First on my agenda was a visit to the Watch Tower branch office and missionary home in Dakar. As we arrived at a modern-looking building in a quiet suburb, I noticed a large J on the front. My first question on the tour of the branch office was what the letter J stood for.

“It’s very interesting,” explained my guide [male]. “When we were looking for larger branch facilities in 1985, we visited this building, which was under construction. But we felt it was too large for our needs. When the owner heard that we were Jehovah’s Witnesses, he wanted very much to rent the building to us, as he knew of our honesty. ‘I’m sure your God, Jehovah, wants you to have this building,’ he said. ‘Why, look! There is even a big J on the front! When I had it put there, I thought it was to stand for my name John, but now I’m sure it’s for the name of God, Jehovah!’ We have been happy to be in this fine building for the past five years.”

In 1965 a branch office was opened in Dakar to look after the work in the French-speaking countries of Senegal, Mali, and Mauritania, as well as in the English-speaking country of Gambia. Since 1986 we have been caring for the work also in Guinea-Bissau, where Portuguese is spoken.”

Missionary home and branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Dakar, Senegal