Some prisoners studying the Bible begin to share the refreshing teachings of God’s Word with fellow inmates. In addition, where possible, Witnesses personally visit prisons to study the Bible with inmates and to conduct Christian meetings. How? In recent years, Jehovah’s Witnesses have provided Bible literature for over 30,000 individuals detained in some 4,000 prisons in the United States alone. Voluntary work has also brought spiritual refreshment to tens of thousands of prisoners worldwide. Huang, a volunteer in Taiwan, remarked: “It was a great joy to share in delivering food and tents to the brothers in need. “It felt good to be of use to these brothers who had suffered so much,” remarked Marcelo, who served as a nurse in a refugee camp in Mozambique. Helping needy ones was refreshing for the volunteers as well. After volunteers constructed a brand-new home for her family, Malyori exclaimed: “We can never thank Jehovah enough for all that he has done for us!” And when flood victims in Mozambique received the keys to their newly built homes, the entire group burst out singing the Kingdom song “Jehovah Is Our Refuge.” * “When we were most desperate, our brothers were there,” says Malyori, whose home was razed by an avalanche in Venezuela.
Victims were touched by the timely help they received. Volunteers with medical skills set up makeshift infirmaries to treat the injured, and volunteer construction workers built new houses for ones left homeless. In all three instances, Jehovah’s Witnesses quickly arrived on the scene with supplies of food, water, medicine, clothing, tents, and cooking equipment for victims. More recently, severe floods ravaged the country of Mozambique. A few months later, torrential rains and avalanches caused one of the worst natural disasters in Venezuela’s history. In September 1999, Taiwan was rocked by a devastating earthquake.
After all, the Scriptures equip Christians “for every good work” and urge them to do “what is good toward all.”- 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 Galatians 6:10. ( Matthew 14:14-21) Similarly, Jehovah’s Witnesses supplement their Bible teaching work with deeds that help people in need. ( Luke 6:40) It is indeed heartwarming for Jehovah’s Witnesses to see how the Kingdom message brings lasting refreshment to those who accept it-just as it did when Jesus was on earth.- Matthew 11:28-30.īesides teaching God’s Word, Jesus performed other good works, such as healing the sick and feeding the hungry. ( Mark 1:14 Luke 8:1) Since Christ’s followers desire to imitate him, they view the work of teaching the Bible’s message about God’s Kingdom to be their foremost activity in life. TO PREACH and teach the good news of God’s Kingdom was Jesus’ primary activity.