Kingdom Proclaimers Report
Do Not Hold Back From Declaring the Good News
WHEN European explorers first visited the Gulf of Venezuela and Lake Maracaibo, the coastline was crowded with small thatched huts built on stilts over the shallow waters. The sight was reminiscent of Venice, Italy, where people built their homes along the water’s edge. The Spanish-speaking explorers thus named the area Venezuela, which means “Little Venice.”
Today, this beautiful country is playing host to another kind of building program, a spiritual one. There Jehovah’s Witnesses are busily engaged in sowing Kingdom seed on every appropriate occasion. The resulting spiritual harvest is bringing much praise to “the Master of the harvest,” Jehovah God.—Matthew 9:37, 38.
When a traveling overseer visited a congregation in the state of Zulia in northwestern Venezuela, the local Witnesses arranged for him and his wife to visit a small island nearby called Toas. While waiting in line to catch an early morning ferry to the island, the traveling overseer’s wife, Mery, suggested to her companion, a full-time pioneer sister, that they talk to some of the workers on the boat. The pioneer sister agreed.
Approaching a technician, Mery presented the book Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life. She showed him the chapter “Building a Family That Honors God,” which he seemed to appreciate. Mery then explained that with the use of this publication, he could have a Bible study in his own home. He accepted the book, and arrangements were made for someone to call on him at his home.
A short time later, there was a special one-day assembly in the area. What a surprise for Mery to see the technician, Senor Nava, there, along with his wife and two young daughters! Mery asked the wife what she thought about their family Bible study. Her answer was most surprising.
“I give thanks to Jehovah that we have learned the truth,” she said. Then she explained. “When you spoke to my husband, he had just left me for another woman. He was also a heavy drinker. Sometimes when he got drunk, he was abusive, which the small community on the island did not like. He also practiced spiritism. However, the Bible knowledge that he gained from the study has helped him to make enormous changes in his life. He has quit all of his unclean practices. His parents, who are Catholics, are very impressed by these changes. They are happy that he is now a responsible husband and father.”
Senor Nava was baptized in 1996 and presently serves as a full-time minister. His wife, Jenny, was baptized in 1997. The mayor of the town was so impressed by the changes in this ferry mechanic that he too asked for a Bible study. How glad the sisters are that they did not hold back in declaring the good news while waiting in line for the ferry that morning!
[Pictures on page 7]
Sharing the good news with a ferry technician brought happy results