Transcripts 2022 Convention: Pursue Peace!

Transcript: Do Not Be Misled By Imitation Peace. Chibisa Selemani
[An African man sews turquoise and yellow fabric.]
(Text: Chibisa Selemani Malawi.)
Chibisa: As a family, we were doing very well spiritually. We did family worship, preaching, and going to the meetings together.
[Chibisa Selemani Malawi.]
After some time, we began to encounter financial problems. At times, we did not even have money to buy food for each day.
[His wife and daughter at a food market leave empty handed.]
Many people in our area were going to South Africa to provide basic needs for their families. So, I decided to go as well,
[his wife waves goodbye]
leaving behind my wife to take care of our seven children.
[on the back of a taxi bike he travels along a grassy road. Skyline of a bustling city he sits alone in a dark room and puts away a watchtower]
This affected me spiritually because I did not know the language, I was unable to preach, and I did not benefit from the meetings.
[he looks out the window]
Being so far from my family caused me to neglect my responsibility as a family head.
[his family without him]
As a result, my family grew weak spiritually and we all missed each other very much. I realized that I had made a wrong decision going abroad. My conscience started to trouble me greatly. Then I remembered the example of Baruch found at Jeremiah 45:5.
[Baruch with scrolls in hand]
Baruch may have wanted to pursue material riches as I had.
[he side glance’s at well dressed men]
When he was helped, he returned.
[Jeremiah rests his hand on his shoulder]
(Text: “But you are seeking great things for yourself. Stop seeking such things.” – Jeremiah 45:5)
I decided then to put Jehovah in first place instead of searching for material things. So, I started to make changes to go home and help my family spiritually.
[in his tiny room he reads the Bible]
When I left South Africa and reached the border of Malawi after leaving my family for about six months,
[his face light’s up]
I felt great happiness in my heart, and I am still happy till now.
[with his wife in a field]
Studying the Bible has helped me
[they chat]
We still encounter financial problems,
[and read the Bible]
but I remember that in Satan’s world, there is nowhere we can go and have no problems.
[they study as a family]
Now I serve as an elder. My family is progressing spiritually. And this makes me very happy, because my relationship with Jehovah is strong.
[sunlight shine’s through trees as he strolls through a park]
(Logo: Black capital letters JW.ORG inside a white box. Copyright 2022 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania)