We Wanted to Serve Where the Need Was Great
From a married couple in the Pacific
THE first time my wife and I heard of the great preaching work to be done in the islands of the Pacific was back in 1951. We decided that if prejudiced authorities would not let Christian missionaries enter the islands to carry on their Kingdom ministry, then we would bring the good news about Christ and his kingdom to these humble people. We felt a warm love for them and we sincerely thought that nothing should prevent them from hearing the truth. So we packed up our belongings and focused our attention islandward.
I spent two months searching for a job. I tried every avenue, all agents and firms. Nothing was available. Then one day an officer from the Department of External Affairs introduced me to a personnel officer of a large organization operating on one of the islands. I presented myself as a radio technician and after two hours of grueling tests I came out with the promise of a position. It took quite some time for the job to open up, however. In the meantime we gathered odds and ends together and fixed tax papers; I also underwent a medical examination by the firm’s doctor, which was most trying, because the doctor said it would be unwise for me to go to the tropics. I told him how hard I had worked over the last few weeks and that I would really care for myself when there. He could see my determination to go, so he passed me as fit.
This sounds very easy on paper, yet in true life it was extremely difficult. I know that several times I could have missed out had I not been determined in my efforts. Being pioneers, my wife and I wondered if taking a lucrative secular job was just the right thing, but we both knew, too, that “to obey is better than a sacrifice.” So now after these many years we keep thanking Jehovah with all our heart for his direction and abundant blessings. Our cup of joy has been filled to overflowing since our coming here.
I left for the island alone. My wife waited in Sydney until I located an accommodation for us, which, I must say, was very difficult to obtain; in fact, accommodations still are. Determination combined with kindness and advertising procured a nice comfortable place in six weeks. My wife arrived and it was into a private home that we moved. Although I was getting a good salary, all of it was spent on living expenses and rental arrangements over the first four months. But what did it matter! We were in one of the islands with a multitude of people around us and not one of them one of Jehovah’s witnesses.
We started witnessing from door to door almost immediately after my wife arrived. We preached first in the European section. I began witnessing at my place of work the first week, but that is not always wise; it is usually better to make friends and get firmly established, even if it takes three months or more. During that period the language can be studied if a new one has to be learned. Sickness too strikes quickly here. We had our share; so care must be taken. During the week while I was at my work my wife witnessed on her own. The weekend was the time to find most of the people at home; the evening time too was good because there were not many pleasures to attract the people. Walking was the alternative if one missed the bus, which seldom if ever ran on schedule. We had no vehicle of our own. Everything was of interest to us. We found the people friendly and placed literature, but unfortunately they moved around so to new postings. We were successful in starting only three studies. Now things are different. The people are settling here.
A SHY PEOPLE
Many varied and thrilling experiences have been ours. These are a shy people and to study with them at first was most difficult. We did not understand their language and they understood little or no English. One man sat in on a study we were conducting and listened without comment. We simplified our English so that the translator could understand the truths we were telling and convey them to his people. We studied for many months with him and many others, but their shyness, we recognized later, prevented them from questioning us or answering questions and we were beginning to despair. But we decided to hold one more study and if they did not show any sign of what they had learned we would finish the study and go elsewhere. Imagine our joy when this one man told us the explanation he had given someone on the difficult subject—the twelfth chapter of Revelation. He had found the answer in The Watchtower. We knew then they had all learned. His house is now used as the center of all our activities.
Three other study groups that my wife started in this village have now become service centers. A young man of seventeen has become an excellent translator. A casual conversation with three pidgin-English-speaking boys has resulted in a study that was carried on in five languages. Some of these now are a part of one of the three congregations that have been organized.
One day while a big conference was in session between the councilors of all the tribes, a man came and asked if we would teach the people of his village the Bible. We made arrangements immediately and within a month the first Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s witnesses was under way in this little village. About thirty adults were associated. Soon this same man wanted his people up in the mountains to hear, so we sallied forth over a precipitous road. This mountain home now has its own Kingdom Hall to accommodate its more than forty witnesses of Jehovah. Also ten miles farther into the mountains another Kingdom Hall is under way. No, this interested man has not stopped there—still another village has a congregation of almost fifty persons in attendance. Many of these are now baptized.
CIRCUIT SERVANT AND REWARDS
One of our most thrilling memories is that of the visit of our first circuit servant. This brother brought with him the film “The New World Society in Action.” Several thousand saw and enjoyed the film and were made to realize that Jehovah has an organization of people for him. The most delightsome spot in the one-day assembly was when the candidates for baptism were asked to rise, and over seventy stood up! It was a most stirring sight for us. Our hearts literally welled up with gratitude to see forty brothers and thirty sisters lined up along the jungle river ready to symbolize their dedication to Jehovah. Many of these people have heard of the truth but not sufficiently enough to bring them to maturity. Nevertheless, they are telling out the good news along hundreds of miles of coastline and are anxiously awaiting the time when some mature brothers will volunteer to help them. The need is great.
Looking back over the years that we have been here, we can see what a blessing island preaching has been to us. From one publisher in September, 1951, to 175 publishers in April, 1957. These come from three congregations and twelve groups. Associated with these are at least four hundred attending meetings and besides these there are hundreds more interested persons scattered throughout these islands. As we write this report we know of at least six villages along the coast where mature brothers could start congregations immediately.
My secular work has made it possible for us to build our own house, which is used as a Kingdom Hall for the European brothers. We have also managed to purchase a small piece of property elsewhere that now houses four special pioneers and one congregation publisher. We have directly or indirectly been able to find accommodations for eight other European brothers who are now working with us. Even though this Job of mine occupies me some 200 hours a month, yet it has been the means of enabling us to open up the work here and Jehovah has added his blessing, because it was done with that end in view.
Although in a little over a space of a year the number of our European brothers has risen from eight to eighteen, still we are unable to cope with the vast amount of work there is yet to be done here. Recently we took a trip around the island and checked on our unassigned territory. As we looked at all the people in the various towns and villages we visited, we simply gasped for help.
Why not let your secular work serve you by making it possible for you to do Kingdom work where the need is great? You have much to gain by making such a move and certainly nothing to lose. It is certainly well worth the effort we put forth since 1951.