Responding to the Call for More Missionaries
“WE WERE looking for the postman every day,” says Andrew Reed, “hoping and hoping.” For Andrew and his wife, Miriam, the hoped-for letter came—an invitation to attend the 77th class of Gilead School, the Watchtower Society’s missionary training school at Brooklyn, New York. They were ready to go.
Paul and Pamela Worcester were also ready to go. “We were in the process of moving to serve where the need was greater,” says Paul, explaining that they were moving to a small congregation in Kansas. Pamela adds, “We were already set up, selling things and getting rid of things. So when we got the invitation to Gilead, we just finished it all up, and instead of going to Kansas we came here.”
What do these young men and women recently attending Gilead School have in common? They, like their classmates—37 students in all—were ready, yes, anxious to come to Brooklyn for missionary training. “This is a dream come true,” said one of the students. All of them, without exception, were willing to make adjustments in their life in order to respond to the call.
That is certainly how class members Mark and Patricia Noumair felt when they got their Gilead invitation. “But,” says Patricia, “it wasn’t hard because all along we had been working toward it. We kept our life simple. We had a janitorial service just big enough for the two of us. If any other accounts were offered that we couldn’t handle, we passed them on.” In two weeks, they sold their mobile home and their business. Says Mark: “We were ready to go.”
That kind of spirit has characterized some 6,100 ministers who have come to Gilead School since 1943, the year the school began operation. But why seek missionary work when they could pursue more comfortable careers, or even preach full time closer to home?
“That’s a good question,” says Karen Enns, one of six single women in the 77th class, who had said good-bye to her good friends in Alma, Quebec, Canada. “I liked the people in Alma, and I loved the territory. Everything was just fantastic. Yet I said to myself, ‘You can do more.’ I wasn’t satisfied.”
Terry and Karen Medley also enjoyed their ministry before coming to Gilead School. But they sought a new challenge. Says Terry, “I didn’t want to be too comfortable.” Michael and Tracy Berkeley felt the same way. “We couldn’t, with a clear conscience, just sit,” says Michael. Like many faithful Christians of the first century, they wanted to make themselves available for further service to God.
Willing to Go Anywhere
All in the class came to Gilead not knowing where they would be assigned. Why didn’t the possibility of being assigned to a distant country with perhaps poor sanitary conditions deter these students? “People need to hear the truth,” was the overwhelming response from the class.
Admittedly, some in the class, like Mark and Patricia Noumair, had reservations before they applied for Gilead. But they came to appreciate, says Mark, that “there are pros and cons to every assignment.” Mark and Denise Brandon, too, had wondered about the kind of conditions they might face. “But,” says Mark, “we talked to a few missionaries.” They were amazed how much these missionaries simply trusted in Jehovah. These four students are very pleased to serve now as missionaries in Africa.
Unquestionably, these young men and women have faith that Jehovah will take care of them. Certainly, by offering their services as missionaries, they seek, not their own interests, but primarily those of God’s Kingdom. (Matthew 6:33) But how did they get this desire for missionary work in the first place?
“Upbringing,” said a number of the students. Take Miriam Reed, assigned with her husband to serve in Peru. “When the series of Watchtower magazine articles came out encouraging people to go to Central America,” she says, “my dad moved, and we went down as a family.” The family—with six children—settled in Nicaragua. Miriam further explains: “When we first arrived there, I used to work with some of the missionary sisters in the service. And serving where the need is greater and working with the missionaries, I think, is what made me want to be a missionary.”
Not all in the 77th class of Gilead had the benefit of being raised by parents who encouraged them to become full-time preachers, let alone missionaries. Some, like Mark Noumair and Mark Brandon, came to appreciate the Christian ministry without early family support. Both said that the Watchtower Society’s convention programs stimulated their interest in missionary work. Others, like Tracy Berkeley and Larisa Krysuik, were influenced by zealous companions in the congregation. Clearly, no single factor accounts for the zeal of the 77th class for missionary work. They simply love the ministry and have a willingness to go to the ends of the earth to help their fellowman.
Says Andrew Reed, “Many, many would love to do what we are doing. But because of age, family or for a number of legitimate reasons, they just cannot be missionaries.” But students of the 77th class could. They responded to the call. As these 37 students take up their assignments in 13 different lands, we feel confident that Jehovah will bless their efforts.
[Box on page 19]
CLASS PROFILE
Total number of students ․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 37
Number of countries represented ․․․․․․․ 7
Number of countries assigned to ․․․․․․ 13
Number of single brothers ․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 7
Number of single sisters ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 6
Number of married couples ․․․․․․․․․․․․ 12
Average age ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 30.9
Average years baptized ․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 13.9
Average years in full-time service ․․ 8.7
[Picture on page 18]
Watchtower Bible School of Gilead 77th Class—September 1984
In the list below, rows are numbered from front to back and names are listed from left to right in each row.
(1) Joe, L.; Noumair, P.; Simms, M.; McCaslin, R.; Berkeley, T.; Sahuque, B. (2) Enns, K.; Medley, K.; Brandon, D.; Reed, M.; Sauvageau, S.; Näslund, M.; Krysuik, D. (3) Porter, J.; Deering, D.; Magnusson, K.; McCaslin, R.; Thomas, A.; Noumair, M.; Pole, H.; Krysuik, L. (4) Worcester, P.; Worcester, P.; Medley, T.; Thompson, S.; Woodson, A.; Pole, N.; Brandon, M.; Turner, M. (5) van Bussel, H.; Sauvageau, C.; Berkeley, M.; Reed, A.; Thompson, K.; Deering, J.; Rogers, S.; Berry, E.