A Permanent Representative in the Country

An exciting event in the history of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Malawi occurred in 1933. Application for the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society to have a permanent representative in the country was made. The governor said that he “would welcome such a move,” and he approved the request. At last, arrangements could be made to carry on the preaching of the good news in Malawi on a more consistent basis. Accordingly, under the direction of the South Africa branch, a literature depot, along with an office, was established in May 1934, with Bert McLuckie overseeing the work.

Having been baptized in 1930, Brother McLuckie was still quite new in the truth. However, he had proved himself to be a very effective pioneer in his previous assignments in Madagascar and Mauritius. On arriving in Malawi, he obtained a small two-room facility in the capital, Zomba, in the south of the country. One room was used for the literature depot and office; the other for sleeping accommodations.

What was it like in those early days? Bill McLuckie, 89 years of age in 1998 and living in South Africa with his family, still remembered the cramped surroundings of that depot in Zomba. He said: “The bedroom was no wider than a fireplace [four feet six inches] [1.4 m]. It was rather stuffy, so I used to keep the windows open at night until a policeman stuck his head in one night and said: ‘Bwana [Sir], you had better close these windows. Leopards stroll about these streets at night.’ So I closed them.”

Despite the uncomfortable conditions, it proved to be most advantageous to have the depot in the capital city. With the government offices and police headquarters nearby, Brother McLuckie was able to respond quickly to any charges made against the Society as a result of the continued confusing of Jehovah’s Witnesses with the false “Watch Tower movements.”