2020 Kingdom Campaign: Officials Respond Appreciatively (jw.org)
Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world spent November distributing the public edition of The Watchtower, No. 2 2020, to businesses, family members, and interested persons. A special feature of the campaign was the distribution of the magazine to public officials on all levels of government. Branch offices have already received countless favorable responses.
In Sierra Leone, Rex Bhonapha, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Country Planning, wrote a letter thanking the brothers for sending him the magazine. He added: “I must confess that your magazine has been soul enriching and very educative; it is now part of my daily reading consumption.”
In Samoa, the Prime Minister responded with a thank you letter acknowledging the value of the Lord’s Prayer. Additionally, the Head of State, Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, expressed his personal appreciation for our Bible educational work. He explained that it is “helping people, teaching them about the Bible so that they can change their lives.” He also commended the brothers for suspending in-person services and the door-to-door ministry due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Osvaldo Cartagena García, a Municipal Secretary in Chile, stated: “I hope that your noble campaign serves to enlighten all of those in authority throughout our country and commune, motivating them to perform good deeds in behalf of the entire community, especially in view of what we are currently dealing with in the country and throughout the world.”
A member of the German parliament (Deutscher Bundestag) wrote to the Central Europe branch located in Germany, stating: “Your religious denomination is not unknown to me. With respect, I acknowledge how people of your religious denomination courageously confess their membership as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. . . . I also know that your religious denomination suffered the most difficult repressions under the Third Reich (the Nazi regime).”
Similarly, one of Germany’s Federal State Ministries thanked the Witnesses for providing comfort to people during the COVID-19 pandemic. They explained: “You thereby provide a valuable contribution for the cohesion of community and society in our country.”
In Colombia, a member of the Senate and a member of the House of Representatives both wrote to the branch to thank them for the magazine, stating that they would share it with others. An official from the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development also wrote, saying: “Many thanks for sending me the Watchtower magazine, since it contains a lifesaving message!”
Frank Okyere, Ghana’s ambassador to Japan, expressed: “I find the magazine very insightful, as it highlights solutions to many of the challenges faced by humanity.”
Likewise, an ambassador from Azerbaijan stated: “Thank you very much for sharing with the embassy the special issue of The Watchtower. I have read the magazine with great interest.”
We agree with the sentiments as expressed by Brother Amaro Teixeira, who oversees the Public Information Desk in the Mozambique branch: “This campaign has already succeeded beyond our expectations. The Kingdom message has reached those who are usually unreachable.”
No doubt we will receive further expressions of appreciation from officials and others as the Bible’s message continues to reach “all those who are in high positions.”—1 Timothy 2:2.
