WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?

How can you help to fill this urgent need for fishers to ‘catch men alive’ in many parts of the world? (Luke 5:10) If you can personally respond, do so. But it may be that, due to age, infirmity or other restrictive circumstances, you cannot do that, even though you would like to. However, if you are a parent or one who has influence with younger people, there is something you can do. What is it? Just listen to this report from one of those countries in need of “fishers of men”:

“About half of the missionaries here declare that they were encouraged by their parents from youth on. As one of them said, ‘My parents told me that the best inheritance that they could give me would be the full-time ministry.’ Others were encouraged by other full-time ministers and missionaries, who talked to them and encouraged them to take up the missionary career.”

Truly, then, many can share in the service of channeling more “fishers of men” to fruitful areas of the sea of humankind. From youth on, children can be encouraged to make missionary service their goal, to do what Paul and Timothy and so many others have done—left home and friends for the sake of the Kingdom. There is no limit to the “catch” that they will be blessed with as the Lord Jesus Christ directs the whole operation from his glorious heavenly throne.

The missionary life is a life of self-denial, in some respects, but a life that brings its own precious rewards. Note how missionaries now serving in Central America feel about it: “You are used to the fullest extent possible and Jehovah has put you there and you have the satisfaction that you are giving your all in his service.” “I never had so many thrills and blessings in all my life until I reached my missionary assignment.” “We have found that God’s people are the same all over the world. We feel right at home here among the local brothers, just as though we were in the same family but living in another locality. We look forward to many happy years here.”

Will you give this matter of serving where the need is greater some serious consideration? The developing circumstances in some of those lands to the south are themselves a sign loudly proclaiming, “Wanted! Fishers of Men.”

(Those who can respond to the call for service where the need is greater may write the Office of the President, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201, for a Memorandum on Serving Where the Need Is Great. Also, they can write the branch office of the Society in the country to which they wish to move for other particulars.)

They Wanted a Bible

● In a certain section in Uganda, Africa, it is difficult to get persons who are studying the Bible to obtain their own personal copy of God’s Word due to the lack of money. One man who was invited to attend a group Bible study noticed that everyone there had his own copy of the Bible. This encouraged him to break his costly smoking habit and use the money he saved to obtain his own copy. In the same section there was a lady who was studying for many months without her own copy of the Bible. She wanted one very much, and finally she decided to cut meat out of her diet in order to save enough to get a Bible. After obtaining it she said: “Meat is not going to show me the way to everlasting life but this Bible is.” Truly such a person appreciates that man does not live on bread alone.—Matt. 4:4.