Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa)

‘We are like the kernels in a bag of African corn. Wherever we are dropped, one by one, the rain eventually comes, and we become many.’ Those words were spoken over 50 years ago by a faithful Witness of Jehovah who had suffered much at the hands of the authorities in what was then known as Belgian Congo. In the pages that follow, you will learn how Jehovah’s blessing, like a refreshing rain, has resulted in an astonishing increase in Kingdom proclaimers throughout Congo.

That country, now known as Democratic Republic of Congo, or Congo (Kinshasa), lies in the heart of Africa. * Straddling the equator, much of this land is blanketed with lush forests. Its extensive forests and savannas provide a home for a spectacular array of wildlife. Abundant in natural resources, the country has long been the object of international interest and the focus of invasions and civil wars.

In 1885, Congo Free State was established with King Leopold II of Belgium as both sovereign and sole  owner. However, life for the people of Congo was far from free. Leopold’s men used forced labor and extreme brutality to plunder ivory and rubber. Indignation among Belgium’s European neighbors rose to such a point that Leopold finally bowed to the pressure. In 1908, Congo Free State was abolished, becoming Belgian Congo, a colony controlled by the Belgian parliament. Congo achieved independence in 1960.

The people of Congo are quite religious. Churches, seminaries, and theological schools abound. It is common to meet people who can quote extensively from the Bible. As elsewhere, however, the establishing of true Christianity was not easy. But what made it especially difficult in Congo was that for a time, people confused Jehovah’s Witnesses with a religious movement known as Kitawala.

A Problem of Identity

“Kitawala” is derived from a Swahili term that means “to dominate, direct, or govern.” Accordingly, the goal of this movement was essentially political​—to establish independence from Belgium. That goal, some reasoned, could best be achieved under the cloak of religion. Regrettably, Kitawala groups acquired, studied, and circulated publications of Jehovah’s Witnesses. A sign with the words “Watch Tower” identified their meeting places. Long before Jehovah’s Witnesses were established, these “Watch Tower movements” became prominent in the province of Katanga in southeastern Congo. For decades people assumed that the Kitawala adherents were Jehovah’s Witnesses. Of course, they were not.

The Kitawala twisted Bible teachings to support their political views, superstitious customs, and immoral way of  life. They refused to pay taxes and opposed the colonial rulers. Some groups of them engaged in armed rebellion against the authorities. It comes as no surprise that the Belgian government outlawed them.

In 1956 a district commissioner of Belgian Congo wrote a newspaper article that shed light on the background of the Kitawala. The article discussed Tomo Nyirenda, a native of Nyasaland (now Malawi), living in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). Evidently, Nyirenda had received religious instruction from someone who had associated with the Bible Students (known today as Jehovah’s Witnesses) in Cape Town, South Africa. The article stated: “[Nyirenda] penetrated into Katanga [Congo] in 1925, . . . proclaiming himself Mwana Lesa, ‘Son of God.’ He exploited the natives’ ancestral terror of being bewitched, promising that those who followed him would not only be liberated from the witch doctors but also have the means of being freed from all taxes and orders of established authority, whether the government or the Church. Those who did not accept his law were declared to be witches, knocked senseless, and then drowned during a forced ‘baptism.’ (From one river, 55 bodies were retrieved.) After being denounced by a village deputy chief, Tomo managed to escape and returned to Rhodesia. Since the Rhodesian authorities were searching for him for the murders he had committed, he was arrested, judged, and hanged.”

According to the Belgian authorities, incursions by the so-called Mwana Lesa into Katanga from 1923 to 1925 marked the beginning of the Kitawala in Congo. Decades would pass before Jehovah’s Witnesses would be permitted to enter the country and reside there.

 To put the problem of identity in perspective, it is important to note that independent churches are common in Africa. Some estimate that there are thousands of such organizations. John S. Mbiti, a specialist in African religions, wrote: “[A] major problem facing Christianity in Africa is the large number of Church divisions, denominations, groups and sects. Many of these were imported from abroad. Many more were started by African Christians themselves, partly because they did not wish to remain indefinitely under the domination of foreign missionaries, partly because of personal wishes for power, partly because of wanting to make Christianity reflect African culture and problems, and for various other reasons.”

Thus, there were many independent churches, most of which had either borrowed teachings from or broken away from an established religion. In this, the Kitawala movement was not unique. Yet, the presence of the Kitawala offered Christendom a unique opportunity to keep Jehovah’s Witnesses out of Congo. Though church leaders well knew the difference between the Kitawala and the Witnesses, they deliberately promoted the erroneous view that the Kitawala and Jehovah’s Witnesses were one and the same.

The churches were in a strong position to spread that lie. By the early 20th century, the religions of Christendom, particularly the Catholic Church, enjoyed a powerful and influential presence in Belgian Congo. In contrast, Jehovah’s Witnesses had no presence there, which is how the clergy of Christendom wanted things to remain. They jealously held on to their converts and did not want any intrusion by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Uprisings, rebellions, and tribal clashes among the native peoples were conveniently blamed on the Kitawala,  often called the Watch Tower movement. The name Watch Tower became abhorrent to public officials and authorities. This caused great difficulties for those who wanted to serve Jehovah in Congo.

During the decades leading up to the country’s independence, Jehovah’s Witnesses in other lands repeatedly sent letters to the authorities in Congo, explaining that the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society had nothing to do with the Watch Tower movement. For many years, however, officials continued to associate the activities of this indigenous religious movement with the work of Jehovah’s people. Repeated efforts to send Jehovah’s Witnesses into Congo were largely unsuccessful.

Because the Witnesses were not allowed to enter the country, little is known about genuine Witnesses within the country itself. However, a fascinating glimpse into what was happening during the difficult early years is found in reports about Congo from nearby branch offices. Let us now examine some excerpts from this Congo diary of 30 years, to which we have added some supplementary comments.

Congo Diary​—Excerpts From Country Reports 1930-60

1930: Inquiries for literature have been received by post from . . . Belgian Congo.

1932: We hope that later it will be possible to work the Belgian Congo and other parts of Central Africa which have not yet had the witness.

From May 1932 the branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in South Africa repeatedly submitted requests to the Belgian authorities for permission to allow full-time ministers  into Congo. These requests were denied. Because of the migration of people between Congo and Northern Rhodesia, however, some Rhodesian brothers were able to enter Congo, usually for brief periods.

1945: It takes a courageous man to stand for God and his Theocratic kingdom in [Belgian Congo]. Not only are the work and literature completely banned, but Congo Africans professing association with us are liable to be transported to a certain district where they are kept in a loose sort of confinement sometimes for several years. Letters sent us from the Congo seldom reach here [Northern Rhodesia], and mail sent back is, it seems, not delivered; but . . . everything possible is being done to help our fellow Kingdom workers in this priest-ridden country.

1948: There are two publishers of the Kingdom living in that territory now, and they have been sending in some reports to the office in Brussels. This vast territory we hope will open up some day so that the gospel of the Kingdom can be preached there.

1949: For years the witness work has gone on in this Catholic-dominated territory under the greatest difficulties. In times past the priests sometimes even used to make a man eat a block of salt without water as a punishment for being one of Jehovah’s witnesses, but now their methods are more in conformity with the Spanish Inquisition; they want the government to do their wicked oppressive work for them. For years African publishers have been in prison serving indeterminate sentences because of their witnessing work, and to make things worse they are sent to a special concentration  camp at Kasaji, about [300] miles [500 km] from Elisabethville [now Lubumbashi]. Here they labor on small plots, and suffer isolation with or without their families. . . . The time may extend to even ten years. Often years and years of this seclusion are endured without the slightest hope of liberty or justice, except at the terrible price of selling their integrity.

The result has been that the work has been driven underground; meetings are held in secret, and the centers have to be changed for fear of arrest. Much of the witnessing was done by calling upon known friendly persons and their friends, but even then trouble has fallen upon one and then another. The witness is arrested and rushed to the Kasaji camp.

About this time, Llewelyn Phillips, from the branch office in Northern Rhodesia, traveled to Belgian Congo to intervene in behalf of the persecuted Witnesses there. The governor-general and other government officials listened as he explained the nature of the Kingdom-preaching work and the difference between Witness beliefs and those of the Kitawala. At one point the governor-general wistfully asked: “If I help you, what will happen to me?” He well knew that the Roman Catholic Church exercised great influence in the land.

1950: The past year has been the most difficult of any, and, for the brethren who have lived in the Congo Belge, that means a good deal. Early in the service year not all books and letters to the territory were received and means of communication almost closed down. Next, on the 12th of January, the governor-general interdicted the Society and imposed a sentence of two  months’ imprisonment and a fine of 2,000 francs upon all who assembled with, supported in any way, or were members of the Society. This decision was hailed with delight by the Catholic press. Arrest after arrest followed. Lists taken a year before from a former [congregation] servant at Elisabethville were used as a means of tracing hundreds associated with the Society and they, with their wives, were arrested. After serving their sentences Northern Rhodesian Africans were deported, but the indigenous friends of Congo were, in many cases, sent to Kasaji, a concentration camp [about 300] miles [500 km] from Elisabethville, where a proportion still are. Some of the deported brethren were given a minimum of food and compelled to walk the final 18 miles [30 km] from Sakania to the Northern Rhodesia border.

Secret police have recently been multiplied, and the presence of a Bible is sufficient to have a man suspected of being one of Jehovah’s witnesses.

News has just been received that two European sisters from the Elisabethville district have been sentenced to 45 days’ imprisonment, suspended for three years on condition of good conduct (which means, of course, no work for the Lord), for being in possession of The Watchtower and witnessing. They face daily the prospect of deportation.

1951: Numerous articles have been published in the Belgian newspapers and magazines accusing Jehovah’s witnesses and the Watch Tower Society of being connected with a fanatical native movement in the Belgian Congo called the “Kitawala.” In Belgium the law requires that when someone answers an article published by a newspaper or magazine, the newspaper or  magazine must publish the answer. We have taken advantage of this right to defend the Kingdom work against these slanderous articles, and our answers have been published.

Since January [12], 1949, the work of the Watch Tower Society has been banned in the Belgian Congo and the true witnesses of Jehovah have had to suffer because of these false reports. Written protests have been made to the minister of colonies and ample proof submitted that Jehovah’s witnesses and the Watch Tower Society are not connected with the subversive “Kitawala,” but these protests have gone unanswered.

 The weapons of misrepresentation, persecution, fines, beatings, imprisonment and deportation have been wielded in the Belgian Congo to try to cut off entirely the ‘preaching of the Word’ in that land.

1952: Central Africa has an “iron curtain” also! So far as Jehovah’s witnesses are concerned, it hangs around the borders of the Belgian Congo. The ban on the witness work in this predominantly Roman Catholic country continues without letup.

Isolated reports filtering through from the country tell of deportation, imprisonments, beatings and other privations being suffered by the African publishers. In many parts it seems there has been an increase in the venom unleashed against the witnesses. Natives of the country are banished to work camps if caught witnessing or even possessing Watchtower literature. Even possessing the Bible is taken as a mark that the holder is one of Jehovah’s witnesses.

The homes of [the] brothers are continually watched and often searched. In the words of one brother reporting this: “[The Belgian Congo police] don’t sleep because of us, but move up and down looking for nothing but Jehovah’s witnesses. Now it is more serious than before.”

An isolated report from 30 publishers for August reached this office with 1 Thessalonians 5:25, NW, written as a footnote: “Brothers, continue in prayer for us.”

As we mentioned earlier, African Witnesses from Northern Rhodesia went to Congo. When caught, however, they were imprisoned and later deported. Though  most served brief prison sentences, some brothers were sent to work camps for several years. One brother spent almost five years in various prisons in Congo. His captors frequently beat him. They also told him that he would not be released until he stopped witnessing.

It was in 1952 that the faithful brother stated: ‘We are like the kernels in a bag of African corn. Wherever we are dropped, one by one, the rain eventually comes, and we become many.’ The branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Northern Rhodesia wrote concerning this: “The ‘bag of African corn’ is certainly being spread in the Congo in spite of, or rather because of, the persecution of the brothers. At one time the branch office at Lusaka received reports of several hundred people associating with the witnesses in the Kolwezi area. However, news now tells of numbers of those being transported to other parts of the Congo.” This scattering of the brothers resulted in the expansion of the disciple-making activity.

While the brothers were pushing ahead in the southeastern part of the country, the truth was being introduced in Léopoldville (now Kinshasa). The brothers in Brazzaville had made rapid spiritual progress and zealously shared the truth with others. Some began taking the ferry across the Congo River to preach in Léopoldville. In 1952, Victor Kubakani and his wife were the first Witnesses baptized in Kinshasa. Soon a congregation was formed.

1953: We have reports which show that about 250 brothers are having some share in the preaching work in various parts of the country, but there are probably many more. The witnessing is confined to [return visits] and home Bible studies and this with very little or  no literature, as the brothers never know when their homes are to be searched. One brother was reported by one of his so-called “friends” as being in possession of two booklets, and he was sentenced to two months in the Central prison at Elisabethville.

1954: The total ban against the Society and the activity of Jehovah’s witnesses continues in the Belgian Congo . . . In prison faithful witnesses have carried on their preaching activity to the other prisoners, who with odd scraps of paper and bits of pencil make notes to take away with them and check further in their prison-provided copies of the Bible. No doubt it is because of such activity that in some prisons Jehovah’s witnesses have been segregated from the other prisoners.

The activities of both Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Kitawala were banned. Officials seized Bible literature sent into the country. Literature that got past the officials was sometimes intercepted and used by the Kitawala to advance their interests. Both Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Kitawala were arrested, beaten, and taken to concentration camps. However, Jesus declared: “By their fruits you will recognize them.” (Matt. 7:16) The colonial authorities observed the fine conduct of the brothers and began to discern the difference between them and the Kitawala.

1955: The ban continues on the work in this land with little prospect that it will be lifted in the near future, but this has not dampened the zeal of those who love and serve Jehovah. The many imprisonments and deportations of brothers during the past year have not caused them to slack the hand.

 Under the existing conditions house-to-house work is not possible, so [return visits] and home Bible studies are conducted. As one congregation writes, the publishers would like to share in the public declaration of the good news also, although “we do not know if Jehovah will permit us to preach the good news from house to house in this land before the battle of Armageddon.”

1957: There is no doubt that during the past year the work has come in for more attention than ever before, particularly from the standpoint of government officials and the press. Back in November, Brother [Milton G.] Henschel made a direct approach to the government of the Belgian Congo in Leopoldville and at that time presented a petition for the removal of the ban against the Society and Jehovah’s witnesses. This initial approach was followed by a further visit to Leopoldville and then by representations in New York and Brussels. Later a specialist on African affairs from Belgium visited the Northern Rhodesian branch office, and an opportunity was afforded to give a detailed explanation of our work and our message.

Meanwhile, the ban continues, and the brothers in the Belgian Congo have to work under much difficulty. Two hundred and sixteen attended the Memorial celebration, though meeting in small groups.

1958: During the past year, despite the continued ban against the preaching of the good news and imprisonments of the brothers, the Kingdom message has sounded forth with increasing effect.

 1959: For the first time verbal permission was obtained from the local government authorities for the brothers to hold congregation meetings, this despite the fact that the legal ban against the work has not been lifted. Up till this time no congregation meetings had been possible, and meetings of just small groups for Bible study in homes had been held. Now the brothers got busy and arranged as their first organized congregation meetings the Memorial celebration, and at the five Leopoldville [congregations] a total of 1,019 were present. Onlookers marveled, not only because the meetings were held at all, but to witness the joyful spirit of Christian fellowship manifest by the brothers. It caused several there and then to see that here was a people different from the other religions because ‘they manifest love among themselves.’

Though it was not yet possible to send missionaries into Congo, a decree of tolerance signed on June 10, 1958, permitted Jehovah’s Witnesses there “to assemble in enclosed meeting places.” The brothers were delighted that they could meet freely. Sometimes security agents attended these meetings and praised the brothers for their good conduct and orderliness.

There were other positive developments. Until 1956 all schools were sponsored by religious organizations. Then, a new liberal colonial minister established government schools and encouraged a more tolerant attitude toward minority groups. The confusing of the Kitawala with Jehovah’s Witnesses slowly began to diminish as officials discerned the difference between the two. A refreshing little rain shower had fallen on the scattered seedlings. Everywhere, people were taking sides with Jehovah.

 At that time, a chief arrested several Witnesses and brought them before the regional administrator to be judged. The administrator asked what they had done wrong. The chief did not know. The administrator chided the chief and released the brothers, ordering that they be given transportation back to their homes.

1960: The work in the Belgian Congo has moved forward wonderfully in the past year. Despite the difficulties in that country and the fact that technically the work continues under a ban, it has been possible for the brothers to hold regular meetings in Kingdom Halls.

An outstanding event occurred at the time of the Memorial in the city of Leopoldville, the capital. The six [congregations] in that city arranged to meet together for a public talk on Sunday and had the thrill of seeing an attendance of 1,417. As one of the [overseers] wrote at the time: “We were very happy, because it was the first time that we had tried such a thing; Jehovah’s angels camped all around us.”

This 30-year diary has provided an overview of the activity in Congo, as reported by neighboring branches. Let us now see how things developed further.

National Independence Approaches

By the end of the 1950’s, the Kingdom-preaching work in Congo, supervised by the Northern Rhodesia branch, was officially tolerated though not legally recognized. Meanwhile, new problems and uncertainties were appearing. Nationalism had grown strong and so had resistance to the colonial power. During January 1959, rioters pillaged and burned shops in Léopoldville. They also looted  churches, casting the idols into the streets. This led to a conference between Belgian officials and representatives of the local political parties. They set a date for national independence: June 30, 1960. Of course, none of Jehovah’s Witnesses had taken part in the riots.

Throughout the country, local political parties began to emerge. Their members were often more united by tribal ties than by political conviction. They put extreme pressure on the brothers to buy political party cards. Pierre Mafwa, who had been baptized a year earlier, stated: “It was a Saturday in June 1960. I was returning home from work at noon. As I passed the old airport in Léopoldville, a man with a sword approached me. ‘Where is your political card?’ he demanded. I didn’t answer. Suddenly he struck me in the face with his sword, cutting my nose. He continued to strike me with his sword. I tried to run but fell to the ground. I prayed to Jehovah, asking him to remember me in the resurrection so that I could again see my wife and six children. After this short prayer, I heard rifle shots. Soldiers had felled the would-be killer by shooting him in the knees. A policeman took me to the hospital, where I received treatment. Bible verses encouraged me greatly.”

First Missionaries Arrive and Open a Branch Office

As we have seen, repeated efforts to send representatives of Jehovah’s Witnesses into Congo had been unsuccessful. However, things were changing politically, opening the way for the arrival of Ernest Heuse, Jr.

Brother Heuse was a tall, well-built Belgian with black, wavy hair. Though he was fearless, he knew that life in  Congo would not be easy for him; his wife, Hélène; or his 11-year-old daughter, Danielle. Ernest’s background provided fitting experience for what lay ahead. He had entered Bethel service in Brussels in 1947. A year later he married and transferred to pioneer service with his wife. After that, Ernest was assigned to contact lawyers and officials with a specially prepared brochure that discussed the differences between the Kitawala and Jehovah’s Witnesses. In time, he served as a circuit overseer.

Ernest made several attempts to obtain papers to enter Congo, even addressing a personal request to the king of Belgium. Permission was denied. Instead, Ernest’s name was added to the list of those considered “undesirable” for entry into Congo.

Ernest persisted. He traveled to Africa and tried to enter Congo from neighboring countries. All attempts failed. Finally, he obtained a visa to travel to Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo. He then took a ferry across the river to Léopoldville. His arrival triggered an animated discussion among the officials on duty. Some said that he should not be granted a visa, since his name was on their  list of undesirables. Finally, one of the officials, Cyrille Adoula, who later became prime minister, said that he was familiar with the attempts that Ernest had made to enter Congo. He reasoned that if the former colonialists did not like Heuse, he must be a friend of Congo. Ernest was granted a temporary visa and later a residency visa. Thus, in May 1961, Jehovah’s Witnesses had a representative in Congo to supervise the disciple-making work.

Ernest sent for Hélène and Danielle, and by September, Danielle was attending school in Léopoldville. The first branch office was established in the capital on June 8, 1962. The office and living quarters were in a third-floor apartment on Avenue van Eetvelde (now Avenue du Marché). Since space was limited, literature was kept separately in a  depot. While this situation was not ideal, it was the best solution because there was an acute housing shortage.

Brother Heuse went straight to work. He borrowed a projector and a film from the Brazzaville branch office. He then showed the film entitled The Happiness of the New World Society to the congregations in Léopoldville and to some government officials. It was a revelation both to the brothers and to interested people to see that there existed an international brotherhood of Witnesses all living in peace and happiness. They were astounded to see a black brother immersing Europeans. The mayor of Léopoldville enjoyed the film so much that he said: “This work [of Jehovah’s Witnesses] should be encouraged as much as possible.” Some 1,294 attended the first four showings.

It was a great joy for the brothers finally to have someone to help them, after having waited for many years. Previously, the European brothers had been only names to them. Some had wondered whether they really existed, since the Belgian authorities had asserted that there were no Jehovah’s Witnesses in Belgium. The brothers were thrilled to have Brother Heuse in their midst.

Applying the Truth​—A Challenge

There was a tremendous amount of work to do to help the brothers apply the truth in their lives. For example, tribal rivalries persisted, and some congregation overseers were not on speaking terms with other overseers. If someone was disfellowshipped in a congregation dominated by a certain tribe, he could be accepted by the elders of another congregation composed mainly of brothers of his own tribe. Decisions made in one congregation were not binding  in another. Tribal customs dominated everyday life, and tribal thinking spilled over into the congregations.

Other problems resulted from tribal customs. Among some tribes, the relationship between husband and wife was based on tribal loyalties. In general, there was no close relationship between husband and wife. Marriage was often viewed as an arrangement of the tribe. If the members of the tribe did not approve of a marriage, they could force the husband to get rid of his wife and take another​—one of their choice.

When a husband died, the consequences could be disastrous. Often the husband’s family would take everything in the house, leaving the wife and children destitute. In some tribes, the husband would be held responsible if the wife died, and the wife’s family would impose a fine upon him.

There were other problems. To this day, many people in Congo believe that no one dies of natural causes. Consequently, at the time of burial, ceremonies are performed that supposedly identify the one responsible for the death. Hair is shaved off, and many other customs are practiced. In some tribes, when the husband dies, the wife is supposedly purified by a male member of their tribe by his having sexual relations with her. At funerals, remarks are often addressed to the dead person, reflecting the belief that the soul or spirit survives the death of the body. In view of all these deeply entrenched customs, it is easy to imagine the problems that confronted those who wanted to practice pure worship. Others who claimed to be true Christians had not fully abandoned these customs and even tried to introduce them into the Christian congregation.

 Courageous, honest overseers were needed to set things straight. Those who loved Jehovah were willing to learn from them and to make necessary changes. It was not easy to overturn the strongly entrenched ideas of those who erroneously believed that they already knew the truth. However, the biggest problem was that people confused Jehovah’s Witnesses with the Kitawala.

When news spread throughout the country that a branch office had been opened, many groups of brothers wrote asking to be recognized as congregations. Kitawala groups did the same. One report states: “Some people came as far as 1,400 miles [2,300 km] with long lists of names of those wishing to be recognized as Jehovah’s Witnesses. These lists were sometimes written on paper 27 inches [70 cm] wide by 36 inches [90 cm] long and sometimes included the names of all of those inhabiting two or three villages.”

Before recognizing individuals or groups as Jehovah’s Witnesses, it was necessary to determine who were the true Christians and who were the Kitawala. Brother Heuse sent out mature brothers to investigate. This process went on for years. Let us consider some experiences of these faithful ones.

Confronting the Kitawala

In 1960, Pontien Mukanga, a slightly built, mild-tempered brother, was appointed as the first circuit overseer in Congo. After receiving training in Congo (Brazzaville), he visited the congregations in Léopoldville and a few isolated groups nearby. However, a far more difficult assignment lay ahead: confronting the Kitawala.

One of the first trips Brother Mukanga made was to Kisangani (then called Stanleyville), more than a thousand  miles [1,600 km] from the capital. Why there? A European whom Brother Heuse met in field service showed him a photograph that had been taken in Stanleyville just after independence. The photograph showed a large sign in front of the railway station, with a picture of an open Bible and the following inscription: “Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society​—International Bible Students Association—​Kitawala Religion Congolese​—Long Live Patrice E. Lumumba—​Long Life to Antoine Gizenga​—Long Life to M.N.C. Government.” Obviously, the Kitawala in Kisangani was misusing the names of the legal corporations of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Were there genuine Jehovah’s Witnesses in Kisangani? Brother Mukanga was sent to find out. The only information the branch had was concerning a man named Samuel Tshikaka, who had heard of the truth in Bumba and returned to Kisangani in 1957. Samuel was not associated with any of the Kitawala groups and was eager to assist Brother Mukanga, who later wrote: “I went with Samuel to investigate the people using the name Watch Tower. We went to visit their pastor, who told us about his group. We learned that although some of them used Bibles, all of them believed in the immortality of the soul. They were teaching love by exchanging wives.

“Shortly after my arrival, police attempted to arrest the Kitawala in the city. The Kitawala fought back. The police called in soldiers as reinforcements. Many of the Kitawala were killed. The next day a boat with dead and wounded in it came across the river. The pastor’s secretary was with them and recognized me as having visited their leader two days before. He falsely accused me of betraying them to the authorities and said that I was responsible for the deaths of  those killed in the fighting. He told his Kitawala friends to make sure I didn’t get away, but I managed to escape before they could kill me.”

When the newspapers in Belgium reported this incident, they entitled the article “Fight Between Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Police.” However, Congolese authorities​—who knew the difference between the Kitawala and Jehovah’s Witnesses—​gave an accurate report. Not one newspaper in Congo accused the Witnesses of being involved in this incident!

What became of Samuel Tshikaka? He is still in the truth and serves as an elder in the Kisangani Tshopo-Est Congregation. Presently, there are 1,536 publishers organized into 22 congregations in Kisangani. Samuel’s son, Lotomo, serves as a circuit overseer, just as Pontien Mukanga did some 40 years ago.

A Circuit Overseer Who Set Things Straight

François Danda was another circuit overseer who worked to establish the difference between the Witnesses and the Kitawala. He explains: “It was a difficult time, and there was much confusion. The Kitawala always posted a sign with the words ‘Watch Tower’ in English at their meeting places. In all our publications, no matter what language, you could find ‘Watch Tower’ on the publishers’ page. Now,  imagine that someone had read our publications and was searching for God’s people. He might find a meeting place with a sign ‘Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses’ in the local language and another with a sign ‘Watch Tower’ in English. Where would he be inclined to go? You can see how confusing it was.

“Many brothers did not have accurate knowledge, and there were few publications available. Congregations often mixed the truth with the Kitawala teachings, especially concerning the sanctity of marriage. In one city that I visited, it was thought that 1 Peter 2:17, which says to ‘have love for the whole association of brothers,’ meant that sisters were available to any brother in the congregation. If a sister became pregnant by a brother other than her husband, the husband accepted the child as his own. As in the first century, ‘the untaught and unsteady’ were twisting the Scriptures.​—2 Pet. 3:16.

“I gave very direct Scriptural talks on Jehovah’s standards, including those on marriage. I said that there were some things that we had to straighten out patiently, little by little, but wife-swapping was not one of them. Happily, the brothers understood and accepted the correct Scriptural viewpoint. Even some of the Kitawala in that city embraced the truth.”

The efforts of Brothers Mukanga and Danda and many like them made it clear to people that Jehovah’s Witnesses were different from the Kitawala. Today, no one associates “Kitawala” with the term “Watch Tower.” The Kitawala are still present, though they are not as prominent or as powerful as in the past. In many areas, they are completely unknown.

 Better Organization Brings Increase

By the end of the 1962 service year, more than 2,000 publishers were zealously serving Jehovah throughout Congo. However, few brothers met the Scriptural requirements for oversight. Illiteracy was one problem, especially among older ones. Another problem was that many were slow in conforming to God’s righteous standards because traditional customs were formidable obstacles. Furthermore, anyone who had been associated with the Kitawala had to wait years before receiving any service privileges.

Gradually, though, sound Scriptural teaching and the operation of Jehovah’s spirit helped men become qualified for positions of oversight in the congregations. Throughout the country, courageous circuit overseers and pioneers did much to strengthen and train the brothers. About that time, circuit overseers and special pioneers trained in Zambia even entered Katanga and southern Kasai, regions that had been embroiled in civil war.

After Independence​—The Years of Religious Tolerance

Recall that in 1958 the government issued a decree of tolerance giving the brothers a measure of religious freedom. During the early 1960’s, the brothers continued to make requests for official legal recognition. They were not soliciting for government subsidies or other financial assistance, but they did want to be legally recognized. Such recognition would enable them to preach the good news without harassment. This need was urgent because in many places the local authorities organized attacks on the brothers. Meeting places were burned, and brothers were beaten, arrested, and imprisoned. When the brothers protested to  the Ministry of Justice, the standard reply was: ‘We are sorry, but since you are not legally recognized, there is nothing that we can do for you.’

Adding to this problem was the chaotic state of affairs in the interior. The authority of the central government was not recognized in certain parts of the country. In some areas, just a letter from the branch office was sufficient for local authorities to release the brothers from prison. However, in places of entrenched opposition, little could be done to protect the brothers from persecution and imprisonment.

In Kinshasa the brothers faced little opposition. Previously, large gatherings in the city had been only for weddings and funerals. In 1964, however, the branch office planned to hold two circuit assemblies in the capital. This would be a new experience for most of the brothers. At special meetings, they received training in both the presentation of talks and the organizing of the assembly departments.

In their enthusiasm, the brothers spoke openly about the assembly, and it became known to the governor of what was then the province of Léopoldville. Because this man disliked Jehovah’s Witnesses, he prepared on stencil a letter that was to be distributed to the local authorities. The letter directed that any Witness caught preaching or meeting for worship be arrested. However, when the letter was sent for duplication, the job happened to be assigned to a brother. The brother had very little duplicating paper left in stock, and he knew that the stores in Léopoldville were empty. When his supervisor asked for copies of the letter, the brother showed him the empty shelves​—no paper!

 Meanwhile, the brothers prayed earnestly to Jehovah about the matter. What happened? The government unexpectedly decided to form some new provinces, and the one governed by the opposer was dissolved! Over the years, there were many who tried to harass or destroy God’s people. Yet, such ones were frustrated in their attempts.​—Isa. 54:17.

Arrival of More Missionaries

During the 1960’s, the organization took advantage of the opportunity to send missionaries to Congo. A small missionary home was established in Kinshasa. In March 1964, missionaries Julian and Madeleine Kissel arrived from Canada. Forty years later they are still serving faithfully as members of the Bethel family in Kinshasa.

Some missionaries who came in the late 1960’s are now residing in other countries. In 1965, Stanley and Bertha Boggus were assigned to Congo after having served in Haiti. Brother Boggus, a traveling overseer, returned to the United States in 1971 because of health problems. Toward the end of 1965, Michael and Barbara Pottage joined the missionaries in Congo. They are currently at Britain Bethel. William and Ann Smith were assigned to Congo in 1966; they worked mostly in Katanga. Because of a ban, they were reassigned to Kenya in 1986. Manfred Tonak from Germany, who graduated in the 44th class of Gilead, served as a traveling overseer in Congo. When the  ban came, he was assigned to Kenya. Now he is Branch Committee coordinator in Ethiopia. In 1969, Dayrell and Susanne Sharp came to Congo after graduating in the 47th class of Gilead. After being expelled from Congo, they were assigned to Zambia and have been in Lusaka Bethel ever since. Other missionaries were reassigned to countries in West Africa. Among them were Reinhardt and Heidi Sperlich, who died in a plane crash. This tragedy was a source of great sadness to all who knew them.

In 1966 the first missionary home outside Kinshasa was opened in Lubumbashi, in the southeast of the country. Later, others were established in Kolwezi, northwest of Lubumbashi, and in Kananga (then Luluabourg), Kasai.  The presence of the missionaries was a strong stabilizing influence that helped the brothers to live the truth. In Kasai, for example, tribal rivalries still existed among the brothers. Since the missionaries were not from the tribes, they were in a good position to mediate problems and to act with impartiality in judicial cases.

From 1968 to 1986, over 60 missionaries served in different parts of the country. Some had attended the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead in the United States, and others, the Gilead Extension School in Germany. In addition, French-speaking pioneers came directly to Congo as missionaries. Many learned the local languages, and all worked hard to comfort people with the Kingdom good news.

Kingdom Halls in the 1960’s

In the bigger cities, the meeting places were generally open-air structures. The heat and extreme humidity favored this kind of arrangement, and most meetings were held in the evening or the early morning, when it was cool. This was fine when it did not rain. However, during the rainy season, meetings often had to be postponed until another day.

The first Kingdom Hall was dedicated in 1962. It was located in Kimbanseke, Kinshasa, and belonged to one of the six congregations that existed then. Since then, congregations in Congo have shown great initiative in the construction of Kingdom Halls. There were, however, occasional legal problems. Sometimes a brother would allow the congregation to use his land to build a hall, but no legal papers were filed. When the brother died, members of his family would come and seize the hall and everything in it. Little could be done to prevent this. Later, during times of ban,  many halls were taken over by local authorities and used for their own purposes. These problems restricted the extensive building of Kingdom Halls.

Nevertheless, Kingdom Halls were constructed throughout the country. Though most were simple structures, all reflected the faith of those who built them. Consider a missionary’s description of meeting places during the late 1960’s.

“To reach a Kingdom Hall in Léopoldville, we must walk down a passageway between houses made of rough concrete. A crowd of children follows us. We enter a courtyard that is encircled by a concrete wall. The open-sided Kingdom Hall is behind a house that is occupied by brothers. The brothers are practicing Kingdom songs. What a thrill it is to hear them! They sing with all their hearts. We are happy that trees overshadow the hall, giving protection from the sun. There is seating for about 200 people. The platform is made of concrete and has a corrugated sheet-iron roof. If the speaker happens to be tall, he may have to stoop a little. There is an information board for letters from the branch office and for congregation assignments. There is a table for literature. The brothers have placed plants at the side of the platform. Kerosene lamps are used for lighting so that the brothers can hold their meetings in the evenings. When we leave, the children are still outside to escort us back to the main road.

“We now journey deep into the interior of Congo. As we enter a village of grass huts, the Kingdom Hall catches our attention. This is a structure supported by nine poles, with a thick roof made of leaves. There are small trenches dug in the ground from one side of the hall to the other. Surprisingly, when we sit on the ground and place our  feet in the trenches, we are not uncomfortable. Above the brother who conducts the meeting hangs a handwritten sign that says ‘Kingdom Hall’ in the local dialect. There are about 30 people attending. Perhaps only half are publishers. They know a few Kingdom songs. What they lack in musical technique, they make up for in enthusiasm, and we sing with all our hearts.

“Now we travel to the northern part of the country. We stop the Land Rover and look toward the village. We see a cluster of grass huts, beyond which is a structure that stands out from the rest. This structure is made of thick bamboo poles firmly joined together. Windows and a door have been cut into the bamboo wall. The roof is made of grass. In front of the building is a neat lawn with a narrow path, and on the lawn is a small sign that reads: ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses.’ Walking up the path, we reach the Kingdom Hall and are joyfully welcomed by our brothers. As we enter, we observe that the benches consist of bamboo poles placed across upright bamboo stakes. It is good that the Kingdom Hall has a watertight roof! Otherwise, problems  would result: If water reaches the bamboo stakes, they take root and grow rapidly. Instead of being 12 inches [30 cm] from the ground, your bench would be much higher. An information board displays meeting schedules and letters from the branch office. The brothers get literature from a table made of split bamboo lashed together with reeds.

“We travel south to Katanga, where the sun is just setting. Here the weather is much cooler, and we need to wear warmer clothes. We reach a village, and as we approach the Kingdom Hall, we hear the brothers singing. The brothers in villages generally do not possess watches, so they estimate from the sun when it is time for the meetings. The first ones to arrive at the hall usually start singing until the majority are present and the meeting can begin. We squeeze onto a seat made of a tree trunk sawed in half and placed on two supports. The literature is kept in an old cupboard, but it cannot be stored there for long because of invasions by cockroaches and termites that ruin the paper. When the meeting is over, the brothers invite us to look at their hall. The walls are made of small branches tied with reeds and then covered with clay. The watertight roof is made of woven grass.”

Jehovah Protects His Servants

During the 1960’s, civil strife and violence were commonplace. Many people lost their lives, including some of Jehovah’s people. It took faith and courage for the brothers to meet together, since meetings were sometimes mistaken for political gatherings. In Équateur Province, armed soldiers approached a Kingdom Hall where the brothers were holding a meeting. The soldiers discerned quickly that the brothers were there to worship God, not to promote politics.  Consequently, the soldiers left, saying that they were neither against religion nor against God.

On another occasion, in Kisangani, Bernard Mayunga and some other publishers were rounded up by rebels who were looking for local administration chiefs, whom they planned to execute. When asked to which tribe he belonged, Bernard replied: “I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Surprised by this answer, the rebel leader asked for an explanation. Bernard witnessed from the Scriptures, after which the rebel leader declared: “If all people were like you, there would be no wars.” Bernard was released, along with other Witnesses who were being held.

Legal Recognition at Last!

Up to 1965, the Congo Bethel still consisted of an apartment in the center of Kinshasa. The place was small and cramped. The number of Kingdom proclaimers was approaching 4,000, and larger facilities were needed. After a diligent search, the brothers acquired a house that was only six years old, located at 764 Avenue des Elephants, Limete, Kinshasa. The building was two stories high and had four bedrooms. The brothers got to work and converted the large lounge and dining room on the first floor into an office. They used the garage for shipping and mimeographing. An extension to the building was added in 1972.

 In November 1965, Joseph-Désiré Mobutu took political power by a coup d’état. Once again the branch office submitted a request for legal recognition, and on June 9, 1966, President Mobutu signed an ordinance granting it. Now Jehovah’s people would enjoy the same rights and privileges as all other legally recognized religions in Congo. What the brothers had worked and prayed for since 1932 was finally realized. They were free to preach publicly, to hold large assemblies, and to own property. However, this freedom would last for only six years.

Conventions Give a Great Witness

How happy the brothers were to organize circuit assemblies under the protection of a legal ordinance! The first series consisted of 11 assemblies with a total attendance of 11,214 persons and 465 baptized.

The assemblies drew a strong reaction from the local churches. The clergy had fiercely fought to prevent Jehovah’s Witnesses from receiving legal recognition in this fruitful territory, which the clergy considered their domain. At Gandajika in Kasai Province, the religious leaders protested to the mayor. Because the mayor did not yield to their intimidation, they sent youths to the assembly site  to disrupt the gathering. It so happened, however, that a Bible-based film was being shown at the assembly, and a large crowd had come to see it. Soon the troublemakers also settled down to watch it. What they saw impressed them. As each reel was changed, the crowd, numbering several thousand, shouted: “Long live Jehovah’s Witnesses!”

Jehovah’s Witnesses now had the authorization to hold large conventions, but much preparation was necessary before they could do so. They needed to organize Bible dramas, and the dramas required costumes. The brothers had to install and operate sound equipment. All of this they accomplished because they were eager both to volunteer and to learn.

Traveling to Serve Circuit Assemblies

In 1964 there were enough circuits in Congo to form two districts. In 1969 a third one was formed, in Kasai, and by 1970 there were four. Because of the poor roads, it was often difficult for district overseers and others to travel to assemblies and conventions. To illustrate, let us accompany a district overseer, William Smith, on a journey to a circuit assembly.

 “Rain had deluged the countryside, so the rivers were swollen. Our destination was Kamina, where a circuit assembly was scheduled to be held. To reach there we had to travel more than 200 miles [320 km]. The heavy rains transformed some roads into a sea of mud, and in other places, water made the roads disappear. One valley had become a lake. Cars, trucks, and government vehicles were parked everywhere as people waited for the waters to subside. Many expected to be delayed for two weeks.

“I knew that the brothers were eagerly anticipating the assembly program. Some would have walked for days to attend. I asked if there was any way to bypass the valley. To my surprise, people told me that Jehovah’s Witnesses had built a small byroad, but because the ground was so soft, the Witnesses would not let anyone use it until the district overseer had passed on his way to Kamina.

“Brothers from two villages had worked all day, all night, and on into the next day to cut a new stretch of road, which bypassed the impassable section of road. I soon found the brothers and prepared to drive the jeep on the road that they had built. Quite a crowd of people had gathered to see if the jeep could get through. How disappointed we were to see the jeep sink into the soft earth just a few yards past the entrance to the new road!

“Though the brothers pushed, the vehicle did not budge. They had worked so hard, and disappointment showed on their faces. Nevertheless, they had not lost their determination to get the district overseer to the assembly. The onlookers, thinking that the new road was more of a hazard than a help, went back to their vehicles. The brothers decided to try again. This time they unloaded everything from the jeep, which was heavy with literature, sound  equipment, a generator, and other things. The brothers dug and pushed, and the spinning wheels started to inch the jeep forward.

“One hour later, shouts of joy and the singing of Kingdom songs celebrated our successful passage through the mud. The brothers had accomplished what those sitting in their vehicles thought to be impossible. The assembly was a fine success, thanks to the hard work of the brothers. Jehovah was with his people and helped them to do his will.”

New Political Regime Institutes Changes

It was not easy to reach people scattered over thousands of square miles of equatorial rain forest and savanna. While missionaries preached in the larger towns, the local brothers and sisters serving as special pioneers opened up rural territory. Many people in the villages were illiterate, however, making it difficult to build strong congregations. Furthermore, changes in national politics were to have an impact on the lives of the brothers.

The year 1970 marked the beginning of a one-party political system. The party was known as the Popular Movement of the Revolution (Mouvement Populaire de  la Révolution in French), or MPR. Its policy was to return to traditional values, and this included the renaming of towns and cities. Stanleyville had already become Kisangani, and Elisabethville became Lubumbashi. In 1971 the government changed the name of the country and its principal river from Congo to Zaire. The currency was changed from francs to zaires. The government required that people change their names also: What were considered Christian names had to be replaced by authentic African names. Neckties were prohibited, since they were associated with Europeans. In all these matters, the brothers obeyed respectfully.​—Matt. 22:21.

According to the political ideology, everyone born in Congo was automatically an active member of the MPR. To keep a job, attend school, or sell at the market, people were obliged to possess a political card. Furthermore, it was expected that people wear a political party pin, especially when entering a government office. It was a difficult time for Jehovah’s people. Brothers lost their jobs, and children were expelled from school.

Some government officials, however, understood the position of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The minister of the interior asked a brother who worked for him why he did not wear the party pin. The brother explained his Scriptural reasons. The minister replied: “We know you, and we are not going to give you problems; but the youth movement will give you a hard time.”

It was reported that President Mobutu himself, after receiving many complaints against Jehovah’s Witnesses, replied to his party members at one meeting: ‘If there will ever be any problems for me, they will not come from Jehovah’s Witnesses. Remember who it was that betrayed Jesus.  It was Judas, one of His disciples. If anyone is going to betray me, it will be someone who is eating with me.’

Bethel Expands to Meet the Needs

Nathan H. Knorr, from headquarters in Brooklyn, visited Congo in January 1971. One matter discussed during his visit was the expansion of the Bethel Home and office facilities. By 1970 there were almost 14,000 publishers in 194 congregations and over 200 isolated groups. Because of the ever-growing need for literature in Congo, the stockroom at Bethel had become too small. What a joy it was when Brother Knorr announced that an addition would be made to the existing building! An architect drew up plans for a new, modern, two-story building, twice the size of the existing one. It incorporated a large office, a large stockroom, and additional bedrooms.

In June 1971 the plans were approved, and work started. Don Ward was sent in from Dahomey (now Benin) to direct the construction. Many volunteers from the 39 congregations in Kinshasa came in to help, and together they completed the building project. All this expansion in the field and at Bethel was causing further irritation to the religions of Christendom, as we shall see.

The 1970’s​—A Time for Courage and Caution

In December 1971 the government passed a law to regulate the many new religions and prayer groups that were being formed throughout the country. According to this new law, only three religions were legal: the Roman Catholic Church, the Protestant churches, and the Kimbanguist church, a local religion. In 1972 three other religions were also recognized: Islam, Greek Orthodoxy, and Judaism.  Many smaller religions grouped themselves under the Protestant classification.

Thus, from 1971 until 1980, a period of nonrecognition, or soft ban, existed, which in some ways restricted the activities of God’s people. Although Jehovah’s Witnesses were not officially recognized, no order had been given to expel the missionaries, and Bethel was not disturbed. A missionary home in Kananga was closed, but the homes in Bukavu, Kisangani, Kolwezi, and Lubumbashi were not. No longer could the brothers organize large district conventions. In many places, however, the brothers met in their Kingdom Halls. They held small circuit assemblies in larger halls. Much depended on the attitude of the local authorities. In places where there was strong opposition, the brothers could expect persecution and arrest. Hundreds of brothers were imprisoned. Where the local authorities were favorable, the brothers could carry on their religious activities freely.

Despite the restrictions, the Witnesses continued to preach with boldness. A group of three brothers and one sister went to a market to witness to others. Two men approached and arrested one of the brothers as he placed a book with an interested person. They took him to the political party headquarters and left him in a room to await the arrival of the party chief. The party chief entered to find the brother offering to another man in the waiting room the book Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation?

“Are you spreading your propaganda here?” the chief demanded.

The brother replied: “Well, if someone asked you, ‘Did man get here by evolution or by creation?’ how would you reply?”

 The chief gave no answer. Turning to the men who had arrested the brother, he said: “Let him go. He is doing nothing unauthorized.”

The brother returned to the market and continued witnessing. Later, the chief happened to pass by and see him. Pointing to the brother, the chief said to his companions: “That is a courageous man, is it not?”

In 1974 the branch overseer Ernest Heuse was obliged to return to Belgium at the recommendation of his doctors. Ernest had suffered from emphysema for some time, and frequent bouts with malaria worsened his health. The brothers loved the Heuse family; they had made a significant contribution to the work. In Belgium, they continued zealously serving Jehovah. Ernest passed away in 1986; his wife, Hélène,  died eight years later. Back in Kinshasa, branch oversight was entrusted to Timothy A. Holmes, who had served as a missionary since 1966.

1980 Brings Legal Recognition Again

On April 30, 1980, the president of the republic signed an ordinance granting legal recognition to the Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Interest in the truth was greater than ever, with 90,226 attending the Memorial and some 35,000 Bible studies being conducted in the homes of interested persons. New peaks were recorded in the number of publishers and pioneers. Better facilities were necessary to serve the needs of the field more efficiently. Thus, the brothers rejoiced when the Governing Body approved the purchase of a plot of land two and a half times larger than what Congo already had. As we will see, however, difficulties arose.

For years the brothers had not been able to organize large district conventions. Now they were free to do so. In  1980 five “Divine Love” District Conventions were held throughout the country. Some delegates had to travel great distances. Many families walked more than 250 miles [400 km] to attend. Two special pioneers in a very isolated region spent two weeks on their bicycles to travel more than 450 miles [700 km] through deep sand and rain forest. Some delegates also came from Congo (Brazzaville), Burundi, and Rwanda.

In the years that followed, it was necessary to organize district conventions at even more locations. It is true that the brothers had religious freedom, but economic pressures were increasing. Many were having a hard time just surviving. Prices were soaring, but salaries were not. The cost of transportation was too high for most of the brothers to travel any great distance. Therefore, the branch office lovingly organized more conventions nearer to where most of the brothers lived.

A road in Congo can be like an obstacle course: Fallen trees, damaged bridges, deep sand, and mud holes are common. Branch representatives and their wives have always shown a spirit of self-sacrifice when serving at assemblies and conventions. Yet, their sacrifice is small when compared with that of the faithful local brothers and sisters who often have to walk for days and sleep in the open. It is still common for brothers to walk between 30 and 100 miles [50-150 km] to attend district conventions.

New Missionary Homes Are Opened

Legal recognition in 1980 opened the way for new missionaries to come into the country. In 1981 a new home was opened in Goma (Kivu Province). During the next two years, more homes were opened in Likasi (Katanga),  Mbuji-Mayi (Kasai), Kikwit (Bandundu), and in the port city of Matadi (Lower Congo). Homes that had been closed were reopened. Finally, in 1986 a home was opened in Isiro (Orientale Province), making a total of 11 missionary homes in the country. These homes also served as literature depots. The missionaries were a link between the branch office and the field. The local brothers and sisters appreciated the encouragement and training received from them. The 1981 service year finished with a new peak of 25,753 publishers. The possibilities for increase were great.

No Fear of Kimbilikiti

Kimbilikiti is the name of a tribal spirit. This spirit is worshiped by the people of the Rega tribe, who live in the deeply forested east-central part of the country. The lives of these people​—mostly hunters, farmers, and fishermen—​are dominated by religious beliefs associated with Kimbilikiti. This cult is enshrouded in secrecy, and its priests wield great influence over those who live in dread of the spirit.

Jehovah’s Witnesses in this area do not fear Kimbilikiti because they know that Jehovah is the only true God. They are the only ones who do not comply with what the priests of Kimbilikiti demand, such as the offering of goats and chickens for the priests themselves to eat.

 Beginning in 1978, members of the cult began openly persecuting Jehovah’s Witnesses. They burned down several Kingdom Halls, chased some brothers from their own homes, and confiscated their belongings. The cult also used sorcery and spells in a futile effort to harm the brothers. Then in August 1983, members of the cult carried out a morbid plan​—they brutally murdered eight brothers near the village of Pangi.

This horrifying incident was a shock to the congregation, especially to those who had lost a dear husband or father. The branch office and local brothers rallied to  provide both spiritual and material aid to the families affected.

Meanwhile, the murderers felt safe in this isolated, forested area. Eventually, though, the guilty ones were apprehended. The trial was held in the district court at Kindu. The defendants asserted that the spirit Kimbilikiti had incited them to murder. However, the prosecuting attorney pointed out where the real blame lay. He stated: “Certain [members of the Rega tribe] who in the past participated in the rites of Kimbilikiti and know the secrets are now associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses. They have revealed the secrets, particularly those that concern the nonexistence of the spirit called Kimbilikiti. Consequently, they have exposed the falsity of the offerings demanded by the said spirit who, according to Jehovah’s Witnesses, is a vast deception organized by the old men that direct the ceremonies.”

Hence, the defendants were found guilty, not the spirit Kimbilikiti. When the case was appealed, a higher court at Bukavu upheld the death sentence for the murderers. Public prosecutors warned of the consequences of any future attacks against Jehovah’s Witnesses by the worshipers of Kimbilikiti. *

Since then, there have been other incidents, but members of the cult now realize that they can neither conceal such things in the forest nor count on a nonexistent Kimbilikiti to protect them. Meanwhile, Jehovah’s Witnesses faithfully continue to help others break free from this cult. Jehovah has lovingly blessed these efforts. Now there are more than 300 zealous publishers serving in the congregations in this area. They love Jehovah; they do not fear Kimbilikiti.

 The Work Is Banned

By 1985 the Kingdom work was flourishing in Congo. Construction of a new Bethel had begun on the land that had been purchased in 1980. About 60 foreign volunteers were on hand to help. The service year ended with almost 35,000 publishers in the field and a new peak in pioneers. Sixty missionaries were zealously preaching throughout the country. Traveling overseers were training congregation elders and pioneers. Everything seemed set for tremendous increase.

However, not all looked with favor upon the spiritual and material prosperity of God’s people. Working through the politicians, the clergy were interfering with the activities of the brothers. On March 12, 1986, President Mobutu signed a decree to ban the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The next day, the ban was announced over national radio. One announcer said: “Now we shall never again hear of Jehovah’s  Witnesses in [Congo].” How wrong he would prove to be!

The branch office called in four of the missionaries who had been serving as district overseers and assigned local brothers to carry on the district work. Because the missionaries could no longer preach openly, it was as if they were under house arrest. The local brothers used great caution when preaching. (Matt. 10:16) Sadly, many interested people became afraid and stopped studying. Some Kingdom Halls were closed or even destroyed. Others were seized by the political party. Brothers had to meet in small groups. Brothers were arrested at night in their own homes, and their belongings were stolen.

In Équateur Province, many brothers were beaten and thrown into prison. One special pioneer was severely beaten and kept in prison for three months. All of this was the result of the radio announcement. Up to this point, no formal law had been passed to implement the ban. Shortly after the announcement of the ban, the brothers made an appeal but received no answer. Then in June 1986, the president of the country made a public speech in which he condemned the Witnesses as unpatriotic and disrespectful of authority.

How quickly things had changed! A once-respected people were suddenly respected no more. Construction of the new branch halted, and silence fell on the site that had been noisy with joyful activity. The foreign volunteers all had to  leave the country, and the construction equipment was sold. About 20 local brothers stayed to guard the property.

Then, like a bolt from the blue, a letter dated June 26, 1986, came from the chief of security, saying that all missionaries must leave the country. This ban was to be very different from the ban in 1972, under which the missionaries could stay. How sad it was to see the Shipping Department filled with personal effects as the missionaries packed to leave! During July, 23 missionaries departed to other countries. Those who were out of the country on vacation never returned. Now began a further period of refining in Congo.

Reorganization for Underground Activity

If the opposers thought that they would discourage or destroy Jehovah’s people, they were wrong. They did not know the power of Jehovah’s holy spirit and the determination  of God’s people. A small core of experienced missionaries managed to remain in the country. Branch personnel carried on their oversight of the Kingdom-preaching work in several private homes. The brothers conducted the Pioneer Service School in homes throughout the country.

There was no lack of spiritual food. The brothers continued to print and distribute Bible-based publications. The branch office sent district convention and circuit assembly outlines to the congregations, where the outlined material was presented as talks. During visits to the congregations, circuit overseers played recorded convention dramas in the local languages. This was done each year from 1986 until the ban was lifted. Although all of this entailed much work, the brothers benefited greatly.

Meanwhile, elders contacted governmental authorities to explain our position of political neutrality and to try to make it clear that neutrality is not synonymous with subversion. In this way, Jehovah’s name and purpose became known to all, including the highest authorities in the country. Jehovah’s servants stood out as a unique people​—strictly neutral yet peaceable and nonsubversive.

A Decrease and Then an Increase in Kingdom Proclaimers

The 1987 service report showed a drop of 6 percent in the number of publishers. Some were fearful and did not want to identify themselves with a banned organization. Vicious persecution broke out in several regions.

Sometimes, though, opposition backfired. For example, one local chief held a special meeting in order to speak against Jehovah’s Witnesses. The chief held up a copy of My Book of Bible Stories and told the people that they  should arrest anyone distributing the book. The people responded that they wanted to examine the book so that they would recognize it. He agreed, and they liked what they saw. Some then requested copies of the book from a special pioneer who lived in another village. The special pioneer recalls: “I started ten Bible studies with people. I had never preached in the chief’s village. If he had not spoken against us, then maybe these ones would not have had occasion to learn the truth!”

The brothers adapted to the new circumstances. Although limited in many ways, they were “not cramped beyond movement.” (2 Cor. 4:8) The 1988 service year ended with a 7-percent increase in publishers. Some 60,000 Bible studies were being conducted. Brothers from the Service Department at Bethel visited major cities to provide encouragement and to meet with local elders and traveling overseers. Meanwhile, the branch office continued to have oversight of neighboring Congo (Brazzaville), where the work was also under ban, and of Burundi.

A brother working as headmaster at a school in Kolwezi refused to take a political oath. For this, he was badly beaten and then transferred to Lubumbashi, where his opposers thought he would be killed. The brother calmly explained the reason for his neutral position. He was acquitted and was returned to Kolwezi. Those who had beaten him were required to apologize! He was readmitted to the teaching profession and appointed as an inspector!

During October 1988, local chiefs seized the Bethel construction site in Kinshasa and confiscated tons of Bible literature. Soldiers regularly stole books and Bibles by the carton, which were then sold at the local markets. People  bought them, providing the brothers with ready-made opportunities to start Bible studies. *

By 1989 the number of Kingdom publishers reached 40,707, despite the ban. The religious enemies of Jehovah’s Witnesses were enraged. The then minister of justice, a well-known friend of the Catholic Church, sent to all public prosecutors in Congo a letter expressing dismay at the continuing activity of Jehovah’s people. He encouraged the prosecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the closing of Kingdom Halls. Later, in a speech made to religious leaders, he described Jehovah’s people as “veritable demons.” This provoked some persecution in the minister’s home province of Bandundu.

Children Sent to Prison

During that period, some children of Jehovah’s Witnesses were arrested at school for refusing to participate in certain political ceremonies. The father of two boys was also arrested and thrown into prison with his young sons. The prison guards were instructed not to give them any food. Puzzled, one guard asked: “In this prison we have murderers and thieves, and we give them food. Why should this man and his two sons be deprived of food?” Upon receiving no reasonable answer, this guard himself gave food to them. The boys spent 11 days in prison, and their father, a special pioneer, 7 days. This test in no way discouraged them.

 In Kikwit, a man who was not one of Jehovah’s Witnesses was arrested after his Witness wife and two daughters had been put into prison. When the officials found out that the man did not share the beliefs of his wife, they ordered him to leave the prison. He refused to go, saying that he would not leave his wife and children behind. When he was finally released with his family, he studied the Bible and was baptized. He now serves as a congregation elder.

Turmoil Within the Country

In September 1991 a military revolt took place in Kinshasa, followed by widespread looting. This resulted in severe food and fuel shortages as well as mass unemployment and spiraling inflation. The branch offices of Jehovah’s Witnesses in South Africa and France sent in relief supplies.

As the Congo branch struggled to cope with its own problems, it also cared for refugees from neighboring Angola and Sudan. In northeastern Congo, Zekaria Belemo, then a traveling overseer, visited a group of refugee brothers from Sudan. He addressed the audience in his limited English, which was translated into Arabic. Zekaria wondered whether the brothers understood much of the talk. About five years later, two young men visiting Bethel approached him and asked: “Do you remember us? We were among those listening to your talk in the refugee camp. We took to heart all the encouragement you gave and started studying the Bible.” Later, these two young men dedicated their lives to Jehovah.

Ethnic disputes were another major ongoing problem for the country. Many from Kasai had moved south to Katanga. In 1992 and 1993, the Katangese chased them out  of the province. Most of those from Kasai had to leave behind jobs, belongings, and homes. They fled for their lives to camps or other places where they could group together for security. More than 100,000 returned to their home in Kasai. Among them were some 4,000 of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Though the brothers who lived nearby had little means and food was scarce, they did all they could to help. One congregation on the main route north from Katanga sent brothers to meet each arriving truck to find out if there were any Witnesses aboard. Once identified, the brothers received needed care.

The South Africa branch sent several truckloads of food and medicine for distribution to displaced brothers waiting at camps. This provision saved lives. The Governing Body also gave direction to the brothers in Kinshasa to buy food, medicine, hoes, and shovels so that families could resettle in Kasai and cultivate their fields.

 Other Signs of Change

A presidential speech and news conference on April 24, 1990, signaled a marked change in the official attitude toward Jehovah’s Witnesses. In his news conference with both national and foreign journalists, the president gave assurance that the government upheld all basic freedoms, including freedom of the press and freedom of religion. This opened the way for the brothers to preach and to meet more openly. Those who had been held in prison were released.

Do you remember the radio broadcaster who confidently announced in 1986 that Jehovah’s Witnesses would never again be heard of in Congo? His prediction proved untrue. When the ban began in 1986, there were 34,207 publishers in Congo. By the end of the 1990 service year, there were 50,677 publishers in Congo, with 156,590 individuals attending the Memorial. The kernels in our bag of African corn had become many despite opposition, slander, persecution, and the wrath of religious and political leaders. In 1997, when the regime of President Mobutu was overthrown, it was the broadcaster, not Jehovah’s Witnesses, who had to flee the country.

Freedom Again

The presidential decree of 1986 banned all activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses and dissolved their legal corporation in the country. However, on January 8, 1993, the Supreme Court of Justice of Zaire (Congo) handed down a decision in the case of Jehovah’s Witnesses v. the Republic of Zaire. The court ruled that the presidential decree was unjustified and thus annulled it. What joy this brought to the brothers!

 That Supreme Court decision caused quite a stir because the court had applied a new transitional constitution, which was unacceptable to the president and his supporters. Others viewed the decision as establishing jurisprudence. The Witnesses were caught in the middle of the dispute, but what a tremendous witness this proved to be to the glory of Jehovah’s name! Dozens of newspaper articles commented on this historic case. Then the Justice Department informed the governors of the various provinces that Jehovah’s Witnesses were again legally authorized to carry on their religious activities. What a victory for Jehovah’s people and for true worship!

The Complications of Shipping Within Congo

Congo is a vast country. However, apart from a small coastline in Bas-Congo, the country is landlocked. Most  large shipments arrive at the port of Matadi. There is a single-line railway and one paved road between Matadi and the capital, a distance of about 200 miles [300 km].

Branches in Europe sent to the Congo branch some four-wheel-drive trucks, which have been put to excellent use for shipping and construction purposes. Since 1999, a Bethel depot has operated in Matadi. This has been a great help because literature can be unloaded directly from the ships and stored at the depot until a truck from the branch comes to take it to Kinshasa.

In the 1980’s, it was still possible to make trips right across the country from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi, stopping at the missionary-home depots at Kananga and Mbuji-Mayi. Though a jet could fly between Kinshasa and Lubumbashi in about two hours, a loaded truck needed two weeks to make the journey! As the years went by, however, the roads worsened to the point of being impassable. While there are thousands of miles of navigable rivers, the boats that go up-country from Kinshasa are not reliable. Besides these difficulties, political unrest persists in some  areas, which further limits the radius around Kinshasa that vehicles from Bethel can reach. The best way to ship literature from the branch to distant points is by airfreight.

Other branches have cooperated to supply literature to the brothers. The branch in Cameroon trucks publications through the Central African Republic and into the north of Congo. The Rwanda and Kenya branches help to service eastern parts of the country. Congregations in some areas of the south receive their literature from South Africa and Zambia.

Ministerial Training School​—A Blessing for the Field

In 1995 the first class of the Ministerial Training School was organized in Kinshasa. By April 2003, more than 400 brothers had received training in 16 classes. Five of the students have become district overseers, and over 60 are serving in the circuit work. Fifty others have been appointed as special pioneers. These brothers prove to be a real asset in contributing to the enthusiasm for the preaching work.

For some it was not easy to attend the school. When Georges Mutombo received a letter of invitation to attend, he lived in an area of the country controlled by forces opposed to the government. He had to travel 250 miles [400 km] by bicycle to Kamina before being able to catch a plane for Kinshasa, where the school was to be held. His journey involved enduring three days of rain and passing through 16 military checkpoints. He also rode through territory where crime was rampant. At one point, he was chased by a group of bandits, also on bicycles. The chase ended when a tire blew on the lead bicycle of the pursuing group. Evidently,  the bandits recognized Georges as a Witness by his appearance. They shouted that they would not chase him anymore, as they could see that his God, Jehovah, was with him.

Facilities to Accommodate Theocratic Increase

Since 1965 the branch office had been located at 764 Avenue des Elephants, Limete, Kinshasa. In 1991 a plot of land was purchased in the industrial part of the city. The three large buildings on this land had previously been occupied by a fabric company and later used as repair shops.  The brothers renovated the buildings so that branch activities could be centralized. Though political insecurity and instability delayed the project, work on the new branch facilities began in 1993 with the arrival of international servants. In April 1996, branch personnel moved from Avenue des Elephants to the new facilities. After moving, one Bethel elder remarked: “Seeing all the family gathered together again takes us back ten years to when our work was put under ban. We deeply thank Jehovah God and his visible organization for these jewellike buildings.” In October 1996 the number of publishers reached a new peak of 100,000. The brothers were thrilled at prospects for further increase.

Missionaries Come to Assist

During the 1990’s, it was again possible to bring missionaries into the country to join the seven missionaries who had managed to remain there throughout the years of ban. In July 1995, Sébastien Johnson and his wife, Gisela, were reassigned from Senegal to Congo. Other missionaries were to follow. Some came from the United States after graduating from Gilead, while others arrived from Belgium, Britain, and France. In March 1998, Christian and Juliette Belotti arrived from French Guiana. In January 1999, Peter Wilhjelm and his wife, Anna-Lise, were reassigned from Senegal. Later, additional missionaries came to Congo from Cameroon, Mali, and Senegal.

 In December 1999 a new missionary home was opened in a residential area of Kinshasa. Twelve missionaries live in this home. In Lubumbashi, a missionary home has been in operation without interruption since 1965. A second home was opened there in 2003. Presently, four married couples are serving in that home. A new missionary home was set up in May 2002 in Goma, in the east of the country, with four missionaries assigned there. The missionaries continue to be a blessing in this vast and productive field.

Christian Neutrality During War

Most of these missionaries arrived during a period of violent change within the country. In October 1996 war broke out in the eastern part of the country and rapidly spread to other areas. The purpose of this war was to overthrow President Mobutu. On May 17, 1997, the forces of Laurent-Désiré Kabila entered Kinshasa, and he became president.

While TV audiences around the world were watching horrifying pictures of impoverished refugees plagued by hunger and disease, Jehovah’s people continued declaring the Bible’s message of hope and comfort. Sadly, countless thousands perished during the war, including about 50 Witnesses. In the wake of the war, many died from cholera and other diseases.

Because of the war, most people do not have identity cards. This poses a problem for brothers who travel on preaching campaigns. Along the roads, there are many military checkpoints. The publishers of one congregation did not have identity cards, so an elder suggested that the brothers present their Advance Medical Directive/Release cards instead, and they did so. At one checkpoint, the soldiers said  to them: “That is not what we want. We want the national identity card of each citizen!”

The brothers answered: “This is the card that identifies us as Jehovah’s Witnesses.” The soldiers allowed them to pass.

In Kisangani, foreign mercenaries who were fighting for government forces imprisoned four young brothers. The brothers had been falsely accused of giving information to the enemy. Each morning, the mercenaries selected ten prisoners, drove them into the bush, and killed them. One morning, they selected two of the brothers along with eight other prisoners. Off they drove. On the way the truck stopped because there was a corpse on the road. The mercenaries ordered the two brothers to bury it. After completing the job, the brothers awaited the return of the truck, which had continued on without them. Though they had opportunity to flee, they did not do so because they did not want to endanger the lives of their two companions, who remained in prison. The truck returned without the eight  prisoners, who had been shot. Back at the prison, everyone was amazed to see the two brothers return alive. Shortly after that, the door of the prison was blown open when opposition forces took over the town. The mercenaries fled, and the brothers were freed.

European Branches Assist During Difficult Times

Much of Congo has seen warfare since 1996, and vast numbers of people have been displaced. Several thousand brothers from Congo fled to refugee camps in Tanzania and Zambia. As more of Congo fell under the control of rebel forces, it became harder for the branch office to keep in contact with and to care for the brothers in occupied territories. Relief committees were set up in major cities to distribute material aid. The Bethel family displayed a willing and self-sacrificing spirit by working late into the night to  help with the distribution of relief supplies. Jehovah’s Witnesses in Belgium, France, and Switzerland airlifted to Congo tons of food, clothing, and medicine along with 18,500 pairs of shoes and 1,000 blankets. Relief work continues. Much suffering is being alleviated. Jehovah’s Witnesses and others are benefiting.

 In October 1998 an article was published in a Kinshasa newspaper. It stated: “Christian congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses in different European countries combined efforts to collect more than 400 tons of relief goods destined for Congo-Kinshasa and Congo-Brazzaville. Through the cooperation of volunteers from England, France, and Switzerland, 37 tons of rice, powdered milk, beans, and vitamin biscuits have already been sent to Kinshasa, departing Ostend, Belgium, by airfreight and arriving at the national headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Kinshasa. Another plane . . . will arrive . . . with 38 tons of food.

 “It is noteworthy that Jehovah’s Witnesses have come to the rescue of refugees in East Africa ever since the genocide in Rwanda. . . . The spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses declared that these voluntary donations, consisting of food and medicine amounting to more than 200 tons, helped combat the cholera epidemic. At that time Jehovah’s Witnesses from France and Belgium set up several teams to assist refugees in camps. He also mentioned the contributions that Jehovah’s Witnesses have made for the destitute in Eastern Europe and Bosnia.”

War Does Not Impede Spiritual Progress

In September 1998, rebels attacked the Kinshasa suburb of Ndjili. Amid the turmoil, a group of brothers sought  refuge in a house where a circuit overseer was staying. The circuit overseer said a prayer in behalf of the group and then read to them Isaiah 28:16. That verse says: “No one exercising faith will get panicky.” He encouraged all to remain calm and to rely on Jehovah for guidance.

 Some suggested crossing the bridge to get out of Ndjili, while others suggested passing along the railroad. Finally, the brothers decided that they should remain where they were. Three days later government troops regained control of the area. The brothers learned that if they had taken any of the routes that they had considered, they would have been caught in the fighting.

A brother from the Museka Kipuzi Congregation in Katanga was selling fish to some soldiers. Following a conversation, a soldier accused him of being a spy for the opposing party. He was tied, severely beaten, and then taken to the military headquarters of that region. It was night when he arrived. The soldiers demanded that the brother dance for them. The brother replied: “How could you enjoy my dancing when it is dark?”

“You can sing instead,” they said. With all his heart, the brother sang “Throw Your Burden on Jehovah.” Touched by the words, the soldiers asked him to repeat the song. He sang the song a second time. One of the soldiers asked him to sing another song. This time he sang “We Thank You, Jehovah,” in Kiluba, his native tongue. When he finished, his captors untied him. The next morning the soldiers took him back to town and made some inquiries in the brother’s neighborhood to make sure that he was not a spy. Before leaving, the soldiers told him: “You were about to die, but now you will not die. Your religion saved your life! We were  very impressed by the words of the two songs you sang. Do not give up in serving your God!”

Kingdom Hall Construction Brings Praise to Jehovah

In recent years the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has made a special effort to assist in the construction of Kingdom Halls in lands with limited resources. The brothers in Congo welcomed this development, since there was a dire need for Kingdom Halls. In Kinshasa, for example, there were 298 congregations but not even 20 appropriate halls. Hundreds of halls were needed throughout the country. In April 1999 the Kingdom Hall construction program got under way in Kinshasa. Later, it expanded to the other provinces of Congo. By early 2003 some 175 Kingdom Halls had been completed in both Congos.

A man who had been in contact with the truth since the 1950’s was very impressed when he observed the construction of a Kingdom Hall opposite his compound. He remarked: “I never took the Witnesses seriously. Now I can see the fruits of their efforts. They built a Kingdom Hall next to my brother’s house, and now one is opposite my compound. It looks like the Witnesses are following me everywhere!” This man accepted invitations to the Memorial of Christ’s death and to the dedication of this new Kingdom Hall. He now attends meetings regularly.

Three congregations in Matete held their meetings in a dilapidated building, which they purchased in 1994. The brothers did not have any money to fix up the building, so it stayed in that condition for six years. Across the street from this property was a big church. When the church was built, the preacher said that Jehovah’s Witnesses would soon be gone. The neighbors mocked the brothers because they did  not have a fine meeting place. Even when the congregation started making blocks in preparation for the construction of a new Kingdom Hall, some neighbors continued to mock. How amazed they were to see the results! Now they say that Jehovah’s Witnesses have the nicest building in the area. One neighbor who had never wanted to speak with the Witnesses was impressed by what the brothers accomplished. She came to the site and promised to listen to the Witnesses the next time they called.

At one construction site, a woman approached a sister who was cooking food for the workers. The woman asked: “Are you building a church?”

“We are building our Kingdom Hall,” replied the sister.

The woman said: “This building will be just like you people. You are always neat and clean. Your church will resemble you!”

 Adjustment in Branch Administration

To care for the needs of the field, it became necessary to reorganize the local Branch Committee. In May 1996 the Governing Body made adjustments. On May 20, 1996, Sébastien Johnson was appointed Branch Committee coordinator. He and Peter Ludwig, who had been added to the committee two months earlier, formed a reduced Branch Committee that took care of the oversight of the work. In the years that followed, others were appointed: David Nawej, Christian Belotti, Benjamin Bandiwila, Peter Wilhjelm, Robert Elongo, Delphin Kavusa, and Uno Nilsson. For health reasons Peter Ludwig and his wife, Petra, had to return to Germany, where they are now serving at the branch office.

The brothers on the Branch Committee are working hard to impart theocratic direction throughout the field. In addition, servants of Jehovah have been assigned to Congo from North America, Europe, and Japan to serve as international  servants, Bethelites in foreign service, and missionaries. During the 2003 service year, the Kinshasa Bethel family grew to over 250 members. The average age was 34 years.

Much Work Remains

A prophet of ancient times wrote: “Blessed is the able-bodied man who puts his trust in Jehovah, and whose confidence Jehovah has become.” (Jer. 17:7) Despite ongoing warfare in several areas of Congo, the brothers continue to make known the Kingdom good news to others. Though the civil war hampers the efforts of the branch office to provide spiritual assistance throughout the whole of the country, it was encouraging to see the publisher figure reach a new all-time peak of 122,857.

In this account, we have related experiences about faithful servants in Congo. It is not possible to mention the names of all the many brothers and sisters who have contributed to the defending and legally establishing of the good news in Congo. Yet, all can be assured of Jehovah’s appreciation. The apostle Paul wrote to fellow Christians: “God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his name, in that you have ministered to the holy ones and continue ministering.”​—Heb. 6:10.

There is still tremendous work to do. There are new territories to be opened. Kingdom Halls need to be constructed. Branch facilities need to be expanded. Nevertheless, looking at more than 50 years of theocratic activity in Congo, we agree with what the brother said in 1952: ‘We are like the kernels in a bag of African corn. Wherever we are dropped, one by one, the rain eventually comes, and we become many.’ We wait with excitement to see to what extent our heavenly Father, Jehovah God, will cause the Kingdom seed to grow.​—1 Cor. 3:6.

[Footnotes]

[Blurb on page 229]

“Now we shall never again hear of Jehovah’s Witnesses in [Congo]”

[Blurb on page 249]

“You were about to die, but now you will not die. Your religion saved your life!”

 [Box on page 168]

An Overview of Congo (Kinshasa)

The land: Straddling the equator, Democratic Republic of Congo is more than six times larger than neighboring Congo (Brazzaville). Most of northern Congo is covered in tropical rain forest, so dense that sunlight seldom reaches its floor. In the eastern part of the country, there are mountains and active volcanoes. Western Congo claims a 23-mile [37 km] stretch of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean.

The people: Congo’s 55 million people represent more than 200 African ethnic groups. Of the population, 50 percent professes to be Catholic; 20 percent, Protestant; 10 percent, Kimbanguist; and 10 percent, Muslim.

The language: Many languages are spoken. Though the official language is French, the primary African languages are Lingala, Kingwana, Swahili, Kongo, and Tshiluba.

The livelihood: Congo possesses vast natural resources​—petroleum, diamonds, gold, silver, uranium—​but recent fighting in the country has sharply curtailed exports and has increased external debt. Families in rural areas grow most of their own food, including cassava, corn, and rice.

The wildlife: Wild animals are plentiful. In forested areas baboons, gorillas, and monkeys abound. In more open terrain, there dwell antelope, leopards, lions, rhinoceroses, and zebras. The rivers are home to crocodiles and hippopotamuses.

 [Box/Picture on page 173, 174]

He Searched for the Truth and Found It

Henry Kanama was a member of the Evangelical Church in Luena but came to realize that this religion did not have the truth. To pray and meditate, he often went into the mountains. There he met a group that claimed to converse with invisible spirits. Members of this group told Henry that they thought that God was far away, though they did not know where.

Henry began to search for the true God. In time, he met a man who gave him a copy of the Awake! magazine in French. It did not take Henry long to recognize the ring of Bible truth. This was what he had been looking for! He wrote to Jehovah’s Witnesses at the address he found inside the magazine, and soon he was enjoying a Bible study by correspondence. Eventually, Henry along with his wife, Elisabeth, and some acquaintances wrote to ask how they could be baptized. The next letter they received directed them to branch offices in neighboring countries. Most were distant.

The little group, consisting of Henry and Elisabeth along with Hyppolite Banza and his wife, Julienne, decided to go to Northern Rhodesia. All realized that this meant that they would need to learn the Cibemba language to deepen their knowledge of the truth. They counted the cost and made the move. After six months there, they were baptized in 1956.

That same year they returned to Congo, where they zealously shared the good news with others. In 1961, Henry and some of his companions were arrested and sent to prison. They were charged with being Kitawala followers who had killed a local chief who had plotted the murder of another chief. There was, of course, no proof of this, and they were later released.

Henry and Elisabeth then took up pioneer service. They eventually became special pioneers and later served in the circuit work. Though Henry died in 1991, Elisabeth is still regular pioneering. One of their sons, Ilunga, serves in the circuit work.

 [Box/Pictures on page 178]

Albert Luyinu​—A Faithful Witness

Albert had his first contact with the truth in 1951 through a workmate, Simon Mampouya, from Congo (Brazzaville). Albert was the first Congolese to become a dentist, and his elevated social position did not make it easy for him to take a stand for the truth. He and his wife were baptized after the Memorial observance in 1954. The baptism took place at night because the work was banned at the time.

Albert served from 1958 to 1996 as the legal representative of the Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the local registered corporation of the Witnesses. He remembers interpreting a marriage talk given by Brother Heuse before an audience of 1,800. First the talk outlined the responsibilities of the Christian wife. Albert remembers that he felt tall and proud as he looked at his wife and the other sisters present. However, he recalls that when he heard what the responsibilities of a Christian husband were, he felt small and humble. By the end of the talk, he felt knee-high!

[Picture]

Albert and Emilie Luyinu

 [Box/Picture on page 191-193]

An Interview With Pontien Mukanga

Born: 1929

Baptized: 1955

Profile: Served as the first circuit overseer in Congo.

In 1955, I went to the hospital because of a toothache. The dentist, Albert Luyinu, treated me and then showed me Revelation 21:3, 4, which speaks of the time when there will be no more pain. I left my address, and Albert visited me that evening. I made rapid spiritual progress and was baptized that same year.

I was appointed circuit overseer for the entire Congo in 1960. The circuit work was not easy. I traveled for days, even weeks, in the back of heavily loaded trucks over terrible roads and under the blazing sun. Mosquitoes tormented me at night. Often, a truck broke down, and I had to wait until it was repaired. I walked alone on unmarked paths and sometimes lost my way.

Once, I visited a town in the north of Congo. I was with Leon Anzapa. We traveled together by bicycle toward another town more than 75 miles [120 km] away. We lost our way and had to sleep one night in a  closed-in chicken coop. Bugs from the chickens were biting us, so the owner of the place started a little fire in the middle of the floor, although there weren’t any windows.

That night a fight broke out between the owner’s son and the other villagers. Soon the owner was fighting too. We knew that if he lost, we would be in trouble. We did not sleep at all that night because of the bugs, the smoke, and the fighting.

Before dawn, we sneaked away on our bicycles, but after a few miles, we lost our way again. We kept on all day long, following an abandoned road. Toward the end of the day, famished and exhausted, Leon tumbled from his bicycle. He smashed his face against a rock, gashing his upper lip. He was bleeding badly, but we kept on until we reached a village. Upon seeing Leon, the villagers wanted to know who had wounded him. We explained that he had fallen from his bicycle. They refused to accept the explanation and accused me of wounding him. We did not sleep that night either; Leon was suffering with pain, and the villagers spoke of wounding me as punishment. The next morning we continued on until we finally arrived at a village where there was some medicine. They poured Mercurochrome on Leon’s lip and closed the gash with six clamps. We then traveled another 50 miles [80 km] to Gemena, where I finally left Leon for treatment at a little hospital. I continued alone to rejoin my wife, after which we worked our way downriver to Kinshasa.

Pontien’s wife Marie often went along on these trips. She died in 1963. In 1966, he remarried and continued in the circuit work until 1969. He is still in full-time service, as a regular pioneer.

 [Box/Picture on page 195, 196]

An Interview With François Danda

Born: 1935

Baptized: 1959

Profile: A traveling overseer from 1963 until 1986. Served at Congo Bethel from 1986 to 1996. Now an elder and a special pioneer.

In 1974, I was visiting a congregation in Kenge, Bandundu Province, when militants of the ruling party arrested seven of us. The main charge brought against us was that we refused to share in political ceremonies honoring the head of state. They put us into a cell that had no windows and measured seven feet by seven feet [2 m by 2 m]. None of us could sit or lie down; we could only lean against one another. Allowed out only twice each day, we were in that cell for 45 days. When my wife, Henriette, heard what had happened, she traveled the 180 miles [290 km] from Kinshasa to see me. However, they allowed her to see me only once a week.

One day the state prosecutor came to visit the prison. A political ceremony was held in his honor. Everybody except us sang political songs and repeated party slogans. The prosecutor was furious and commanded me to order the six other brothers to sing. I replied that I had no authority over them  and that whether to sing or not was their decision. For this I was beaten.

Later, we were loaded into the back of a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Two soldiers went along to guard us, and the same prosecutor rode in the cab with the driver. We were heading for the city of Bandundu, the capital of the province of the same name. The vehicle was moving very fast. I told the brothers to hold on tight, and then I began to pray. Just as I was finishing my prayer, the vehicle took a curve too fast and rolled over. It was amazing that no one was killed or even injured. We felt that Jehovah had protected us. When we got the vehicle back on its wheels, the prosecutor ordered the two soldiers to take us back to the prison on foot. The vehicle continued on to Bandundu.

When we got back to the prison, the soldiers told the authorities there what had happened and pleaded with them to let us go free. The prison director was extremely impressed, believing as we did that God had protected us. We spent the next few days in a regular cell and were allowed to mingle in the courtyard with the other prisoners. Then we were released.

After having served 24 years in the circuit work, François and Henriette were invited to Bethel. Ten years later they transferred to the special pioneer work. Henriette passed away on August 16, 1998.

 [Box/Picture on page 200-202]

An Interview With Michael Pottage

Born: 1939

Baptized: 1956

Profile: Michael and his wife, Barbara, served in Congo for 29 years. Now at Britain Bethel, Michael is an elder in a Lingala-speaking congregation in London.

Our primary challenge was learning to communicate. We first had to become fluent in French, the official language of Congo. That was only the beginning. In Katanga, we learned Swahili; in Kananga, we had to master Tshiluba; and when we were assigned to Kinshasa, we learned Lingala.

All of this proved very beneficial. First, our brothers more readily warmed up to us as we struggled to communicate with them. They saw our efforts to speak their languages as proof of our genuine love and our interest in them. A second benefit was that the ministry became more meaningful. The first reaction of a householder upon hearing us speak his language was often astonishment followed by delight and then respect, along with a desire to hear what we had to say.

When we traveled in the district work, our knowledge of local languages saved us from potentially dangerous situations. Military and political  party roadblocks were common in times of crisis and served as a convenient place to extort money. Especially were foreigners seen as easy and lucrative targets. When we were stopped at a roadblock, we would greet the soldiers in the local language. This made them draw back in surprise. They would then ask who we were. When we could go beyond a mere learned greeting and explain in their language exactly what we were doing, they usually responded favorably, requested our publications, and wished us a safe journey with God’s blessing.

We were often deeply touched by the genuine self-sacrificing love displayed by our African brothers. For many years Congo was a one-party political state that actively and sometimes violently opposed neutrals, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses. In this climate, we traveled by jeep in the district work, serving the brothers at assemblies.

I well remember one assembly. During the evening session of the final day, the local head of the political party came behind the platform. He was drunk and abusive, insisting that we allow him on the stage to tell everyone that they must buy a party card. When we refused, he became enraged and screamed abuse at us, saying that Jehovah’s Witnesses were against the government and should be imprisoned. Some brothers managed to persuade him to leave. He left, shouting that he was going to report us to the administrator and return to burn our jeep and set fire to the grass house where we were staying. We knew that this was no idle threat.

The brothers were wonderful. Instead of running away in fear, they gathered around us, encouraging us to trust in Jehovah and leave matters in his hands. They then took turns guarding our grass house and jeep all night. It was a most touching experience. Not only were the brothers ready to lay down their own lives to protect us but they were willing to risk whatever brutality might follow our departure because of the refusal to support the political party. We have never forgotten this demonstration of self-sacrificing Christian love, along with so many other heartwarming expressions of love that we experienced during our years in Congo.

 [Box/Picture on page 211-213]

Interview With Terence Latham

Born: 1945

Baptized: 1964

Profile: Spent 12 years as a missionary. Learned French, Lingala, and Swahili. Presently serves in Spain with his wife and two children.

It was in 1969 that Raymond Knowles and I flew into Kisangani. The city then had about 230,000 inhabitants and was the capital of the northeastern province of Congo.

What a warm welcome we received from the handful of publishers and the many interested people in the area! They showered us with gifts​—papayas, pineapples, and bananas, along with tropical fruits that we had never seen before. Some brought live chickens and tortoises. Samuel Tshikaka kindly put us up in his house. Soon, though, we found a bungalow to rent. We were then joined by Nicholas and Mary Fone as well as Paul and Marilyn Evans. How happy we were! Together we refurbished and painted the first missionary home in Kisangani. It was overgrown with forest vines and tall grass, and during the cleanup we dislodged two civet cats from the attic. Later, Peter and Ann Barnes joined  us in that missionary home, along with Ann Harkness, who had become my wife.

It was during the first four years of preaching in Kisangani that we learned to speak Lingala and Swahili and drew close to the hospitable and friendly people there. We had so many studies that we had to work from early morning to late evening to care for them all. During our years in Kisangani, we saw the group of fewer than ten publishers grow to eight congregations.

Once while driving along the Ituri road, a group of us noticed a Pygmy village. We were eager to preach to the inhabitants. The Pygmies, some scholars say, refer to the forest as their mother or father because it is the source of their food, clothing, and shelter. Consequently, the Pygmies view the forest as sacred and believe that they can commune with it through a ceremony called molimo. This ceremony involves dancing and singing around a fire. Accompanying the dancing is the molimo trumpet, a long wooden tube that the men blow to produce music and animal sounds.

We were impressed by the fascinating settlement of these nomadic people, who usually stay in one place only for a month or so. The camp was composed of beehive-shaped sleeping shelters constructed from saplings and leaves. These shelters had only one opening and could be constructed in two hours or less. Each was big enough for a few individuals to curl up inside. Some children approached us to touch our skin and hair; they had never seen white people before. What a privilege it was to meet and preach to those friendly people of the forest! They told us that they had previously met Witnesses who came to them from villages located near their encampments.

 [Box/Picture on page 215, 216]

An Interview With David Nawej

Born: 1955

Baptized: 1974

Profile: Of all the local members of the Bethel family in Congo, he has served the longest. He is also a member of the Branch Committee.

In 1976, I was surprised to receive a letter of invitation to Bethel. The words “urgent” and “immediately” were underlined in the letter. I lived in Kolwezi, about 1,500 miles [2,450 km] from Kinshasa. It was not easy to leave home, but I wanted to respond as Isaiah had done: “Here I am! Send me.”​—Isa. 6:8.

When I arrived at Bethel, the brothers showed me a typewriter and asked if I could type. I replied that I was a tailor and knew how to run a sewing machine but not a typewriter. Still, I buckled down and learned to type. At that time I worked in the Translation and Service departments.

Later I was assigned to the Correspondence desk. Part of the assignment was to process the coupons that people had cut out of the publications and had sent to the office. Usually, they requested other publications. I often wondered how people responded to the literature they received. I do know what happened in one case. Two young men made  rapid progress. Later they became pioneers, and then, special pioneers. When they were invited to Bethel, one became my roommate.

Sometimes people wrote to Bethel to request money. A tactful letter had been prepared, explaining the voluntary nature of our work and encouraging the individual to study the Bible. Some time ago, a brother told me that he had come into the truth because of such a letter. He showed it to me. Years earlier, he had written to Bethel, begging for money. He had reacted favorably to the encouragement that he had received and was now in the truth.

Later I became involved with legal matters. Once I aided some local brothers who were accused of not wearing the party pin. I mustered up courage and said to the authorities: “What does the pin prove? We have just finished a civil war, and all of those whom you fought against wore pins. The pin means nothing; it is no guarantee of what a person really thinks. What really counts is what a person is inside. Jehovah’s Witnesses are citizens who will never start a civil war. This law-abiding attitude is of much more value than a pin.” The brothers were released. Jehovah always aided us in such situations.

I have now served at Bethel for more than 27 years. Although I have some physical limitations and have not had much secular education, I keep exerting myself so that Jehovah can use me. There are still urgent and immediate needs at Bethel!

 [Box/Picture on page 219, 220]

An Interview With Godfrey Bint

Born: 1945

Baptized: 1956

Profile: Graduate of the 47th class of Gilead. Served in Congo for 17 years. Presently serves on the Branch Committee in Rwanda. Speaks English, French, Lingala, Swahili, and Tshiluba.

In 1973, I was in field service with a local brother in Kananga. The authorities came into a home where we were conducting a Bible study and arrested us. We spent the next two weeks in prison. During this time, my missionary partner, Mike Gates, brought us food, since none was available in the prison itself. Finally, we were released. Three months later, the day Mike and I were booked to take a plane to attend an international convention in England, we heard that all the brothers in a nearby congregation had been arrested. We wanted to see them and to give them some food. To our surprise, when we asked to see the brothers, a magistrate ordered our arrest. As we waited for the prison bus to take us to the prison, we heard our plane take off. You can imagine how our hearts sank at that sound!

When we arrived at the prison, I saw that many inmates were still there from my previous stay three months earlier. Because my partner who had brought me food was now also imprisoned, the inmates asked: “Who is going to bring you food this time?”

We answered that our brothers would bring us food, but the inmates shook their heads in disbelief. They knew that there were no other European Witnesses in the area. How surprised they were the next day when our Congolese brothers arrived with so much food that we could share it with those prisoners! It was a wonderful witness concerning our international brotherhood and the love that unites us. Those dear brothers who brought us food risked imprisonment to do this. Five days later, we were released. We then flew to England, arriving just in time for the convention.

 [Box/Picture on page 224-226]

An Interview With Nzey Katasi Pandi

Born: 1945

Baptized: 1971

Profile: Fearlessly served in difficult territories as a single sister and later accompanied her husband in traveling work from 1988 to 1996. Presently in special full-time service in Kinshasa.

In 1970, I was reading my Bible when there was a knock at the door of my home in Kinshasa. It was a man with his small son. The boy began to speak about the Bible and asked me to open mine to Matthew 24:14. I had always considered myself quite religious, but I could not find the scripture. He helped me, and we went on to have a nice discussion.

The brother saw that I was interested and invited me to a meeting the following Sunday. It was held behind a brother’s house, since the Witnessing work was under ban. I liked the talk and stayed for the Watchtower Study. That same evening the brothers came to my home and started a study with me.

In time, I was baptized and took up the full-time service. In Our Kingdom Ministry, I read about the great need that existed in other parts of the country. I asked if I could go to Kenge, Bandundu Province.  The brothers agreed, but cautioned me that some had been arrested there. I thought, ‘They can’t arrest everybody.’ So I decided to go.

I arrived in the evening and was happy to know that the circuit overseer, François Danda, was visiting the congregation. The next morning I went to the meeting for field service, only to find out that François and several other brothers had been arrested. The chief of security wanted to speak to me. He said: “We know that you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. You can stay in Kenge if you want to, but if we ever see you walking around with your bag, we’ll arrest you.”

The townspeople were quite upset with the chief of security and his agents. They knew that Jehovah’s Witnesses were not harming anyone. The people claimed that the security agents should be out fighting crime​—there were enough criminals around—​not wasting their time on Jehovah’s Witnesses. Eventually, the brothers were released.

I was appointed to serve as a special pioneer in 1975 and visited many towns and villages, staying for two or three weeks in each place. Before long, six groups of interested people were established. I wrote to the branch, requesting that brothers be sent to shepherd and care for the groups.

I met Jean-Baptiste Pandi, who also was a special pioneer. In the past, I had talked to the missionaries about marriage and full-time service. They told me that if I wanted to continue for a long time in full-time service, I would find it easier if I did not have children. Jean-Baptiste agreed, and we were married. People believe that children will provide security when one is older. Times have changed, however, and I know many cases where parents have been very disappointed. Jean-Baptiste and I have not been disappointed in any way.

Over the years, we have seen many people come into the truth. I am especially happy about my own family. I helped not just my papa and mama but also my four brothers and one sister to accept the truth.

Psalm 68:11 says: “The women telling the good news are a large army.” This means that we sisters have a great responsibility and must do what we can. I am so thankful to Jehovah that he has allowed me to have a part.

[Box on page 240]

Translation of Spiritual Food

While French is the official language of Congo, Lingala is the main language spoken in Kinshasa and along the Congo River. Though Lingala does not have an extensive vocabulary, it does have some very meaningful expressions. For example, the phrase “to repent” is kobongola motema, which literally means “to turn over the heart.” Another expression having to do with the heart and feelings is kokitisa motema, literally meaning “to put down the heart” or, in other words, “to calm down.”

The Watchtower has been translated into Lingala for decades. Presently publications are translated into the following languages spoken in Congo: Kiluba, Kinande, Kipende, Kisonge, Kituba, Lingala, Lingombe, Lomongo, Mashi, Monokutuba, Ngbaka, Otetela, Swahili (Congo), Tshiluba, and Uruund.

[Box on page 247]

Zealous Though Physically Disabled

Twenty-year-old Richard is a paralytic and has been bedridden for 15 years. He can move only his head. However, in January 1997 he became an unbaptized publisher. Richard consistently preaches to those visiting him in his room. When he speaks, his voice is full of conviction. On average, he preaches ten hours per month. On April 12, 1998, he was carried on his stretcher to be baptized in a stream not far from his home. Now he is able to attend the meetings regularly. He is also teaching the truth to one of his relatives, who attends Christian meetings and is making good progress. Though physically weak, this brother has been made powerful by God’s spirit.

[Box on page 248]

“No Part of the World”

One day at school, 12-year-old Esther was surprised when the teacher asked that each student stand before the class and sing the national anthem. When her turn came, Esther politely told the teacher that she could not do it. Esther relates what then happened:

“The teacher was angry. I then asked if I might sing something else. He agreed. I sang ‘No Part of the World.’ The teacher then said that the whole class should applaud, which they did.

“After class, the teacher called me aside and said that he really liked the song, especially the words. He added: ‘I see that you Jehovah’s Witnesses are really separate from the world. Your conduct in class shows this too.’

“One of my classmates was also very impressed. She began to ask questions, and I answered them. At the end of the year, we had to separate, but I encouraged her to look for Jehovah’s Witnesses in the area to where she was moving. She did, and now she is a sister.”

[Box on page 251]

Honesty Brings Honor to God

A certain brother worked in a factory. One day because of a mistake made by the shift in which the brother was working, part of the equipment was ruined. The director decided to dismiss all the workers. He gave them their salary and sent them home. On arriving home, the brother noticed that he had received 500 francs (just over $1.00, U.S.) too much, so he returned to give the money back. He seized the opportunity to give a witness, and the director was so impressed with the brother’s honesty that he asked him to stay on and work for him.

 [Chart/Graph on page 176, 177]

CONGO (KINSHASA)​—A TIME LINE

1932: Efforts are made to send Jehovah’s Witnesses into Congo.

1940

1949: Decree reinforces unofficial ban on Jehovah’s Witnesses.

1960

1960: Congo achieves independence, and a period of religious tolerance begins.

1962: Branch office is established in Léopoldville (now Kinshasa). First missionaries arrive.

1966: Legal recognition is granted to Jehovah’s Witnesses.

 1971: Legal recognition is revoked.

1980

1980: Legal recognition is again granted.

1986: Jehovah’s Witnesses are banned.

1990: Religious freedom is recognized unofficially.

1993: The Supreme Court annuls the 1986 ban. Work begins on the new branch.

2000

2003: 122,857 publishers are active in Congo (Kinshasa).

[Graph]

(See publication)

Total Publishers

Total Pioneers

120,000

80,000

40,000

1940 1960 1980 2000

 [Maps on page 169]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

SUDAN

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

REPUBLIC OF CONGO

BRAZZAVILLE

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Isiro

Bumba

Congo River

Kisangani

Goma

Bukavu

Bandundu

KINSHASA

KASAI

Kenge

Kikwit

Matadi

Kananga

Mbuji-Mayi

KATANGA

Kamina

Luena

Kolwezi

Likasi

Lubumbashi

ANGOLA

ZAMBIA

 [Full-page picture on page 162]

[Picture on page 185]

Hélène, Ernest, and Danielle Heuse in Kinshasa in the 1960’s

[Pictures on page 186]

Scenes of baptisms at international conventions shown in the film “The Happiness of the New World Society” impressed many Congolese viewers

[Picture on page 199]

Madeleine and Julian Kissel

[Picture on page 205]

Simple meeting places were built throughout the country

[Picture on page 207]

The branch office in Kinshasa, 1965

[Picture on page 208]

Assembly in Kolwezi, 1967

[Picture on page 209]

Bad roads made travel difficult

[Picture on page 221]

“Divine Love” District Convention in Kinshasa, in 1980, was the first large convention held there in eight years

[Picture on page 223]

Many walk for days carrying food and belongings, just to attend assemblies and conventions

[Picture on page 228]

In December 1985, just three months before a severe ban is imposed, the “Integrity Keepers” Convention is held in Kinshasa

[Picture on page 230]

During the ban, our brothers endured imprisonment and brutal beatings

[Picture on page 235]

Zekaria Belemo, serving as a traveling overseer, visits a group of refugee brothers from Sudan

[Pictures on page 237]

Sturdy vehicles are used to transport literature over the country’s difficult roads

[Picture on page 238]

The first class of the Ministerial Training School in Congo (Kinshasa) in 1995

[Picture on page 241]

Gisela and Sébastien Johnson

[Picture on page 243]

Twelve missionaries live at this home in Kinshasa

[Pictures on page 244, 245]

Relief supplies arrived from Europe and were distributed to those in need in 1998

[Pictures on page 246]

Traveling overseers, such as Ilunga Kanama (bottom left) and Mazela Mitelezi (inset, left), face many challenges in war-torn areas

 [Pictures on page 252, 253]

 (1) Kinshasa Bethel facilities

(2-4) Recently constructed Kingdom Halls

(5) A brother assists in Kingdom Hall construction

[Picture on page 254]

Branch Committee, from left to right: Peter Wilhjelm, Benjamin Bandiwila, Christian Belotti, David Nawej, Delphin Kavusa, Robert Elongo, Sébastien Johnson, and Uno Nilsson