In Nicaragua, where armed violence has been ravaging the country, the newspaper Novedades observed editorially on January 6, 1979:

“Light, when preceded by darkness, shines brighter; hence, it has been a real comfort to see a multitude of Jehovah’s Witnesses . . . Jehovah’s Witnesses, in their desire to apply the essence of Christianity as expressed in James’ words that ‘faith without works is dead,’ concern themselves with bringing out faith from within, making it spring forth in the streets, in the schools, everywhere, so that Christianity may be a practical thing and not a mere ritual. They want to follow the example of the Man who performed healings on the Sabbath, putting ritual aside when confronted with the compelling need to do good, to work in behalf of his neighbor.”

The week after the Nicaragua convention, 8,549 assembled in neighboring Costa Rica. Many visitors came. The San José News reported:

“Costa Rica was under invasion this week, but not by hostile Nicaraguan soldiers. Instead, the invading force was comprised of hundreds of Jehovah’s Witnesses . . .

“Jehovah’s Witnesses view Christianity as a way of life and hold the Bible to be the complete word of God. They believe that God’s kingdom, with Christ as King, is an actual government.”

In Valencia, Venezuela, where over 30,000 persons attended the two conventions in the Monumental Bull Ring, the newspaper El Carabobeño carried the headline: The Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses A Beautiful Example of Living Together Organization and Cooperation

“We are not exaggerating when we state that it is only during the days of the assembly that the Bull Ring remains extremely clean, with its rest rooms in perfect order, its light and sound equipment the way we would like to have it when a bull fight or any other event is held, its walls clean, its plants alive in spite of more than 15,000 persons gathering there daily, including hundreds of children and young people. . . . It is a living example that with the cooperation and effort of all, we can build a better world.”