One of the experiences related was from Yap, in the Western Pacific. An 18-year-old Witness greatly desired to attend the assembly in Hawaii, but had no way of making the money to pay the fare. Her father had died and her mother had abandoned her. To help her to attend the assembly, her fellow Witnesses gave her $500 (U.S.). Some of them started fishing, sometimes six to eight hours a night, selling the fish in the morning. Other Witnesses picked coconuts after work and sold them to stores. Also, they made copra to sell. From these activities an additional $900 (U.S.) was obtained, enabling the young Witness to attend assemblies, not only in Hawaii, but also in the continental United States and Canada​—her first trip off the tiny island of Yap!

When the assembly at Osaka was about to start, two vicious typhoons headed toward that coastal city. More than 800 Witnesses coming by chartered ship from Okinawa had to brave one of these typhoons. What was normally a 35-hour journey took 64 hours amid mountainous seas. The ship arrived at Osaka at 7 a.m. on the second day of the assembly. And where did the delegates go? To their accommodations to rest? No, they went straight to the convention!