Yearbook 1972 pp.195-213
THE “GOOD NEWS” COMES TO AFGHANISTAN
In September 1957 the Pakistan branch territory increased by some 250,000 square miles and more than twelve million inhabitants. How? It came about because the first witnesses of Jehovah had arrived in the rugged, neighboring country of Afghanistan. Philip Zimmerman, employed with an international airline, had moved from the United States to Kabul, the capital. With his wife, his mother and his young child, he had come to this city of 350,000 people.
As with its eastern and western neighbor countries Afghanistan is almost totally Islamic as to religion, and the preaching of Christianity to the Afghans has never been tolerated. Nothing may be said officially against the Koran or the Moslem religion because the king is a Moslem, and so anything derogatory to him is viewed as lese majesty—affording sufficient grounds for expelling a foreigner from the country. To this day Witnesses must confine their work to the transient foreign community, while relying on ingenuity to reach the local people with the Kingdom message. Most of the population are illiterate peasants who speak only Pushto (also spoken in the northwest frontier region of Pakistan) or Dari, the Afghan form of the Persian language. Well-educated Afghans usually speak at least one European language.
Due to Brother Zimmerman’s type of occupation and his need to return to the United States at regular intervals, not very much consistent preaching was possible at this time; enough, though, for quite a few people to know of the family’s departure for the New York international assembly in 1958, people who were interested in learning what went on there when the family got back to Kabul. The ninety-seven publishers in Pakistan were also represented at that great convention. Five missionaries and Brother Sadiq Masih from Karachi were grateful for the financial assistance they received from brothers all around the world so that they could attend that assembly and return spiritually strengthened and loaded with experiences to share with their brothers.
Since at first the whole country of Pakistan formed one circuit, it was necessary for some to travel anywhere from 500 to 900 miles one way at least twice a year in order to attend circuit and district assemblies. It was at one such circuit assembly in Rawalpindi held in April 1959 that the brothers were surprised by the arrival of a delegate shortly before the start of the Friday evening program. This was Brother Werner Schwarze. He had traveled the more than 300 miles from beyond Kabul, Afghanistan, on motorcycle. From the extreme cold of the mountains he had come through historic Khyber Pass to the hot dusty plains beyond. Even though he could not express himself easily in English, his happiness at being there was radiated to the conventioners. Just two months previously Brother Schwarze had come to Afghanistan from Germany to serve where the need is great.
His return trip to Afghanistan was not without problems. He was carrying with him on his cycle a suitcase full of literature, and was somewhat concerned about how the border officials would react. However, a few miles from the checkpoint a passing car stopped and the driver said: “That case on your cycle is too difficult for you. Give it to me and I will deliver it to your embassy in Kabul.”
All along the way he tried, despite his limited knowledge of the language, to share the “good news” with the local inhabitants. This same tactful, incidental witnessing about Jehovah’s purposes in such places is carried on by him to this day whenever he travels. At the next assembly, Brother Schwarze was accompanied by his wife and two daughters, recently arrived in Kabul. This had increased the proclaimers of the Kingdom in Afghanistan to seven. Soon three more publishers were to arrive from Germany to serve there where the need is so great.
A real milestone in the progress of the work in Afghanistan was reached in 1962 when Milton Henschel, from the President’s office, visited Kabul. On that occasion the brothers there had their own small assembly, which certainly indicated some little easing of the restrictions. How very encouraged they all were! In 1964, after seven years of service there, the Zimmermans had to leave Afghanistan. For the next five years there were only five publishers to serve the country’s millions—Brother Schwarze, his wife, his daughters and Brother Muecke, the husband of one of those daughters.
The brothers keep literature in some thirty languages, and in Brother Schwarze’s home there is a display of the Paradise book in several languages, which serves as a talking point whenever anyone visits. Brother Schwarze recalls that in 1959 they had up to seven policemen watching their meeting place, and if a local person wanted to study they would have to meet him on a corner somewhere and take him by car for a picnic in the hills. Now there are no police watching.
In the house-to-house work one must become expert at recognizing non-Afghan names on the gates. As to the homes in Kabul, they usually have high walls around them and when you knock on the gate an Afghan servant responds. You first ask him in Persian if a foreigner lives there. Should the reply be in the negative, then you apologize and try another house.
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