Among the first Kingdom proclaimers to give a more thorough witness in French Polynesia were Jean-Marie and Jeanne Félix, a married couple who had learned the truth in Algeria, then a French colony. They were baptized in 1953. In 1955 a call went out inviting Kingdom publishers to serve where the need was greater, including French Polynesia. Responding to the invitation, the Félixes and their young son, Jean-Marc, moved to Tahiti in 1956. However, Jean-Marie, an engineer, could not find work. So the family went 140 miles [230 km] northeast of Tahiti to the island of Makatéa, in the Tuamotus, where Jean-Marie got a job with a phosphate company.

Immediately, the couple started witnessing to their neighbors and to Jean-Marie’s fellow workers. Writes Jeanne: “The islanders showed great respect for the Bible, were very attentive to the Kingdom message, and were assiduous in their Bible study. That was encouraging to us. The local clergy, however, made us feel most unwelcome. They even warned their flocks against ‘false prophets’ in their midst, saying that people should not talk to us or even walk by our home!”

In time, though, most people changed their view of this Christian couple. Many islanders even developed a deep respect for Jean-Marie and Jeanne because they did not look down on the Polynesians, as some Europeans on Makatéa did.

Still, it took courage to carry on the work, since the director of the phosphate company could dismiss an employee at any time. What is more, the two gendarmes on the island sometimes called on the family, inquiring about their activity. Little by little, these French police officers came to realize that Jean-Marie and Jeanne were no threat. The officers even became friendly.

The first Bible student to make fine spiritual progress was Maui Piirai, Jean-Marie’s fellow employee and a Polynesian. As the truth reached Maui’s heart, he made great changes in his life. For example, he stopped smoking and heavy drinking, and he married the woman with whom he had been living for 15 years. Baptized in October 1958, Maui became the first Polynesian in the territory to dedicate his life to Jehovah. Naturally, he too shared the good news with others, which angered the clergy. One pastor even schemed to have Maui dismissed from his job. But that plot failed because Maui was a good worker with a fine record.

The second person on Makatéa to respond to God’s Word was Germaine Amaru, a schoolmistress who became acquainted with the truth through one of her pupils, the Félixes’ son, Jean-Marc. Although only seven years old, Jean-Marc so impressed his teacher with his knowledge of the Bible that she called his parents. They in turn began a Bible study with her. But that is not the end of the story, for Germaine went on to help a fellow teacher, named Monique Sage, and her husband, Roger, to come to a knowledge of Jehovah.

The Félixes and Maui Piirai also began to study with Manuari Tefaatau, a young deacon in the Protestant church of Makatéa, and with his friend Arai Terii. At first the two kept attending their own church while sharing with fellow parishioners Scriptural truths about the Trinity, hellfire, the immortality of the soul, and so on. As you can imagine, this created quite a stir in the Protestant community. Like those in ancient Beroea, however, many sincere individuals delved into their Bibles to see if the things they were hearing were true.​—Acts 17:10-12.

Needless to say, the church pastor was not impressed. He even threatened to expel anyone who continued to listen to the Witnesses. Some gave in to the threat, but others made spiritual progress and left the church. Among the latter were Manuari and Arai as well as Maui Piirai’s wife, Moea, and Taina Rataro, who is mentioned later in this account.

At first, the growing group of publishers and Bible students met at the Félixes’ home, where Jean-Marie gave talks in French and Maui interpreted them into Tahitian. When the Félix family left Makatéa in 1959, the group moved to Maui’s home, Maui now being a baptized brother. How did Jean-Marie and Jeanne feel about their service in the islands? Jeanne, now a widow living in Italy, speaks for her late husband as well, saying: “We had absolutely no regrets. In fact, our ministry on Makatéa was the finest memory of our life together.”

[Picture on page 70]

Jeanne and Jean-Marie Félix were among the first to give a thorough witness in French Polynesia

[Pictures on page 71]

Maui Piirai, the first Polynesian in the territory to dedicate his life to Jehovah, was baptized by Jean-Marie Félix in 1958