Well, I am not a young girl anymore, I am 60 and bought a computer last year to be in touch with my friend Anne in California and hopefully also with other brothers around the world.

Since I really enjoy learning from my brothers and sisters how they "came into the truth" I would like to tell you my "story".

I was raised by an atheistic father and a mother who was not interested in religion either, but I always asked myself about the purpose of life. I was convinced, that there had to be some more about life! I read about philosophy, different religions, I went to church,when there was nobody in and prayed: "My dear God, if you really exist, please show me where to find you." This was in Salzburg, Austria.

Then I married to an Italian; I lived in Rome and had 3 children (2 boys and rather late 1 girl), who were all my life! But still I had that question of the purpose of life always in my mind. My husband was very wealthy; I had everything on the worldly side, but I could not understand why we were so rich and others were so poor. I could not understand why there was so much hate, injustice and pain in the world. Finally, Jehovah looked on me and he sent me a maid who was a Witness.

Obviously there was still something wrong with me, because I liked the message very much, but I was not able to understand. After a while her daughter came to work for me, we had long discussions - but nothing. They sent other brothers to my home, I let them in, all of them - but I could not understand the meaning of the message. Then came the aunt - I felt miserable, because I felt, how much they all cared to help, I felt the love they had for me ... so I promised to read finally this little blue book (The Truth That Leads To Eternal Life) and asked them to come back in two weeks. And I started to read ... and I could not stop reading: I had found the truth!!!

I looked for my former maid and said: I finally understand what you tried to tell me, I want to get baptized! You can imagine how happy they were! They explained, of course, that I had to study the Bible before, so I started immediately and started also to frequent the meetings. Now, you must know, that our villa was the most beautiful in that area, my husband was a big boss in the transportation business - and the meetings were in a very poor garage with simple benches; I had to learn to be humble! This was spring 1977 and in autumn of the same year we moved to California, that is, the children and me, my husband was traveling a lot and stayed mainly in Rome, but came to visit us sometimes during the year.

From the beginning he was not interested in the truth, but he did not oppose at all, but meanwhile he had started a very hard persecution. But since he was nearly all the time away, I could continue my study of the Bible. The very first day alone, in San Francisco (my husband had left after only four days), I took the telephone book and called all JW telling them: I am a German speaking Italian and I want to study the Bible! I had wonderful brothers coming to study with me. I studied twice a week and attended all the meetings - that was not easy.

My husband had forbidden me to involve the children and to go to the meetings, so I attended 5 different congregations, having half an hour in one, the other day the rest of it. I went shopping and made a rush to the Kingdom Hall to have a bit of the meeetings! On April 2, 1978, I got baptized in Fremont, California - and I was soo happy!

From that moment, my husband wanted to divorce; he wanted to bring me to a mental home. He influenced my two boys really bad against me and finally he sent me back to Austria in February 1979. The two boys wanted to stay with him, they were 14 and 16 at that time, my little girl Monica was 4 and she came with me. She loved the truth with all her heart and although we had lots of financial problems (my husband stopped to support us), we were kind of happy. But Satan did not give up - my parents turned against me and did not even want me to live in the same town, so I had to move again ... but with all the terrible troubles I always felt that Jehovah was with me. He did not forsake me! After a few months my husband kidnapped my beloved daughter, that was the most painful thing that could happen to me. Not that I did not care about my boys, oh, I missed them so much and it hurt so much, but Monica was the last dear person whom I had from my whole family!

I started pioneering and that helped me a little bit to overcome my deep pain in my heart. Of course, I tried all I could to have back my children, going back and forth from Austria to Home, but there was nothing to do; I had no idea where my children were and no possibility to get back in touch with them.

Then I came to Vienna, found a new work, a new home, new brothers and sisters ... I had a full-time job and continued pioneering until I had a spiritual beark down. NEVER try to resolve such a problem alone, go to the spiritual elders, ask them to help you!!! I thought I could manage it by myself; I could not - I was disfellowshipped for 3 years, 3 very unhappy years, but Jehovah did not forget me and he sent a dear sister (again in Italy, when I was on vacation there) and I had the priviledge to come back to my wonderful family, but especially to my/our merciful father Jehovah. How gratefil I am!!! I pray every day to Jehovah that He helps me not to hurt Him anymore by disobeying Him! I love Him so much, my brothers, the service - well, the same way all of you do!

Five years ago I had a malignous breast cancer; the surgery was successful; I had radiations and again my service for Jehovah helped me to cope also with these difficult times. I was (and still am) pioneering at that time and Jehovah had blessed me with several studies, so I could continue without interrupting. Now I have to take care of my (still unbelieving but not any more so opposing) parents, that means travel very often for a longer time to Salzburg (350 km away), that makes it a little difficult to continue my pioneering, but since nobody can do anything without the help and the strength of Jehovah I will continue until He himself gives me the possibility!

May Jehovah Bless You

philia from Evelyn Luppi

Versammlung Wien-Donaufeld

Wien - Austria