Happy and Satisfying Life in Jehovah Service

HOW LIFE WAS LOOKING IN MY FAMILY

I was born in 1934. My parents came from Switzerland to live in Timmins, one small town in Ontario, Canada. Around 1939, my ma started reading the Watchtower magazine and attending Jehovah Witnesses meetings. My ma move with me and my brothers and sisters. It not stay long, she became Jehovah Witness.

Our pa was not happy because our ma was Jehovah Witness. But our ma continue to stick to Jehovah because she love the truth. She even continue serving Jehovah during the beginning part of the 1940’s when they ban Jehovah Witnesses work in Canada. Even though our pa use to say some bad-bad things to our ma, but she still use to be kind and show him respect. Her good example help me and my brothers and sisters to take the truth. We were really happy when our pa change his ways and started treating us good again.

STARTING FULL-TIME SERVICE

In 1950 during the dry season, I attended the Theocracy’s Increase Assembly in New York City. After talking with some brothers and sisters from around the world and listening to the interviews from some Gilead graduates, I wanted to do more for Jehovah. I was having more zeal now to enter full-time service. So as soon I went back home, I apply to be regular pioneer. The Canada branch office write back. They tell me that I must get baptize first. And I got baptize on October 1, 1950. After one month, I started regular pioneering and receive my first assignment to go to Kapuskasing. That town was far from the place I was living.

In 1951, the branch office ask Jehovah Witnesses who can speak French whether they willing to go to the French-speaking area in Quebec. They really needed people to go preach there. When I was growing up, I knew how to speak French and English, so I agree to go and they assign me to Rouyn. I never knew anybody there. The only thing I was having, that the area where they directed me that I talk about before. But everything was alright. Me and Marcel were good friends, and I enjoy serving in Quebec for four years as special pioneer.

GILEAD AND SOME THINGS I WAS EXPECTING THAT DELAY

When I was in Quebec, I was too happy to receive the invitation to attend the 26th class of Gilead School in South Lansing, New York. We graduated on February 12, 1956, and they assign me to Ghana,b West Africa. I went back to Canada to get my travel documents before I can go to my assignment in Ghana. I was just going for few weeks.

But I end up waiting for seven months in Toronto for my documents. During that time, I was stopping to the Cripps family house, and there I get to know their daughter, Sheila. We started dating. When I was thinking about asking her to marry me, I got my visa. So me and Sheila pray and we decided that I must go to my assignment. But she and myself use to write letter to each other and wait to see whether we can get marry in the future. That was not small decision to make. But later on, we get to know that was the best decision.

After I travel for one month by train, ship, and plane, I reach Ghana. They assign me there as district overseer. I use to travel all over Ghana, Ivory Coast (now they can call it Côte d’Ivoire) and Togo (they use to call it Togoland). Most of the time, I use to carry the branch car, and that my one use to be inside. I really enjoy traveling to visit the brothers and sisters!

On the weekends, I use to be having parts on assemblies. We were not having Assembly Halls. So the brother them use to use bamboo sticks and palm thatch to build something that will cover us from the hot sun. Since no ice box was there, they use to be having living animals, to kill them, so they can cook them for the people who were attending the program.

Some funny thing them use to happen during the assemblies. One time, when one missionary they call Herb Jennings,c was giving his talk, one cow run away from the place they were keeping it. It run between the platform and the audience. Brother Herb stop talking and the animal was confuse. But four strong brothers catch it and carry it back to the place they were keeping it. And everybody started laughing and clapping.

During the week, I use to show one video they call The New World Society in Action in the village them that was near us. To do it, I use to hang one white sheet between two trees. Then I will use the projector to show the video on it. The people in the village really use to like the show! For plenty of them, that was their first time to watch show. When they watching the part where people getting baptize, they use to be clapping. It really help the people who watch this show to know that our organization united all over the world.

After two years in Africa, I was happy to attend the 1958 international convention in New York City. I was happy to see Sheila. She came from Quebec, where she was serving as special pioneer to attend the convention. We use to be talking with each other by writing letter, but she and myself were happy to see each other again. So I ask her to marry me, and she agree. I write Brother Knorrd and ask whether Sheila can attend Gilead school and join me in Africa, and he agree. Finally, Sheila came to Ghana. We got marry in Accra on October 3, 1959. We could see that Jehovah was really blessing us because we put him first in our lives.

SERVING TOGETHER IN CAMEROON

In 1961 they assign us to Cameroon. They ask me to help to open one new branch office, so I was too busy. Since they assign me to look after the work in Cameroon, I was having plenty things to learn. Then in 1965 Sheila got pregnant. To talk the true, it take some time for us to get use to it, and to know that we were coming be parents. By the time we were getting use to it now and planning to go back to Canada, something bad happen.

Sheila belly move. The doctor say that was boy child. This thing I talking, 50 years na pass since it happen, but we will never forget about it. Even though we were really feeling bad, we remain on our assignment that we love.

In Cameroon, most of the time they use to persecute the brother them because they refuse to take part in politics. The situation can get worse when they having elections. The worse thing that happen was on May 13, 1970, when the government ban Jehovah Witnesses. The government take that fine new branch office that we just move in. And we only use it for five months. Within one week, they force me, Sheila and all the missionaries to leave the country. It was hard to leave the brother and sister them behind because we really care for them, and we were worrying about what was coming happen to them.

We spent the next six months to the branch office in France. When I was there, I continue to care for the brother them in Cameroon. In December that year, they assign us to the Nigeria branch that was looking after the work in Cameroon. The brothers and sisters in Nigeria were happy to welcome us, and we enjoy serving there for plenty years.

DECISION THAT WAS HARD TO MAKE

In 1973 we were having one big decision to make. Sheila been bearing some kindna serious sickness for long time. When we were in New York for one convention, she tell me say: “I can’t make it again! Most of the time I can just feel tire and sick.” Me and her been serving in West Africa for more than 14 years. I was really proud of her faithful service, but we needed to make some changes. After we talk about our situation and pray about it, we decided to go back to Canada, where she will get better treatment. To leave our missionary assignment and full-time service, that one of the hard decisions we ever make.

After we went back to Canada, I started working with one of my way back friend who was selling cars in one town in Toronto. Me and Sheila rent one apartment, and we buy second hand furniture to start our new life without crediting. We wanted to keep our life simple with the hope that one day we will go back in full-time service. We were surprise, because it not stay long we were able to go back in full-time service.

I use to volunteer every Saturday to work to the new Assembly Hall they were building in Norval, Ontario. After some time, they ask me to be the Assembly Hall overseer. Since Sheila was getting alright small-small, we feel that she was able to do this new assignment. So in June 1974 we move in the Assembly Hall apartment. We were really happy to come back in full-time service!

We were happy that Sheila condition was getting alright. After two years, we were able to accept the assignment to do circuit work. The circuit was in Manitoba, one town in Canada that really use to be cold. But, we really use to enjoy the friendships we were having with the brothers and sisters that was there. We learn that the place we serve Jehovah not important, but the important thing that to continue serving Jehovah anywhere we find our self.

LEARNING ONE IMPORTANT LESSON

After we spent some time in the circuit work, in 1978 they invite us to go serve in Canada Bethel. It not stay long, I learn one important lesson the hard way. I was assign to give talk in French to one special meeting for one-and-the-half hour. Sad to say, the way I give the talk not touch the people heart. So one brother from the Service Department give me counsel. To tell you the true, I suppose to know that I not good speaker. But I not really accept this counsel. The way we talk to each other was not correct. I was feeling that the brother was too harsh and he not even tell me thank you for giving the talk. That serious mistake I made. I not accept the counsel because of the way the brother gave the counsel and the way I feel about him.

After few days, one Branch Committee member talk with me about what happen. I agree that I not really accept the counsel and I was feeling bad about the way I act. Then I talk with the brother who gave me the counsel. He forgive me from his heart. That experience teach me how to be humble, and I will never forget about it. (Prov. 16:18) I na pray to Jehovah plenty time not to act like that again when somebody give me counsel.

I been in Canada Bethel for more than 40 years now. And since 1985, I been serving on the Branch Committee. My dear wife Sheila die in February 2021. Beside missing her, I also get my own health problems. But working for Jehovah na make me so busy and happy that the time can just pass quick-quick. (Eccl. 5:20) Even though I na face some problems in life, but the thing them I enjoy plenty more than the problem them I pass through. I na get plenty blessings for putting Jehovah first in my life and enjoying 70 years in full-time service. I pray that our young brothers and sisters will continue putting Jehovah first in their life. I convince that when they do it, they will enjoy plenty blessings from Jehovah.