Besides having to respect the restriction regarding clothing in some villages, the brothers must observe other restrictions that are in force among these people because of their beliefs. Arturo Villasin, now a circuit overseer, reports: “The brothers leading any group for witnessing are very careful to respect the fact that the villagers do have very strong feelings about doing anything that will offend the spirits. In some villages it is absolutely forbidden to mention certain words or names, such as saying the personal name of a dead ancestor who is believed to have power over the village. Some trees are also viewed as sacred, and only males may sit down in their shade. In one particular seaside village, the wearing of certain colors is offensive; red or black cannot be worn. So, discreetly, a book or Bible with a red or a black cover will not be used while witnessing.

“A woman is strictly forbidden to enter some areas in a village. A man may not sit down on the same seat with a woman who is not his wife. If any of these customs are broken, compensation must be paid immediately. So it is vital that the brothers and sisters have a detailed knowledge of the rules, laws, and restrictions of each particular village if a successful witness is to be given. Thus, before entering a village, the brother leading the group will discuss in detail exactly what those in the group, especially the sisters, who are more likely to break unknowingly the male-oriented customs, should and should not do while in the village. Adjustments that do not compromise Jehovah’s righteous principles are gladly made so that the villagers get a fair opportunity to hear the good news. Many villagers have responded and have gladly shed practices that displease the true God.”

Several days later a traveling overseer visited Aiolo. Listen to what he has to say: “My wife and I were invited for a meal at the home of one of the brothers. In their midst sat this runaway family. We fell in love with them straight away, but they were frightened and had their backs toward us. However, by the time the meal was over, they had full smiles and sat facing us. They had come to realize that we were just the same as all the other brothers and sisters who love Jehovah and who are loved by him in return!”

No Long Pants

But let us go back to Brother Villasin and ask him why he now wears shorts instead of long pants. He says: “In one village our group of publishers had witnessed to everyone in the village. However, one brother had been talking at length to the village chief. Finally, the brother came out of the chief’s house. A worried look was on his face. The chief told him that he wanted my long trousers! Now I looked worried! I did not have a spare pair of trousers, and it was not proper for a circuit overseer to walk around without trousers. I begged the brother to go back quickly and convince the chief that while he and his people may feel perfectly comfortable wearing nothing at all, I was a man from a different country with completely different customs, and one of them was that we did not under any circumstances appear naked in public. The chief, though, coveted my trousers. However, after a long discussion, the brother convinced the chief to leave my trousers with me. I was relieved! From that time on, I have not worn long trousers to any village. I wear shorts just like the rest of my brothers do!”

Another foreign traveling overseer went through a hair-raising experience. In one village, a person may not use the banned English words “wicked” and “war.” Those two words are the names of two of their demons. To utter these names is an offense and a high compensation must be paid by the offender. When the local Witnesses went preaching there, the new traveling overseer told the brothers that he would rather listen at each door. The brothers disagreed; they insisted that the traveling overseer speak at a door, since he had been well drilled in the local customs. The visiting brother finally agreed. As he walked up and down the mountains along the bush track, he kept muttering to himself: “Don’t say WAR, don’t say WICKED.”

When they eventually reached the territory, a man invited the traveling overseer and two other brothers into his house. The two brothers began the conversation and then introduced the nervous traveling overseer. He gave a short Scriptural presentation, and everything went well. The householder seemed pleased by what he heard. The traveling overseer felt quite pleased with himself too and opened the book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth and started to show pictures about Paradise. But then, to his horror, he added: “And God shall wipe out war.”

The man’s eyes widened, and so did the eyes of the traveling overseer. He quickly looked at the two brothers for help and took a deep breath, but they looked at the householder as if to say, “He didn’t say ‘war,’ did he?” The householder looked back at them as if to say: “No, I guess he didn’t.” And so the conversation ended without any compensation having to be paid. But as for the traveling overseer, he could not wait to get back to Aiolo.