00:35 About every two or three minutes,
00:37 we prayed because the hurricane was so terrifying.
00:42 Imagine that your house just lifted up into the air and flew away.
00:46 At that time, we were standing in water,
00:49 so we just ran.
00:55 This is our Kingdom Hall.
00:57 When we saw that it was damaged,
01:00 we were deeply affected because we realized
01:03 we could not meet here anymore with our brothers and sisters
01:06 to sympathize with them.
01:08 That was very hard for us.
01:16 Even in this situation, I know we’re not alone
01:20 —even though our town was destroyed.
01:22 I know our brothers, no matter where they are,
01:25 will come to help us.
01:33 The priority of disaster relief
01:35 is for the Branch Committee to quickly appoint
01:38 qualified local brothers to respond
01:40 to the first immediate needs of our brothers and sisters.
01:43 Of course,
01:45 giving support to our brothers and sisters oftentimes means funds.
01:50 So it’s the worldwide brotherhood, the “Matthew 24:14 contributions,”
01:54 that really does help.
01:58 Here in Haiti, many brothers are overjoyed
02:00 that they can send something to help their brothers.
02:04 There are brothers who have even donated beyond their means.
02:13 In our brotherhood,
02:15 no matter where a brother is,
02:18 if he’s suffering from a disaster or he has a problem,
02:21 all the brothers feel
02:23 as if they’re also facing that problem.
02:25 We all do our best to support and help them.
02:37 We didn’t have any way to make a bed to lie down.
02:40 Eventually, our sisters in the Paillant Congregation helped us out.
02:45 They ran up and made beds for us out of plywood
02:47 that they would put on top of eight blocks.
02:49 And they brought sheets and pillows so that we could lie down.
02:52 That was very touching,
02:54 that kind deed our brothers did for us.
02:58 We truly felt that it was Jehovah who was coming
03:01 to our aid at that moment.
03:07 They brought boxes of Bibles, medical kits, food stuffs.
03:11 Besides that, they brought several tents.
03:15 That helped the brothers that lost all that they had,
03:18 even their houses,
03:20 so that they could have shelter from the rain.
03:29 In one of the talks given by a Governing Body member,
03:32 he showed that we have more difficult situations ahead.
03:35 The only thing we can do
03:37 is continue to rely on Jehovah.
03:43 A way we can help our brothers cope when they’re in such a circumstance
03:45 is to make them realize that it is the Kingdom hope
03:49 —to refresh their memory, to make them really believe
03:53 and feel that it’s the Kingdom hope— that’s going to change all of this.
03:59 They shared encouraging words and read Bible verses that really helped us
04:02 to see the power of God’s Word.
04:05 That boosted our faith in the promises
04:08 Jehovah made to remove all causes of suffering that afflict us today.
04:17 It’s like the Bible says:
04:19 “A righteous man’s supplication has a powerful effect.”
04:23 So the strength I regained makes me feel
04:25 that the entire worldwide brotherhood is praying for me.
04:28 I feel that it’s that strength that has allowed me
04:31 to resume my theocratic activities with zeal.
04:36 As Jehovah’s Witnesses, not only do we know
04:38 that these things must take place —since we are deep in the last days—
04:41 but we also know that our deliverance is closer.
04:45 I lost my livelihood;
04:48 it’s all completely gone.
04:52 But I have been so encouraged;
04:54 it’s as if the hurricane never even happened.
04:56 That’s how I feel, like it never even happened.
05:01 Many people say it would have been better if they had died in the hurricane.
05:04 But no matter what sufferings we endure,
05:07 we have hope.
05:08 We see beyond the suffering and see God’s Kingdom is coming.
05:11 This is extraordinary.
05:13 No matter what form suffering may take,
05:16 we are able to patiently endure
05:18 because we know that suffering will not last forever.