Gilead Students—United Though Diverse
THEY come from seven nations as diverse as Finland, Italy, and Australia—24 people with 24 different personal histories. Yet, a common goal unites them—that of serving God in the foreign missionary field.
But how could such a diverse group of individuals be so united in purpose? For the answer, let’s get better acquainted with some of the students of the 82nd class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead—a school devoted to training Jehovah’s Witnesses for foreign missionary work.
‘I Learned to Mistrust Religion’
Although several of the students were raised as Witnesses, others became such more recently. Alvin describes his turbulent urban life as a black youth growing up in Chicago, U.S.A., this way: “I left home at 13 to live with my sister. Since I had more freedom away from home, I associated with young people involved with alcohol and drugs. For protection my friends and I formed a gang and experienced the violence and hard drugs that go along with such a life-style. Since adults, including a Baptist clergyman, sold the illegal drugs to us, I learned to mistrust older people and religion. So when my sister began studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses, I didn’t trust them either.
“A turning point in my thinking came when I got involved with a racist organization. They realized that we needed better government. They tried to organize all black people and to unite all the gangs against white people. Of course, this would be accomplished through violent means. I began to realize that this was not the answer to man’s problems.
“So I looked to religion for the answer. I tried the Seventh-Day Adventists, to my disappointment. I finally agreed to study the Bible with the Witnesses. A year later I was baptized.”
Alvin recalls an experience he had while preaching from house to house: “I called at the house of two gang leaders who were former enemies of mine. Before learning the truth, I had fought with them. Our gang had returned to their neighborhood and had shot out the windows of their house with guns. Later they had retaliated by shooting two of my partners as we were coming out of a store. Now here I was standing at their door with the Kingdom message. On seeing me, they began laughing in disbelief. I was relieved that they no longer viewed me as a threat.
“I’m thankful that Jehovah has a teaching program that reached even into my neighborhood and into my heart. Now, my wife Betty and I can devote our lives to Jehovah’s service and use that teaching program in the missionary field to help others.”
‘This Is the Life for Us’
Martin traveled around the world twice with the British Merchant Navy before settling again in England, his native country. What did his experience teach him? “I had my eyes opened to reality. I wondered if the world’s problems could ever be worked out. I discussed with my prospective wife Elvira ways in which we might be able to do something.” He continues: “Then, one rainy afternoon, a young Witness called at my door. He showed me from the Bible that we are living in the last days. I was astounded. I started studying the Bible and attending Christian meetings at once. Eventually, we were both baptized. It was the best thing we ever did!”
But why choose the full-time ministry rather than pursue a full-time secular career? Elvira answers: “We realized soon enough that money doesn’t bring happiness. Martin is a skilled baker, so he could work part-time. There was no doubt about it—the ministry was the life for us.”
Heikki, from Finland, relates a similar experience: “I was 16 years old when my classmate told me what he had learned from the Bible. So I began studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses too. However, my father arranged for several Lutheran ministers to try to readjust my thinking. After various meetings with these clergymen, they became frustrated. I was more proficient at explaining the Scriptures than they were. They never once opened the Bible.”
A few years later Heikki began serving Jehovah as a full-time pioneer minister. There were some difficult decisions for him to make. He explains: “Studying architecture in college made me go into debt. After two years I quit the studies and eventually began pioneering. I had no job, no training for work but debts to be paid. However, Jehovah always provided the necessities.”
But why did Heikki and his wife Anne choose the missionary work? Anne replies: “As we pioneered we learned that it was good to let Jehovah choose our assignment. Moreover, we have good health, and we have no family responsibilities that prevent us.”
Before Mats learned about the truth from God’s Word, he was an atheist and had strong communist leanings in his native country of Sweden. Mats explains: “Religion presented to me a greedy and cruel god because of its hellfire teaching and blessing of wars. I didn’t want to be in contact with such a god, so politics was the only hope in my mind. However, my uncle repeatedly invited me to his home. I was reluctant to go because I knew he was some kind of Christian.
“However, on one occasion while visiting him, I preached to him about my political ideals. He calmly listened and then showed me evidence of Bible truth. He began an organized study of the Bible with me. Soon I made the decision to resign from the army. My army superiors were shocked. They even sent a minister to talk to me. I asked the minister if he felt my decision was Scriptural. After a long pause he said, ‘Yes.’ Ten months later I was baptized.”
Mats spent six years in northern Sweden near the Arctic Circle in the pioneer work. And how does he feel about the full-time ministry and the missionary work? “I have never had any thought of quitting. I am completely free to move anywhere in the world. It was only natural for me to apply for Gilead School.”
Their United Goal
Terry and Lori are a married couple from the United States. They exemplify the diversity of the 82nd class of Gilead. Terry learned the truth as a young man when a fellow employee witnessed to him on the job. In contrast, Lori represents the fourth generation of Witnesses in her family. Perhaps she sums up the feelings the class has for their united goal of missionary service: “I’m very sure this is where Jehovah wants us to be.”
What has caused this group of people with such diverse backgrounds to be unified in their one goal of missionary work? Each student worships the same God, Jehovah. Each benefits from the same direction from Jehovah’s Word and organization. Now all of them are willing to be sent to the ends of the earth to preach the good news of the Kingdom.—Isaiah 6:8; Matthew 24:14.
[Pictures on page 16, 17]
Alvin Taylor (inset) as a gang member and now as a missionary student (front row) with his wife Betty, Martin and Elvira Evans
Gilead School is located in these administration buildings in Brooklyn, New York
[Picture on page 18]
Gilead library with Terry (right) and Lori (center) Gish studying at the first table and Heikki and Anne Soumalainen (behind right)