Helping the Children of "Foreign Residents" -WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE CAN DO

When children grow up, they may realize that they could better serve  Jehovah in a congregation that uses the language they understand best.  If so, their parents should not feel that their children are rejecting them.  "I knew the basics of my parents' language, but the language spoken at the meetings was over my head," recalls Katrina.  "When I was 12, I attended a convention in my school language. For the first time, I understood that what I was hearing was the truth!  Another turning point came when I began to pray in my school language.  I could speak to Jehovah from my heart!"  (Acts 2:11. 41)  When she turned 18, Kristina discussed the matter with her parents and decided to move to a congregation that spoke the local language.  She says:  "Learning about Jehovah in my school language moved me to action."  Kristina soon became a regular pioneer and is very happy.

Young people, do you think that you would prefer being part of a local-language  congregation?  If so, ask yourself why.  Is it because moving to such a congregation would help you draw closer to Jehovah?  (James 4:8) Or is it because you do not want your parents to watch everything you do or because you do not want to make any effort?  "When my siblings and I got into our teens, we wanted to switch to the local-language congregation," says Nadia, who now serves at Bethel. But her parents knew that such a move would not be good for their children's relationship with Jehovah.  "Now we're grateful  that our parents worked hard to teach us their language and kept us in the foreign-language congregation.  It has enriched our lives and broadened our opportunities to help others get to know Jehovah."  

Next time: Helping the Children of "Foreign Residents" -HOW OTHERS CAN HELP

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