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A Climate for Growth in Equatorial Guinea

LUSH growth is the first impression a traveler gets when his plane touches down at Equatorial Guinea’s international airport. The runway is surrounded by majestic trees, which dwarf the airport buildings. Luxuriant vegetation flourishes from seashore to mountaintops, stimulated by the abundant rainfall and year-round temperature in the mid-80’s.

Vigorous growth of another kind is also taking place in Equatorial Guinea, “the growth that God gives.” (Colossians 2:19) Like the Ethiopian official who sought help from Philip, many here are anxious to understand the Scriptures. (Acts 8:26-39) It is not unusual for someone to approach one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the street and ask for a Bible study. The approximately 325 Witnesses in Equatorial Guinea are conducting over a thousand Bible studies.

Sowing Seed in the Early Days

Equatorial Guinea, the smallest country in Africa, is located to the south of Nigeria and Cameroon. (See map.) The good news was first brought here by Nigerian Witnesses who came to find work in the cocoa plantations. Although several English-speaking congregations were formed, they were later disbanded when these brothers had to return to Nigeria. Soon after independence was granted to the country in 1968, however, three Watchtower missionary couples were assigned here. They were unable to stay long because of political difficulties, but their witnessing produced fine results.

Santiago, one of the missionaries, met Buenaventura, a tall, muscular man known to the locals as superman. He was a religious man who respected the Bible, yet he had a violent temper. The slightest insult was enough for him to strike someone. When he got angry in a bar, all present scattered, even climbing out windows to escape his blows. In fact, as he listened to Santiago, he intended on roughing him up if he could not provide convincing Scriptural proof for what he said. ‘No one is going to fool superman,’ he told himself. He was fascinated by what he heard, especially about the hope of everlasting life on a paradise earth, so he agreed to a Bible study.

As the study progressed, Buenaventura’s desire to live forever in Paradise became stronger, and he learned that he would have to conform his life to God’s standards in order to gain such a prize. Realizing that true Christians must not “return evil for evil,” he began making an earnest effort to control his temper.—Romans 12:17.

The real test came one day when he accidentally knocked over the glass of a customer in a bar. The man got angry and struck him. Instantly, others in the bar scattered, expecting a brawl to break out. But Buenaventura meekly paid for the broken glass, bought the man another drink, and apologized for his clumsiness. When the neighbors saw that a study of the Bible had made such changes in him, several were willing to study with him. By the time Buenaventura got baptized, he was already conducting five Bible studies. He has served as an elder for the last five years, and although people still call him superman, now they do so jokingly.

“Conscious of Their Spiritual Need”

During the 1970’s the few local Witnesses continued preaching and meeting together as best they could. Later, several Spanish missionary couples came to help. Andrés Botella, who has served in Equatorial Guinea for 12 years, recalls that soon after he arrived, he was impressed by how the people were truly “conscious of their spiritual need.” (Matthew 5:3) “It has been a real pleasure to study the Bible with such appreciative people,” he says.

Mary, a Spanish sister, was studying the Bible with a young woman named María who mentioned that her parents, Francisco and Fausta, were also interested in studying. Since Mary was conducting 15 studies and María’s parents lived some distance away, several weeks went by before she was able to visit them.

When Mary and her husband, Serafín, finally met the parents, they already had the book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Eartha and a Bible, and they were eager to start studying. So they began right away. Serafín noticed that María’s parents were very familiar with the material. The same happened on the second call when they covered the second chapter. “It was almost like studying with two baptized Witnesses,” Serafín recalls. On the third visit, since they seemed to know the material so well, Serafín suggested a question-and-answer session to determine just how much they really understood. He discovered that Francisco and Fausta had studied the entire book by themselves!

How had their newfound knowledge affected them? In harmony with what they had learned, they had already stopped attending spiritistic meetings and had severed ties with the Catholic Church. Furthermore, Francisco had quit smoking, and they no longer ate meat that had not been properly bled. Since they had evidently applied everything they had learned, they were encouraged to begin sharing their knowledge with others. Right away they started preaching to their neighbors. In just three months, they qualified for baptism. Francisco is now a ministerial servant, and thanks to their fine example and zeal in preaching, three of their daughters are now Witnesses, two sons attend meetings, and six other relatives are studying.

Not long after he was baptized, Francisco met Pablo, a devout Catholic who served as sacristan in his church. Pablo used to deliver the sermon whenever the priest was absent. If a church member was sick, he visited; if someone was missing from church, Pablo called to give encouragement; and if someone died, he did what he could to console the family. Understandably, Pablo was much loved by all the parishioners.

Since Pablo had deep respect for the Bible, he readily accepted Francisco’s offer to study with him. Quickly Pablo saw how reasonable the Bible’s message was, and after a few studies, he decided to use some of the scriptures he had learned on one of his “shepherding calls” on a sick church member. Shortly thereafter, in one of his Sunday sermons, Pablo explained the importance of using God’s name, Jehovah, and why we should not use images.

As he accepted the truth so readily, he expected that other members of his church would respond likewise. But after three or four of these Bible-based sermons, Pablo noticed that the people were unhappy with the information he was presenting. So he decided to abandon the church and to associate regularly with Jehovah’s Witnesses. In a few months, he qualified for baptism, and he is now a zealous preacher of the good news. Although unable to preach full-time, he is currently conducting ten Bible studies.

Promoting Growth by Gathering Together

The Witnesses in Equatorial Guinea take seriously the Bible’s injunction not to forsake gathering together. (Hebrews 10:25) Since 1994 when the work was again given official recognition by the government, the brothers have been eager to obtain suitable Kingdom Halls. In fact, most of the congregations have constructed their own halls or are in the process of doing so.

In Mongomo, where attendance at the Sunday meetings often runs as high as two and a half times the number of Kingdom publishers, the congregation has been working hard to construct a large meeting place. Other religions in Mongomo usually hire workers to build their churches, so the activity of the local Witnesses did not go unnoticed. One day the pastor of the Iglesia Nueva Apostólica (New Apostolic Church) stopped by to ask one of the elders how much he was paying these hardworking laborers. The pastor said that even though he had employed some bricklayers who were members of his own church, the work was proceeding very slowly. He wondered whether he could hire the workers who were building the Kingdom Hall. When he was told that all the Witnesses were working for free, he walked away flabbergasted.

Attending meetings may require considerable sacrifice for those who live far from the Kingdom Hall. Juan, a young man who got baptized in 1994, faced this situation. He heard about the truth in Gabon, where he studied the first half of the Live Forever book. Then he returned to Equatorial Guinea, to his native village about 65 miles [100 km] from Mongomo. This presented a challenge for him to continue his study. But he was not deterred. Every month, he made an eight-hour journey by bicycle to Mongomo, where Santiago, one of the local elders, conducted a study with him. He stayed in Mongomo for a few days and studied three or four times during the stay. In this way he was able to complete his study and qualify for baptism.

How does Juan keep spiritually strong with so little association with other Christians? Above all, by being a zealous preacher of the good news. He has preached to all the people in his village, and by the time he got baptized, he was conducting 13 Bible studies. Six of his students accompanied him to the special assembly day in Mongomo to witness his baptism. He now holds a regular Watchtower Study with the interested ones in his area, and usually about 20 are in attendance.

Watering the Seed Patiently

Not all spiritual growth is rapid. Sometimes a lot of patience is required to see the seed finally bear fruit. This was true in the case of Paca, who first heard the good news back in 1984 when Edita, a pioneer sister, witnessed to her in the market. When Edita visited Paca in her home the following week, Paca agreed to a Bible study. Though she was not making much progress, Edita persisted because she discerned good qualities in Paca. “She seemed to be a sheeplike person,” explains Edita, “and I prayed to Jehovah that he would open her heart.”

Paca continued her study on and off for four and a half years but still with very little progress. So when they completed the Live Forever book, Edita had a frank talk with Paca about the importance of taking the truth seriously. In her endeavor to reach Paca’s heart, Edita even gave way to tears.

“That heartfelt counsel really touched me,” remembers Paca. “From then on I began to make changes in my life. I enrolled in the Theocratic Ministry School, and that same year I became an unbaptized publisher. The day I finally got baptized was the happiest day of my life!” Paca’s present enthusiasm belies her former apathy. She is currently conducting 13 Bible studies, and of course she is patient with those who do not make rapid advancement.

Helping People Improve Their Lives

By living according to Bible standards, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Equatorial Guinea have earned a reputation for honesty and decency. One man, who had obviously been impressed with their conduct, approached an elder of the Bata Congregation and asked: “Do you have a Reasoning book?b I am fed up with being a worldly person. I would like to become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses!”

Antonio, a ministerial servant in the Malabo Congregation, is a typical example of a worldly person who became a Witness. Before he studied the Bible, he led a dissolute life. He spent most of the money he earned as a watch repairer on drink, and he also lived immorally. What helped him to change his life-style? He was deeply impressed by what is forcefully stated at 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10: “Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, . . . nor drunkards, . . . will inherit God’s kingdom.” He realized that to have God’s favor, he must change his way of life. To that end he began to watch his association. (Proverbs 13:20) When former friends called to invite him to go drinking, he declined their invitation and instead gave them a witness. Before long they stopped pestering him.

Was it worth all the effort? “I am very happy to have changed my way of life,” Antonio explains. “My health is much better even though I am now in my 60’s, whereas my former friends have either died or are suffering from poor health. Now I have true friends rather than those who merely want a companion who is willing to pay for their next drink. Most important of all, I have a good relationship with God. I am now serving as a regular pioneer, and I have a Bible study with a man who also has a drinking problem, so I can use my experience to help him.”

Becoming Slaves of God

Some 200 years ago, people from along the coast of Equatorial Guinea were rounded up and shipped to the Americas as slaves. Today, many are voluntarily becoming slaves—slaves of God. This form of slavery has brought them true freedom, setting them free from Babylonish doctrines and spiritistic practices. It has also taught them how to live satisfying and productive lives. They have come to experience what Jesus promised: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”—John 8:32.

With 1,937 attending the 1995 Memorial celebration—nearly six times the number of publishers in the country—there are excellent prospects for further spiritual growth. As the Witnesses in Equatorial Guinea zealously keep on planting and watering the seed of truth, they are sure that ‘God will keep making it grow.’ (1 Corinthians 3:6) Without a doubt, there is an ideal climate for spiritual growth in Equatorial Guinea!

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