• Russia
    2008 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses

    • “WHAT HAPPINESS, WHAT FREEDOM!”

      Because Finland is close to Russia, the Governing Body asked the Finland branch to assist in organizing the international convention in St. Petersburg, Russia, held June 26-28, 1992. How did the brothers feel about having a convention in freedom after living under ban for more than five decades? One brother recalls: “There were thousands of us at the stadium. The tears flowed without stopping. What happiness, what freedom! We never even dreamed we would see such freedom in this system of things. But Jehovah made it possible. We recalled how five of us would be lying in an isolation cell in a camp surrounded by a high fence, and four of us at a time would take turns keeping the fifth one warm. The stadium was surrounded by a high wall. But we wanted to stay here as long as possible. The feeling could not be described.

      “Our eyes were moist with tears for the whole convention. We cried for joy at seeing such a miracle. Although we were already over 70 years old, we flitted around the stadium as though we had wings. For 50 years we had waited for this freedom. First Jehovah allowed us to be exiled to Siberia, then we ended up in prisons and camps. But now we were at the stadium! Jehovah is more powerful than anyone. We stood looking at one another and sobbed. None of us could believe that this was really happening. Some young brothers surrounded us and asked: ‘Are you all right? Did someone hurt you?’ But we could not answer because of the sobbing. But then, through all the tears, one of us said, ‘We’re crying out of joy!’ We related to them how we had served Jehovah for many years under ban. And now we just could not believe that Jehovah had changed everything so quickly.”