Jehovah's People Have Reasons to Rejoice

The years of war proved to be a time of reverse testing for Jehovah's Witnesses in the Balkans. Nevertheless, they have reason to rejoice because Jehovah has blessed his people there with excellent increase.  Since 1991, the number of  Kingdom publishers in the area of the former Yugoslavia has increased by more than 80 percent.  The 2001 service year saw a peak of 1, 472.

The offices of Zagreb and Belgrade (Serbia) used to care for the work of Jehovah's Witnesses in all of the former Yugoslavia.  With the increase and the political changes, it was necessary to establish new offices in the Ljubljana (Slovenia), and Skopje (Macedonia), in addition to obtaining new offices in Belgrade and Zagreb. Approximately 140 members are serving in these offices.  Most of them are young and full of zeal and love for Jehovah.  A good number of them are involved in the translation of Bible study aids into Croatian, Macedonian, Serbian, and Slovenian. What a blessing it it that most of the magazines and literature of Jehovah's Witnesses in these languages are being published simultaneously with the original English edition!  These publications help many people find comfort and hope.

A further reason for joy is the support unselfishly rendered by numerous full-time servants from other countries. A number of  fine Kingdom Halls have been built in recent years, adding the joy of the congregations.  Nevertheless,m there was even more joy in store.  How could that be?

Next time: A Unique Project

From the Watchtower magazine, 2002