FAITH STRENGTHENED BY TRIALS

The work of Jehovah’s Witnesses was banned, and practically all of those known to the police, including myself and my older daughter, were arrested. My 13-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter were thus denied my care. One family took in my son, and another my daughter.

My older daughter was freed from prison after three months. I was in jail four months more. On being released, I was ordered to leave the area. We took only our clothes and bedding, and the four of us went to another city where we were taken in by Witnesses. The experiences while in prison, and in moving to another territory, strengthened my faith and appreciation of Jehovah’s care and guidance.

After a few months my older daughter began pioneering again. Because of the ban, however, she could not preach from house to house. So she visited already interested ones, giving them Bible literature and studying the Bible with them.

In 1952 my son finished school. Then we moved to a town over 100 kilometers (60 mi.) away, where he and I got work at a sawmill. Since I worked only part time, it was a joy to be able to begin pioneering.

Shortly after this a number of Witnesses, including my son and me, were arrested for preaching the Bible’s message. However, because we held a secular job, we were freed after only two days. Several of the other Witnesses stood trial, and they received sentences of up to 15 years in prison. But we kept on preaching and in a short while 35 people were baptized in our area.

My older daughter was arrested again in 1953. During the investigation she was beaten and later sentenced to four years in prison. About this time my younger daughter finished school, and she and her brother began pioneering. The following year, when she was only 16, she was arrested and imprisoned for one month. Then she was put in a home for underage girls who were in trouble with the law.

Since I was being hunted by the police for my preaching activity, I could not be present at my daughter’s court trial. As she was without parental care, she was sentenced for an unlimited time to a correctional institution. Because of her fine reputation, she was trusted to run errands into town, and we were able to see each other several times. What happy occasions these were!

Then I was sent to another town to pioneer. It was a trying time for me. My two daughters were in prison. And I did not see my son very often, since he was pioneering in a different part of the country. However, we did see each other at pioneer meetings, which sometimes lasted several days. These spiritual feasts took place in the more isolated homes of Witnesses. What joyful occasions they were!

Toward the end of 1955 I was asked to help out in reproducing, as well as transporting, Bible literature. The work was hard, but we knew how important it was. We gained strength by seeing the joy of the brothers who were so happy to receive the “bread” (this is what we called The Watchtower) and the “pastry” (which we called the booklets). Also, whenever I had free time I preached in parks, starting up conversations with people and establishing return visits.

WE ALL PIONEER

Early in 1956 my younger daughter was set free, and she continued where she left off in the pioneer service. About three months later my older daughter was released from prison, and she, too, immediately resumed pioneering.

OUR WHOLE FAMILY IMPRISONED

In August my older daughter was arrested, as well as my son. Then, three months later, my younger daughter and I were arrested. We were held in the investigative process for over a year.

While being held, I applied to see the prison dentist. When waiting in line, the woman prisoner next to me asked why the ward head had yelled at me the previous day. On telling her that it was for conversing with fellow Witnesses while taking a walk, the young lady next to this woman grabbed me. She embraced me with joy, stating that she too was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. She was serving a three-year sentence for producing Bible literature. At the time I did not know that she would eventually become my daughter-in-law​—“my third daughter.”

While imprisoned I had regular contact with my children through letters. Every letter was censored twice. We started to put more Biblical material into the letters so that the censors would get a witness about God’s purposes. Once an older woman, who was a department head, called me from my cell. She led me to another wing of the prison in order to converse, asking about how I had brought up my children. She told me how patiently they were enduring in prison. She also said that all the people on duty were very much interested in our letters.

It was not until early 1963, about a year and a half after our arrest, that they started the court trial. It lasted three days. My older daughter was sentenced to three years in prison, while my son got two years. My younger daughter and I were set free. Our time already spent in prison was considered our punishment.