Loyal Youths Martyred for God’s Kingdom
IT WAS about 8:30 on an October morning. Young Elmer and Alex, 16 and 14 years of age, were playing in the front yard of their home in San Salvador, capital city of trouble-torn El Salvador. Suddenly a white pickup truck with five armed men appeared on the scene. Two men got off and ordered the boys onto the truck. They were whisked away without the knowledge of their family.
When their parents realized what had happened, they notified the elders of the local congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and a frantic search began. Politically motivated violence has been the daily fare in El Salvador for a long time. The parents, Napoleón and Orbe, feared the worst. The authorities were advised and also joined in the search.
The following day some men, driving a hearse for a local undertaker, advised one of the elders that they had seen the bodies of two boys along with other corpses in a common dumping ground for victims of violence. Yes, Elmer and Alex had been found, their bodies riddled with bullets. There were signs that they had been tortured before they were finally killed. It is believed that one of the subversive groups tried to convince them to join their group in warring against the government in power. However, the boys, being Jehovah’s Witnesses, would not break their Christian neutrality by joining such a group. Apparently for this reason they were executed. They were two more martyrs in the long line of faithful Christians who have died for refusing to become involved in worldly politics. They obeyed God rather than men.—John 17:16; 18:36; Acts 5:29.
Thus, in just one day, the López family was reduced from five members to three. It was a terrible blow to the parents. In their time of dire need they received comfort and help from their Christian brothers at the El Salvador branch office of the Watch Tower Society and from the congregation. They recently wrote a letter of appreciation that we would like to share with our readers.
The Healing Effects of God’s Promises
“Please accept from my wife, Orbe, my daughter, Reyna Noemí, and me our gratefulness and appreciation for the encouragement and consolation given to us at a time when these were greatly needed. We are so grateful to our Father, Jehovah God, who through the Scriptures provided the fortitude that we needed—yes, because of the tragedy that came upon us the past October 27. Just as we cannot forget our dear sons Elmer and Alex, neither can we forget your love at that time.
“It is true that we still feel a profound sorrow over the loss of our sons. But now we feel how much more we need the New Order, and seeing what this wicked system of things does can only increase our appreciation of the need for God’s Kingdom.
“Brothers, we have come to value these things even more, and we give thanks to Jehovah because we have a sure hope—not just castles in the air but a real tangible government.
“A brother lovingly said to me: ‘You cannot forget Elmer and Alex, and there is only one remedy for your sadness—talking to others about your hope. Yes, talk and talk about the Kingdom whenever you have the opportunity to do so.’ How true this has been! In the evenings we have talked to our neighbors, and this has brought us comfort. Orbe, my wife, has been able to give a witness to ‘important’ people who have made an effort to find out about our faith. One day a doctor said to her: ‘Do you have faith?’ ‘Yes,’ she answered. ‘Show me what it is,’ he replied. Well, for an hour he listened, showing much interest even though he had patients waiting for him. She offered him the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, and he readily accepted it.
“One day the general manager of the factory where I work called me and said: ‘Napoleón, I want to talk to you and ask you a question. Do you believe that the world is coming to an end soon?’ This man had been a Catholic priest but had renounced the priesthood. When I explained that the Bible presents solid proof that we are in the last days of this wicked system of things, he said that he had his doubts about the Bible. As I talked about the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses, he was surprised when I explained that we were not part of the evangelical groups. Then I told him that we did not believe in dogmas. He wanted an example. ‘For instance,’ I said, ‘that Mary is the mother of God.’ ‘What, you do not believe that Jesus is God and therefore that Mary is the mother of God!’ ‘No,’ I said, ‘the Bible does not support such a dogma.’ Very surprised, he got up and said: ‘Where do you have your meetings? Give me the address, as I want to attend.’ ‘Why?’ I asked. He answered that when he was in the seminary he never believed in that doctrine and had concluded that all religions believed in it. What a surprise! A priest who did not believe in the Trinity!
“Really, brothers, today more than ever we pray to Jehovah for his ‘Kingdom to come’ and end all wickedness. It is true, brothers, that we have not fully recovered. As each new day comes, the memory of our sons is there before us, and it all seems like a horrible nightmare. But how happy we are that Jehovah helps us! Yes, we feel his loving-kindness in the congregation. How thankful we are for Jehovah’s promise that through Christ those who sleep in death WILL LIVE! (Acts 24:15) And what a blessing it will be, when our sons come back, to tell them how their ‘parting’ gave us the opportunity to talk about the Kingdom to people whom we may never have approached otherwise!
“Although at times we still feel overwhelmed by grief, and the absence of our boys makes us sad, yet every day we thank Jehovah for our knowing the truth, for his kind hand and for the brothers and friends like you who helped us in those moments of anguish.
“Thank you very much,
Napoleón and Orbelina López”
All youthful Witnesses—fortify yourselves as did Elmer and Alex by your study of God’s Word, that you “may be able to stand firm” no matter what trials may come.—Ephesians 6:11; 1 Peter 5:8-10