Be Self-Sacrificing

Ghana

With the rapid spread of cell phones throughout Africa, it is said that a “communications revolution” is under way. As an incentive to subscribers, many companies provide free call time at certain hours of the night. A sister named Grace made use of this provision. She found it difficult to study with Monica, her Bible student, because Monica was always busy with other matters. Grace did all she could to continue the study, even arranging to go to Monica’s house at 5:00 a.m. But Monica’s schedule changed, and even this time was not practical. Then Grace thought of making use of the free night-call arrangement. Monica agreed, and they arranged to study over the phone at 4:00 a.m. They were disappointed to find that so many were already using the network at that time that it was almost impossible to get a connection. Thus, they arranged to get up even earlier so they could study at 3:00 a.m., although this was a challenge for these two working mothers. Grace says: “I prayed to Jehovah and asked him for the strength and the desire to continue in order to sustain the interest of my student. I set my phone alarm and disciplined myself to get up at that time. Even though I was very tired, I did not allow that to discourage me.” How happy she was that she had made the effort, as she was present to see Monica baptized at the 2008 “Guided by God’s Spirit” District Convention! Recently, Grace has used the same free night-call method to study with a woman who has now begun attending meetings.

Philippines

In one part of the region of Zamboanga is a mountain so high that its peak can be seen from 125 miles away. Brothers living near the mountain would often joke while in the field service, saying, “What will we do if there is an interested person living at the top of that mountain?” One day while they were preaching at the base of the mountain, a man approached, saying that he was looking for Jehovah’s Witnesses. He said that he wanted their help in studying the Bible. The brothers asked him where he lived. When he pointed to the summit of the mountain, the brothers were speechless. The man explained that his house was, not at the summit, but behind the mountain and that the only way to get there would be to climb over the top of the mountain. After recovering from their surprise, the brothers agreed to go. A Bible study was started, and now the man attends weekly meetings at the Kingdom Hall, even though it is very far from his house. This man is now among the people of all nations streaming to “the mountain of the house of Jehovah.”​—Isa. 2:2.

Britain

Kirsty, a regular pioneer, learned French and Lingala so that she could witness to the Congolese people in her territory. One day she saw a Congolese woman who was struggling to get on the bus because she was loaded down with packages. Speaking in Lingala, Kirsty offered to help her and lifted her bags onto the bus for her. “Why do you, a white person, speak Lingala?” asked the woman. Kirsty explained that she attends a Lingala-language congregation and that the local Witnesses had taught her the language so she could speak to people about the Bible. Kirsty wanted to offer the woman a Bible study, so she stayed on the bus until the woman reached her destination. Kirsty then carried the woman’s bags up to her third-floor apartment. Kirsty was welcomed inside by the woman’s husband and their four children, and she showed the family how a Bible study is conducted with the book What Does the Bible Really Teach? The wife and the two older children are now studying the Bible. All three are making efforts to please Jehovah.

Georgia

Two young pioneer brothers decided to move to a mountainous area of the country where there were few Witnesses. They started preaching in village after village, and the response was outstanding. They distributed hundreds of pieces of literature and started many Bible studies. When the brothers began to preach in the mountains, they had few provisions and did not know where they would sleep. But their needs were always met. People in the villages invited them into their homes overnight and fed them. At times, even people who did not wish to listen to their message invited them to spend the night with them and to share a meal. Later, the brothers were appointed as special pioneers in this territory. Because of conducting so many Bible studies, they placed a reasonable limit on the number of students they could care for. It is still not unusual for individuals to approach them on the street and ask for a Bible study, and in spite of limiting the number, each brother has conducted, on average, more than 20 Bible studies every month.