Transcripts: Enjoy Life Forever!

Transcript. Haiti Endures Hurricane Matthew.
[Trees blowing outside. Wind howls through a window]
[Text: On October 4, 2016. Haiti was hit by Hurricane Matthew. Some 2 million people were affected, and over 700 Jehovah’s Witnesses were displaced. Brother Lösch of the Governing Body was scheduled to dedicate an Assembly Hall in Haiti a few weeks after the hurricane. He took advantage of this occasion to provide encouragement to the victims of the disaster. A bird’s eye view of the destruction. Dilapidated homes, trees down. Along a coastline hollowed-out homes, a car on its side]
Brother 1: About every two or three minutes, we prayed because the hurricane was so terrifying.
Sister 1: Imagine that your house just lifted up into the air and flew away. At that time, we were standing in water, so we just ran.
[Cars and residents wade through standing water in a street. Daylight shines through a shredded Kingdom Hall roof]
Brother 1: This is our Kingdom Hall. When we saw that it was damaged, we were deeply affected because we realized we could not meet here anymore with our brothers and sisters to sympathize with them. That was very hard for us.
[A vehicle trug along through a damaged neighbourhood]
Even in this situation, I know we’re not alone —even though our town was destroyed. I know our brothers, no matter where they are, will come to help us.
[The vehicle pulls into a Kingdom Hall, a smiling brother Lösch and his wife exit the vehicle, greeted by local brothers]
Brother 2: The priority of disaster relief is for the Branch Committee to quickly appoint qualified local brothers to respond to the first immediate needs of our brothers and sisters. Of course, giving support to our brothers and sisters oftentimes means funds. So it’s the worldwide brotherhood, the Matthew 24:14 contributions, that really does help.
[Brothers passing out sacks of supplies]
Brother 3: Here in Haiti, many brothers are overjoyed that they can send something to help their brothers. There are brothers who have even donated beyond their means.
[Brothers and sisters bring more sacks of supplies]
Brother 4: In our brotherhood, no matter where a brother is, if he’s suffering from a disaster or he has a problem, all the brothers feel as if they’re also facing that problem. We all do our best to support and help them.
[Brothers repairing a roof]
Sister 2: We didn’t have any way to make a bed to lie down. Eventually, our sisters in the Paillant Congregation helped us out. They ran up and made beds for us out of plywood that they would put on top of eight blocks. And they brought sheets and pillows so that we could lie down. That was very touching, that kind deed our brothers did for us. We truly felt that it was Jehovah who was coming to our aid at that moment.
Brother 5: They brought boxes of Bibles, medical kits, food stuffs. Besides that, they brought several tents. That helped the brothers that lost all that they had, even their houses, so that they could have shelter from the rain.
[Brother Lösch on a platform giving a talk at a Kingdom Hall]
Brother 6: In one of the talks given by a Governing Body member, he showed that we have more difficult situations ahead. The only thing we can do is continue to rely on Jehovah.
[A smiling sister with other friends sit and chat with Brother Lösch]
Brother 2: A way we can help our brothers cope when they’re in such a circumstance is to make them realize that it is the Kingdom hope —to refresh their memory, to make them really believe and feel that it’s the Kingdom hope— that’s going to change all of this.
[Friends gather at the Assembly Hall. Sisters hug and smile]
Brother 5: They shared encouraging words and read Bible verses that really helped us to see the power of God’s Word. That boosted our faith in the promises Jehovah made to remove all causes of suffering that afflict us today.
[Brothers and sisters sing at the Kingdom Hall]
Sister 3: It’s like the Bible says: A righteous man’s supplication has a powerful effect. So the strength I regained makes me feel that the entire worldwide brotherhood is praying for me. I feel that it’s that strength that has allowed me to resume my theocratic activities with zeal.
Brother 6: As Jehovah’s Witnesses, not only do we know that these things must take place —since we are deep in the last days— but we also know that our deliverance is closer.
Sister 3: I lost my livelihood; it’s all completely gone. But I have been so encouraged; it’s as if the hurricane never even happened. That’s how I feel, like it never even happened.
[The sister laughs and smiles]
Brother 3: Many people say it would have been better if they had died in the hurricane. But no matter what sufferings we endure, we have hope. We see beyond the suffering and see God’s Kingdom is coming. This is extraordinary. No matter what form suffering may take, we are able to patiently endure because we know that suffering will not last forever.
[Brothers, sisters and children with bright eyes and beaming smiles]
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