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Preaching Despite Handicaps

● One of the regular ministers of the Bell Gardens, California, congregation of Jehovah’s witnesses is undergoing trying experiences. He was stricken with a very bad case of polio about four years ago. He was kept in an iron lung for nearly one year following his attack of polio, and since coming out of the iron lung he has spent day and night on a rocking bed, and, with the help of a respiratory machine, he manages to stay alive. More important, he is very much alive spiritually. He is married to a loyal wife, who is assisting in rearing their small son in a theocratic manner. The service center of that community is located in his small apartment and the brother takes a lively part in the book study held there. He also takes his turn in giving instruction and student talks in the local theocratic ministry school by means of tape recordings. When he is frequently given service meeting assignments he does not say he is not feeling well or is too hard pressed but, rather, he tapes his assignment and sends it down to the Kingdom Hall with punctuality. In his field service he has good results. With the co-operation of the brothers he has a supply of names of persons to whom he sends letters (written by obliging witnesses) and a fine witness is given telling the persons of the kingdom of Jehovah. There is not a more cheerful brother in that congregation and he does a great deal to strengthen many of the publishers by his fine counsel. As his bed rocks back and forth day and night and his respiratory machine drones on, aiding him to breathe, instead of just lying there pitying himself this brother keeps his mind progressive and cheerful by feeding it daily on the truth Jehovah provides.