Preaching and Teaching Earth Wide

AFRICA

LANDS 57

POPULATION 827,387,930

PUBLISHERS 1,086,653

BIBLE STUDIES 2,027,124

Côte d’Ivoire

In the village of Bianouan, situated in the east of the country, the inhabitants are thirsting for the truth. Some wake the publishers up at 6:00 a.m. to have a Bible discussion before going to work in the fields. Others ask to have their Bible study in the evening after congregation meetings. One day, a woman who could not read asked a brother for the book What Does the Bible Really Teach? She said that her husband would read it to her. The brother gave her the book and called at her home the next day. The woman and her husband were patiently waiting for him. The husband had not gone to work in the fields because they had spent the whole night reading the book. Now he wanted to discuss with the brother what he had read. A study was established with the couple.

Benin

A large family in an outlying area began to study. The father was a pastor in a traditional church. Just two weeks after the first study, the whole family accepted the invitation to attend the district convention. Saturday evening, the eldest daughter suddenly fell ill and died. Despite the shock, the father attended the Sunday sessions. On Monday he declared about the death, “This is Satan’s doing, to discourage us, but my family won’t let that happen.” He brought out all his church paraphernalia: cassock, cap, belt, anointing oil, and shepherd’s staff. His  wife, who was also an official in the church, did likewise. “We are finished with this church,” proclaimed the pastor. Then, reminiscent of Acts 19:19, he publicly burned everything. The family continues to make good progress.

Madagascar

Last year in a village of about 500, a preacher obtained the Bible Teach book from a Witness in another village. After reading it carefully, the preacher was convinced that he had found the truth, and he shared what he had learned with the members of his church. Soon he, his family, and 20 others resigned from the church and began to hold meetings, as do Jehovah’s Witnesses everywhere. Special pioneers came to help them. They conducted Bible studies with the many interested ones and arranged for a Congregation Book Study and a Watchtower Study to be held regularly. In October, five persons became unbaptized publishers, and now the pioneers have made arrangements for a Public Meeting and a Theocratic Ministry School. Meeting attendance averages 40, and over 20 home Bible studies are being conducted.

 South Africa

Hennie and his wife were preaching from door to door. As they were walking by a fence that surrounded one house, a vicious dog put its head between the railings and bit Hennie on the hand. He was bleeding profusely, so they rushed home, and his wife cleaned and bandaged the wound. Hennie arranged to see a doctor later. He said to his wife that he did not want to allow a dog to stop him from sharing in field service, so they went back to the territory about an hour later. They started with the house next to the one with the vicious dog. After they did a few houses, a man invited them in. He listened attentively and was eager for them to visit him again. A Bible study was started, and he soon began to attend meetings regularly. When he resigned from the Dutch Reformed Church, a senior member of the church came to see him and offered to make him a deacon. However, he remained steadfast in his decision to resign from the church. He continues to make fine progress and has enrolled in the Theocratic Ministry School.

Tanzania

During a campaign to work isolated territory in October 2005, nine brothers from the Iringa Congregation set out for Pawaga, about 50 miles [75 km] away. They had heard that an isolated publisher was living in the area, and they went to look for him. After many inquiries, they found the brother, who explained that he had lived there for over 20 years, believing that the Kingdom work in Tanzania was still under ban. He had been witnessing to others over the years, and he said that there were some who were genuinely interested in the Bible’s message. Brothers from the Iringa Congregation volunteered to stay in Pawaga for periods of two weeks to cultivate the interest. In 2006, two regular pioneers moved there to care for the fertile territory. The brother was helped spiritually, and the small group now has nine publishers. They  are presently conducting their meetings under a tree, but plans are under way to build a small meeting place, using local materials.

Rwanda

A teenager named Gentille became famous because of her ability to score goals when playing soccer. People called her Manayibitego, which means in the local Kinyarwanda language “God of Goals.” Some Italians noticed her ability and gave her additional training. They then invited her to participate in soccer games in Italy. Moving to Europe and having the opportunity to become an internationally known footballer was an attractive prospect. However, Gentille knew that accepting the offer would involve leaving her family. Her mother is a Witness, and although Gentille had studied the Bible, she never took the study seriously. What came first in her life was soccer. Gentille discussed the matter with her mother and came to realize the spiritual dangers involved. She decided to decline the offer and to put Kingdom interests first in her life. She was baptized at a recent assembly.

 THE AMERICAS

LANDS 55

POPULATION 893,357,181

PUBLISHERS 3,367,544

BIBLE STUDIES 3,236,692

Curaçao

One day when a brother went to a Bible study, the householder handed him a bullet and asked him if he knew what it was. The man then explained that before the brother first called on him, he had been contemplating suicide for several months because of losing his job and his family. Consumed with thoughts of revenge, he had decided to kill the four people he thought were responsible for his problems. He had loaded his revolver with four bullets and had saved one more for himself in case he was to end his own life. Before leaving home, however, he decided to seek God’s help. He turned on the television, looking for a religion channel. At that moment, two Witnesses called at his home, and they eventually began to study the Bible with him. He threw away the four bullets, but he forgot about the fifth one. When he found it in his pocket, he showed it to the brother, told him the story, and commented on how much his life had changed since he began to study the Bible. He says that five people owe their lives to Jehovah’s Witnesses. Now he attends the congregation meetings.

Uruguay

Two Witnesses were invited into the home of a woman who, with tears in her eyes, explained that she had been praying to God all night, imploring him to reveal his will to her. The pastors of her church had recently  visited her but only to collect the tithe for a relatively large amount of money she had received. She was disappointed because they never visited her on any other occasion, even when she had asked for help in moments of distress. For over a month, she had not gone to church. Finally, she told one of the pastors that she felt deceived by the contradictions in their teachings. However, instead of trying to clarify the points in question, he told her that she would be given seven curses, or damnations, for having abandoned the church. The brothers explained that the true God uses his angels to find people who are looking for the truth. She asked many questions, and a study was immediately started in the book What Does the Bible Really Teach? Her husband later joined the study, and they both attended the Memorial and the special talk. They were impressed by the quality of teaching at the Kingdom Hall and found it hard to believe that money is not solicited. Both continue to progress and have made many friends in the congregation.

Chile

What just may be the southernmost Bible study in the world is being conducted with a woman who lives in the far-flung territory of Cape Horn. She is the wife of the lighthouse keeper in this remote area. While the lady was in Punta Arenas, an auxiliary pioneer sister conducted a Bible study with her for four weeks until the lady moved to Cape Horn. Since then, the study has been conducted with her over the phone. She is making fine progress.

 Costa Rica

In this country, there are some 10,000 Guaymi Indians, mostly concentrated in Sixaola, a small town close to the Panamanian border. A considerable number of these natives have shown genuine interest in learning about the Bible. To attend to the spiritual needs of these people, a young special pioneer couple were assigned to work this territory. They have taken on the task of learning the language. With the help of 26 Guaymi brothers and sisters, much has been accomplished. For the first time, the Memorial was conducted in Guaymi, and there was an unprecedented attendance of 264. Since then, there has been constant increase. For example, a Congregation Book Study group with 13 publishers initially had an average attendance of 20. Now this number has increased to 40. As a result, two more Congregation Book Study groups have been formed.

Panama

A physical education teacher named Ramiro started studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2004. About that time, the six groups that he was assigned to teach required only 12 hours of instruction per week, short of the 24 working hours that were expected of him. Thus, the school director told him that he would have to spend the rest of the time teaching religion to the same six groups. “Just talk to them about God, Jesus, and the Bible,” the director said. Ramiro taught what he himself was learning. That year, using the book Knowledge That  Leads to Everlasting Life, he gave instruction to 150 students, who were in grades six to eight. By the following year, when the publication What Does the Bible Really Teach? was released, Ramiro had progressed to the point of qualifying as an unbaptized publisher. He continued teaching the classes, this time using the Bible Teach book. The number of students had increased to 160, divided into six different groups. The result? Ramiro and other publishers in the congregation are now conducting home Bible studies with several of the students. The parents of some of the students have expressed their appreciation to Ramiro for the positive changes that they have seen in their children’s conduct. Some of the parents have attended congregation meetings and have even gone to some of our assemblies. As regards Ramiro, he was baptized in November 2006 and enthusiastically continues to take advantage of all opportunities to teach Bible truth.

Guatemala

In Guatemala City, a publisher named Jeremy went to the home of a young man with whom he studied the Bible. The home was in an alley. Jeremy knocked at the door, and the young man’s sister came to the door to say that her brother was not at home. While Jeremy was at the door, two young men approached. One drew a pistol, put it to Jeremy’s head, and said, “I was hired to come and kill you.” (Jeremy later learned that robbers  say this to intimidate victims.) Jeremy relates: “The girl closed the door, and I asked the men, ‘What do you want?’ One of them replied, ‘What are you doing here?’ I told them that I was preaching Jehovah’s Word. He said gruffly, ‘Give the message to me!’ I was nervous and wondered what to do. I opened my book bag and took out a Bible. At that, the one with the gun started to cry because he was doing bad things that he knew were wrong. He begged me to help him. He searched my book bag and took out an Awake! magazine that dealt with the subject of money. Then the other man started to search my pockets, looking for my wallet, but the one with the gun told him: ‘Leave him alone. Don’t search him.’ Then he thanked me, gave me a hug, and they left. After that, I felt very calm, and I thanked Jehovah for saving me from that situation.”

Dominican Republic

A sister who is an orthodontist attended a one-day seminar on dental implants. An opportunity was extended to the more than 250 dentists in attendance to apply for an expensive advanced course to be given in Europe. Only eight dentists would be invited. At the end of the day, the sister was told not only that she had been selected to attend the course but that it would be given to her as a free scholarship. Surprised, our sister replied: “Thank you for taking me into consideration, but I did not fill out the application, and I will not be able to accept this generous offer. As one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I cannot put anything ahead of the spiritual interests of my family. I would want to do justice to the course, which is very intense, but I have five weekly Bible sessions that require my undivided attention. What joy could the advanced training and degree bring me if upon returning I found my two teenage sons using drugs or behaving badly because of my absence?”

 ASIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

LANDS 47

POPULATION 3,993,686,009

PUBLISHERS 607,112

BIBLE STUDIES 496,577

Israel

Ella, a young auxiliary pioneer, noticed an elderly woman struggling with a bag of garbage. Ella helped her and witnessed to her briefly. Though the woman gave Ella her address, Ella was unable to contact her again despite many visits to her home. Finally, the woman answered the door. Partially deaf, she had not heard Ella knocking on previous occasions. A home Bible study was started with her. Initially atheistic in her outlook, the woman grew in her appreciation for God and his Word. After two years, she dedicated her life to Jehovah and was recently baptized at the age of 92.

Mongolia

Terbish, an elderly woman, worked in a bookstore all her life. When 18-year-old Munkhzaya, a pioneer sister, called on her, Terbish told her that because she had read so many books, she could quickly understand any book whether she read it from the beginning, the middle, or the end. The Bible, however, was different. No matter how much she read it, she could not understand it. Attending church did not help. Thus, she studied on her own, making notes on every scripture. Terbish was particularly interested in understanding Hebrews 11:6. Munkhzaya explained the verse, offered a Bible study, and invited Terbish to the Kingdom Hall. On hearing of its location, Terbish said: “Is that the  building with the beautiful flowers outside? Every time I pass by, I stop to admire them. Can you introduce me to the person who cares for them?” This Munkhzaya gladly did. Terbish is now eagerly learning about the Creator and attending the meetings. Munkhzaya says, “The flowers preached to this woman long before I did.”

Japan

Because of the pain in her legs, 78-year-old Hiroko can no longer witness as she did in the past. Praying to God for direction, she found a busy bus stop where she can sit for 30 minutes at a time. She makes a point of smiling and showing an interest in people. There is a hospital nearby, so if people are carrying medicine, she asks them how they are. If people are trying to read the bus timetable, she helps them, and to those not familiar with the area, she explains places of interest. She listens when they talk and then offers the magazines. She sees some people regularly; so she is able to make return visits.

Myanmar

Lazaru was a drug smuggler. His lifestyle involved drugs, murder, and all manner of vice. However, when a pioneer sister showed him from the Bible that God’s name is Jehovah, Lazaru immediately recognized the truth and agreed to a Bible study. It took him a long time, but he made steady spiritual progress. The big step was to make a complete break from his way of life. When he told his associates that he was leaving  them, they panicked because he knew so much about their drug-smuggling operations. Though several assassins were dispatched to kill him, Lazaru managed to escape them. Eventually, he moved to another area, and he and his wife were baptized.

Taiwan

Some publishers briefly stopped outside a coffee shop with an unusual name​—The Book of Ezra Coffee Shop. Curious, one of the publishers asked the proprietor about the use of the name Ezra. He answered that he had always admired Ezra for his zeal for true worship. For many years, the proprietor had been a churchgoer, but he had recently stopped because his wife is Vietnamese and could not understand the services. The publisher offered to return with a Vietnamese Bible, which they were delighted to receive that afternoon. A study was started with the entire family.

India

In a town where there is severe opposition to the witnessing work, five sisters were jailed for four days because of preaching. Initially, the warden was rude to them and warned them not to preach Christianity inside the jail. However, as the days passed, she observed their mild, loving spirit and softened her stance. The sisters shared with other inmates and the warden some of the fruit and other food supplied to them by the brothers. One night, the warden overheard the sisters as they discussed points from the book Draw Close to Jehovah. Soon she began to join them in their discussions, sitting on a chair at the entrance to their cell. The day the sisters were released from jail, she lost a relative in death. The sisters were able to comfort her with the resurrection hope.

Earlier, another warden inquired of them about the offense they had committed. One of the sisters explained  that the preaching work was misunderstood as illegal conversion. Impressed by what she heard, the warden replied: “In spite of your situation, you speak so calmly. I am a short-tempered woman, and I feel ashamed in front of you. Please tell me when I sound harsh, and teach me to speak like you. I don’t understand why such good people are put in jail.” Whenever she had free time, she would join the sisters, saying: “Now tell me more about the Bible. It really unburdens my heart.” Two prison inmates, both facing a charge of murder, were also impressed with the Bible’s message. The sisters cautiously witnessed to them and other prisoners. Now that they have been released, the sisters are seeking appropriate ways to follow up the interest found during their stay in jail.

Indonesia

Resmawati, a special pioneer, had just finished field service and was about to return home when a woman invited her to her home to discuss the Bible. Three days later, Resmawati went back to see her. This time the woman started to weep and talked about her abusive husband. Resmawati read Hebrews 4:12 and explained  that studying the Bible can change many things. She related the experience of Tony that appeared on the 2003 Calendar of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The woman was interested and asked for a copy of the calendar. On the next visit, Resmawati took the calendar to her. They started to study the Bible Teach book. On the following visit, the woman’s husband asked if he too could join the study. He had read Tony’s experience on the calendar and was deeply touched. Coincidentally, the husband’s name is Tony, and the attitude and behavior of the Tony on the calendar before learning the truth was the same as his own. When he saw the calendar experience, he told his wife and children: “It’s my name, isn’t it? How did the preacher know my name to write about me?” His wife said: “The Witnesses don’t know your name. Even if they did, they couldn’t suddenly put it on a calendar, certainly not one that was for 2003, not 2007!” Noting her husband’s sudden interest, she tactfully asked him, “Do you want to be like the Tony on the calendar?” The husband’s surprising answer was, “I would like to try.” Like the calendar Tony, the Tony from Indonesia has cleaned up his life, cut his long hair, and tidied his appearance. The whole family is continuing their Bible study.

Malaysia

In some parts of Borneo, the brothers are using satellite pictures from the Internet to locate homes. Their report states: “This helps us to locate homes in the rain forests. Some of the ‘rooftops’ turn out to be goat pens, so we have a good laugh about preaching to ‘goats.’ But some of the rooftops actually belong to people’s homes. We have never done this mountain territory before. Since the rain forest is thick and the trails are difficult to follow, the satellite pictures help us find the way.”

 EUROPE

LANDS 47

POPULATION 732,610,687

PUBLISHERS 1,533,790

BIBLE STUDIES 749,911

Hungary

A 12-year-old sister reports: “I was baptized nine months ago, and I have been serving as an auxiliary pioneer now for three months. My mother helps me a lot. Many have asked how I manage to serve as an auxiliary pioneer as well as go to school, but I think that without school, it would be hard for me to accomplish my ministry. I use the free time between classes to witness. With five of my schoolmates, I talk about the Bible regularly. With two, I am conducting Bible studies. Thus, I can feel Jehovah’s blessing. Pioneering is not a burden but a source of joy for me. My mother is a regular pioneer, and that is what I want to become. I want to serve Jehovah full-time.”

Britain

Susan started to study the Bible in 2001 and continued to do so for about two years. During this time, she had real difficulty trying to quit smoking. Many times she tried but did not succeed. As a result, she stopped her study but continued to attend congregation meetings. Four years later, Susan felt that she must try to progress spiritually, so she asked for help from the congregation. She started to study again and found the information in the book Draw Close to Jehovah helpful. A detailed consideration of Jehovah’s love for us and how we show love for him made a dramatic impact on her life. Within eight weeks, she  completely stopped smoking. Susan feels that studying this publication helped her learn to trust in Jehovah. She has made good progress, dedicating her life to Jehovah and symbolizing this by water baptism at the “Follow the Christ!” District Convention.

Estonia

Helgi, a 17-year-old student who was living separately from her divorced parents, showed interest in the truth and began to study the Bible. Initially, she did not attend many meetings because she spent much time singing with a local band. As her appreciation for the truth increased, she began to make changes in her lifestyle. She explained to her band members why she could not entertain on meeting nights. She joined the Theocratic Ministry School and progressed to the point of becoming an unbaptized publisher. She entered a nationwide singing competition in which the winner would be awarded a contract with a well-known recording company. Though  many were turned away at the trials, Helgi won the immediate support of the judges and advanced to the next round. However, the next event was to be held at the same time as her first talk on the Theocratic Ministry School. What would she do? Her mother, who is not one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, suggested that she either cancel the talk or reschedule it. Helgi said that this was not just a matter of giving her talk but a question of what came first in her life, spiritual things or physical. She thought about it seriously and decided to give her talk rather than go to the singing competition. Helgi gave the talk, and her mother respected her decision.

Later, a television reporter attended the “Follow the Christ!” District Convention to film a news item on the convention and the baptism. Seeing Helgi entering the baptism pool, he filmed her baptism and then interviewed her. That evening, this was on the news, which included a clip of her performing at an early level of the competition and concluded with her baptism and her saying with a beaming smile, “This is the best decision of my life.”

Bulgaria

Ivelin is an inmate in the Belene prison. He wrote to the local branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses, saying: “While here in prison, I by chance found a Watchtower magazine and therefore have many questions for you. I have repented of my sins, and I want to change spiritually from the inside out. I want to ask you for something that might be hard for you to do and that I don’t really believe could happen. Could you write to me so that I can learn something about Jehovah God? I don’t know if I will hear from you, but just knowing about Jehovah brings me happiness. I want to know more about these things, not only for myself but also for the other inmates. Please remember that if you cannot write to me, one day I will get  out of here, and I will contact you!” The brothers quickly followed up on this interest and are currently studying with ten inmates in this prison, including Ivelin.

Portugal

Jana, a special pioneer, relates: “One day when I got off the subway, I saw a Chinese man and decided to approach him with the good news. He was surprised that I spoke Chinese and told me that he was on his way to the hospital, since his wife was soon to give birth by Cesarean section. He and his wife could not speak Portuguese, and the hospital had asked them to locate an interpreter. He was in despair and asked me to help. The following day, the surgeons asked me to dress in surgical attire so that I could accompany the mother during surgery. Throughout the procedure, I held the woman’s hand, and she asked many questions about the Bible and about our work. A lovely baby girl was born, and the mother was so grateful for my assistance that she asked me to choose a name for her daughter. I thought for a moment and chose the name Sarah. She was delighted with my choice and showed keen interest in learning more about the Sarah mentioned in the Bible and the God she worshipped. After we left the hospital, I suggested a regular home Bible study. Previously, she and her husband had refused to speak with the Witnesses, but my assistance during the wife’s surgery quickly changed their negative opinion. They immediately accepted my offer and are now attending meetings.”

Slovakia

A special pioneer couple met two young men from Afghanistan. During their short stay in Slovakia, the men expressed interest in the Bible. The pioneers met them several times and gave them a Bible and the book What Does the Bible Really Teach? The pioneers also demonstrated how a Bible study is conducted so that they could study the Bible themselves and with others.

 OCEANIA

LANDS 30

POPULATION 36,829,259

PUBLISHERS 96,691

BIBLE STUDIES 51,122

New Zealand

A brother named Paul met a woman in the house-to-house work one afternoon. She responded to his offer of a brochure by saying that a relative had recently told her that she needed the truth. That very morning, she had prayed to Jehovah, using the divine name and asking that someone call on her. “Three hours later,” says Paul, “I arrived at her doorstep. Furthermore, I called at a time when she would normally not be at home.” She readily accepted the offer of a home Bible study and is making good progress.

Australia

Armando and Elvira, a young married couple, live in East Timor, which is cared for by the Australia branch. In 2006 their neighborhood came under sustained attack from another ethnic group, and they were forced to flee for their lives. They escaped to a refugee camp, carrying only two items​—Armando’s Bible and the brochure What Does God Require of Us? Upon reestablishing contact with the brothers, Armando and Elvira began to study twice a week and attend the congregation meetings. Armando also witnessed to his relatives, who live in a small village four and a half hours from Dili. When his family expressed interest in the Kingdom message, he arranged for pioneers from Baucau to travel one and a half hours to assist them further. Over 20 people  assembled to listen to the pioneers. Armando’s father, the group spokesman, said that they were willing to discard their images but asked if they would still be protected from evil spirits. The pioneers assured them that Jehovah would really help them. The group threw away their images. Now more than 25 people from that village are studying the Bible. Armando hopes to be baptized soon, and Elvira is making good progress.

Guam

On the island of Saipan, which is under the oversight of the Guam branch, a sister was pleasantly surprised to learn that her husband, a former opposer, was reading in secret many of the publications that she left around the house. In addition to the Watchtower and Awake! magazines, he had read Yearbooks and the book The Secret of Family Happiness. One day he called his wife and five children together for what he described as an “important family meeting.” This was highly unusual. It turned out that the father’s intention was to give his three daughters some advice about marriage. He had made a poster listing the requirements for a prospective husband. This unbelieving father had been so impressed by the life story of Sheila Winfield da Conceição in The Watchtower of November 1, 2006, that like Sheila, he made a list of requirements for a suitable marriage mate. He advised his daughters to marry only one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and to find husbands who love Jehovah and know more about the Bible than they do. It was his desire, he told his three girls, that they experience the same happiness that he read about in the magazine article. This touched their hearts and gave them hope that their father would someday serve Jehovah alongside them.

Samoa

A brother and his wife from another branch were recently assigned to serve in Samoa. At the very first house that he visited in the ministry, the brother offered  the book What Does the Bible Really Teach? To his surprise, he was invited into the home. However, the householder, a retired businesswoman, paused and said, “I have only 45 minutes to spare this morning”​—a response the brother had not experienced before. A study was started immediately. When the brother and his wife arrived the following week, the woman welcomed them, Bible and Bible Teach book in hand. There is a good prospect that the study will continue.

Solomon Islands

Emily is the only Witness and regular pioneer in her area on the island of San Cristobal. She conducts 20 Bible studies, three of whom have become unbaptized publishers, including her parents. International servants Lance and Diane took a vacation and traveled 14 hours on a small, crowded cargo ship to assist Emily with the Memorial. Lance reported: “Upon our arrival, all we wanted to do was sleep, but we thought it best to visit the chief of the village first. After we explained the purpose of our visit to his area, the chief asked: ‘Many have not received this invitation. Is it all right for them to attend?’ With big smiles, we assured him that it would be fine.

“As the time to start the Memorial drew near, only two women and some children were seated. However, we noticed many others lingering close to the trees, so we quickly approached them. As it got dark, we started a small generator, and the lights came on. The Memorial talk proceeded with all listening attentively.” Some 130 listened to the talk, including a Seventh Day Adventist minister who wanted a copy of the New World  Translation because it was much clearer than the Bible he was using. On this special occasion, five new Bible studies were started.

Papua New Guinea

Two villages just outside a provincial town were under the strong influence of the Catholic Church, and preaching there was difficult. Recently, the brothers visited village representatives to explain our work and the reason why we like to talk to all people. Coincidentally, one village had just had a meeting to discuss how to help the young ones to improve their conduct. The brothers told the village representatives that Bible knowledge could help.

Permission was granted to our brothers to preach openly, and several young men started to study. The people of the village noticed that the behavior of these young men greatly improved because of their association with Jehovah’s Witnesses and therefore stopped their opposition to our work. Gradually, friends and parents also started to study, among them the daughter of a catechist who had formerly threatened the brothers. He said to his daughter: “I made a serious mistake at that time. I hope that God and Jehovah’s Witnesses will forgive my sin.” From these two villages, there are now 27 people who are associating regularly. At least four have been baptized and are auxiliary pioneering. They are working toward entering the regular pioneer work.

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The lighthouse on Cape Horn

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San Cristobal

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Conducting the “Watchtower” Study in the village of Antanandava, Madagascar

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Studying the “Bible Teach” book with the group in Pawaga, Tanzania

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The Congregation Book Study in Sixaola, Costa Rica

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Ramiro with a copy of the “Bible Teach” book

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Hiroko witnessing at a bus stop

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Helgi (right) giving a talk on the Theocratic Ministry School

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Lance, Diane, and Emily