After three years in the traveling work in the United States, we received a letter from the office of the Watch Tower Society’s president asking if we would be willing to teach school in Ethiopia in addition to doing the preaching work. One of the requirements of that government was that missionaries teach. We agreed, and in the summer of 1952, we left for Ethiopia.

When we got to Ethiopia, we taught grade-school classes in the mornings and conducted free Bible classes in the afternoons. Soon so many began coming for the Bible studies that we were often teaching the Bible three or four hours each day. Some of the students were policemen; others were teachers or deacons in missionary schools and Ethiopian Orthodox schools. At times there were 20 or more in each Bible study class! Many of the students left false religion and started serving Jehovah. We were ecstatic. Again, when I awoke each morning, I gave thanks to Jehovah.

Parenthood and Preaching Under Ban

In 1954 we learned that we were to become parents, so we had to decide whether to go back to the United States or remain in Ethiopia. Remaining would, of course, depend on my getting secular work. I obtained a job as a broadcast engineer, operating a radio station for Emperor Haile Selassie. So we stayed.

On September 8, 1954, our daughter Judith was born. I thought I had job security because of working for the emperor, but after two years I lost that job. However, in less than a month, I was hired by the Police Department​—and at a higher salary—​to teach a class of young men to repair two-way radios. Within the next three years, our sons Philip and Leslie were born.

In the meantime our freedom to engage in the preaching work was changing. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church had persuaded the government to expel all missionaries of Jehovah’s Witnesses. On the Society’s advice, I changed my visa from missionary work to secular work. Our missionary work was banned, and we had to be circumspect and discreet. All congregation meetings continued, but we met in small study groups.

The police searched various homes of suspected Witnesses. However, unknown to them, a police lieutenant who was a worshiper of Jehovah always advised us when raids were scheduled. As a result, no literature was confiscated in those years. We held our Watchtower Studies on Sundays by going to restaurants at the edge of town where picnic tables were available for outdoor eating.

It was during this time, while I was teaching radio to the police cadets, that the student I mentioned at the outset asked me for a Bible study. I assumed he was sincere, so we began. After only two studies, a second student came with him, then a third. I cautioned them never to tell anyone that they were studying with me, and they never did.

The following year the Society’s president, Nathan H. Knorr, came to visit us in Ethiopia. He had fine suggestions for carrying on the work under ban and was also interested in our family and how we were doing spiritually. I explained that we were teaching the children to pray. I asked if he would like to hear Judith pray. He said yes, and afterward he told her: “That was very good, Judith.” Then at mealtime I asked Brother Knorr if he would say our prayer, and when he finished, Judith said: “That was very good, Brother Knorr!”