January 8

Table of Contents

January 8, 2002

Courage in the Face of Disaster

We present just a few of the stories of the courage, compassion, and endurance demonstrated on September 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center was attacked.

3 The Day the Twin Towers Collapsed

10 Support and Compassion From Many Parts

13 The Secret Behind the Bubbles

22 A Fascinating Visit to Olympic National Park

26 The Amazing Grass Bands of the Solomon Islands

28 Watching the World

30 From Our Readers

31 A Teen Who Takes Pride in His Religion

32 Would You Appreciate Some Comfort?

In Search of Dolphins Down Under 16

A visit to New Zealand reveals more interesting facts about these “most intelligent animals.”

Should Christians Share in New Year’s Festivities? 20

What is the origin of New Year’s celebrations? Do they conflict with Bible teachings?

[Picture Credit Lines on page 3]

COVER: AP Photo/Matt Moyers

Steve Ludlum/NYT Pictures

The Day the Twin Towers Collapsed

THE events of September 11, 2001, in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania will be indelibly impressed on the minds of millions, if not billions, of the world’s inhabitants. Where were you when you saw or heard the news of the attack on the World Trade Center in New York and on the Pentagon in Washington?

That incredibly swift destruction of so much property and, far more important, of so many lives has given mankind reason to pause and reflect.

What have we learned about our priorities and our choices in life? How did those tragic events bring to the fore some of the better qualities of our humanity—self-sacrifice, compassion, endurance, and unselfishness? This article and the one following will try to answer the latter question.

Survivors Tell Their Stories

Immediately following the disaster in New York, the subway system closed down, and multitudes of people exited lower Manhattan on foot—many of them crossing the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges. They could clearly see the office and factory buildings of the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Some refugees from the disaster soon headed toward those buildings.

Alisha (at right), the daughter of a Witness, was among the first to arrive. She was covered with dust and ash.a She explained: “While I was on the train heading to work, I could see smoke coming from the World Trade Center. When I arrived at the disaster area, there was glass on the ground everywhere, and I could feel the heat. People were running in every direction, while the police were trying to evacuate the area. It looked like a war zone.

“I ran into a nearby building for shelter. Then I heard the explosion as the second plane hit the south tower. The scene was indescribable, with black smoke everywhere. We were told to move out of the danger zone. I was put on a ferry crossing the East River to Brooklyn. When I got to the other side, I looked up and saw a large sign, ‘WATCHTOWER.’ The headquarters of my mother’s religion! I immediately made my way to the office building. I knew that I could not be in better hands. I was able to get cleaned up and then call my parents.”

Wendell (at right) was a doorman at the Marriott Hotel located between the two towers. He explained: “I was on duty in the lobby when the first explosion occurred. I saw debris falling all around. I looked across the street, and there was a man in flames lying on the ground. I tore off my jacket and shirt and ran over to try to put out the flames. Another passerby joined in to help. All the clothes burned off the man except for his socks and shoes. Then the firemen came and took him to get medical help.

“Shortly after that, Bryant Gumbel of CBS TV news called on the phone to get an eyewitness account of what was happening. My family in the Virgin Islands heard it on their TV and, as a result, knew that I was alive.”

Donald, a hefty six-foot-five-inch [195 cm] employee at the World Financial Center, was on the 31st floor of his building, looking straight across at the Twin Towers and the Marriott Hotel. He said: “I was dumbstruck and horrified by what I saw. People were falling and jumping out of the north tower windows. I became hysterical and ran out of my building as fast as I could.”

Another experience was that of a mother in her 60’s and her two daughters in their 40’s. Ruth and her sister Joni were staying with their mother, Janice, at a hotel near the Twin Towers. Ruth, a registered nurse, tells the story: “I was in the shower. My mother and sister suddenly shouted for me to get out of the shower. We were on the 16th floor, and they could see debris falling past the window. My mother actually saw a man’s body fly over a nearby roof as if he had been ejected from somewhere.

“I dressed quickly, and we started down the stairs. There was a lot of screaming. We exited onto the street. We heard explosions and saw sparks of fire. We were ordered to rush south to Battery Park, where the Staten Island Ferry is located. On the way, we lost contact with Mother, who has chronic asthma. How would she survive in all this smoke, ash, and dust? We spent half an hour looking for her but without success. However, we were not too worried at first because she is very capable and self-possessed.

“Eventually, we were directed to walk to the Brooklyn Bridge and cross to the other side. Imagine our relief as we got to the Brooklyn side of the bridge and saw the huge sign ‘WATCHTOWER’! We knew we were safe.

“We were given a welcome and accommodations. We were also supplied with clothes, since we had nothing. But where was Mother? We spent all night vainly trying to trace her at hospitals. About half past eleven the next morning, we received a message. Mother was downstairs in the lobby! What had happened to her?”

Janice, the mother, continues the account: “When we rushed out of the hotel, I was concerned about an elderly friend, who had been unable to leave with us. I wanted to return and carry her out myself. But it was too dangerous. In the commotion I got separated from my daughters. However, I was not too concerned, as they are levelheaded and Ruth is a qualified nurse.

“Everywhere I looked, people needed help—especially children and babies. I helped as many as I could. I went to the triage area, where the victims were being sorted and treated according to the severity of their injuries. I helped out by washing the hands and faces of the policemen and firemen, who were caked with soot and dust. I stayed until about three in the morning. Then I took the last ferry to Staten Island. I thought that perhaps my daughters had sought refuge over there. But I didn’t find them.

“In the morning I tried to get the first ferry back to Manhattan, but I couldn’t get on because I was not an emergency worker. Then I saw one of the policemen whom I had helped. I called out: ‘John! I need to get back to Manhattan.’ He replied: ‘Just come with me.’

“When I arrived in Manhattan, I headed back to the Marriott Hotel. Perhaps there was still a chance to help my elderly friend. No way! The hotel was in ruins. The downtown area was dead—no life in it anywhere. Only haggard policemen and firemen, with tragedy written all over their faces.

“I wended my way over to the Brooklyn Bridge. As I neared the far end, I could see a familiar sign, ‘WATCHTOWER.’ Perhaps I would find my daughters there. Sure enough, they came down to the lobby to greet me. What hugs and tears we shared!

“Amazingly, I did not have a single asthma attack, in spite of all the smoke, dust, and ash. I kept praying, for I wanted to be useful, not a burden.”

“There’s Nowhere to Land!”

Rachel, a woman in her early 20’s, told an Awake! writer: “I was walking down my block in lower Manhattan when I heard the noise of a plane overhead. It was so loud that it made me look up. I couldn’t believe it—there was this huge jetliner obviously on a descending path. I wondered why it was flying so low and so fast. There’s nowhere to land! Maybe the pilot had lost control. Then I heard a woman screaming, ‘That plane just hit the building!’ A huge fireball burst out of the north tower. I saw a giant black hole in the tower.

“It was the most horrible thing I’ve ever seen in my life. It didn’t seem real. I just stood there with my mouth open. Within a short time, the second tower was hit by another plane, and eventually both towers collapsed. I became hysterical. It was more than I could take!”

“If I Have to Swim, I’ll Swim”

Denise, aged 16, had just arrived at her school next to the American Stock Exchange, which is located three blocks south of the World Trade Center. “It was just after 9:00 a.m. I knew that something had happened, but I didn’t know what. I was on the 11th floor of the school, attending history class. All the students looked petrified. The teacher still wanted us to take a test. We wanted to get out and go home.

“Then the building shook as the second plane impacted the south tower. But we still did not know what had happened. Suddenly I heard on the teacher’s walkie-talkie: ‘Two planes have hit the Twin Towers!’ I thought to myself, ‘It is not logical to stay put. This is terrorism, and the Stock Exchange will be next.’ So we got out.

“We raced down to Battery Park. I turned around to look at what was happening. I could see that the south tower was going to collapse. Then I thought that there would be a domino effect, with all the high buildings collapsing. I was struggling to breathe, as my nose and throat were clogged with ash and dust. I raced for the East River, thinking, ‘If I have to swim, I’ll swim.’ As I fled, I prayed to Jehovah to save me.

“Eventually, I was put on a ferry to New Jersey. It took more than five hours for my mother to find me, but at least I was safe!”

“Is This My Last Day of Life?”

Joshua, aged 28, from Princeton, New Jersey, was teaching a class on the 40th floor of the north tower. He recalls: “All of a sudden, it felt like a bomb had exploded. There were tremors, and then I thought, ‘No, it was an earthquake.’ I looked outside, and it was unbelievable—smoke and debris were swirling around the building. I said to the class, ‘Everybody, drop your stuff. Let’s go!’

“We headed down the stairs, which were filling up with smoke, and water was coming out of the sprinklers. But there was no panic. I kept praying that we had chosen the right stairwell so that we wouldn’t come face-to-face with the fire.

“As I was running down the stairs, I thought, ‘Is this my last day of life?’ I kept praying to Jehovah, and I felt a strange feeling of peace. I have never experienced that kind of inner peace. I will never forget that moment.

“When we finally came out of the building, the police were moving everyone along. I looked up at the towers and saw that both buildings had been sliced open. It was surreal.

“Then I heard an eerie sound—an uncanny silence as if thousands of people were holding their breath. It seemed as if New York stood still. This was followed by screaming. The south tower was collapsing on itself! A tidal wave of smoke, ash, and dust was hurtling toward us. It was like special effects out of a movie. But this was real. As the cloud caught up with us, we could hardly breathe.

“I made it to the Manhattan Bridge, where I turned and saw the north tower with its huge TV antenna go crashing down. As I crossed the bridge, I just kept praying that I would reach Bethel, the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I have never been so happy to see that place in my whole life. And there on the factory wall was the big sign that thousands can see each day, ‘Read God’s Word the Holy Bible Daily’! I thought, ‘I’m almost there. Just keep going.’

“As I reflect on those events, they have impressed on me that I really need to have my priorities right—that first things in life should be first.”

“I Saw People Jumping off the Tower”

Jessica, aged 22, saw the events when she got out of a downtown subway station. “I looked up and saw ash, debris, and all kinds of pieces of metal coming down. People were waiting to use pay phones and were getting more and more hysterical because of the delays. I prayed for calmness. Then another explosion. Steel and glass were falling out of the sky. I heard shouts, ‘It was another plane!’

“I looked up, and it was horrible to see—people jumping from the upper floors where the smoke and flames were billowing out. I can still see it before my eyes—a man together with a woman. They were holding onto a window for a while. Then they had to let go, and they fell and fell and fell. The sight was unbearable.

“Eventually, I got to the Brooklyn Bridge, where I took off my uncomfortable shoes and ran to the Brooklyn side of the river. I walked into the Watchtower office building, where I was immediately helped to calm down.

“That night, at home, I read in Awake! of August 22, 2001, the series ‘Coping With Post-traumatic Stress.’ How badly I needed that information!”

The enormity of the disaster moved people to help in whatever way they could. The following article explains that part of the story.

[Footnote]

[Diagram/Pictures on page 8, 9]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

DESTROYED

1 NORTH TOWER 1 World Trade Center

2 SOUTH TOWER 2 World Trade Center

3 MARRIOTT HOTEL 3 World Trade Center

7 7 WORLD TRADE CENTER

SEVERELY DAMAGED

4 4 WORLD TRADE CENTER

5 5 WORLD TRADE CENTER

L ONE LIBERTY PLAZA

D DEUTSCHE BANK 130 Liberty St.

6 U.S. CUSTOMS HOUSE 6 World Trade Center

N S NORTH AND SOUTH PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES

PARTIALLY DAMAGED

2F 2 WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER

3F 3 WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER

W WINTER GARDEN

[Credit Line]

As of October 4, 2001 3D Map of Lower Manhattan by Urban Data Solutions, Inc.

[Pictures]

Top: The south tower collapsed first

Above: Some ran to the Watchtower buildings for refuge

Right: Hundreds of fire fighters and rescue crews worked tirelessly at Ground Zero

[Credit Lines]

AP Photo/Jerry Torrens

Andrea Booher/FEMA News Photo

[Picture Credit Line on page 3]

AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler

[Picture Credit Line on page 4]

AP Photo/Suzanne Plunkett

Support and Compassion From Many Parts

VOLUNTEERS came from other parts of the United States as well as from other countries. One such volunteer was Tom (shown above), aged 29, a fire fighter from Ottawa, Canada. He told Awake!: “I saw the events on TV and wanted to give moral support to my brother fire fighters in New York. I drove down on Friday and went to Ground Zero on Saturday to offer my help. I was put in the so-called bucket brigade, moving out debris bucket by bucket.

“We slowly sifted through the rubble, a shovelful at a time, looking for items that might be clues to the identity of fallen firemen. I found a Halligan tool used to open locked doors, as well as couplings from a hose. It was painstaking toil. With about 50 volunteers, it took two hours to fill one dump truck.

“On Monday, September 17, we pulled out the bodies of some fire fighters who had rushed into the building on the previous Tuesday. I will never forget that scene—all the rescue workers stopped working, took off their hard hats and helmets, and stood—out of respect for our fallen colleagues.

“As I was standing viewing the scene at Ground Zero, I was struck with how fragile life is today. It made me reflect on my life, my job, my family. Regardless of the risks, my job is very rewarding—being able to help people and even save lives.”

Witnesses Offer Practical Help

The first two days of the disaster, about 70 people sought refuge at the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Some who had lost their hotel rooms and luggage were given a place to stay and replacement clothing. They were fed. Perhaps more important, they were given emotional support by experienced Christian elders.

Jehovah’s Witnesses also sent needed emergency equipment and supplies for the search-and-rescue crews working at what came to be called Ground Zero. Transportation was also made available to the fire department to get fire fighters to the rescue area. Ricardo (at right, top), a 39-year-old Witness and sanitation worker, was involved, along with hundreds of others, in removing tons of debris day after day. He told Awake!: “The sights were very stressful, especially for fire fighters, who were looking for their lost comrades. I saw them pull out one fireman alive. Another fireman had been killed by a falling body. Many firemen were weeping. I broke down and cried. On that day nobody was more courageous than they were.”

“Time and Unforeseen Occurrence”

Thousands of people died in the disaster. Among these are at least 14 Witnesses, who happened to be at or near the scene of the tragedy. Joyce Cummings, aged 65 and originally from Trinidad, had a dental appointment near the World Trade Center. Unfortunately, it was about the time of the disaster. She was apparently overcome by smoke and was rushed to a nearby hospital. They were not able to save her. Hers was one of many cases of people suffering the effects of “time and unforeseen occurrence.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11) She was known as a very zealous evangelizer.

Calvin Dawson (see box) worked at a brokerage firm on the 84th floor of the south tower. He was in his office and had a clear view of the north tower immediately after it was struck by a plane. His employer, who was away from the office, called in by phone to find out what had happened. He said: “Calvin was trying to tell me what he saw. He said, ‘People are jumping!’ I told him to get out of there and get the others out of the office.” Calvin did not make it out. The employer continued: “Calvin was a wonderful man and appreciated by us all, even by those of us who are not spiritual. We admired his godliness and his humanity.”

Another Witness victim was James Amato (lower right on opposite page), father of four children and a captain in the New York fire department. Those who knew him said that he was so courageous that “he would go up into a burning building even though people were running away.” James was promoted in absentia to the rank of battalion chief.

Another Witness fire fighter, with seven years of experience, was George DiPasquale. He was married to Melissa and had a two-year-old daughter, Georgia Rose. He was an elder in a Staten Island congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses and was on the tenth floor of the south tower when it collapsed. He too paid with his life as he tried to save others.

These are just two of the hundreds of fire fighters, policemen, and emergency workers who lost their lives as they valiantly tried to rescue people. The bravery of these rescuers cannot be overemphasized. New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani later said to a group of promoted firemen: “Your willingness to go forward undaunted in the most difficult of circumstances is an inspiration to all of us. . . . And there is . . . no better example of courage than the Fire Department of the City of New York.”

A Ministry of Comfort

During the days after the tragedy, about 900,000 of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the United States made a determined effort nationwide to offer comfort to those who were grieving. Love of neighbor moved them to comfort mourning ones. (Matthew 22:39) In their ministry they have also endeavored to point to the only true hope for distressed humanity.—2 Peter 3:13.

The Witnesses were compassionate in their approach to the public. Their intention was to offer comfort from the Scriptures and imitate the refreshing example of Christ, who said: “Come to me, all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for your souls. For my yoke is kindly and my load is light.”—Matthew 11:28-30.

Groups of elders from local Manhattan congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses were allowed into the Ground Zero area to talk to and comfort the rescue workers there. The response was very favorable. These ministers commented: “The men had tears in their eyes as we shared scriptures with them.” Rescue workers were recovering on a boat at a marina. “The men were looking so lost, with their heads bowed, just not able to cope with what they had seen. We sat down with them and shared texts from the Bible. The men thanked us so much for coming, saying that they really needed this comfort.”

People contacted after the tragedy often wanted something to read, and thousands of brochures were given to them freely. Some of these were When Someone You Love Dies, Will There Ever Be a World Without War?, and Does God Really Care About Us? Also, the cover series in two issues of Awake! were given special attention: “The New Look of Terrorism” (May 22, 2001) and “Coping With Post-traumatic Stress” (August 22, 2001). In many cases the Witnesses explained the Bible’s hope of a resurrection. (John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15) Perhaps millions of people were reached with this comforting message.

It Should Make Us Reflect

Tragedies like this one in New York City should make all of us reflect on what we are doing with our lives. Are we living just for selfish pursuits, or do we try to contribute to the happiness of others? The prophet Micah asked: “What is Jehovah asking back from you but to exercise justice and to love kindness and to be modest in walking with your God?” (Micah 6:8) Modesty should impel us to go to God’s Word to find the true hope for the dead and to discover what God will soon do to reestablish Paradise conditions on this earth. If you wish to know more about the Bible’s promises, we urge you to contact Jehovah’s Witnesses in your neighborhood.—Isaiah 65:17, 21-25; Revelation 21:1-4.

[Box/Pictures on page 11]

TATIANA’S PRAYER

Calvin Dawson’s widow, Lena, told Awake! about the prayer that her seven-year-old daughter said a few days after she knew that her father would not be coming home. Lena had said a prayer, and Tatiana asked, “Can I say a prayer, Mommy?” The mother agreed. Tatiana prayed: “Jehovah, our heavenly Father, we want to thank you for this food and for this day of life. And we want to ask that your spirit be with me and Mommy so that we can be strong. And we want to ask that your spirit be with Daddy, so that he can be strong when he comes back. And when he comes back, that he’ll be nice, strong, and happy and healthy, and we’ll see him again. In Jesus’ name . . . oh, and don’t forget to make Mommy strong. Amen.”

Lena, not quite sure if Tatiana had understood, said: “Tiana, that was beautiful. But, Honey, did you know that Daddy is not coming back?” Immediately, a look of shock swept over Tatiana’s face. “He’s not?” she said. “No,” said her mother. “I thought I told you that. I thought you understood that Daddy’s not coming back.” Tatiana said: “But you always told me that he was coming back in the new world!” Finally, realizing what her daughter meant, Lena said: “I’m sorry, Tatiana. I misunderstood you. I thought you meant that Daddy was coming back tomorrow.” Lena observed: “I felt good knowing that the new world is that real to her.”

The Secret Behind the Bubbles

BY AWAKE! WRITER IN FRANCE

AROUND THE WORLD, CHAMPAGNE is synonymous with festivity and celebration. Indeed, the sparkle and bubbles that characterize this beverage are a hallmark of many happy occasions.

Many credit Dom Pérignon with inventing champagne. Whatever the case, he certainly did much to improve its quality. This Benedictine monk was cellarer of the Hautvillers Abbey (in the heart of the Champagne region of France) from 1668 until his death in 1715. Some credit Dom Pérignon for many of the techniques used in champagne-making to this day.

The first to become enthusiastic over sparkling wine were the British, but by the 18th century, the French court discovered this luxurious beverage. Note, however, that to be truly called champagne, the wines must be produced in Champagne, France. Even the grapes cannot come from outside this region!

The subsoil of the Champagne region is chalky as far down as 330 feet [100 m] and is covered by a fine layer of alluvial soil.a This peculiarity guarantees constant humidity, and at night the soil releases the heat accumulated during the day. Furthermore, the roots of the vines burrow down more than 30 feet [10 m] into the ground, making it easier to take up the minerals essential to the wine’s finesse.

While the region bearing the champagne appellation covers some 90,000 acres [35,000 ha], the vineyards cover roughly 70,000 acres [28,000 ha]. The vines are planted on the upper half of hillsides to limit the devastating effects of frosts, such as the one in 1985 that reached minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit [-30°C]. Three types of grapes are grown: Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir, which are black grapes, and Chardonnay, which are white grapes.b

The Still Wine

Picked grapes are immediately put into large, shallow winepresses to prevent the skins from coloring the juice. An initial pressing of four tons of grapes yields 540 gallons [2,050 l] of cuvée, used only for the best wines. Two subsequent pressings yield 110 gallons [410 l] and 54 gallons [205 l] respectively of inferior-quality juice. After that, anything obtained is not truly champagne.

For several weeks yeasts quietly work away in oak casks or metal vats. Consuming the sugars in the juice, the microorganisms produce alcohol and carbon dioxide as waste products. This first fermentation is similar to that undergone by any wine. The outcome of this process is a still (noneffervescent) wine. Now it is time to transform this excellent wine into a sparkling nectar.

The sugar content of this still wine is measured and regulated to approximately one ounce per quart [25 grams per liter] by adding a liqueur composed of cane sugar dissolved in old wine. The resulting wine is then transferred into bottles, which are closed with a temporary stopper. These are stacked horizontally in cellars at 50 degrees Fahrenheit [10°C] for several months. During this time the yeast gorges itself on the sugar and slowly starts a second fermentation. By once again consuming sugar, the microorganisms produce more carbon dioxide. But this time it cannot escape, as it did in the vats. Instead, it is trapped inside the bottle, steadily increasing the pressure to about six atmospheres. Upon being uncorked, about five or six liters of gas are set free, which accounts for the famous sparkle and the millions of bubbles.

To withstand such pressure, the bottles must be strong, and they need to be securely stopped. In the past this caused considerable difficulties for producers. For example, in his book The Story of Wine, Hugh Johnson relates that toward the end of the 19th century, “it was most unwise to venture into a champagne cellar, especially in springtime, without a metal mask to protect one’s face from flying glass.”

However, our champagne is not quite ready. The deposit made up of dead yeast cells and mineral salts must be eliminated to keep it from clouding the wine. This is the traditional task of remueurs, or bottle twisters. The bottles are progressively tilted neck downward and turned daily by the remueurs by an eighth to a quarter of a turn. Some workers can turn up to 10,000 bottles an hour! For ordinary champagnes, however, this task is gradually being mechanized.

The Finishing Touches

Eventually, the sediment collects in the neck of the bottle. This is removed in a process called dégorgement (disgorging). While the bottle is held upside down, its neck is steeped in a saltwater solution at minus 17 degrees Fahrenheit [-27°C]. The bottle is then quickly opened. The pressure inside forces the frozen sediment out. To make up for lost volume, a new liqueur is added. Its sugar content determines whether the champagne will be dry, medium, or sweet, to suit the consumer’s taste. Now the bottles can finally be sealed with special corks that will gradually take on their distinctive mushroom shape—one of the hallmarks of champagne.

The cork, though, must be firmly held in place. Initial attempts using hemp twine proved unsuccessful, as it rotted in the damp cellars. Next, ordinary metal wire was used, but this rusted and cut through the cork. Finally, another idea was introduced: A metal cap was placed over the cork, and these were held in place by a muzzle of twisted wire. For the past 150 years or so, bottles have been sealed in this way. Finally, the foil trimming and the decorative label are added.

An Envied Drink

Many wine-making areas have sought to produce similar sparkling wines. However, even if the same methods are used, the product can only be called sparkling wine—not champagne—since the name champagne is protected. Recently, when a French fashion designer released a perfume called Champagne, he was taken to court. The same thing happened to an Englishman who marketed a drink called Elderflower Champagne, made from elder flowers, in bottles resembling those of champagne.

As with many enterprises, the champagne industry has experienced an economic crisis. After record production figures in 1989—with 249 million bottles—sales fell, leaving a large surplus. Today, wine-growers limit production in favor of quality.

Away from light and at a constant temperature, champagne may be kept for a few years, but it has already been aged by the manufacturer. Therefore, champagne may be consumed as soon as it is bought. How should it be served? Champagne should be chilled to between 43 and 48 degrees Fahrenheit [6-9°C]—setting the bottle in a bucket of water and ice cubes is a good method to achieve this—and poured into fluted glasses to show off the rising bubbles.

So if you get the chance to sample this delicious drink, think about the continuous care that has gone into making it, and take delight in the millions of bubbles whose secret we have tried to reveal.

[Footnotes]

[Pictures on page 15]

Chardonnay

Pinot Noir

Pinot Meunier

[Credit Lines]

Photo DUBOIS-Collection C.I.V.C.

Photo collection C.I.V.C.

[Pictures on page 15]

1 Grapes are carefully handpicked and pressed in mechanical grape presses

2 Yeasts work in oak casks for several weeks

3 Bottles are stored on racks for a second fermentation

4 In a process called “dégorgement,” the sediment is shot out of the bottle

[Credit Lines]

Photo M. HETIER-Collection C.I.V.C.

Photo collection C.I.V.C.

In Search of Dolphins Down Under

BY AWAKE! WRITER IN NEW ZEALAND

“IT IS the only creature who loves man for his own sake,” wrote the Greek essayist Plutarch. To what was he referring? To none other than the dolphin, a mammal closely related to the whale.

According to The World Book Encyclopedia, “many scientists believe that dolphins rank among the most intelligent animals, along with chimpanzees and dogs.” Yet, as Plutarch noted, dolphins are not drawn to humans just to be fed. On the contrary, it seems that many of them simply enjoy our company. “Though the dolphin may not need man,” notes the book Mysteries of the Deep, “he is curious and quite possibly gets as much pleasure from watching our antics as we do his.” Of the 32 species of marine dolphins, 4 find a home in New Zealand: the common dolphin, the bottle-nosed dolphin, the dusky dolphin, and the world’s smallest—the Hector’s dolphin.a

Dolphins abound in the Bay of Islands, a scenic coastal area of New Zealand. We are eager to visit, so we depart by boat from the town of Russell. Our guide tells us that besides bottle-nosed and common dolphins, we may see killer whales and pilot whales—all related to the dolphin. She suggests that to locate them, we should watch for either their blowhole spray or their dorsal fin. “Sometimes,” she notes, “they find us first!”

Swimming With Dolphins

Before long, the huge dark shapes of bottle-nosed dolphins—up to 13 feet [4 m] long—appear before us, their dorsal fins cutting effortlessly through the waves. As they frolic, they get a free ride on the boat’s pressure wave. The boat stops, and the guide and I carefully slide into the deep, green water, where the wild dolphins allow us to swim with them.

Surrounded by dorsal fins and not sure where to look first, I take a deep breath and gaze in apprehensive wonder at the gray shapes moving beneath me. One dolphin emerges from the depths to inspect me and then rolls over slightly, showing me its white underbelly. Although the dolphins stay out of reach, their sonar whistles are clearly audible. Seemingly unimpressed by my attempts to mimic their sounds, the dolphins retreat and then reappear to continue circling.

Fishing and Playing

Once we are back on board, the boat follows the dolphins to a sheltered bay. There we see more dolphins than we can count—leaping and splashing everywhere! Actually, they are fishing. Their diet consists mainly of squid, fish, and crustaceans. We even observe what appears to be a fishing lesson in progress. The mother seems to stun a small fish with her sonar, and the baby apparently attempts to catch it by slapping it with its tail. It seems that the baby may need a few more lessons!

Dolphins spend much of their day playing and socializing. One glides past, proudly displaying some seaweed on its dorsal fin. Our guide explains that seaweed is a favorite toy of dolphins. They will put it on a fin or snout and play with it for ages. When one is finished, another will pick it up and have a turn.

‘Sound Pictures’

To “see” their underwater surroundings more accurately, dolphins use an echolocation, or sonar, system, which operates on a frequency similar to that of an ultrasound scan. The dolphins send out clicks, and the “pictures” they receive enable them to locate food and other objects of interest—including us. Dolphins communicate with one another using high-pitched whistles—transmitted at frequencies ten times higher and four and a half times faster than human speech. Rather than using a language as we know it, dolphins seem to create ‘sound pictures.’

Clearly, there is much yet to be learned about dolphins. Perhaps one day we will fully understand them—how they think and what they think of us. Filled with wonder and affection, we leave this lovely deserted bay, with its misty cliffs and white sandy beach, to the dolphins. We have a newfound respect for these creatures and increased awe for their Creator.—Revelation 4:11.

[Footnote]

[Box/Picture on page 18, 19]

Bringing Up Baby

Dolphins are not fish but mammals. Hence, a baby dolphin feeds on milk that is produced in its mother’s body. Over the three-year period that the mother nurses it, she will teach her baby what it needs to know to survive. For example, she will teach it how to use its echolocation, or sonar, system, including the distinctive “signature” with which it will end each “sentence.” She will also teach it how to fish, how to mate, and how to interact with other dolphins.

A dolphin calf is born tailfirst, having been folded in half inside its mother. Vertical lines are visible on newborn calves, which show where they were folded in the womb. A baby will suckle on the run, all the while remaining close to its mother by taking advantage of the hydrodynamic effects of her swimming.

[Credit Line]

© Jeffrey L. Rotman/CORBIS

[Map on page 19]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

NEW ZEALAND

Bay of Islands

[Picture on page 17]

Bottle-nosed dolphin

[Credit Line]

© Jeff Rotman

[Picture on page 17]

Hector’s dolphin

[Credit Line]

Photo by Zoe Battersby

[Picture on page 18]

Dusky dolphin

[Credit Line]

Mark Jones

[Picture on page 18]

Common dolphins

[Credit Line]

© R.E. Barber/Visuals Unlimited

The Bible’s Viewpoint

Should Christians Share in New Year’s Festivities?

“THE afternoon before New Year’s Eve is unusually calm,” says Fernando, a medical doctor in Brazil. “Then, about 11 o’clock, they start to arrive—a steady stream of patients with stab wounds or gunshot wounds, teenagers injured in automobile accidents, and battered wives. Alcohol is nearly always a factor.”

Considering the above, it is hardly surprising that one Brazilian journal referred to the first day of the year as international hangover day. A European news agency says that “New Year is for the lay hedonist,” adding that it is “one more round in the eternal battle of man pitched against alcohol.”

Granted, not everyone celebrates the New Year by drinking heavily and committing acts of violence. In fact, many have fond memories of the occasion. “As children, we could hardly wait for New Year’s Eve,” says Fernando, quoted earlier. “There were always lots of games, food, and drink. At midnight we would embrace, kiss, and wish one another ‘Happy New Year!’”

Similarly, many today feel that they share in New Year’s festivities without going overboard. Still, Christians do well to examine the origin and significance of this popular celebration. Do New Year’s festivities conflict with Bible teachings?

Facts From the Past

New Year’s festivities are not new. Ancient inscriptions indicate that they were held in Babylon as early as the third millennium B.C.E. The celebration, which was observed in mid-March, was crucial. “At that time the god Marduk decided the destiny of the country for the coming year,” says The World Book Encyclopedia. The Babylonian new year celebration lasted 11 days and included sacrifices, processions, and fertility rites.

For a time, the Romans too began their year in the month of March. But in 46 B.C.E., Emperor Julius Caesar decreed that it should begin on the first of January. That day was already dedicated to Janus, the god of beginnings, and now it would also mark the first day of the Roman year. The date changed, but the carnival atmosphere persisted. On the first of January, people “gave themselves up to riotous excess,” says McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia, “and various kinds of heathen superstition.”

Even today, superstitious rituals play a part in New Year’s festivities. For example, in some areas of South America, many welcome the New Year while standing on their right foot. Others sound horns and set off firecrackers. According to a Czech custom, New Year’s Eve is a time for eating lentil soup, while a Slovak tradition has people placing money or fish scales under the tablecloth. Such rituals, designed to ward off ill fortune and guarantee prosperity, merely perpetuate the ancient belief that the turn of the year is a time for deciding destinies.

The Bible’s View

The Bible admonishes Christians to “walk decently, not in revelries and drunken bouts.”a (Romans 13:12-14; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Peter 4:3) Since New Year’s festivities are often characterized by the very excesses that the Bible condemns, Christians do not participate in them. This does not mean that Christians are killjoys. On the contrary, they know that the Bible repeatedly tells worshipers of the true God to rejoice—and that for a number of reasons. (Deuteronomy 26:10, 11; Psalm 32:11; Proverbs 5:15-19; Ecclesiastes 3:22; 11:9) The Bible also acknowledges that food and drink often accompany rejoicing.—Psalm 104:15; Ecclesiastes 9:7a.

As we have seen, however, New Year’s celebrations are rooted in pagan customs. False worship is unclean and detestable in the eyes of Jehovah God, and Christians reject practices that have such origins. (Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Ezekiel 22:3, 4) The apostle Paul wrote: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial?” For good reason, Paul added: “Quit touching the unclean thing.”—2 Corinthians 6:14-17a.

Christians also realize that taking part in superstitious rituals does not guarantee happiness and prosperity—especially since participating in such festivities can result in God’s disfavor. (Ecclesiastes 9:11; Isaiah 65:11, 12) Furthermore, the Bible admonishes Christians to be moderate and self-controlled in their conduct. (1 Timothy 3:2, 11) Clearly, it would be improper for one who professes to follow Christ’s teachings to be part of a celebration that is characterized by riotous excess.

As eye-catching and appealing to the senses as New Year’s festivities may be, the Bible tells us to “quit touching the unclean thing” and to “cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit.” To those who comply, Jehovah extends the heartwarming guarantee: “I will take you in. . . . I shall be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me.” (2 Corinthians 6:17b–7:1) Indeed, he promises eternal blessings and prosperity to those who are loyal to him.—Psalm 37:18, 28; Revelation 21:3, 4, 7.

[Footnote]

A Fascinating Visit to Olympic National Park

HAVING been raised close to the original Mount Olympus in southern Europe, I was naturally curious about the Olympian qualities of a thumb of land thousands of miles away that extends into the Pacific from the edge of North America. A friend’s mention of rain forests in that remote area—5,000 miles [8,000 km] northwest of the Amazon—was enough to lure me to Olympic National Park.

A little homework before the visit revealed that the 900,000-acre [350,000 ha] park, located in the northwest corner of the United States in Washington State, is an intriguing array of natural wonders. Here, beneath the Pacific mist that enfolds shoreline and timberline, one can discover large trees, jagged coastline, and some of the wettest weather on earth. The park has tall mountains, snowcapped and overrun with slow-moving glaciers, and a rain forest as mysterious and dark as any in the Amazon region.

In 1788 an English captain named the highest peak—rising to just under 8,000 feet [at just under 2,500 meters]—Mount Olympus, after the legendary home of the mythical gods of Greece. To preserve this untamed wilderness, Olympic National Park was established in 1938.

Rain Forests in North America?

On a pleasant autumn morning, Mike, a native of the area and a guide, waited for my wife and me at the park headquarters, in Port Angeles. A tall, barrel-chested man, Mike takes pride in showing the treasures of the rain forest to visitors like us. “The rain forests are perhaps the most extraordinary phenomena at Olympic,” he said with evident exuberance. “The term is usually applied to tropical forests. Ours here are among the less extensive rain forests in temperate latitudes.” When I ask for an explanation, Mike is quick with the math: The forests are fed by the abnormally high rainfall on the western slopes of the Olympic Mountains, ranging from about 80 inches [200 cm] a year near the coast to 150 inches [400 cm] or more along the river valleys in the foothills. Three valleys contain most of the rain forests: those of the Hoh, Queets, and Quinault rivers.

Our footsteps on the nearly two feet [.5 m] of duff on the forest floor are muffled. The thickness of the trees keeps out wind; even the rain that so frequently falls here filters down as a sort of green mist. The sun reaches us at the forest floor only in tiny, blurred patches. The softest birdsong seems loud, and occasionally deer flit like brown ghosts among the moss-laden trunks.

Where Trees Sprout on Other Trees

Since the ground cover is so dense, seeds rarely get a chance to grow—which is why most of the biggest trees in the forest sprouted from nurse logs. These are fallen, decomposing trees that act as a fertile host to seeds that drop onto them. It is not uncommon to see several great trees growing in a line along one fallen giant, and the prevalence of nurse logs accounts for the occasional occurrence of colonnades of trees—as if they had been carefully planted in rows.

As we leave behind the level trails and climb higher into the Olympics, the forest changes, with record-size Pacific silver fir and alpine fir being the predominant species. Mount Olympus has 7 glaciers on its flanks, with ice 900 feet [300 m] thick in places, and there are more than 50 glaciers in the high country.

Jagged Peaks and Glacier-Mantled Ramparts

The calories burned on that strenuous hike had to be replaced. Thus, our next day started with a hearty breakfast at a diner in Port Angeles. Arlene, our friendly waitress, was thrilled not so much with the rainfall in the area as with the snow. She insisted that we would see nothing of the wonders of the Olympics if we didn’t visit higher ground toward the eastern snowcapped slopes of the park.

As we followed the road east of Port Angeles to Deer Park, we soon found ourselves on mostly steep unpaved roadway with a succession of hairpin turns. We were rewarded with a magnificent view both to the north and to the south, across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Vancouver Island and toward the lofty, icy heart of the Olympic Mountains. In the alpine meadows, we could see numerous deer and some delicate plants that grow nowhere else on earth, including the piper bellflower and the Flett violet.

Next we came to Hurricane Ridge. It is easy to see why the road leading to it is a popular mountain highway in the park. It is a good road, starting near park headquarters and finishing at an altitude of 5,757 feet [1,755 m] in flowering meadows right on the edge of the Olympics. From there, the mountains extend into the distance to the south, a succession of snowy peaks with glaciers filling the valleys between them. As we gazed at the view, piled masses of clouds scurried across from the west.

The first avalanche lilies bloom as the snow withdraws from the meadows, and for the next three months, there is a succession of colorful flowers. Browsing deer can be seen against the splendid mountain backdrop, and sometimes mountain goats can be spotted clinging to the steep cliffs above the highway.

The Pounding Surf of the Pacific

Access to the very best of the Olympic beaches is for the hiker rather than the driver. Hiking through the woods from the eastern town of Forks, we reached beaches with tide pools that were full of endlessly fascinating marine life. Beyond Teahwhit Head, we came upon the Giants Graveyard, a confused offshore jumble of contorted rock formations that break the huge Pacific surges into foam. Trees along these shores are bent almost flat by the constant push of the battering wind off the sea. As we walked down into the gale, we were surrounded by beautifully shaped driftwood and smoothly polished stones.

For us the Olympic National Park experience was essentially one of wildness and timelessness. It filled us with awe for the Creator, “he in whose hand are the inmost depths of the earth and to whom the peaks of the mountains belong; to whom the sea, which he himself made, belongs and whose own hands formed the dry land itself.” (Psalm 95:4, 5)—Contributed.

[Box on page 25]

Why So Much Rainfall?

Moisture-laden clouds blowing inland from a warm Pacific coastal current are forced to rise by the high barrier of the Olympic Mountains. As the clouds ascend, they cool, and their moisture condenses into heavy rain or snow. Thus, the western slope of the mountains receives upwards of 140 inches [350 cm] of precipitation per year. Mount Olympus receives some 200 inches [500 cm], falling mostly as snow. However, land on its eastern side lying in what is known as a rain shadow stays comparatively dry.

[Map on page 22]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

PACIFIC OCEAN

CANADA

U.S.A.

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

[Pictures on page 23]

Glacier-capped Mount Olympus descends to the Hoh rain forest

[Picture on page 23]

An alpine lake in the Olympics

[Pictures on page 24]

In the alpine meadows, there are many deer and unique plants, such as the Flett violet

[Picture on page 24, 25]

Pacific shoreline of Kalaloch Beach

[Picture on page 25]

Sol Duc Falls

[Picture on page 25]

Driftwood along Rialto Beach

The Amazing Grass Bands of the Solomon Islands

By Awake! writer in the Solomon Islands

HAVE you ever tried to play a panpipe? The breathing technique required can leave you dizzy. But imagine playing pipes that are six feet [2 m] long and two inches [5 cm] in diameter and that require you to move your whole body to produce a note. Put 40 of these instruments together, and you have one of the amazing grass bands of the Solomon Islands. Yes, every instrument in this band is made from grass! The wide variety of grasses in the dense tropical forests of the Solomon Islands provide pipes with voices ranging from the highest soprano to a deep resounding bass.

Let us visit a warehouse in Honiara, where the Narasirato Pipers are preparing their instruments and practicing before setting off on a concert tour of Taiwan. Some instruments contain clusters of three pipes that are tuned to produce a triad, or chord. The musicians are holding the three pipes together and tapping them on a flat piece of stone to make sure that the tones harmonize. If they do not, then a slice is taken off the end of the offending pipe. These pipes are not blown. Rubber is bound onto the bottom of each pipe, and the whole unit is bounced on the ground. What a remarkable chord booms forth!a

It is difficult to describe the sound as the pipes begin to “sing.” Sometimes the sound is feather soft; other times it is almost deafening. Each composition is choreographed, and the musicians weave in and out among themselves as they play. Sometimes the music is an eerie chant, but most often it is a happy foot-tapping tune. Perhaps one day you will be able to visit us and hear for yourself one of the amazing grass bands of the Solomon Islands!

[Footnote]

Watching the World

Antiviral Tea

Preliminary lab studies show that “a wide variety of commercial teas appear to either inactivate or kill viruses,” reports Reuters Health Information. Several types of green and black teas, regular and iced, were tested on animal tissues infected with such viruses as herpes simplex 1 and 2 and the T1 (bacterial) virus. According to researcher Dr. Milton Schiffenbauer of Pace University in New York, “iced tea or regular tea does destroy or inactivate the [herpes] virus within a few minutes.” Similar results were obtained with the T1 virus. While it is not yet clear how tea interferes with the survival of these viruses, researchers found that even after substantially diluting the tea, it was still effective. Black tea was found to have a somewhat more potent antiviral effect than green tea.

Dialing Into Debt

Australian youths “as young as 18 are declaring themselves bankrupt because of soaring mobile phone bills,” according to The Sunday Telegraph newspaper. Influenced by aggressive advertising, and with easy access to credit, some youths have amassed mobile phone bills for thousands of dollars. Commenting on this rising trend among young people, Australian Fair Trading Minister John Watkins said: “Some young people are now leaving school in debt, with a bad credit rating. That is just a tragic way to start out in life.” The paper makes the following suggestions to help young ones avoid this debt trap: Make sure that you understand fully what your calls will cost. Consider using a prepaid mobile phone so that you cannot build up a bill. Try to use your phone in off-peak times to reduce charges.

Hidden Dangers in France

An estimated 1.3 million tons of lethal devices from World Wars I and II remain buried in France, reports Le Figaro. The former front line is littered with old bombs and chemical shells that continue to pose a threat to people and the environment. Since many formerly vacant lots are now residential or industrial areas, bomb-removal squads receive thousands of calls each year. Still, hundreds of accidents have occurred, and over 600 experts have been killed in the line of duty between 1945 and 1985. At the present rate, according to specialists, it could take 700 years to dispose of this arsenal!

Water for Tourists?

“Many of the world’s resorts are struggling to cope with relentless waves of tourists, whose demands for ever more swimming pools and golf courses are sucking them dry,” reports The Guardian of London. “The issue is massive and global,” says Tricia Barnett of Tourism Concern. “Sometimes you’ll see a village [in Africa] with a single tap, when each hotel has taps and showers in every room.” A global conservation organization calculates that a tourist in Spain uses 230 gallons [880 l] of water a day, while a local resident uses only 70 gallons [250 l]. An 18-hole golf course in a dry country can take as much water as a town of 10,000 people. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that the water that 100 tourists use in 55 days would grow enough rice to feed 100 villagers for 15 years.

Smoking Hazards

“One in every eight lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers was caused by passive smoking,” asserts Naohito Yamaguchi of the National Cancer Center Research Institute of Japan. Scientists based their findings on a study of 52,000 people who died from lung cancer. Additionally, “long-standing research shows that toxic carbon monoxide and carcinogens are more prevalent in secondary smoke than smoke directly inhaled by smokers,” says the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. In 1999 a government study in Japan involving 14,000 people found that 35 percent of those at work or at school and 28 percent at home were exposed to secondary smoke. “Smokers should be aware they are harming nonsmokers to such an extent a conscious effort should be made to separate the two groups,” says Yamaguchi.

Modern Slave Trade

At present, “slavery is more common around the world than at any time in human history, according to the latest research by a British-based academic,” reports The Independent of London. Sociology professor Kevin Bales, of the University of Surrey in Roehampton, “has calculated that 27 million people now live as slaves, more than in the Roman Empire or at the height of the transatlantic slave trade,” says the paper. Although today’s methods of slavery may differ from 150 years ago, millions of people are “controlled by another person using violence or the threat of violence and are paid absolutely nothing,” Bales says. The most common form of slavery today is contract slavery, where for a price, organized gangs arrange passage to another country with promise of a high-paying job. Once smuggled into a country, however, the workers are exploited by being forced to pay off their debt by performing menial work.

Exercise Can Reduce Depression

“For some patients, physical exercise may be more effective than a standard drug treatment for depression,” says The Harvard Mental Health Letter, commenting on research done at Duke University Medical Center in the United States. Three groups of 50 people with major depression were given a different therapy for four months. One group took an antidepressant drug, another did exercise alone, and a third did both. After four months, between 60 and 70 percent of the patients in all three groups “were no longer clinically depressed,” said the Health Letter. However, during a six-month follow-up, the patients assigned to exercise therapy “were in better shape emotionally as well as physically; their relapse rate was only eight percent.” This compared with 38 percent for those who took the drug and 31 percent for those who exercised and took the drug.

Jamaican Reefs Rebounding?

Sea urchins off Jamaica’s north coast appear to be making a comeback, states an article in The Dallas Morning News. Furthermore, “scientists discovered many young corals, including hardy and reef-forming types, thriving along with the sea urchins.” The reefs have been struggling ever since a sea urchin species called Diadema antillarum died off dramatically in 1983 and 1984. Some species of sea urchins control the growth of seaweeds, which if left unchecked can devastate coral reefs. However, “new studies show that Diadema has sprung back, and corals may be doing the same,” the paper reports. Marine biologist Nancy Knowlton says that the recovery is “the best news to emerge from Caribbean reefs in decades.”

Sea Creatures Poisoned by Plastic Pellets

“Sea creatures across the globe are being poisoned by tiny plastic pellets floating in the ocean,” reports New Scientist magazine. Chemical companies ship polymers in the shape of small pellets to manufacturers around the world that melt them and then mold them into plastic products. However, thousands of tons of these pellets pass into the sea from factory or city waste as well as from cargo that ships lose or jettison. Researchers from the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in Japan found that the pellets contain high concentrations of toxic chemicals that they absorb from the seawater—chemicals that damage animals’ immunity, fertility, and hormonal systems. Birds, fish, and turtles eat the pellets, mistaking them for fish eggs or other food, so there are worrisome repercussions for the extended food chain.

From Our Readers

Prisons Thank you so much for your articles on the subject “Can Prisoners Be Reformed?” (May 8, 2001) I served 14 years in prison. While there, I came in contact with Jehovah’s Witnesses and began studying the Bible. Upon my release, I continued studying, and I was baptized shortly thereafter. Prisoners can be reformed if they follow the principles taught in the Bible. They can also be grateful—as I am—for hardworking Witnesses who give of their time to help those who are imprisoned.

R. S., United States

I am currently in a correctional facility where there is a wonderful teaching program that Jehovah’s Witnesses were allowed to set up. One prisoner has been baptized, and many others are studying the Bible. How wonderful it is to serve Jehovah wherever we are!

J.A.M., United States

Here in Japan I sometimes feel that it is difficult to have conversations with people about the Bible. But I was encouraged by these brothers who rely on Jehovah and study the Bible with prisoners. I am grateful that you inform us of how hard these brothers work. These are the last days, so each one of us must strengthen our bond with Jehovah all the more.

K. D., Japan

Having been in prison for the past eight years, I see firsthand that prisons aren’t accomplishing their purpose. What is successful is the Bible educational work that you do. As an inmate, I am truly grateful to Jehovah’s Witnesses, who show love to those of us who have made a mistake but are trying to correct it and become better people.

R. J., United States

As I picked up this issue, I wondered who it might appeal to. That very night I received a phone call. My mother had been attacked, and her car was stolen. As my workmates and I talked about crime, criminals, and prisons, I remembered that I had the magazine in my locker. What excellent articles! The next day I was able to give copies to my workmates and to my mother. These articles truly live up to the purpose of Awake!—as it “probes beneath the surface and points to the real meaning behind current events.”

R. S., United States

I first heard of Jehovah’s Witnesses from my cell mate. I’m truly grateful to read that Jehovah’s Witnesses have the courage to venture inside these fences and walls to help people like me to find Jehovah before it’s too late. The Witnesses should be commended for the love that they show.

M. N., United States

These articles are useful to those of us who work in prisons because they show that the Bible can help inmates to make a change on the inside, in their mind and heart. They also help prisoners to understand our role in helping them learn to do Jehovah’s will. The examples on page 10 make clear why we should not get involved in the legal problems of prisoners but rather teach them the Bible and try to reach their heart.

A. I., Romania

Safari I am 13 years old, and I really enjoyed reading the article “On Safari in Ghana.” (May 8, 2001) I love reading about animals. Please do not stop printing the magazines!

J. W., United States

A Teen Who Takes Pride in His Religion

WHEN he was 13 years old, Andrew was assigned to do a school project on the topic of cultural heritage. “At first,” he says, “I thought I would write about my grandfather, but then I thought: ‘Wait a minute! I’m one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This is a wonderful opportunity to speak up about my faith!’

“I gave my project the theme ‘Stand Firm,’ and I made a large poster that depicted the vicious persecution Jehovah’s Witnesses faced in Nazi Germany. My visual aids included a replica of a uniform with a purple triangle and various pictures and letters from the Kusserow family.a As a handout, I had copies of the letter sent by Jehovah’s Witnesses to the German government, which in a politically neutral yet firm way decried the unjust acts perpetrated against Jehovah’s Witnesses. Alongside the project, the video Jehovah’s Witnesses Stand Firm Against Nazi Assault played continuously. I also had on display Bibles, brochures, and tracts.

“First, our projects were shown in the gymnasium to all the students and staff at the school. The next evening family and friends were invited. Many asked me questions, as they had no idea that Jehovah’s Witnesses were persecuted by the Nazis.”

Andrew admits that it took courage to speak up about his faith. “I knew that some people would make fun of me,” he says, “but I would have felt terrible if I had not done it. Here were people who gave up their lives to defend their faith in Jehovah, so I figured the least I could do was put up with some criticism.”

In the end, Andrew was glad that he took advantage of this opportunity to give a witness. “I got into many conversations about why we don’t go to war, and I placed Bibles, books, and tracts with interested ones,” he says, adding: “I couldn’t think of a time when I was more proud to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

[Footnote]

Would You Appreciate Some Comfort?

As mentioned on page 12, many have found comfort in hearing what the Bible says about important issues, such as those found in these 32-page publications. You may request a free copy of each by filling in the accompanying coupon and mailing it to the address shown on the coupon or to an appropriate address listed on page 5 of this magazine.

□ Please contact me concerning a free home Bible study.

[Picture Credit Line on page 32]

AP Photo/Gulnara Samoilova