Blessings "in Favorable Times and Difficult Times"/AS TOLD BY TROPHIM R. NSOMBA

Difficult Times Arrive

In 1964 the Witnesses experienced severe testing because of their refusal to take part in political activities.  Over 100 Kingdom Halls and more than 1,000 homes of Witnesses were destroyed in a wave of persecution. We, though, were able to continue in the traveling work until the Malawi government banned the Witnesses in 1967.  The branch property in Blantyre was confiscated, the missionaries were deported, and many local Witnesses, including Lidasi and me, were put in jail. After our release, we  discreetly continued in the traveling work.  

One day in October 1972, some one hundred members of  militant political movement known as the Malawi Youth League headed for our house.  But one of their members ran ahead and tole me to hide because they were planning to kill me. I told my wife and children to hide among the nearby banana trees.  Then I ran and climbed a large mango tree.   From there, I watched as our house and all our personal belongings were destroyed. 

As the persecution intensified in Malawi, thousands of us fled the country.  Our family  stayed in a refugee camp in western Mozambique until June 1974.  At that time, Lidasi and I were asked to serve  as special pioneers in Domue, Mozambique, near the Malawi border. We continued in that service until 1975, when Mozambique gained its independence from Portugal. Then, along with other Witnesses, we were forced to return to Malawi and to the persecutors we left behind.

After returning to Malawi, I was assigned to visit congregations in the capital city of Lilongwe.  In spite of the persecution and all the difficulties, the number of  congregations increased in the circuits we were privileged to serve. 

Next time: Blessings "in Favorable Times and Difficult Times"/ AS TOLD BY TROPHIM R. NSOMBA -EXPERIENCING JEHOVAH'S SUPPORT

From the Watchtower magazine