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  • Zimbabwe
    1985 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses
    • ORGANIZING FOR THE WORK AHEAD

      Up until now the work in this country was being supervised by the South Africa branch. But in 1948 a change took place that had far-reaching effects. January of that year saw the arrival of our first Gilead School graduate, referred to in the Yearbook as our “gift from Gilead.” This was Eric Cooke. Just shortly after his arrival two visitors also appeared, Brothers N. H. Knorr and M. G. Henschel. Their visit resulted in another great step forward in the direction of improved leadership and organization of the congregations. This was the establishment of a branch office on September 1, 1948, with Eric Cooke as the branch overseer.

      It was clear that the field needed closer supervision. By now the number of publishers exceeded 3,500, and these were serving in 117 congregations. So in 1948 these congregations were grouped into five circuits. You can imagine the work our circuit overseers had to do​—five of them in a country roughly 400 miles square. While some of their traveling was done by bus or train, most of it was by bicycle. But it was a start.

  • Zimbabwe
    1985 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses
    • [Picture on page 127]

      Eric Cooke (shown with his wife, Myrtle) became the first branch overseer in Zimbabwe

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