Pray For Our Ukrainian Brothers and Sisters

[pnutts]

Just got a notice this morning that our congregation is one of several that is being invited, by Canada branch,to host brothers from Ukraine and Russia, to prayerfully consider this matter.

If chosen to follow strict covid protocols ( since many have not been able to get vaccinated. ).

Donations are welcome too.

[Dages]

58 minutes ago, pnutts said:

Just got a notice this morning that our congregation is one of several that is being invited, by Canada branch,to host brothers from Ukraine and Russia, to prayerfully consider this matter.

If chosen to follow strict covid protocols ( since many have not been able to get vaccinated. ).

Donations are welcome too.

Same here  

[carlos]

We were invited to offer accommodation too for our brothers who come from Ukraine and Russia.

 

We offered one room for a family, but today some friends from the Russian congregation told us few Witnesses are coming to Spain and most stay with family or friends. For those few who do need accommodation, the organization prefers locations that are more or less close to the Russian congregation, and that's quite logical. So it seems unlikely that we will be able to have guests this time, but at least we tried.

[Adam!]

On 3/18/2022 at 1:32 PM, pnutts said:

Just got a notice this morning that our congregation is one of several that is being invited, by Canada branch,to host brothers from Ukraine and Russia, to prayerfully consider this matter.

If chosen to follow strict covid protocols ( since many have not been able to get vaccinated. ).

Donations are welcome too.

We have received the same announcement here.

[Sheep]

On 3/18/2022 at 9:32 AM, pnutts said:

Just got a notice this morning that our congregation is one of several that is being invited, by Canada branch,to host brothers from Ukraine and Russia, to prayerfully consider this matter.

If chosen to follow strict covid protocols ( since many have not been able to get vaccinated. ).

Donations are welcome too.

We heard the same announcement today. (Our Circuit Assembly was today, so no midweek meeting this week.) So far, according to the news, there have been about 3,400 refugees from Ukraine coming to Canada. Of course, we don't know how many of those are brothers and sisters. So I'm not sure if we're going to get any Ukrainian JWs here. (There is a Russian congregation here in Montreal, but no Ukrainian.)

 

I would like to help out a refugee or two, but my apartment is just too small. (Unless I buy a 32-room mansion before I get some takers...)

[Tortuga]

1 hour ago, Sheep said:

Unless I buy a 32-room mansion before I get some takers...)

Let me know if you need help with that, we can talk about it after I move in....

[pnutts]

There's Richard tooting his own horn again.

Spoiler

Tor Tu Ga, Tor Tu Ga📣

 

[George]

Now, we have two families (both sisters/mothers and two teenagers) from Ukraine in our congregation. The first family stays at sister's apartment with her and the second family stays at young couple apartment with them. So, we make effort to learn some Ukrainian or Russian language and they try to learn Czech lang. So, it creates many laughing situations because sometimes there appears absolutely new words which have no sense but we understand to each other:-) Yesterday we were walking to nerby mountains area. That was so encouraging, we had so nice time with our dear Ukranian sisters and their teenage kids. We also assist and accompany with them to be registered as a refugees and also help them (kids) to make enrollment to Czech schools. All members of congregation are very eager to support them so we all feel what is true love about. We constantly thank Jehovah for using us all in this time of great need.

[Sipokazi Dipholo]

Here are two very interesting short videos. (I had trouble putting them in this post, so I put them behind a link.)
 
From a traffic camera it is possible to see JWs waiting at the Polish border crossing. Day and night, in the snow or the rain, they are on guard with their jw.org posters. Then finally we see the arrival of Ukrainian brothers and sisters. Note the older sister! Very touching! You will notice the contrast between JWs and the members of UNICEF who take selfies (video no 1 around 1:00 and 1:07)
 
https://ln5.sync.com/dl/75491b420/qpjjydae-krkhyrqa-qv854p83-wn7ey5pi
 
As a bonus, the following image allows us to see the JWs present and loyal to the post with their sign at 3:44 AM with a temperature of 0°C.
Picture: https://lookcam.pl/budomierz-przejscie-graniczne-od-strony-polski/
 
Info temperature and time:
https://spotcameras.com/en/cams/Poland/Budomierz/13067

Thank for sharing. This is true love in action! The elderly sister tore my heart! Thanks for the update

Agape from South Africa.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Chris7]

Come from a reliable person but can not verify: Message from Ukraine

 

"Dear brothers! It's March 13, 2022. There have been violent clashes in our city (Mariupol) for the third week. And all this time I am in the basement of the Kingdom Hall (where, until recently, SKE course were held).

Currently, we are cut off from all utilities: water, heating, electricity, gas, Internet and mobile communications - we are in complete vacuum. But we are not cut off from Jehovah! Brothers and sisters from all over the city and their unbelieving relatives began gathering in this basement. Now there are about 200 of us.

We found ourselves in completely new circumstances. But our elders managed to conduct meetings, organize meeting for pioneers, parents continue study with their children, and brothers and sisters conduct Bible studies with interested ones, etc. We set up various sections for cleaning, accommodation, kitchen, first aid, 

security, etc. We have regular midweek and weekend meetings. We named our congregation "Mariopol Basement". Every day we discuss daily text. We feel very encouraged from staying and working together, after months of quarantine and self-isolation!

One day during air raid our hall was bombed, and brothers got very frightened, many cried. We all 

heard sound fires raging on the street. We were worried that we might lose our place of refuge. We seriously thought we could die either from missiles exploding or from fire.

At this moment of despair one of the elders said with a smile on his face, "My dear friends, what do we all want? ..." Singing songs! And yes we sung song after song, about 10 or 15 of them! And the louder the sound of bullets and explosions that shook our building, the louder our voices begun to sing, so we did not to hear it! Everyone had tears in their eyes. And then we all read and discussed Psalm 23 together. And we shared our favorite scriptures and told how they inspire and help us to stay strong. At this moment, we all felt and were convinced that Jehovah is "the Father of compassion and a God of comfort" who helps us stay calm in time of distress. Our anxiety disappeared. Here we stay optimistic fully trusting that Jesus Christ, the head of congregation has everything under his control!

Where we are, there is not a single window in the room that is not broken, doors are all blown out and thrown away every day, bullets pierce the walls of the building.

Almost all brothers lost their homes and property. Almost all cars that were parked in the hall's parking lot were burned to ashes. But it is to nice to see that our dear brothers and sisters are not attached to material things and continue to rely on Jehovah. A brother’s car exploded and got overturned during the night and then it burned completely. Next morning this brother said jokingly, "Brothers, who wants to re-park my car so it’s not obstructing?” The brothers have not lost their sense of humor even at such times! Jehovah is always with us! 

With tears in their eyes, all brothers and sisters say in unison that their devotion to Jehovah takes first place in their lives, and their life comes second!

We experience first hand that a war is a horrible thing. I find it hard to describe in details what our eyes have seen. But I do not regret what we are going through, because we have seen even with our own eyes how caring Jehovah is! 

With love and best wishes, Mariupol-Primorskoye

[Dages]

1 hour ago, Chris7 said:

At this moment of despair one of the elders said with a smile on his face, "My dear friends, what do we all want? ..." Singing songs! And yes we sung song after song, about 10 or 15 of them! And the louder the sound of bullets and explosions that shook our building, the louder our voices begun to sing, so we did not to hear it! Everyone had tears in their eyes.

Who is cutting onions here ?  

 

I'm listening to https://www.jw.org/ru/библиотека/музыка-песни/радостно-пойте/ with "Вокальное исполнение" setting (vocals)

Song 4  

 

(they are still at the border)

Edited March 21, 2022 by Dages

[Hugh O'D]

5 hours ago, Chris7 said:

Almost all cars that were parked in the hall's parking lot were burned to ashes.

 

 

Quote

Update #3

https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/ukraine/UPDATE-3-Brotherly-Love-Prevails-Amid-Ongoing-Crisis-in-Ukraine/

 

A bomb fell into the yard of a complex with a Kingdom Hall and an Assembly Hall. About 200 of our brothers and sisters were sheltering in the basement of the Kingdom Hall at that time. The brothers were not hurt, but their vehicles were destroyed, further hampering efforts to escape the city.

Probably the same experience, there's 200 witnesses in each experience also.

[BLEmom]

https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/LatestVideos/docid-702022130_1_VIDEO
 

Wonder where this brother is now. He’s had a lot of changes in his life recently. Deported from Russia to Ukraine and now the invasion!

[Hugh O'D]

23 minutes ago, BLEmom said:

https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/LatestVideos/docid-702022130_1_VIDEO
 

Wonder where this brother is now. He’s had a lot of changes in his life recently. Deported from Russia to Ukraine and now the invasion!

I was wondering the same when we watched the video. When they said "Ukraine" all I could think was "Please don't be in the East, please don't be in the East, please don't be in the East" 

[Keep Fighting]

On 3/21/2022 at 10:12 AM, Chris7 said:

Come from a reliable person but can not verify: Message from Ukraine

Anyone on this forum, may confirm/vertify this better, please. I have seen it on diferent wats up groups aswell. 👍😎

[Kiku]

13 hours ago, BLEmom said:

https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/LatestVideos/docid-702022130_1_VIDEO
 

Wonder where this brother is now. He’s had a lot of changes in his life recently. Deported from Russia to Ukraine and now the invasion!

This is not entirely helpful, but one week before the war began, this brother gave a public speech at Zoom our meeting. I did not find out where Konstantin was now for safety reasons. But he looked happy.

[hatcheckgirl]

Brother Oleg, thank you for your reply. It’s also very good to know you are still going , as best as you can. Again, please know we love you all and our strong prayers are for all of you faithful brothers and sisters. Keep enduring! Your examples are so encouraging to us ❤️🌹May Jehovah keep you all safe. 

[Hugh O'D]

On 3/22/2022 at 2:34 PM, Kiku said:

This is not entirely helpful, but

All the 👍's 🏆's and ♥️'s show that your reply was helpful, thanks Brother Kiku.

[Hugh O'D]

On 3/21/2022 at 9:12 AM, Chris7 said:

At this moment of despair one of the elders said with a smile on his face, "My dear friends, what do we all want? ..." Singing songs! And yes we sung song after song, about 10 or 15 of them! And the louder the sound of bullets and explosions that shook our building, the louder our voices begun to sing, so we did not to hear it! Everyone had tears in their eyes. And then we all read and discussed Psalm 23 together. And we shared our favorite scriptures and told how they inspire and help us to stay strong. At this moment, we all felt and were convinced that Jehovah is "the Father of compassion and a God of comfort" who helps us stay calm in time of distress.

New update

https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/ukraine/UPDATE-4-Brotherly-Love-Prevails-Amid-Ongoing-Crisis-in-Ukraine/

 

Has this experience almost verbatim. Except its Psalm 27, I'd put that down as a typo by @Chris7's contact.

 

Thanks again Chris for encouraging us with these experiences. 

[SUNRAY]

1 hour ago, Hugh O'D said:

New update

https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/ukraine/UPDATE-4-Brotherly-Love-Prevails-Amid-Ongoing-Crisis-in-Ukraine/

 

Has this experience almost verbatim. Except its Psalm 27, I'd put that down as a typo by @Chris7's contact.

 

Thanks again Chris for encouraging us with these experiences. 

What courage and love the brothers show by sometimes crawling on their bellies to reach the friends! Maybe the German brothers can deliver trained dogs with Kevlar vests ro help deliver medicine tucked in pockets under the vest..maybe use dog whistles to give commands! It would be hard to see these dogs at night.

[Hugh O'D]

And here in Ireland we just had the Branch Message about opening our homes to Witness refugee's. I know this is happening in Canada also but it reaching Ireland really gives an idea of how massive this is.

 

My wife was quite upset after for the refugee's so we discussed the matter, from other comments on this thread I knew our place just wouldn't be considered (too small for privacy and only one entrance). She liked the idea Polish witnesses had of grouping together to rent accommodation. I hope it doesn't get bad enough we have to consider that but we'll see.

 

In the meantime we follow the title of this thread.

[Sofia]

3 minutes ago, Hugh O'D said:

And here in Ireland we just had the Branch Message about opening our homes to Witness refugee's. I know this is happening in Canada also but it reaching Ireland really gives an idea of how massive this is.

 

My wife was quite upset after for the refugee's so we discussed the matter, from other comments on this thread I knew our place just wouldn't be considered (too small for privacy and only one entrance). She liked the idea Polish witnesses had of grouping together to rent accommodation. I hope it doesn't get bad enough we have to consider that but we'll see.

 

In the meantime we follow the title of this thread.

Portugal too. Our congregation was invited as well  

[Doug]

Forgive me for not having more information.  I'm actually posting here hoping to learn more.

 

In our meeting tonight it was mentioned that there are 10 more of the friends who have perished in the war.

 

The GB update said there were four who have died.  Are there now 10 more?  I don't see anything here on the forum yet.

[Dages]

1 hour ago, Doug said:

Forgive me for not having more information.  I'm actually posting here hoping to learn more.

 

In our meeting tonight it was mentioned that there are 10 more of the friends who have perished in the war.

 

The GB update said there were four who have died.  Are there now 10 more?  I don't see anything here on the forum yet.

The last update says 10.

 

[hatcheckgirl]

1 hour ago, Doug said:

The GB update said there were four who have died.  Are there now 10 more?  I don't see anything here on the forum yet.

https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/ukraine/UPDATE-4-Brotherly-Love-Prevails-Amid-Ongoing-Crisis-in-Ukraine/
 

Latest update says it, Doug