I Won My Husband “Without a Word”

I was born in 1952 in Romania. Although my mother was a baptized Witness, she was not active in the truth, so I did not attend Christian meetings. Additionally, Romania was under Communist rule, and the printing and preaching activities of the Witnesses were banned. So for the first 36 years of my life, I didn’t know who Jehovah was or what the Bible taught. But in 1988, while I was living in the city of Satu-Mare with my husband, István, something happened that changed my life.

An Invitation I Could Not Refuse

One day my mother came to see me. She said: “I’m going to visit your aunt. Why don’t you come along? After that, we can go shopping together.” As I had nothing else to do, I agreed.

When we arrived at my aunt’s house, I discovered that she was hosting a meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses, with about nine other people present. It turned out that Mom had become an active and zealous Witness again. What I heard that morning made a deep and lasting impression on me.

When the meeting ended, the conductor approached me and introduced himself. “My name is János,” he said. “I noticed that you were paying close attention. Do you like what you heard today?” I told him that I had never been to a meeting like this before and wanted to come again. “Would you like to study the Bible?” he asked. That was an invitation I could not refuse. I sensed that God had drawn me to these people.

The next day, János introduced me to Ida, who began studying the Bible with me. But I was afraid of how István would react if he found out that I was studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. I tried several times to speak to him about it, but my attempts were met with indifference. I knew that he was not pleased with what I was doing.

Even so, I continued studying the Bible and was baptized in August 1989. Four months later, the Communist government in Romania fell and the regime’s leader was executed.

Heightened Opposition

The fall of the regime brought with it many freedoms. Jehovah’s Witnesses were now allowed to meet and preach openly. In my case, however, this freedom would bring greater opposition. István said to me, “I don’t care what you believe, as long as you don’t go preaching from house to house.”

Of course, I was not going to stop preaching. (Acts 4:20) So I tried to be as discreet as possible. But one day, István’s friends saw me in the door-to-door ministry and they told István. When I got home, my husband screamed at me, “You are disgracing me and our home!” He put a knife to my throat and threatened to kill me if I did not stop preaching.

I tried to reason with István, and I assured him of my love. My words seemed to calm him down for a while. However, when I refused to attend a religious wedding ceremony of a close relative, his anger flared up once again. That led to more abusive speech.

Sadly, I had to endure István’s anger for 13 years. During that period, he threatened me with divorce. Occasionally, he would lock the door and refuse to let me in the house. At other times, he asked me to pack my bags and leave.

What helped me to endure those terrible situations? I prayed and asked Jehovah to help me remain calm, and I truly felt him sustaining me. (Psalm 55:22) The congregation also proved to be a valuable support. The elders and some experienced sisters encouraged me not to give up in my service. They reminded me of what the Bible says about wives winning over their husbands “without a word” by remaining steadfast and loyal to Jehovah. (1 Peter 3:1) In time, those words proved true in my case.

A Turning Point

In 2001, István suffered a stroke that left him unable to walk. He was hospitalized for a month and spent several weeks more in rehabilitation. During that period, I stayed by his side at all times. I fed him and talked to him and made sure that he had everything he needed.

Members of the congregation also came to see him. István saw firsthand the love and concern of the brothers. Many offered to help us with chores. And the elders were always on hand to comfort and support us.

These visits moved István, and he began to feel ashamed of how he had treated me. He also noted that none of his friends ever came to see him. So when he was discharged from the hospital, István said, “I want to study the Bible and become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” I could not hold back my tears of joy!

In May 2005, István was baptized. Since he couldn’t walk, the brothers moved him in a wheelchair to the edge of the baptism pool, gently carried him into the water, and baptized him. István became a zealous Kingdom preacher. I have fond memories of spending time with him in field service. How incredible! Imagine—the man who once opposed me for preaching the truth of God’s Word was now at my side, happily sharing the good news with others!

István came to love Jehovah deeply and used his time to study and memorize Bible verses. He loved discussing those verses with other members of the congregation. He used these opportunities to encourage his brothers and sisters.

István’s health continued to worsen. After a series of minor strokes, he lost his ability to speak and eventually became bedridden. Did this situation slow him down spiritually? By no means! He continued reading and studying to the best of his ability. When the friends visited him, he used an electronic device with a simple screen to communicate with them and strengthen their faith. One brother said: “I love seeing István. I always return home feeling so refreshed and invigorated.”

Sadly, in December 2015, István passed away. It was a terrible loss that brought great sadness to me. But I must confess that it was also an occasion that brought me true peace of mind. You see, long before his death, István had become Jehovah’s friend. And that is one of my greatest joys. Both István and my mother are now in Jehovah’s memory. It will be wonderful to embrace them again and welcome them into Jehovah’s righteous new world.

More than 35 years have passed since my mother and I visited my aunt, and it is a visit I will never forget. I am now just over 70 years old and serve as a regular pioneer. I cannot think of a better way to thank Jehovah for all he has done for me. (Psalm 116:12) He helped me remain loyal and calm when undergoing opposition. And despite that opposition, I learned that circumstances can change. Although it was completely unexpected, I was able to win my husband without a word.