Jehovah Helped Me to Give Him My Best

Cecil was a down-to-earth brother who really cared about others. His example, along with that of my mother and other faithful brothers and sisters in the congregation, aroused in me “the desire . . . to act,” or to give Jehovah my best. (Philippians 2:13) Let me share my story with you.

Moved by Mother’s Zeal

I was born in 1943. My parents lived on a farm near the coastal city of Bundaberg in the sugar-cane growing region of Queensland, Australia. The local people had the custom of going to town on Saturday evenings for association. On one such occasion in 1939, my parents met two pioneers (full-time ministers of Jehovah’s Witnesses) who spoke to them about the Bible. What my parents learned touched their hearts, and in time they became Jehovah’s Witnesses. As a result, my sister, Jean, and I were raised in a Christian home. Tragically, however, Father died in an accident at home. I was just seven years old and was deeply shocked by his death. Still, I remember well that he was a hardworking man who had a good sense of humor. How I long to see him in the resurrection and get to know him well!—Acts 24:15.

My mother was kind and reasonable. She allowed my sister and me to express our likes and dislikes. But when it came to Bible principles and the worship of Jehovah, Mum stood firm. We regularly attended Christian meetings, and Jean and I were admonished to limit our association with non-Witness children outside school hours. (1 Corinthians 15:33) Looking back, I truly appreciate her firm stand.

Mother was also a zealous Kingdom preacher, often serving as a vacation pioneer (now called an auxiliary pioneer). I recall that she regularly visited over 50 households to deliver the Watchtower and Awake! magazines. Even when she was elderly and frail, her concern for interested ones never waned. Because of her love for others, and especially for her children, we loved her and tried to imitate her. In 1958, at age 14, I dedicated my life to Jehovah and was baptized.

Encouraged by Fine Associates

A short time later, Rudolf, who was in his 20’s and in our congregation, also got baptized. He had emigrated from Germany. On Saturday mornings, Rudolf and I often witnessed to people who were sitting in their cars while other members of their family were shopping.

Rudolf was a zealous brother, and he invited me to vacation pioneer with him during school holidays. On one such occasion, we spent six weeks together in the city of Gladstone, about 190 kilometers (118 mi) north of Bundaberg. His brotherly interest in me, along with the joy I found in vacation pioneering, kindled in me the desire to become a regular pioneer. At 16 years of age, I reached that goal, determined to make full-time service my career.

My first pioneer assignment was in Mackay, a coastal city north of Bundaberg and not far from the Great Barrier Reef. About a year later, when I was 17, I was appointed to serve as a special pioneera in Australia’s sparsely populated outback. My pioneer partner was an anointed brother named Bennett (Ben) Brickell, who was more than 30 years my senior.b What a privilege I had to work with this veteran pioneer, who was known by many as a pioneer among pioneers!

Our territory in northwestern Queensland was in the Gulf Country—a region bordering the Gulf of Carpentaria. At the time, Ben and I were the only Witnesses in our sparsely populated territory. Sometimes it took us hours to drive from one homestead to a neighboring one. During those long, dusty drives, Ben often told me about his earlier experiences in the ministry. They included preaching with sound carsc during World War II, when the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Australia was under ban.

After finishing a day in service, we would camp overnight at a suitable spot near the road.d To prepare our supper, we gathered wood and started a campfire. My bed was made up of a waterproof ground sheet, blankets, and a pillow. I still recall the awe I felt for Jehovah as I looked up at a star-filled sky unspoiled by the glow of artificial lights.

In this isolated territory, mechanical breakdowns can be dangerous. On one occasion, we broke an axle. The day was hot, and we were low on water. To get a replacement axle, Ben hitched a ride to the town of Cloncurry. I stayed with the car for parts of three days. A few cars passed by each day, and the drivers kindly gave me some water. One man also gave me a tattered book. “Read this, mate,” he said. “It might help you.” To my surprise, the book, which was not published by our organization, dealt with the experiences of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Nazi concentration camps!

Ben and I pioneered together for nearly a year. The last thing he said to me when we parted was, “Keep on fighting, brother.” Ben’s example of godly devotion and zeal made me even more determined to stay in the full-time ministry.

Gilead, Then Taiwan

After pioneering in the outback for several years, I was invited to be a circuit overseer, which involves spending a week or so with each congregation and isolated group in a circuit. Over the years, I was assigned to four circuits. They included congregations in Queensland and New South Wales. Then, in 1971, I had the unexpected privilege of attending the 51st class of Gilead, the missionary school of Jehovah’s Witnesses located in New York. Five months of intense Bible study and upbuilding association with fellow students and instructors helped to prepare me for my next assignment—missionary work in Taiwan.

Nine members of our class were assigned to Taiwan, including Ian Brown, from New Zealand. He became my missionary partner. We knew virtually nothing about Taiwan. We were not even sure where it was until we consulted an atlas.

I cannot think of a greater contrast than the one between the Queensland outback and Taiwan! Our first big challenge was the language—Chinese. For quite some time, I could not understand what was said at congregation meetings, which are a major source of spiritual encouragement. Nor could I communicate well with my brothers and sisters. This situation impressed upon Ian and me the importance of our Gilead training and the reservoir of knowledge it provided. That, along with regular Bible study and heartfelt prayer, helped us to keep going. And even though we could not communicate well with our local brothers and sisters, we were greatly encouraged by their love for us and for Jehovah.

Learning Chinese

After arriving in Taiwan, all missionaries did a crash course in Chinese. Our teacher was a sister from Australia named Kathleen Logan,e a graduate of the 25th class of Gilead. We immersed ourselves in the language. And as instructed, we used what we learned as soon as possible. For our first day in the ministry, Ian and I memorized a short presentation. On the way to the territory, we discussed who would do the first door. Since I was older than Ian, I “pulled rank” and asked him to go first. The householder was a distinguished-looking Chinese man. He listened patiently to Ian’s blend of Chinese and English. Then, to our astonishment, he asked us in fluent English what we wanted! We talked for a while, and at the end of our discussion, he encouraged us to persevere. His kind words gave us the confidence to “keep on fighting,” as Ben would say.

Our territory was a large section of the capital city, Taipei. It was practically virgin territory, for very few Witnesses lived there at the time. Undeterred, Ian and I launched into the work. In those days, we often placed hundreds of magazines a month. That said, some people likely took the magazines just to find out who we were and what we were trying to say! Still, we did our best to spread seeds of Kingdom truth, confident that some would take root in receptive hearts.

Helped by My New, Lifelong Partner

During the course of my ministry, I became friends with a local Taiwanese sister named Wen-hwa. She loved the truth and wanted to help the local people to benefit from the Bible’s message as she had. To that end, she helped many missionaries, including me, to improve their language skills. I grew to love this capable sister, and we were married in 1974.

Wen-hwa helped the missionaries to be more effective in the ministry. For example, she assisted us with the language by giving us insight into the customs and thinking of the Taiwanese. And she helped us to adapt our presentations to the local territory, which was largely made up of Buddhists and Taoists. Ancestor worship was prevalent, and most people had never read the Bible or even seen one. So we focused our presentations on the Creator—that his name is Jehovah and also why we can be sure that he exists. For example, if a farmer or a fisherman used the expression “We depend on heaven for food,” we would reply: “Who is the One who supplies all the food? Would this not be the God who is all-powerful, who created all things, and who is worthy of our worship?”

As time passed, our efforts were rewarded—Kingdom seed did find good soil in many receptive hearts. Some of these Bible students worked hard to overcome strongly entrenched false beliefs and unscriptural customs. But with help from the missionaries and the local publishers, they succeeded, and their lives improved greatly. (John 8:32) Many brothers were later appointed to positions of responsibility in their congregations, and a number of brothers and sisters entered the full-time ministry, including serving at the local branch, or Bethel.

Starting in 1976, I had the privilege of serving on the Taiwan Branch Committee while remaining in the field as a missionary. In 1981, Wen-hwa and I were invited to Bethel, where I continued to serve on the branch committee for many years. It has been more than 60 years since I entered the full-time service. I have spent over 50 of those years in Taiwan, and almost 50 years with my dear wife. My former missionary partner and friend, Ian Brown, remained here in the full-time service until his death in 2013.

Wen-hwa and I try to keep busy in our Bethel work, our Chinese-language congregation, and the ministry. For these precious privileges, we thank Jehovah. He gave me the desire and the power to serve him wholeheartedly when I was a boy, and he continues to do so for both me and Wen-hwa in our later years.