Brother Checksfield continued on and became very well known throughout the main island of Viti Levu. He was able to help and train the brothers, including youngsters Len Heatley and Eunice Marriott, who was only 12 years old when the missionaries arrived.

FIJI’S FIRST REGULAR PIONEER

Eunice Marriott was much affected by this visit and was to become Fiji’s first regular pioneer. She tells us: “Numerous youngsters who were reared in the truth by God-fearing parents often need an outstanding experience to move them to respond to what the truth is all about. In 1951 I was very interested in obtaining advanced secular education, and like many here, desirous of moving from this small island country to a larger one. So my sister and brother-in-law in New Zealand were making arrangements for me to go there for more advanced studies. While I was waiting to finalize arrangements for the trip, Brothers Knorr and Henschel visited Fiji.

“Brother Knorr gave a discourse in which he discussed the courageous Bible character Daniel whose life really impressed me. Being young, I remember sliding farther and farther down into my seat so as not to be seen by Brother Knorr with his authoritative manner and, as it seemed to me, piercing eyes. After the talk Brother Henschel personally and encouragingly discussed with me the pioneer and missionary service. ‘Brother Henschel,’ I said, ‘if I went to Gilead, I would not want to be assigned to tiny islands, such as Fiji.’ He took me to a wall map of the world and said that they might send me to Brazil, where millions of people live. So encouraged was I to make pioneering my goal in life that I canceled the arrangements to go to New Zealand and began to pioneer.

“I did not ever get to go to Gilead School since pioneers were and still are needed in Fiji, but I have enjoyed every minute of my service here. After being in the pioneer service for 27 years, I was privileged to accompany my husband [Don Clare] to Brooklyn in 1978 while he attended the special Gilead course for Branch Committee members. We wives were overjoyed to be permitted to sit in for two hours of Bible discussions each day.”

Others followed her example, and the next year (1952) Lydia Pedro and Len Heatley began pioneering. These three young pioneers, Lydia, Len and Eunice, labored alongside Brother Checksfield in building up the Suva Congregation. From these 3 the pioneer ranks have increased until there are now 90 pioneers in Fiji alone and 130 in the whole branch territory. Two of the first three pioneers are still in full-time work. The third, Sister Lydia Pedro, died in New Zealand in 1969.

[Picture on page 176]

Donald Clare, present Branch Committee coordinator, and his wife, Eunice, who was Fiji’s first pioneer