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Barry and Jeanette Rushby—“always wanted to do more”

For others, their move abroad has been for a more limited period. Nevertheless, whatever experience they gained from life overseas has proved invaluable to them. Barry and Jeanette Rushby are two of these.

“Ever since I’ve been in the truth, I’ve always wanted to do more,” said Barry. When he married Jeanette, a pioneer sister, the two of them responded to an appeal in Our Kingdom Service for brothers to serve in Papua New Guinea. “It was an answer to our prayers,” they both acknowledged. The brothers at the branch in Port Moresby wanted them to serve in Goroka, in the center of the country, but Barry’s work permit was valid only for the island of Bougainville. On their arrival in Papua New Guinea, how delighted they were to learn that the authorities had changed Barry’s work permit and assigned him to Goroka!

Barry took up his post as a schoolteacher, and Jeanette pioneered with the congregation of 18 publishers. “One of the things I learned,” Barry recalls, “was that when it was time to attend the congregation meetings, nothing distracted the brothers, not even the extreme weather of the rainy season. They had no vehicles, and they often walked one or two hours to the meetings, entering the Kingdom Hall absolutely drenched! But they were always there.”

After Barry and Jeanette had spent six happy years serving in Papua New Guinea, conditions changed for foreigners. Barry decided that it would be wise for them to return to Britain. However, with their experiences abroad, they were determined that now both of them would be in full-time service. But where? They wanted to serve where there was a special need. After consulting with the Society and their circuit overseer, they moved to Boston in Lincolnshire. They quickly found a place to live, but Barry could not find part-time work that would allow him to pioneer with Jeanette. Nevertheless, with faith in the promise of Jehovah’s help if they put the Kingdom first, they decided to start pioneering on September 1—whether Barry had a job or not! On September 1, they had their overcoats on and were about to leave for field service when the telephone rang. A Post Office official asked: “Would you like a part-time job?” Barry replied: “Wonderful! When would you like me to start?” The man answered: “How about tomorrow?” Jehovah had blessed their efforts to put his service first. (Matt. 6:33) Four years later, another unexpected call came for Barry and Jeanette—an assignment to care for the operation of the East Pennine Assembly Hall.