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Truth and Faith Prevail

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES are determined to worship God “with spirit and truth.” (John 4:23, 24) Yes, the Bible message they declare does expose error, but like the apostle Paul they ask: ‘Have we become your enemies because we tell you the truth?’ (Galatians 4:16) Of course not! These Christians love their neighbors and want them to enjoy the spiritual freedom that only the truth makes possible.​—John 8:32.

The Witnesses are also determined to maintain strong faith, even if they are persecuted for speaking the truth. Indeed, the faith of the humble Christians in Pangi provides evidence that with Jehovah’s help his servants can maintain integrity to him down to the end. That may be the final end of this wicked system of things or one’s own death in faithfulness, perhaps in the face of cruel, religiously inspired persecution.​—Matthew 24:13.

Faith in Action

Those lovers of truth massacred in Kivu province were not the only ones manifesting strong faith. For example, consider Bingimeza Bunene, an elderly sister. Two of her sons, Malala Ramazani and Akilimali Walugaba, were among those murdered at Pangi. Moreover, tribal elders persuaded her husband to join the killers of his nephew, Amisi Melende. When her two sons and her nephew were murdered, she was abandoned by her entire family, including her husband. However, she took comfort in the psalmist’s words: “In case my own father and my own mother did leave me, even Jehovah himself would take me up.” (Psalm 27:10) Her brothers and sisters in the faith welcomed and consoled her, with loving reminders of the wonderful resurrection hope.

This sister’s husband, Ramazani Musombwa, was imprisoned for involvement in the death of his nephew, but eventually was released. Afterward, he admitted being impressed by his wife’s courageous stand and the love that fellow Witnesses showed her and the bereaved daughters-in-law. Now he expresses great regret and is accompanying his wife to meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Because of his complete change, he has become the object of much criticism and mockery but is determined to serve Jehovah from now on.

All the other bereaved young widows were rejected by their families due to fear of death at the hands of Kimbilikiti. These young women all stood firm and refused to renounce their faith in Jehovah. They were taken in by their fellow believers and have experienced what Jesus foretold in saying: “No one has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news who will not get a hundredfold now in this period of time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, with persecutions, and in the coming system of things everlasting life.”​—Mark 10:29, 30.

Faith and Truth Have Prevailed

Today, the circumstances of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Pangi area are back to normal. All the bereaved ones and interested people obliged to flee to other villages and towns have returned to their homes. Once again the Witnesses are preaching the Kingdom message there, with renewed zeal and determination. Despite everything they have undergone, they are like ‘the brothers who felt confidence by reason of Paul’s prison bonds and were showing all the more courage to speak the word of God fearlessly.’​—Philippians 1:14.

Of course, there is sadness over the massacre of all eight faithful Christian men of the Pangi Congregation. But another pioneer minister now serves as presiding overseer, and Jehovah’s people there in the heart of Africa have confidence in God’s love for them through Christ, as expressed in Paul’s words: “Who will separate us from the love of the Christ? Will tribulation or distress or persecution or hunger or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . To the contrary, in all these things we are coming off completely victorious through him that loved us.”​—Romans 8:35-39.

However, why would Jehovah permit the murder of these faithful witnesses? In today’s violent world, there have been many cases where Jehovah obviously protected his people. In doing so, he demonstrates how he can bring them safely through the “great tribulation.” (Matthew 24:21; Isaiah 26:20) But, just as Jesus stated at John 16:1-3, there may be occasions when he permits opposers to go to the extent of actually killing individuals among Jehovah’s Witnesses. Their keeping integrity in such situations, as our faithful brothers did in Kivu province, serves as a witness and as proof that God’s servants are determined to keep integrity even to the death.​—Job 27:5; Proverbs 27:11.

We are reminded of the great witness that resulted after the death of the first-century martyr Stephen. (Acts 8:1-8) So it may be that the dreadful massacre will cause many of the Rega tribe and others in Zaire and elsewhere to give Bible truth serious thought. How happy Jehovah’s Witnesses will be to help such honest-hearted people to break free from the fear and superstition attached to the religion of Kimbilikiti! And what freedom will be enjoyed by all who embrace God’s wonderful truth!