00:00:01 A very favorite part of our Gilead graduation program
00:00:05 is The Inside Story,
00:00:08 where we get to know a few of our students a little bit more intimately.
00:00:12 So we’re looking forward to hearing that now
00:00:14 as it’s presented by Brother Mark Noumair.
00:00:19 Eighty years!
00:00:22 Those reaching this milestone in life are described as having “special mightiness.”
00:00:27 But does that apply just to people?
00:00:30 The 153rd class
00:00:32 marks the 80th anniversary of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead.
00:00:37 During that span, the school has survived a world war,
00:00:41 country bans, legal threats, mob threats,
00:00:44 and even a global pandemic.
00:00:46 But we’ve done more than just survive.
00:00:49 Welcome to this edition of The Inside Story.
00:01:20 At 2 Kings 13:18, 19,
00:01:24 the prophet Elisha told King Jehoash
00:01:27 to ‘take the arrows and strike the ground.’
00:01:30 This was to indicate his zeal and enthusiasm for Jehovah’s work.
00:01:35 Sadly, the king’s zeal was lacking.
00:01:38 How about those taking the lead in Jehovah’s organization today?
00:01:43 Have they been striking the ground with hearts full of zeal and persistence?
00:01:47 Yes, they have, and Gilead School
00:01:50 gives irrefutable evidence of this.
00:01:54 As World War II raged,
00:01:56 Jehovah’s spirit led our brothers to see the need
00:01:58 for increased divine education before the end of this system.
00:02:03 The organization’s president, Nathan Knorr,
00:02:05 directed the start of Gilead School in South Lansing, New York.
00:02:10 Starting in 1943,
00:02:13 faithful men such as Albert Schroeder,
00:02:15 Russell Kurzen, Maxwell Friend,
00:02:18 Frederick Franz, and Eduardo Keller
00:02:20 instructed the first classes of students
00:02:23 eager to go where people needed to hear the good news.
00:02:27 Since then, Gilead’s location has changed
00:02:31 and instructors have changed, but one thing hasn’t changed:
00:02:35 Gilead graduates have used their theocratic education
00:02:39 to strengthen their brothers and sisters wherever they’ve been assigned.
00:02:44 As this world continues its downward spiral,
00:02:48 Gilead continues to thrive and adapt
00:02:50 as it meets the needs of Jehovah’s growing organization.
00:02:55 And so with that,
00:02:57 let’s welcome our students and learn how
00:02:59 the Gilead legacy has impacted them.
00:03:03 Please welcome our first guests,
00:03:05 Brother and Sister Kunda from Zambia.
00:03:23 We are so happy to have you with us on The Inside Story, Kena and Chila.
00:03:27 How long have you been serving in Zambia?
00:03:29 And tell us about your assignments at the branch office.
00:03:32 We have been serving at the branch for five years now, and we’re both assigned
00:03:36 to the Local Design/Construction Department, LDC.
00:03:39 Beautiful, and here we see a picture of these smiling faces.
00:03:42 There you both are.
00:03:44 And who are the three others in the picture?
00:03:46 Those three are three field representatives,
00:03:49 and this was during a Kingdom Hall build that we visited.
00:03:52 We really enjoyed that assignment.
00:03:54 Well, obviously, you did.
00:03:56 Look at those smiling faces.
00:03:57 That’s building Kingdom Halls.
00:03:58 Kena, you’re working with LDC.
00:04:01 How many Kingdom halls are needed in Zambia?
00:04:03 So in the next five years, we need a thousand new Kingdom Halls.
00:04:08 A thousand Kingdom Halls.
00:04:09 Now, that fast growth of Kingdom publishers,
00:04:13 that’s something that’s marvelous to see.
00:04:15 In fact, what is the ratio there in Zambia?
00:04:18 Currently, there are a little over 190,000 publishers in Zambia,
00:04:23 so that would make it approximately
1 Witness to 99 people.
00:04:26 One to 99—that is just wonderful!
00:04:29 So, what do you contribute to that?
00:04:32 I can think of two factors:
00:04:34 First, anyone who visits Zambia
00:04:36 remembers it for its warmhearted people.
00:04:39 They are very humble and welcome good conversations about the Bible.
00:04:43 Excellent.
00:04:44 Well, then, that is something that is very attractive
00:04:47 —the truth is attractive to them— humble, warmhearted people.
00:04:51 In fact, many people mention that to me that have visited Zambia as well.
00:04:54 So good.
00:04:55 What else?
00:04:57 The second factor is that the government is favorable toward Jehovah’s Witnesses,
00:05:01 allowing the preaching work to flourish.
00:05:04 That’s right.
00:05:05 In fact, the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses
00:05:07 has been highly regarded as a stabilizing influence on society,
00:05:11 and this in turn moves many honesthearted ones to learn the truth.
00:05:15 That’s the training Jehovah gives his people, wouldn’t you say?
00:05:18 The training, the divine education that God’s people have been given
00:05:22 —now that translates into how they teach
00:05:25 and how they interact with people.
00:05:27 Wouldn’t you say that?
00:05:29 Absolutely!
00:05:31 In fact, thanks to that divine education,
00:05:33 Jehovah’s people apply that knowledge in their lives, others see it,
00:05:38 and all praise and glory goes to Jehovah.
00:05:40 Beautiful!
00:05:41 So warmhearted people,
00:05:42 a stabilizing influence in the community, growth
00:05:45 —Kingdom work and Kingdom growth is happening in Zambia.
00:05:49 There’s something else that’s dear to all our hearts
00:05:53 that has had an impact on the Kingdom growth.
00:05:55 Well, what would that be, Chila?
00:05:57 It’s the Become Jehovah’s Friend series with Caleb and Sophia.
00:06:01 These videos have taught valuable principles to young ones very effectively.
00:06:06 I like that —valuable principles for young ones.
00:06:09 So as these young ones are learning these Bible principles
00:06:13 (and that’s instilled in their little hearts and minds),
00:06:16 when they grow up, what’s the result?
00:06:19 Yes, it’s just wonderful to see how
00:06:21 the organization is using the Become Jehovah’s Friend series
00:06:24 for the young ones, because it’s laying a foundation for them
00:06:28 to become mature Christians when they grow up.
00:06:30 So they have a pattern of making decisions that reflect Jehovah’s thinking.
00:06:34 They grow up and become pioneers and elders in the congregation.
00:06:38 Excellent, and were you speaking about one in particular?
00:06:43 Yes, we have a good example of that with Jamin.
00:06:46 He is one of many young ones in Zambia
00:06:48 who enjoys using the Become Jehovah’s Friend series.
00:06:51 Yeah, and here we see a picture.
00:06:53 Can you explain that picture?
00:06:54 So Jamin is closest to his dad on the left.
00:06:57 Both his parents are regular pioneers,
00:07:00 and they got his name from the video Warning Examples for Our Day.
00:07:04 There’s Jamin again.
00:07:05 Yeah, he’s about six years old now.
00:07:08 And you can see he looks very ready for the ministry.
00:07:10 He does.
00:07:11 Yeah, he enjoys using the videos
00:07:13 because he’s able to even recite them from the heart.
00:07:16 And he goes as far as even imitating Sophia
00:07:20 and taking some publications with him to school.
00:07:23 And he does so good to the extent
00:07:25 that even when he’s packing the publications,
00:07:27 he has a friend in mind whom he wants to give it to.
00:07:30 But it’s that evangelizing spirit at a young age that’s taking root in Zambia
00:07:34 because of the Become Jehovah’s Friend series—excellent.
00:07:37 Missionary spirit, here we go—wonderful.
00:07:41 But when you think about the legacy of Gilead School
00:07:44 and the missionary spirit there in Zambia
00:07:47 (this is the 80th anniversary of the school),
00:07:51 the impact in Zambia became very obvious early on.
00:07:54 In fact, the first Gilead missionaries
00:07:57 to arrive in Zambia were (in 1948)
00:08:00 Brothers Harry Arnott and John Ferguson.
00:08:03 We see their pictures here.
00:08:05 They were in the eighth class of Gilead
00:08:08 along with Stanley Jones and Harold King.
00:08:11 In those early days, those early classes of Gilead,
00:08:15 11 percent were of the anointed,
00:08:18 and that led to a stabilizing influence as well
00:08:21 in the global field with Gilead graduates.
00:08:24 In fact, we went to the Gilead archives,
00:08:26 and we found some of Brother Ferguson’s handwritten letters.
00:08:30 And there’s one (in that letter)
00:08:33 where he mentions that in 1948 when he arrived,
00:08:36 there were only 15,000 publishers in Zambia.
00:08:41 Back then, the country was called Northern Rhodesia.
00:08:44 But it was his prayer that The Watchtower
00:08:47 would be translated into the local language of Cibemba,
00:08:51 and he prayed for more missionaries to come.
00:08:53 What a beautiful spirit!
00:08:55 Was that prayer answered?
00:08:56 Jehovah certainly answered those prayers.
00:08:59 Today, we have all the study publications
00:09:02 translated not just into Cibemba
00:09:04 but into 12 other local languages.
00:09:07 Beautiful.
00:09:07 And now, to date, some 58 Gilead graduates have been assigned to Zambia.
00:09:12 So more publications, more translation,
00:09:15 more Gilead graduates sent in.
00:09:18 What a legacy now that the Gilead School
00:09:20 has had in Zambia!
00:09:23 I can say that those missionaries helped us in more ways than just the preaching work.
00:09:27 Well, why do you say that?
00:09:29 Around 1968, there was a ban on the work
00:09:32 that resulted in the deportation of the initial group of missionaries,
00:09:36 and this was followed by a wave of persecution and opposition.
00:09:40 That made it a challenge to organize the work for the local brothers.
00:09:43 In fact, at one point, it seemed like the work was stagnating.
00:09:47 But in 1986, something exciting happened.
00:09:50 What happened?
00:09:52 Missionaries were allowed back into Zambia.
00:09:54 I remember that too.
00:09:56 We were missionaries in East Africa,
00:09:58 and the lifting of the ban in Zambia was big news.
00:10:00 In fact, it excited us over in East Africa as well.
00:10:03 We prayed for the brothers in Zambia,
00:10:06 so we’re so happy that things were able to move forward.
00:10:09 That showed that the work continued to pick up after that in 1986.
00:10:13 What happened after 1986?
00:10:16 In fact, there was a great increase in new publishers.
00:10:18 And so the missionaries helped the new ones to progress to maturity,
00:10:21 stabilizing them.
00:10:23 In speaking to the local brothers that served during that time,
00:10:26 they especially appreciated how the missionaries
00:10:29 helped them organize the work from the branch office.
00:10:32 And from there
00:10:34 they helped the field thrive and experience incredible growth.
00:10:38 So you’re saying the local brothers and the missionaries worked together
00:10:41 and that it would have brought positive results?
00:10:44 Absolutely!
00:10:45 Good.
00:10:46 How did the local brothers respond when the missionaries came in to work with them?
00:10:51 I would say that was the best part.
00:10:53 The local publishers came to love the missionaries.
00:10:56 They were so kind and humble right from the start.
00:10:58 It opened their eyes to the fact that we’re all one and the same.
00:11:02 And to see the missionaries
00:11:05 try and say a greeting in the local language, it was nice to see.
00:11:09 But to see them progress from just a greeting
00:11:12 to holding a long conversation
00:11:14 and to even giving a public talk in my local language—that was heartwarming.
00:11:19 That must have been wonderful to hear and to see.
00:11:21 Yes.
00:11:22 And the missionaries also
00:11:24 didn’t rush their time with the local publishers,
00:11:27 and this helped them to learn more about the culture.
00:11:30 For example, accepting a meal invitation after an assembly—
00:11:34 Mm-hmm.
00:11:35 They would be tired, and they’d be hungry too.
00:11:38 But this was not a quick meal at a restaurant.
00:11:42 It meant going home and cooking,
00:11:44 getting the food prepared, . . .
00:11:45 Yes.
00:11:46 . . . getting the chicken ready.
00:11:47 Exactly.
00:11:49 And then it meant you ate late, and they had to go home late.
00:11:53 But the highlight of this
00:11:56 was the encouragement that they gave us.
00:11:58 Beautiful.
00:11:58 They encouraged us to pursue spiritual goals.
00:12:01 We could see the love that they had for us,
00:12:04 but most important, we could feel it.
00:12:06 Excellent.
00:12:07 Do you agree, Kena?
00:12:08 Yes, I do.
00:12:09 I experienced that at a young age.
00:12:11 What happened?
00:12:13 At one time, my family had a missionary couple over for lunch,
00:12:16 Brother and Sister Finch.
00:12:18 We had a good meal, a wonderful time.
00:12:21 But what we remembered from that day was something totally different.
00:12:25 A few days after they left, the Finches sent us a small thank you card.
00:12:30 They expressed appreciation for the time
00:12:32 and shared a Scriptural thought too.
00:12:34 That they took the time to do this touched all of us deeply.
00:12:38 In fact, my father used that card as an object lesson in teaching us children
00:12:42 how to show gratitude when others do kind things for us.
00:12:44 Isn’t that wonderful?
00:12:46 It’s these little acts of love, these little stitches of love,
00:12:49 that make this close-knit bond
00:12:51 of a loving brotherhood there in Zambia.
00:12:54 Oh, there’s Brother and Sister Finch there with you.
00:12:56 Yes.
00:12:57 You can see from the smile that they have become fully Zambian now.
00:13:01 We are happy to serve with them at the branch
00:13:04 and continue learning many valuable lessons from them.
00:13:07 Good, excellent.
00:13:07 So, what if we now show the audience a short video clip
00:13:11 of Zambia and what’s happening there and the work?
00:13:13 Would you like to do that?
00:13:14 Yes.
00:13:15 Absolutely.
00:13:16 OK, let’s watch.
00:13:18 Located in southern Africa,
00:13:20 Zambia is about a quarter of a million square miles (647,000 sq km)
00:13:23 —a little larger than the state of Texas in the United States.
00:13:27 Zambia is home to beautiful forests,
00:13:31 the mighty Zambezi River,
00:13:33 magnificent waterfalls, and abundant wildlife.
00:13:38 Yes, and because of our mild climate,
00:13:40 we enjoy a rich variety of foods.
00:13:43 But the real beauty of Zambia lies in its people.
00:13:47 You can find Jehovah’s people almost everywhere you go.
00:13:51 And the ministry continues to be ripe for harvesting.
00:13:56 If you called on a person in the morning
00:13:59 and a Witness comes in the afternoon,
00:14:01 in other countries they’ll let you know that that’s happened.
00:14:04 But in Zambia, they’ll just listen a second time.
00:14:07 When going from house to house,
00:14:10 sometimes a person will invite you,
00:14:13 not into their house, but to sit under the mango tree.
00:14:17 They bring their tins, their buckets, or whatever,
00:14:21 and you sit there, and then you can speak with them.
00:14:24 And sometimes they even will collect their Bible from inside
00:14:28 when they see you because they know you’re there to discuss the Bible.
00:14:32 So they’re very lovable people.
00:14:35 The simple, friendly approach
00:14:37 that the brothers and sisters have to the ministry
00:14:40 and their strong belief
00:14:42 that everyone is a potential friend of Jehovah
00:14:45 —that helps them to make spiritual progress with people.
00:14:49 Can everyone in Zambia be a Jehovah’s Witness?
00:14:52 Well, I think it’s a good goal to have.
00:14:56 Zealous proclaimers come in all shapes and sizes.
00:15:00 Would you like to see Jamin in action?
00:15:09 I want to be like Jamin when I grow up.
00:15:11 I know.
00:15:12 Me too.
00:15:14 Jamin is one of many young ones
00:15:15 in Zambia right now who are making Jehovah’s heart so happy.
00:15:20 So if you travel to Zambia, what will you find?
00:15:25 You will see a great crowd of loyal
00:15:27 and hardworking Kingdom proclaimers.
00:15:30 And while we are all different colors and ages and sizes,
00:15:33 we are one big happy family
00:15:36 thanks to our happy God, Jehovah.
00:15:46 Now, that was just a beautiful video clip.
00:15:48 Thank you so much.
00:15:49 But Kena,
00:15:51 the brother and sister at the end with Brother and Sister Finch, they look like you.
00:15:55 That’s Mom and Dad, and that’s them
00:15:58 meeting the Finches after almost 25 years.
00:16:02 What a beautiful reunion that must have been!
00:16:04 And are they with us today?
00:16:06 Yes, in fact, they are somewhere in the audience.
00:16:09 Excellent. I bet they’re very proud of you both.
00:16:12 Thank you so much.
00:16:13 And thank you for sharing your comments with us with The Inside Story.
00:16:17 Just watching this video helps us to see why
00:16:20 the love and the joy of the Zambian people
00:16:24 come through very, very loud and clear.
00:16:25 So with that, we say thank you.
00:16:29 Next, please welcome
00:16:31 Eric and Megan Lee from Micronesia.
00:16:47 We are so happy to have you, Eric and Megan, on The Inside Story.
00:16:51 So tell us, before coming to Gilead,
00:16:54 you were serving in the Micronesia branch,
00:16:58 and that is located on the beautiful island of Guam.
00:17:02 So how long have you been serving there, and what’s your work like at Bethel?
00:17:06 Well, I’ve been serving there for the last ten years.
00:17:09 The last eight of those years, Megan and I
00:17:11 have been serving at the branch office together.
00:17:14 And I currently work in the Service Department.
00:17:16 Good. And what about you, Megan?
00:17:18 What’s your work assignment?
00:17:19 I work in the Translation Department,
00:17:22 and we support the work of six remote translation offices throughout Micronesia.
00:17:27 Beautiful. I bet that’s a lot of work.
00:17:29 Thank you for doing it.
00:17:30 Now, on our screen, we have a very interesting picture.
00:17:33 Eric, what is happening here? Tell us about it.
00:17:36 This is the two of us when we visited the island of Pohnpei.
00:17:40 We were sent there to help teach a Bethel Service School.
00:17:43 But this is when we first arrived on the island at the airport.
00:17:47 We were greeted by the brothers and sisters,
00:17:50 and they gave us what you see on the top of our heads.
00:17:52 What is that?
00:17:53 Locally, those are called mwarmwars.
00:17:56 They’re handwoven by the brothers and sisters,
00:18:00 and they’re often given to guests when they first arrive.
00:18:02 I mean, that’s a lot of work to make those,
00:18:05 and it shows the hospitality and love.
00:18:07 Very nice, thank you.
00:18:10 So now, Megan,
00:18:12 I understand you were born on Guam.
00:18:15 So, what was it like growing up on the island of Guam?
00:18:19 Tell us about it.
00:18:20 Well, it is a small island, so no matter where you are,
00:18:23 the branch office is never far away.
00:18:26 It was definitely a special privilege to be able to grow up so close to Bethel.
00:18:31 How far would the branch have been from where you were raised?
00:18:33 Maybe a little less than 15 minutes.
00:18:35 So was Bethel in your backyard?
00:18:37 It was very close.
00:18:38 Excellent. So how did that impact you?
00:18:40 It was very special to be so close
00:18:43 to a center of spiritual activity
00:18:45 where so many brothers and sisters are working hard full-time for Jehovah.
00:18:48 Mm-hmm.
00:18:50 Eventually, my sister started commuting to Bethel,
00:18:53 and she invited me to join her, so we were able to do that together.
00:18:56 Excellent, so you commuted to Bethel with your sister.
00:19:00 And who’s older, you or her?
00:19:01 She is.
00:19:02 She is. OK, very nice.
00:19:04 But what a privilege to be together commuting there
00:19:07 at the Bethel in Guam!
00:19:09 Now, what about you, Eric?
00:19:10 Tell us about yourself.
00:19:12 What about your family?
00:19:13 Well, my mom was born on Guam.
00:19:15 Her side of the family is from there,
00:19:18 but she grew up in Washington State.
00:19:21 That’s where she met my father.
00:19:23 But something interesting happened to my mom before she was married.
00:19:27 What was that?
00:19:29 Well, after she graduated high school she took a trip to Guam,
00:19:33 and she was impressed by the need that was there,
00:19:36 so much so that she had this strong desire
00:19:40 to go back to Guam someday in order to preach there.
00:19:43 We call that the missionary spirit.
00:19:45 And she wanted to go back.
00:19:46 So tell us what happened.
00:19:49 Well, my parents were married, and they served at Brooklyn Bethel.
00:19:52 But in 1979, they attended Gilead School.
00:19:56 Oh, interesting.
00:19:58 They had graduated from the 67th class of Gilead, and then my mom’s dream came true.
00:20:03 They got their assignment?
00:20:04 Their assignment was Guam.
00:20:06 Oh, beautiful. Excellent.
00:20:07 And they absolutely loved that assignment.
00:20:10 And then some years later, my siblings and I came along.
00:20:14 Mm-hmm. So then what happened?
00:20:16 Well, after some years, we moved back to Washington State.
00:20:21 But even though we left Guam,
00:20:23 something never changed for my parents.
00:20:26 What was that?
00:20:27 Their love for the people of Guam never changed.
00:20:30 So although they were geographically located
00:20:32 outside of Guam in the United States, here in Washington, their heart
00:20:37 was still in Guam.
00:20:38 And did that influence you as a young man?
00:20:41 It sure did.
00:20:43 They still had that missionary spirit,
00:20:45 and they wanted to encourage us to reach out and do more.
00:20:49 So one time, as an entire family, we visited Guam.
00:20:53 During that trip, I fell in love with Guam.
00:20:56 You did?
00:20:57 I loved it so much
00:20:58 that when I turned 19, I decided to move to Guam by myself.
00:21:02 And then at a convenient time,
00:21:04 the rest of my family ended up moving out to Guam as well.
00:21:08 And in fact, both my parents are still serving there now.
00:21:11 Isn’t that wonderful?
00:21:12 So your mother and father
00:21:15 and their love for the people in Guam
00:21:18 evidently influenced you, because you fell in love with the people in Guam too . . .
00:21:23 I sure did.
00:21:24 . . . especially with someone very special.
00:21:26 Excellent.
00:21:28 So, what do we see here, Eric?
00:21:30 This is a picture of my family
00:21:32 just outside the Kingdom Hall that we attended when we were young.
00:21:37 It’s my parents, my older sister,
00:21:39 my two younger brothers, and that is me standing in the back.
00:21:44 And we have another picture too.
00:21:46 This is again, all of us, but when we’re a little more grown up.
00:21:50 We were together on Guam at a convention.
00:21:54 And now your parents are still in Guam serving there.
00:21:57 Now, what a good example they must have set, though,
00:22:00 for you and the family and the siblings,
00:22:02 and how encouraged they must have been
00:22:04 that you too had that missionary spirit!
00:22:07 Beautiful.
00:22:08 Tell us how many publishers there are in Micronesia at this time.
00:22:12 Well, we have about 1,200 publishers.
00:22:15 That’s throughout all the islands in Micronesia.
00:22:18 And I know that number may not sound like much,
00:22:21 but actually it is a really impressive number.
00:22:23 And what makes it impressive?
00:22:25 Well, I think it’s the fact that new ones face a definite challenge
00:22:30 before they come in the truth.
00:22:32 The communities in Micronesia are very small.
00:22:36 They’re very close-knit,
00:22:37 and people really depend on one another for everyday life.
00:22:41 So when someone becomes a Witness,
00:22:44 they can be viewed by their community as an outsider
00:22:48 and they lose that connection to that support system
00:22:51 that they’ve had for so long.
00:22:53 So it’s a real test of faith for them to trust that Jehovah
00:22:56 can and will take care of them.
00:22:59 Yeah, it must not be easy.
00:23:00 It sure isn’t easy for many of them.
00:23:04 But despite those challenges, many honesthearted ones
00:23:08 courageously take a stand to join Jehovah’s people.
00:23:11 Beautiful.
00:23:12 And when they do that, they receive a wonderful blessing.
00:23:15 They end up becoming like a family to one another.
00:23:19 So when there is that time of need, they are right there to help them.
00:23:23 Beautiful.
00:23:24 It’s something that’s very touching to see.
00:23:26 So the love of Micronesia is obvious and evident.
00:23:30 And can you relate another example
00:23:33 of the Christian love there in Micronesia?
00:23:36 One that very quickly comes to mind for both of us is the island of Kosrae.
00:23:41 Kosrae.
00:23:42 Now, we don’t hear often about Kosrae.
00:23:44 Can you tell us about it?
00:23:46 It’s a very small island that has just one congregation
00:23:50 of about eight publishers,
00:23:52 yet they’re so faithful and loyal to Jehovah.
00:23:54 Interesting. Eight publishers.
00:23:56 But Jehovah is interested in this small group,
00:24:00 just like in Noah’s day, they were just eight.
00:24:03 Kosrae has about eight.
00:24:05 So how is Jehovah’s interest shown in them?
00:24:08 Well, it’s very clear from the translation work that’s being done.
00:24:12 Jehovah’s organization provides publications
00:24:15 that are translated into their local language.
00:24:18 It’s just so incredible to see.
00:24:20 Because what other organization would do that besides Jehovah’s?
00:24:23 Beautiful.
00:24:25 But it is proof that he’s reassuring them that he sees them and that he loves them.
00:24:29 Oh, they must be thrilled with that.
00:24:31 Thank you for sharing that very important point.
00:24:34 So, what do we have?
00:24:37 We have a paradisaic assignment,
00:24:39 but it does come with some challenges.
00:24:42 As you say, the courage to stand up for one’s beliefs
00:24:47 and the island just having a few publishers —these are challenges.
00:24:52 Am I missing anything?
00:24:54 Well, something else that comes to mind is that some of these islands are so remote,
00:24:59 and because of that, they don’t always have very good Internet.
00:25:02 And that means it can be a challenge to get
00:25:04 the spiritual food to our brothers and sisters at times.
00:25:07 So how would they meet that challenge?
00:25:10 Well, a huge help has been the JW Box.
00:25:12 We see a picture of it here.
00:25:15 The JW Box is a small device.
00:25:17 It can actually fit in your hand.
00:25:20 And the JW Box can connect to the Internet
00:25:23 and download almost anything that’s available on jw.org.
00:25:27 Isn’t that beautiful?
00:25:28 And then, once it downloads publications and videos,
00:25:32 the brothers and sisters can connect their personal devices to the JW Box.
00:25:37 Then they have access to all of this spiritual food
00:25:40 without them ever needing to connect to the Internet themselves.
00:25:43 Now, that is a wonderful provision,
00:25:45 and we thank “the faithful and discreet slave”
00:25:47 for making sure the brothers in Kosrae are spiritually nourished.
00:25:51 Beautiful.
00:25:52 The Gilead legacy continues
00:25:55 on there in Micronesia.
00:25:57 It was started back there in 1954
00:26:00 when the first Gilead-trained missionaries came to Micronesia.
00:26:03 And we see a picture of them.
00:26:05 That is Sam Wiger and his wife, Virginia.
00:26:08 And at that time, there were only about 12 publishers in Guam.
00:26:12 But ‘never despise the day of small beginnings,’
00:26:16 because with their arrival, the Gilead legacy was set in motion.
00:26:20 And now the Micronesia branch territory
00:26:24 spreads over a large area with many islands.
00:26:27 Yes, and some of these islands you can’t reach by plane.
00:26:31 You can only take a boat to get there.
00:26:34 So the branch office has organized preaching campaigns
00:26:37 where boats of Witnesses go to these different islands and preach there.
00:26:41 And that’s actually what we see in this picture here.
00:26:44 So by boat, the brothers reach this island.
00:26:48 And what are we seeing?
00:26:49 Is this a congregation meeting?
00:26:51 After a few days of preaching on the island,
00:26:55 this was their last day, and they invited all the interested ones
00:26:59 to come together to this group meeting.
00:27:01 And what they did was they had a group Bible study.
00:27:04 But they focused on teaching these interested ones
00:27:08 how to study the Bible Teach book on their own.
00:27:11 Good.
00:27:11 That way, when the brothers and sisters left,
00:27:14 they could still feed themselves spiritually.
00:27:16 Oh, that is so encouraging.
00:27:18 Thank you so much for sharing.
00:27:20 So it’s a beautiful island, true.
00:27:22 But it’s the precious people
00:27:24 on the island that are really benefiting from Jehovah’s provisions.
00:27:29 So, what should we do?
00:27:30 Should we take a trip
00:27:32 to the Micronesian islands and visit the brothers
00:27:34 and see how they’re doing?
00:27:36 Would you like to do that?
00:27:37 We’d love that.
00:27:37 Good. Then let’s pay attention to the video.
00:27:41 Located in the western Pacific Ocean,
00:27:44 Micronesia is one of three major island regions,
00:27:48 along with Polynesia and Melanesia.
00:27:50 The word Micronesia means “small islands”
00:27:54 and includes some 2,000 scattered islands.
00:27:57 Yet, the islands are so tiny that their combined landmass
00:28:01 is only about 1,055 square miles,
00:28:04 or 2,730 square kilometers, not much larger than
00:28:08 that of Rhode Island, the smallest state in the United States.
00:28:13 The branch is located on the island of Guam
00:28:16 but is referred to as the Micronesia branch.
00:28:19 Most people think
00:28:20 of Paradise when they come to Micronesia, but it’s the spiritual paradise
00:28:24 that is truly breathtaking.
00:28:27 That’s right.
00:28:29 The brothers and sisters are hardworking
00:28:31 and loyal for Jehovah’s name.
00:28:34 For example, on the island of Kosrae,
00:28:39 they may be a small group, but they are sending up
00:28:42 a great shout of praise to Jehovah.
00:28:46 What I love about our assignment in Kosrae
00:28:49 is that the people
00:28:50 really have a love for the Bible.
00:28:53 It’s very easy
00:28:54 to have Bible studies
00:28:57 or long conversations with people.
00:28:59 So it makes it very easy to talk
00:29:02 to them about spiritual things.
00:29:03 It makes the ministry very enjoyable.
00:29:06 In case you saw a family resemblance,
00:29:10 that wasn’t just our sister in the truth.
00:29:12 That was Megan’s real sister.
00:29:15 We’re so proud of them and all those exerting
00:29:19 themselves vigorously to reach honesthearted people in remote areas.
00:29:23 And don’t forget time zones.
00:29:26 Oh, right.
00:29:27 The circuit we’re currently in
00:29:29 is made up of four different time zones,
00:29:32 eight different islands, and from east to west,
00:29:35 it’s a distance of about 2,500 miles (4,000 km).
00:29:39 And in our circuit, there are actually seven different languages.
00:29:42 It’s a lot of work.
00:29:44 Each week we pack our bags and then move on to the next island.
00:29:48 The friends are never alone, no matter how far out they might be
00:29:51 or how few publishers might be there.
00:29:54 We see generosity.
00:29:56 We see contentment.
00:29:58 We see zeal.
00:30:00 Jehovah is taking care of them.
00:30:03 On these islands, the precious resources
00:30:07 are definitely Jehovah’s people.
00:30:09 Absolutely!
00:30:10 Micronesia may be remote,
00:30:11 but once you’re here, you’re home.
00:30:17 Eric, that was beautiful.
00:30:19 “Once you’re here, you’re home.”
00:30:21 Thank you for making it your home too.
00:30:23 And to meet your sister like that—
00:30:25 I know you’re proud of her. You said you were.
00:30:27 And we’re proud of her too and proud of you.
00:30:30 And that circuit overseer couple—they’re doing a great work, aren’t they, there?
00:30:33 They sure are.
00:30:34 That self-sacrificing spirit—we could say
00:30:36 that the Gilead, or the missionary, legacy continues there in Micronesia.
00:30:40 Thank you so much.
00:30:42 Well, it’s very clear that Jehovah is blessing
00:30:46 the brothers in Micronesia —the work is thriving.
00:30:49 And, Megan and Eric,
00:30:50 it’s just a pleasure to have you with us not just in class
00:30:54 but as part of The Inside Story.
00:30:56 And we wish you the best
00:30:58 in the days ahead.
00:30:59 Thank you.
00:31:02 So, what do you think?
00:31:04 Can a school have “special mightiness”?
00:31:06 It can if Jehovah backs it.
00:31:10 And that’s exactly what he has done for Gilead School.
00:31:13 Repeatedly, it has been made clear
00:31:16 that Jehovah is blessing the Governing Body’s efforts
00:31:19 to promote and to support divine education throughout the earth.
00:31:25 Why all this education?
00:31:27 In the words of Brother Knorr:
00:31:29 “We want to move to higher levels of understanding
00:31:33 “so that we get deeper into the thoughts of Jehovah
00:31:36 as he . . . expressed them in his Word.”
00:31:39 Therefore, nothing can stop divine education,
00:31:43 and nothing will ever slow it down.
00:31:46 The world says 80 years is probably the time to slow down.
00:31:50 But to Jehovah’s people,
80 is just getting started.
00:31:54 Until the next time on The Inside Story.
00:32:26 Thank you so much, Brother Noumair, and those who participated with you.
00:32:30 That was just outstanding!
00:32:31 Can you imagine 80 years of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead?
00:32:36 You know, we just remembered the other day that the brothers,
00:32:40 when they initiated Gilead, thought they would only have enough resources
00:32:44 to be able to have the school for five years.
00:32:47 It’s amazing to think what Jehovah has accomplished!
