FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE

Sierra Leone (meaning “Lion Mountains”), the site of the next assembly visited, is the world’s third-largest producer of gems. Its capital city, Freetown, was founded by freed slaves in 1787.

The time for the assembly here early in December was ideal. It is the season of the “harmattan,” a dry, cool wind that blows in from the Sahara Desert, providing relief from the sun’s hot rays by day and a cool, soft breeze at night. The natives call it the “Doctor,” because those afflicted by malaria and other tropical diseases get “cured,” at least temporarily.

Since there are 851 active ministers of Jehovah’s witnesses in Sierra Leone, a sizable crowd was expected. So application was made for use of the Brookfields Stadium, the largest and best facility in Freetown. However, it was already booked by another organization. Undaunted, the convention planners approached representatives of the organization, who kindly relinquished their booking in favor of the assembly. The attendance at the public lecture proved to be 1,540.

CHANGING LIVES TO MEET GOD’S STANDARDS

A trying problem is faced by many desiring to serve God in Sierra Leone, as well as in many other parts of Africa. This is because polygamy prevails. How great the desire is on the part of thousands of honest Africans to bring their lives into line with God’s will and to please him was portrayed in a real-life demonstration, in a special session arranged for the visiting delegates from North America.

As reenacted on the platform, the scene opened with an African chief studying the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life with one of Jehovah’s witnesses. Soon he came to the realization that one cannot be accepted for baptism and become a servant of Jehovah God while in a polygamous state. But what would he do? He had six wives. Scriptures were pointed out showing that he could be acceptable only if he gave up all his wives but one. After much thought, he agreed to dismiss five and keep the young one, because she could bear him many children. But again, counsel from the Scriptures admonished: “Rejoice with the wife of your youth.”​—Prov. 5:18.

The man then gathered together his wives and explained to them what he must do, namely, keep the first wife and dismiss the rest. He offered to support the others until they were able to take care of themselves, or until they should marry again. He stood firm against the arguments of his wives, and also against the pressures brought against him when he resigned as chief. As a result, one of his dismissed wives, seeing the propriety and cleanness of this course of action, also became a witness of Jehovah. From this, which is only a sample of thousands of such cases, the visitors could see that Jehovah’s witnesses in Africa live by the same high Bible standards as their Christian brothers in other parts of the earth.

A remarkable circumstance was noted by an observer of the assembly in Freetown. Here people from eleven tribes that are usually hostile toward one another had gathered, along with delegates from other nations. What was the result? He remarked: ‘On the first day six policemen were seen strolling across the grounds. The second day two were sitting in the shade. On the last day, when 1,540 persons were present, not a policeman could be found. This is amazing when you remember that Sierra Leone is now under a state of emergency.’ Among these people unity is not only possible but a present reality.

[Picture on page 124]

Building assembly facilities in Sierra Leone