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00:00:02 Welcome to this special news update 00:00:04 regarding our brothers in Venezuela. 00:00:07 As reported in the JW News section 00:00:10 of jw.org in August 2017, 00:00:14 our brothers in Venezuela are enduring difficult economic conditions. 00:00:19 Sadly, the overall situation continues to worsen. 00:00:24 Basic needs, like food and medicine, 00:00:27 are hard to obtain. 00:00:29 Violence and crime is on the increase. 00:00:32 Things are chaotic. 00:00:35 Because we love our worldwide brotherhood, 00:00:38 this difficult situation affects all of us. 00:00:42 As Paul said at 1 Corinthians 12:26: 00:00:47 “If one member suffers, 00:00:50 “all the other members suffer with it; 00:00:53 “or if a member is glorified, 00:00:55 all the other members rejoice with it.” 00:00:59 No doubt you pray regularly for our brothers in Venezuela. 00:01:04 Despite these difficult times, 00:01:07 how are our brothers doing spiritually? 00:01:10 We’re sure you’ll find the following report 00:01:12 to be sobering and encouraging. 00:01:16 Notice how, despite these difficult times, 00:01:19 our brothers in Venezuela are showing love and faith. 00:01:25 May this report motivate all of us to continue having 00:01:29 “unity of mind, fellow feeling, 00:01:33 brotherly affection, [and] tender compassion,” 00:01:37 as 1 Peter 3:8 says. 00:01:56 It’s amazing to see how far the situation has gone, 00:01:59 and we are still at it. 00:02:01 So people in general have a lot of endurance, 00:02:05 and the brothers 00:02:07 —they endure. 00:02:09 They’re still cheerful. 00:02:11 They have to trust one another; 00:02:14 they have to rely on one another. 00:02:16 We gathered some statistics two months ago, 00:02:21 and we found out that in only three years, 00:02:23 7,000 publishers 00:02:26 —among them many elders, many pioneers— 00:02:30 have left the country because of the dangers. 00:02:33 They have felt threatened; some had been kidnapped, 00:02:37 let go, and then they left the country; 00:02:40 family members have been killed, and so on. 00:03:01 So one of the things we had to do with the local congregations 00:03:06 —which most of them have quite a few Bethelite elders— 00:03:11 is move their meeting time on the weekdays 00:03:15 to an earlier hour so that the brothers can go to the meeting with daylight, 00:03:21 and sometimes they can go home after the meeting with some daylight. 00:03:26 If you go to some congregations that are well-to-do 00:03:30 (I’ve been to the place), you don’t see anyone at the meeting 00:03:33 with their cell phones or tablets. 00:03:36 And I said, “Why is that?” 00:03:38 Well, it’s not because they are afraid to lose it, 00:03:42 but they just don’t want to attract criminals into the Kingdom Hall. 00:03:46 And so for one tablet, all might suffer. 00:03:48 So you see, they’re learning to be streetwise even more, 00:03:53 because in Venezuela, you had to be streetwise 00:03:56 for a long time in the past, 00:03:58 but now it’s getting worse. 00:04:00 But the brotherhood in general don’t complain. 00:04:04 At least in my congregation, 00:04:06 you have to ask and you have to show real interest 00:04:10 so that the brothers and sisters can tell you what they’re going through. 00:04:14 I knocked on the door, 00:04:17 and the door opened just a little crack. 00:04:20 And the young man, when he saw me, opened the door wide, and we talked. 00:04:25 I asked him, “Have you ever read the Bible?” 00:04:27 He said, “Oh, when I was in prison, I read it a lot.” 00:04:31 He probably said that to see my reaction. 00:04:35 Well, we just kept talking and talking. 00:04:38 Behind him was another young man; he had a pistol in his hand. 00:04:43 I saw that, and I didn’t react. 00:04:45 He put the gun in his pocket, 00:04:48 and we kept talking for about 15-20 minutes. 00:04:51 When we went away, the brother that was with me was quite upset. 00:04:54 He said, “Do you know who that was?” 00:04:56 I said, “No.” 00:04:58 “That was one of the gang leaders. 00:05:00 He has killed a lot of people.” 00:05:03 I said: “Well, what I noticed is that he’s a human being just like the rest. 00:05:08 He needs the message.” 00:05:10 We have noticed, too, in the last few years, 00:05:14 an increase not only in publishers 00:05:18 but pioneers. 00:05:20 And who are starting to pioneer? 00:05:22 Well, as usual, mostly sisters, but many brothers, 00:05:26 many elders. 00:05:28 They may have had a good job; 00:05:31 they lost their job because the company closed down and left the country. 00:05:35 So many brothers have mentioned to me: 00:05:38 “Well, I lost my job; I have no job. Now I can pioneer.” 00:05:42 So they start pioneering. 00:05:44 And I think that’s very good, and it helps them to keep going. 00:05:48 I’m sure the brothers are happy to see that everybody cares 00:05:53 —everybody in the brotherhood worldwide. 00:05:55 The Governing Body is informed 00:05:59 and is doing all they physically can to help us 00:06:02 with their prayers. 00:06:04 So when you feel part of the worldwide brotherhood 00:06:08 —then you are not alone— that has a calming effect on you. 00:06:13 Your confidence, or faith, 00:06:15 in Jehovah’s organization 00:06:17 as a physical, visible organization, grows. 00:06:22 So we know we’re part of something bigger than just a country. 00:06:26 But this is putting to the test 00:06:29 how strong we will have faith in Bible principles. 00:06:32 We think they work, 00:06:35 but when they’re put to the test, then you’re convinced that they work. 00:06:39 And then I’m convinced that I will come out of this stronger. 00:06:43 That’s what James said 00:06:45 —that endurance needs to go to work in each one of us. 00:06:49 So if you view it that way, 00:06:51 then that gives you hope 00:06:53 that this sad and hard and difficult time 00:06:56 will make us better. 00:06:58 Nehemiah 8:10 says: 00:07:01 “Do not feel sad, 00:07:04 for the joy of Jehovah is your stronghold.” 00:07:07 So where is our strength? 00:07:10 In “the joy of Jehovah.” 00:07:12 I think we should always be positive, 00:07:15 not negative —not concentrate on the negative. 00:07:19 Like I quoted before, Nehemiah 8:10, 00:07:22 “the joy of Jehovah” —that’s what we see among the brothers. 00:07:26 The numbers came down because of the 7,000 that have left, 00:07:31 but the congregations keep reporting. 00:07:34 And the circuit overseers, in their reports, keep showing us 00:07:37 that new people are still coming into the truth 00:07:39 —many new ones. 00:07:41 So that’s positive. 00:07:44 They’re not paralyzed because of that. 00:07:47 They keep focused on the Kingdom, 00:07:49 Jesus the King, and they keep going in that direction. 00:07:53 Anytime anyone looks to the side and looks at the storm, 00:07:57 he stops in his tracks; 00:07:59 he starts missing meetings; 00:08:02 he starts thinking about his wallet —his money, his bank account. 00:08:08 So that is not good. 00:08:10 Keep focused on the Kingdom. 00:08:20 We’re proud of you brothers in Venezuela 00:08:23 for keeping focused on spiritual things 00:08:26 and maintaining a positive spirit during these difficult times. 00:08:31 The reports show that of the 140,000 publishers in Venezuela, 00:08:36 over 30,000 are regular pioneers 00:08:39 and 9,000 are auxiliary pioneers. 00:08:43 On average, publishers spend 15 hours 00:08:47 in the ministry each month. 00:08:50 They’re conducting close to 200,000 Bible studies. 00:08:55 To illustrate the spirit of our brothers in Venezuela, 00:08:58 note these two comments from circuit overseers: 00:09:03 “Our brothers live in an area of extreme poverty and insecurity. 00:09:08 “Meeting attendance is excellent, 00:09:10 “although most of our brothers live far from the Kingdom Hall 00:09:14 “and have to walk for more than an hour. 00:09:17 The regularity in service is 100 percent.” 00:09:22 Another circuit overseer reported: 00:09:25 “Fifty percent of the publishers are regular pioneers. 00:09:29 “There are only two elders, but they are hardworking, 00:09:32 “humble, well-organized, 00:09:35 and a good example in the preaching and shepherding work.” 00:09:40 We’re encouraged by the love and faith that you brothers in Venezuela show. 00:09:47 Please know that we love you all very much. 00:09:54 We’re going to hear more about our brothers in Venezuela 00:09:58 in another special report that will be released 00:10:00 on Video on Demand on November 12, 2018. 00:10:04 The video is entitled Surviving Trials in Venezuela. 00:10:09 It’s an interview with a couple from Venezuela 00:10:13 who recently attended the 144th class of Gilead. 00:10:18 This is JW Broadcasting 00:10:20 from the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
00:00:02 Welcome to this special news update 00:00:04 regarding our brothers in Venezuela. 00:00:07 As reported in the JW News section 00:00:10 of jw.org in August 2017, 00:00:14 our brothers in Venezuela are enduring difficult economic conditions. 00:00:19 Sadly, the overall situation continues to worsen. 00:00:24 Basic needs, like food and medicine, 00:00:27 are hard to obtain. 00:00:29 Violence and crime is on the increase. 00:00:32 Things are chaotic. 00:00:35 Because we love our worldwide brotherhood, 00:00:38 this difficult situation affects all of us. 00:00:42 As Paul said at 1 Corinthians 12:26: 00:00:47 “If one member suffers, 00:00:50 “all the other members suffer with it; 00:00:53 “or if a member is glorified, 00:00:55 all the other members rejoice with it.” 00:00:59 No doubt you pray regularly for our brothers in Venezuela. 00:01:04 Despite these difficult times, 00:01:07 how are our brothers doing spiritually? 00:01:10 We’re sure you’ll find the following report 00:01:12 to be sobering and encouraging. 00:01:16 Notice how, despite these difficult times, 00:01:19 our brothers in Venezuela are showing love and faith. 00:01:25 May this report motivate all of us to continue having 00:01:29 “unity of mind, fellow feeling, 00:01:33 brotherly affection, [and] tender compassion,” 00:01:37 as 1 Peter 3:8 says. 00:01:56 It’s amazing to see how far the situation has gone, 00:01:59 and we are still at it. 00:02:01 So people in general have a lot of endurance, 00:02:05 and the brothers 00:02:07 —they endure. 00:02:09 They’re still cheerful. 00:02:11 They have to trust one another; 00:02:14 they have to rely on one another. 00:02:16 We gathered some statistics two months ago, 00:02:21 and we found out that in only three years, 00:02:23 7,000 publishers 00:02:26 —among them many elders, many pioneers— 00:02:30 have left the country because of the dangers. 00:02:33 They have felt threatened; some had been kidnapped, 00:02:37 let go, and then they left the country; 00:02:40 family members have been killed, and so on. 00:03:01 So one of the things we had to do with the local congregations 00:03:06 —which most of them have quite a few Bethelite elders— 00:03:11 is move their meeting time on the weekdays 00:03:15 to an earlier hour so that the brothers can go to the meeting with daylight, 00:03:21 and sometimes they can go home after the meeting with some daylight. 00:03:26 If you go to some congregations that are well-to-do 00:03:30 (I’ve been to the place), you don’t see anyone at the meeting 00:03:33 with their cell phones or tablets. 00:03:36 And I said, “Why is that?” 00:03:38 Well, it’s not because they are afraid to lose it, 00:03:42 but they just don’t want to attract criminals into the Kingdom Hall. 00:03:46 And so for one tablet, all might suffer. 00:03:48 So you see, they’re learning to be streetwise even more, 00:03:53 because in Venezuela, you had to be streetwise 00:03:56 for a long time in the past, 00:03:58 but now it’s getting worse. 00:04:00 But the brotherhood in general don’t complain. 00:04:04 At least in my congregation, 00:04:06 you have to ask and you have to show real interest 00:04:10 so that the brothers and sisters can tell you what they’re going through. 00:04:14 I knocked on the door, 00:04:17 and the door opened just a little crack. 00:04:20 And the young man, when he saw me, opened the door wide, and we talked. 00:04:25 I asked him, “Have you ever read the Bible?” 00:04:27 He said, “Oh, when I was in prison, I read it a lot.” 00:04:31 He probably said that to see my reaction. 00:04:35 Well, we just kept talking and talking. 00:04:38 Behind him was another young man; he had a pistol in his hand. 00:04:43 I saw that, and I didn’t react. 00:04:45 He put the gun in his pocket, 00:04:48 and we kept talking for about 15-20 minutes. 00:04:51 When we went away, the brother that was with me was quite upset. 00:04:54 He said, “Do you know who that was?” 00:04:56 I said, “No.” 00:04:58 “That was one of the gang leaders. 00:05:00 He has killed a lot of people.” 00:05:03 I said: “Well, what I noticed is that he’s a human being just like the rest. 00:05:08 He needs the message.” 00:05:10 We have noticed, too, in the last few years, 00:05:14 an increase not only in publishers 00:05:18 but pioneers. 00:05:20 And who are starting to pioneer? 00:05:22 Well, as usual, mostly sisters, but many brothers, 00:05:26 many elders. 00:05:28 They may have had a good job; 00:05:31 they lost their job because the company closed down and left the country. 00:05:35 So many brothers have mentioned to me: 00:05:38 “Well, I lost my job; I have no job. Now I can pioneer.” 00:05:42 So they start pioneering. 00:05:44 And I think that’s very good, and it helps them to keep going. 00:05:48 I’m sure the brothers are happy to see that everybody cares 00:05:53 —everybody in the brotherhood worldwide. 00:05:55 The Governing Body is informed 00:05:59 and is doing all they physically can to help us 00:06:02 with their prayers. 00:06:04 So when you feel part of the worldwide brotherhood 00:06:08 —then you are not alone— that has a calming effect on you. 00:06:13 Your confidence, or faith, 00:06:15 in Jehovah’s organization 00:06:17 as a physical, visible organization, grows. 00:06:22 So we know we’re part of something bigger than just a country. 00:06:26 But this is putting to the test 00:06:29 how strong we will have faith in Bible principles. 00:06:32 We think they work, 00:06:35 but when they’re put to the test, then you’re convinced that they work. 00:06:39 And then I’m convinced that I will come out of this stronger. 00:06:43 That’s what James said 00:06:45 —that endurance needs to go to work in each one of us. 00:06:49 So if you view it that way, 00:06:51 then that gives you hope 00:06:53 that this sad and hard and difficult time 00:06:56 will make us better. 00:06:58 Nehemiah 8:10 says: 00:07:01 “Do not feel sad, 00:07:04 for the joy of Jehovah is your stronghold.” 00:07:07 So where is our strength? 00:07:10 In “the joy of Jehovah.” 00:07:12 I think we should always be positive, 00:07:15 not negative —not concentrate on the negative. 00:07:19 Like I quoted before, Nehemiah 8:10, 00:07:22 “the joy of Jehovah” —that’s what we see among the brothers. 00:07:26 The numbers came down because of the 7,000 that have left, 00:07:31 but the congregations keep reporting. 00:07:34 And the circuit overseers, in their reports, keep showing us 00:07:37 that new people are still coming into the truth 00:07:39 —many new ones. 00:07:41 So that’s positive. 00:07:44 They’re not paralyzed because of that. 00:07:47 They keep focused on the Kingdom, 00:07:49 Jesus the King, and they keep going in that direction. 00:07:53 Anytime anyone looks to the side and looks at the storm, 00:07:57 he stops in his tracks; 00:07:59 he starts missing meetings; 00:08:02 he starts thinking about his wallet —his money, his bank account. 00:08:08 So that is not good. 00:08:10 Keep focused on the Kingdom. 00:08:20 We’re proud of you brothers in Venezuela 00:08:23 for keeping focused on spiritual things 00:08:26 and maintaining a positive spirit during these difficult times. 00:08:31 The reports show that of the 140,000 publishers in Venezuela, 00:08:36 over 30,000 are regular pioneers 00:08:39 and 9,000 are auxiliary pioneers. 00:08:43 On average, publishers spend 15 hours 00:08:47 in the ministry each month. 00:08:50 They’re conducting close to 200,000 Bible studies. 00:08:55 To illustrate the spirit of our brothers in Venezuela, 00:08:58 note these two comments from circuit overseers: 00:09:03 “Our brothers live in an area of extreme poverty and insecurity. 00:09:08 “Meeting attendance is excellent, 00:09:10 “although most of our brothers live far from the Kingdom Hall 00:09:14 “and have to walk for more than an hour. 00:09:17 The regularity in service is 100 percent.” 00:09:22 Another circuit overseer reported: 00:09:25 “Fifty percent of the publishers are regular pioneers. 00:09:29 “There are only two elders, but they are hardworking, 00:09:32 “humble, well-organized, 00:09:35 and a good example in the preaching and shepherding work.” 00:09:40 We’re encouraged by the love and faith that you brothers in Venezuela show. 00:09:47 Please know that we love you all very much. 00:09:54 We’re going to hear more about our brothers in Venezuela 00:09:58 in another special report that will be released 00:10:00 on Video on Demand on November 12, 2018. 00:10:04 The video is entitled Surviving Trials in Venezuela. 00:10:09 It’s an interview with a couple from Venezuela 00:10:13 who recently attended the 144th class of Gilead. 00:10:18 This is JW Broadcasting 00:10:20 from the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
