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Missionary Work
DUREAL
REAL PEOPLE
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Advancement in the field of transportation has facilitated the preaching work. In 1900—about 21 years after the first Watch Tower was printed—only 8,000 automobiles were registered in the entire United States, and there were just a few hundred miles of roads good enough to drive them on. Worldwide, there are now more than one and a half billion registered motorized vehicles and millions of miles of good roads. Cars and roads enable many of us to take the good news to people who live in remote areas. However, even if we lack convenient means of travel and must walk great distances, we put forth the effort needed to make disciples.—Matt. 28:19, 20.
REAL STORIES REAL OPPORTUNITIES
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Various other forms of transportation have also been helpful in our work. Trucks, ships, and trains makeit possible to transport Bible-based literature to very remote regions within weeks. Airplanes allow circuitoverseers, Branch Committee members, missionaries, and others to travel swiftly to conventions or to
care for theocratic assignments. Additionally, members of the Governing Body and other brothers fromworld headquarters fly to many countries to encourage and instruct fellow believers. Advancements intransportation thus help to promote unity among Jehovah’s people
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Because we have the privilege of preaching the good news of the Kingdom to people of all nations, we have translated our literature into some 700 languages. Advances in computer technology, including the development of MEPS (Multilanguage Electronic Publishing System), have assisted us in this vast endeavor. These efforts have helped us to spread the Kingdom message and have promoted unity among us worldwide. But we are especially unified because we speak the more important “pure language” of Scriptural truth.
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Courts of other countries have also upheld our freedom of worship and the right to preach publicly. Insome lands, we have lost court battles, but we have applied to international courts. For example, as of June 2014, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled in our favor in 57 cases that are binding on all nations of the Council of Europe. Even though we are “hated by all the nations,” the courts of many countries have ruled that we have the right to practice true worship.—Matt. 24:9.