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An End to Secret Meetings

ADRIANA MAHMUTAJ

BORN 1971

BAPTIZED 1993

PROFILE She was invited to a secret meeting, and then things changed dramatically. Currently she is serving as a special pioneer.

◼ WHEN my cousin died in 1991, I overheard a woman named Barie encourage my aunt with Bible thoughts. Right away I asked questions and was invited to meet her friend Rajmonda at her place of work. Rajmonda’s family was meeting at the “class.” Rajmonda told me that I would have to have Bible discussions for a while, because new ones were not let into the class right away. I loved what I was learning, and soon I was allowed to attend.

That class was made up of unbaptized people who had originally begun meeting with Sotir Papa and Sulo Hasani. Years earlier, the Sigurimi had infiltrated classes and had turned the brothers in to the police. So all were cautious, and they were careful about who was invited to meetings!

At my first meeting, I learned that we were supposed to make a list of our friends and tell them what we were learning. Right away I talked to Ilma Tani. Soon she was allowed to come to the class. Our little class of 15 grew quickly.

In April 1992, Michael and Linda DiGregorio visited Berat. It was recommended that we openly invite people to his talk. As a result, 54 persons came. None of us were baptized. After that meeting, we bombarded the DiGregorios with questions for hours. We finally learned how our group was supposed to function.

Soon Jehovah’s Witnesses were legally recognized. Ilma and I, along with two brothers, went to Tiranë to learn how to go from door to door. We were asked to show others in Berat what we had learned. We tried our best. When four Italian special pioneers were assigned to Berat in March 1993, the congregation really got going, with two open meetings a week.

Though hundreds of brothers have left Berat on account of the economy, our little class has now turned into five bustling congregations!