Hello friends,
I promised to you that I shall return with my story, so while I cant write too much today, it will be a part 1, ok?
First of all, I am definately not attracted to paganism and I know for a fact that Jesus is Lord. I had a very personal experience with Christ and that is exactly why I never returned to Kingdom Hall again.
I was brought up in small town in East Europe in a Communistic Regime. My parents were Jehovahs Witnesses and we were severly persecuted for this. My dad was in prison for not going to army as this was a must in Communistic regime. Once you were called you had to go or you were imprisoned. Since my parents believed all teachings of Watchtower faitfully- my dad being a ministerial servant, He went to a court and was sentenced as a political prisoner for refusing to serve in army. So he left my mother with 3 small children home. Later I found several letters he wrote to my mom from prison and they were a beautiful letters to read. He really believed that he is suffering for God and His Christ. My parents were able to go through this because Watchtower was teaching that true Christians do not take arms and learn to kill. While this is a pretty awsome reason- the funny thing is that my dad was never required to take up any arms or to kill anyone. He was called by the state to serve 6 month in army in some clerical position... yet Watchtower Organization saw it as a "support" of army and as a "mixing" with the political world.
So my parents obeyed and put themselves and the kids through the horrible suffering and humiliation. You can imagine what it must of been for my mother to be alone, home with 3 kids and having husband imprisoned as a "political prisoner". Police was watching our little apartmant all the time and as soon as we had over more than 5 people they were knocking on the door- just in case we have an 'illegal religious meeting". All neigbors were watching my mother and her activities.
One great news out of all this was this- because my dad had an excellent behavior and the good lawyer he was released from the prison year later- and of course, my parents saw this as a" hand of God.'
"Because we obeyed Jehovah of not partaking with the politics, we passed the test and now He helped us"- DAD WAS HOME! Now, you can imagine the joy , but you can also imagine how much stronger my parents were in the "truth". My mom quit her job and went to be a "pioneer"full time. My dad spent weekends preparing the "talks". We had meetings 3 times a week and a home preparations and home bible study. Then regular service... So this is how I remember my childhood fun. Armageddon was supposed to be here in 1975 - NEW WORLD ORDER would be here in 1975! My parents went crazy spreading the "good news".
My siblings were much older at that time, so they related to me all the stories o 1975 armageddon, as I was only 3 years old in 1975. My siblings told me how much they sufferred in school- they were marked, watched, questioned - all the time. School principal ordered for them a special "atheistic" education they had to attend, after school of course. Just imagine little school kids thorn between the Communistic Ideology and Watchtower ideology....both forced, one at school - the other at home. Witnesses meetings were all in secret- in homes of witnesses, sometimes songs had to be omitted, so no one hears us, it was illegal to have a religious meeting in our country!
So as I was growing up - I remember all that anxiety, 3 times a week and in the "field service" with my mom. Alwasy worried someone will tell on us, or police will come and lack up my parents again....In fact, the police would have my family "marked" so much that my mom was very inventive on how to hide our religious activities. My older sister ( who is a faithful witness till today) would type up letters about the "good news" and my mom would take nights to deliver those to peoples doors... Then the next day we spent whole day in cementary- telling everyone who came to visit their dead ones about the great news of ressurection....What a fun for a 5 year old!
Then I was 6 finally. So much looking forward to school!!! Armageddon did not come in 1975, but that was OK! "Society must of made a little mistake, it will be here soon, maybe in couple of years?" My mom used to reason. All I heard was that I wont have time to grow up anymore- no, I will own a tiger, a lion, a bear and they all will play with me, I will be able to touch them, pet them and they wont hurt me... yes we will build this nice house too and have a great ressurection party for grandparents! OH YES! COOL DEAL!
" So what were your parents doing past weekend? Where they visiting someone?"
" Do your family own a typewriter?"
"Do your parents take you to any meeting where you talk about God?"
These questions were asked of me when I was a first grader, by my teachers and school principal. But be proud me ! I already knew all the answers. My mom did a good job training me! Only 6 years old I knew to say "no" to everything. As I would cry to my mother at home that I hate these quetions all the time, she would tell me to say nothing just "start crying really loud and they may stop asking you"- she suggested. GREAT. IT WORKED! I started crying really loud and screamed ' No No NO NO NO NO" - and they finally stopped.
( HOOPS my 2 year old is up , must run, I will come back soon for part 2)
