Plunged Into Civil War

Abraham was born in the 1930's in Africa. After the second world war, his country was ruled by a powerful neighbor, but many  of Abraham's countrymen, wanted independence. In 1961, Abraham joined a freedom movement that waged guerrilla war against the powerful neighbor.

"They were our enemies. They planned to kill us, so we set out to kill them," explains Abraham.

Abraham's life was often at risk, so in 1982, after 20 years of armed struggle, he fled to Europe. By now he was in his late 40's, and finding himself with time on his hands, he took stock of his life. What had become of his dreams?  What did the future hold? Abraham met some of Jehovah's Witnesses and started to attend their meetings. He recalled that in Africa some years before, he had read a tract given to him by a Witness. the tract described a coming paradise on earth and a heavenly government that would rule over mankind. Could that really be true?  Abraham says:  "From the Bible, I learned that all those years spent fighting were wasted.  The only government that will treat everyone justly is God's Kingdom."

Shortly after Abraham was baptized as a Witness of Jehovah, a man by the name of Robert fled from Africa to the European city where Abraham was living. Robert and Abraham had fought in the same war but on opposite sides. Robert had often wondered about the  real purpose in life. He was a religious man, and having read parts of the Bible, he knew that God's name is Jehovah. When the Witnesses from Abraham's congregation  offered to help Robert understand the Bible better, he readily agreed.

Roberts explains:  "From the very beginning, I was impressed with the way the Witnesses use the names of Jehovah and Jesus, acknowledging that they are separate persons. That was in harmony with what I already knew  from the Bible. The Witnesses also dress neatly and are kind to others, regardless of nationality. Such things had a deep impact upon me."

Next time: Enemies Become Friends

From the Watchtower magazine, 2001