Pioneers Sent From France

Good progress was being made in Guadeloupe and its dependencies. To keep the work moving forward, the Society sent two more pioneers from France. Nicolas and Liliane Brisart arrived in December 1955. Brother Brisart is one whose disposition is both dynamic and jovial. On their arrival, they were assigned to the densely populated suburbs of Pointe-à-Pitre.

In that territory, many people live in wooden houses that each rest on four stones to keep the floor about 20 inches [0.5 m] off the ground. The houses are all very close to one another. While making calls there one day, Brother Brisart had an accident that is still a source of humor to him. He recalls: “I went along with my wife to a Bible study that she conducted with an elderly lady, but her wooden house appeared to be older than she was herself! Welcomed to step in, I moved toward the center of the small room when, all of a sudden, the floor gave way and I passed through it! I apologized profusely, but the poor lady was far more embarrassed.”

Brother Brisart and his wife worked that territory for about eight months and then were assigned to circuit work.

Flora Pemba was one of these. With her husband, she had started to examine the Bible. However, when some neighbors started to pressure them, her husband, who was running a small family grocery, gave up his study out of fear of losing his customers. But his wife endured and made good progress spiritually. The home atmosphere became tense. The man even threatened to kill his wife. After she discovered a big knife under his pillow, she ran away, fleeing 10 miles [16 km] through tropical forest and banana plantations, and took refuge with a family of Witnesses. While hiding from her husband, she decided to get baptized, saying: “If I must face death for my faith, I want to be counted among Jehovah’s servants!” Thus, in 1957, before sunup one morning she got baptized in the sea.

Despite her efforts at reconciliation, she lost her fleshly family. But in accord with Jesus’ promise at Matthew 19:29, she gained a large spiritual family. This faithful sister took up full-time service, and she is still a pioneer in Lamentin more than 30 years later!

[Picture on page 139]

Nicolas and Liliane Brisart were first sent to Guadeloupe from France, in 1955