From the beginning of our stay, we developed a burning desire to spread the Bible’s message among the indigenous population of Ovambo, Herero, and Nama. However, this was not easy. Back in those days, South-West Africa fell under the jurisdiction of the apartheid government of South Africa. As whites, we were not allowed to witness in black areas without a government permit. From time to time, we applied, but the authorities simply refused to give us permission.

Then it happened​—the very week that we were due to leave, I received from the local authorities the permit to enter the black township, Katutura. What would we do now? Hand the permit back after struggling for seven years to get it? It was easy to reason that others could pick up where we left off. But was this not a blessing from Jehovah, an answer to our prayers?

My mind was quickly made up. I would stay behind, for fear that our struggle for permanent residence would be put in jeopardy if we all left for Australia. The next day, I canceled my boat booking and sent Coralie and Charlotte off to Australia on an extended vacation.

While they were away, I started to witness to the residents of the black township. The interest shown was tremendous. When Coralie and Charlotte returned, a number of people from the black township were attending our meetings.

By this time, I had an old car with which I was able to bring interested ones to the meetings. I made four or five trips for each meeting, taking seven, eight, or nine people per trip. When the last person got out, Coralie would jokingly ask: “How many more have you got under the seat?”

To be more effective in the preaching work, we needed literature in the language of the indigenous people. So I had the privilege of arranging for the tract Life in a New World to be translated into four local languages: Herero, Nama, Ndonga, and Kwanyama. The translators were educated people with whom we were studying the Bible, but I had to sit with them to make sure that each sentence was translated correctly. Nama is a language with a limited vocabulary. For instance, I was trying to get across the point: “In the beginning Adam was a perfect man.” The translator scratched his head and said that he could not recall the Nama word for “perfect.” “I’ve got it,” he finally said. “In the beginning Adam was like a ripe peach.”

Satisfied With Our Assigned Home

Some 49 years have passed since we first arrived in this country, now called Namibia. It is no longer necessary to obtain a permit to enter black communities. Namibia is ruled by a new government based on a nonracial constitution.