Physical Challenges

The isolation of some villages means that Jehovah's people have to put forth great effort to share in the ministry and to attend Christian meetings. Consider the example of four baptized Witnesses-one man and three women-who spend hours traveling to and from the meetings.  Their hike involves three river crossings each way.  When the water is high, the brother swims across first, towing a large cooking pot containing their bags, books, and meeting clothes. Then he swims back to help the three sisters.

Another small group, who attend the meetings on the remote island of Nonouti in Kiribati, meet different challenges.  The house in which they meet holds only seven or eight people. Others attending sit outside and peer in through the its chicken wire walls. The meeting place is in full view of other villagers coming from and going to their impressive churches. Of course, Jehovah's servants realize that people, not buildings are what are truly desirable from God's point of view.  (Haggai 2:7) The one baptized  sister on the island is elderly and cannot walk far.  Yet, she is helped in the ministry by a young woman, an  unbaptized publisher who pushes her around in a handcart. What appreciation they show for the truth! 

The more than 2,000 publishers serving in the islands of Fiji are determined to continue announcing the good news of God's Kingdom. And they are confident that may may more will yet become "the sort that have faith to the preserving alive of the soul." 

Next time: "HIS HOUR HAD NOT YET COME" 

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000