An early Bible student in the area was Cléo Lapierre, a builder who came into the truth in 1968. “The first meeting I attended was held under a big tree,” says Cléo. “The ‘Kingdom Hall’​—a ten-foot by ten-foot [3 m by 3 m] shed—​was being demolished to make way for a larger building, which I was able to share in constructing.”

That same year Cléo, who was in the army reserves, was called up to do military service. “With the little Bible knowledge I had,” relates Cléo, “I wrote to the authorities, explaining my now neutral position. They did not reply, so I went to the army base in Saint-Denis, on the other side of the island, to investigate the matter. An officer told me to go home but to prepare to go to prison. Hence, I prayed frequently and studied diligently. Before long, I was called back to the base. When I arrived, I asked the brother who rode there with me to wait for an hour. ‘If I’m not back by then,’ I said, ‘I will most likely not be coming back. In that case, please sell my car and give the money to my wife.’

“When I went inside, I observed officers arguing over what to do with me. After about 45 minutes, a sergeant approached me.

“‘Get out of my sight!’ he said. ‘Go home.’

“I had walked no more than 50 yards [45 m] when he called me back. In a changed tone, he said: ‘I admire you people. I heard about Jehovah’s Witnesses in France, but you are the first one I’ve met.’

“At the time, I was the only brother in Saint-Pierre, so I conducted all the congregation meetings. However, I did receive help from time to time, and in 1979 the missionary couple Antoine and Gilberte Branca arrived.”

[Picture on page 243]

Cléo Lapierre