 years old when we move there. I was the first black district overseer in New York and the brothers really welcome  me.

When I was serving as district overseer, I use to enjoy teaching about Jehovah every weekend to circuit assembly. Plenty of the circuit overseer them was having experience more than me. One of them gave my baptism talk. Another one of them was brother Theodore Jaracz who became member of the Governing Body later on. They were also having plenty experience brothers who were serving in Brooklyn Bethel. I was so grateful that the circuit overseers and the Bethelites made me to feel good. I saw for myself that these brothers really love people. They rely on God Word the Bible and supported his organization. The way they were humble make it easy for me to serve as district overseer.

In 1974 the Governing Body assign another group of circuit overseers to serve as district overseers. So I started serving as circuit overseer again, but this time around that was in South Carolina. We were happy because by that time the white and the black brothers were meeting together in the same congregations.

By the end of 1976, I was assign to serve as circuit overseer in Georgia, between Atlanta and Columbus. I can still remember that I gave the funeral talk for five black children who die when someone put their house on fire. Their parents were in the hospital because the fire burn them. Plenty Jehovah Witnesses, both black and white, went to the hospital to comfort the children parents. I saw how the brother them were really having love for people. That kind na love can help Jehovah servants to deal with any kind na difficult problem.

In 1977 they invited us to go do some work in Brooklyn Bethel for few months. When the work was coming finish, two members of the Governing Body met with me and Ruby and they ask whether we wanted to remain in Bethel. So we agree.

I work in the Service Department for 24 years. Most of the time the brother them in the service department can deal with hard-hard questions. For many years now, the Governing Body been providing information in line with Bible principles to guide us. That these same information they can use to answer questions, train circuit overseers, elders, and pioneers. This training been helping plenty people to be mature Christians. That it helping Jehovah organization to be more strong.

From 1995 to 2018, I been visiting plenty different branches as headquarters representative, we use to call it zone overseer. I use to meet with Branch Committee members, Bethelites, and missionaries to encourage them and to help them with anything that on their mind. And they use to encourage me and Ruby too by their experiences they use to share with us. For example, we visited Rwanda in 2000. It really touch our hearts to hear how the brothers and the Bethel family survive the massacre that happen in 1994. Plenty people family and friends die. With all this thing them they went through, the brother them were having faith, hope, and they were always happy.

We in our 80’s. I been serving on the United States Branch Committee for the last 20 years now. I not get college degree; but, I receive the best education from Jehovah and his organization. This one na help me to teach people the Bible truths that will benefit them forever. (2 Cor. 3:5; 2 Tim. 2:​2) I na see how the Bible na help people to get better life and to have good friendship with God. (Jas. 4:​8) Anytime me and Ruby get the opportunity, we can encourage other people to continue learning about Jehovah and teaching people Bible truths. Because that the greatest privilege any servant of Jehovah can enjoy!