FIGHTERS AGAINST GOD WILL NOT PREVAIL!

On With the Preaching Work!

As the decades passed, the Kingdom preaching work opened up.  Poland, though still under Communist rule, allowed the holding of  one-day conventions in 1982.  International conventions were held there in 1985.  Huge international conventions followed in 1989, with thousands from Russia and Ukraine attending.  That year Hungary and Poland granted Jehovah's Witnesses legal recognition.  In the autumn of 1989, the Berlin Wall came down.  A few months later, we received legal recognition in East Germany, and shortly thereafter an international convention was held in Berlin.  And at the start of the final decade of the 20th century, efforts were under way to make personal contact with the brothers of in Russia.  Some  of the officials in Moscow were approached, and in 1991, Jehovah's Witnesses were granted legal registration.  Since then the work has grown tremendously in Russia and in the Republics that were part of the former Soviet Union.

While persecution let up in some areas, it increased in others.   In the 45  years following the close of the second world war, many  lands refused to grant legal recognition to Jehovah's Witnesses.  Additionally, bans were imposed on us or our activities in 23 lands in Africa,  9 in Asia, 8 in Europe, 3 in Latin America and 4 in certain island nations.

Jehovah's Witnesses in Malawi experienced savage persecution beginning in 1967.  Because of their neutral stand as true Christians, our fellow believers there would not purchase political party cards.  (John 17:16)  Following a meeting of the Malawi Congress Party in 1972, there was a renewal of brutality. The brothers were driven from their homes and denied employment.  Thousands fled  the country to avoid being killed.  But did the fighters against God and his people prevail?  Not at all!   After a reversal of circumstances, a peak  of 43, 767 Kingdom publishers reported in Malawi in 1999, and over 120,000 attended district conventions there.  A new branch office has been built in the capital city.

Next time: They Look for a Pretext

Watchtower, 2000