Search the Community

Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said this afternoon search and rescue efforts today in the Beauregard community have so far not revealed any more fatalities from Sunday’s tornadoes, with the death toll standing at 23, but Jones said “dozens” of people are still unaccounted for. “The search teams have worked the areas of the most significant damage,” Jones said. "I am pleased to report we have not recovered any further victims from the areas that we have initially searched. But I want to offer a caveat with that, that we have not completed our searches." ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The tornado ravaged a small neighborhood in Smiths Station on Lee County 430, where Greg Molinari and many of his neighbors sorted through the damage on Monday morning. Molinari was upbeat even though his home was destroyed. He said he and his wife, Susan, survived the storm because they took his daughter-in-law’s advice and put large cooking pots over their heads as makeshift helmets. “The sirens were going off quite frequently and we said we better take this very seriously. That was about three o’clock,” Molinari said. “And my wife and I received a text from my daughter in law. She said get in the bathroom and put pots on your head. Well, the bathroom wasn’t a great idea because it’s an exterior wall. But we went in the hallway, which is a small, confined area here. And we did put big cooking pots over our head. Saved our lives. The ceiling crashed in on us.” The tornado ripped the roof off Molinari’s house. “And we were trapped in there,” Molinari said. “We couldn’t get out even though we were OK. Our neighbor across the street here, he came screaming over, ‘Is anybody in there? Is anybody in there?’ We said, ‘Yeah. We can’t get out.’ He dug us out.” Molinari said he and his wife then rode out the storm at the neighbor’s house. “Him and his wife, his daughter and his dog and us, we all hunkered down in there," Molinari said. Molinari said another neighbor he didn’t know helped in their rescue. Molinari said he had reason to be positive despite the disaster. “We have a very strong faith," Molinari said. "We’re Jehovah’s Witnesses. Our God Jehovah takes care of us. We believe he helped to protect us. He’ll also help us recover from all this.” Read more: https://www.al.com/news/2019/03/lee-county-alabama-tornadoes-many-are-still-missing.html

Impact of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico, public power supply devastated PUERTO RICO Besides injury, not one of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Puerto Rico were affected by what has been described as the most devastating Hurricane in the history of the Carribean. Hurricane Maria which made land fall in Puerto Rico as a category 4 storm killed 16 people, Governor Ricardo Rosello of Puerto Rico has said. The hurricane disrupted communication and power supply, effectively cutting off Puerto Rico from civilisation. Insured loses is currently put at about $40 to $85 billion. But despite this devastation, Jehovah, their God preserved his people alive. Only one person was injured, the JWs said inna statement. “As of September 25, 2017, information from 15 of the 19 circuit overseers in Puerto Rico has been received and only one injury has been reported among our brothers as a result of Hurricane Maria. “We have yet to receive updates from the four circuit overseers on the west side of the island, since communication has not been possible. Brothers from nearby circuits have been acquiring motorbikes and all-terrain vehicles in order to travel to the west side to assess the situation”, they said, adding “We continue to keep our dear brothers and sisters in our prayers.—James 5:16”. http://starconnectmedia.com/jehovahs-witnesses-survive-as-deadly-hurricane-maria-kills-16-in-puerto-rico/

September 9 2017 ? California is on fire. ? Oregon is on fire. ? Washington is on fire. ? British Columbia is on fire. ? Alberta is on fire ? Montana is on fire. ? Nova Scotia is on fire. ? Greece is on fire. ? Brazil is on fire. ? Portugal is on fire. ? Algeria is on fire. ? Tunisia is on fire. ? Greenland is on fire. ? The Sakha Republic of Russia is on fire. ? Siberia is on fire. ??Texas is under water ?? India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, experience record monsoons and massive death toll. ?? Sierra Leone and Niger experienced massive floods, mudslides, and deaths in the thousands. ?Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia are crushed in the death grip of a triple digit heat wave, dubbed Lucifer. ?Southern California continues to swelter under triple digit heat that shows no sign of letting up. ?In usually chilly August, the city of San Francisco shatters all-time record at 106 degrees, while it reaches 115 degrees south of the city. Northern California continues to bake in the triple digits. ((?)) Yellowstone volcano is hit with earthquake swarm of over 2,300 tremors since June, recording a 4.4 quake on June 15, 2017 and 3.3 quake on August 21, 2017. ((?)) 5.3 earthquake rumbles through Idaho ((?)) Japan earthquake 6.1 possible tsunami. ((?)) Mexico earthquake 8.2 imminent tsunami. Beach lines are receded at least 50+ meters ?Hurricanes Harvey, Irma (biggest ever recorded), Jose and Katia are barreling around the Atlantic with 8 more potentials forming. And last but not least an X10 C.M.E solar flare last night . The highest recorded solar flare ever! All these disasters can batter us but never break us, if we stay loyal and faithful to Jehovah. Are we prepared for a natural disaster? Read this article for some comforting news:<<<click Thanks to "Grieving Tho Comforted With Jesus"-page.  Â

Economic impact Estimates of Harvey’s cost vary, with some predicting that the storm will be the most expensive in U.S. history at over $190 billion, surpassing Hurricane Katrina. (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimatesKatrina to have cost around $160 billion.) If that ends up being the case, it would greatly increase the total cost of billion-dollar-plus events since 1980. Others predict that the cost will be closer to that of Superstorm Sandy, at around $70-90 billion. Read more: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/hurricane-harveys-impact-and-how-it-compares-to-other-storms/

via TheWorldNewsOrgWorld News

None of Jehovah’s Witnesses were either killed or injured in the disaster that affected some 13 provinces of Argentina Source Anyone have any photos to share of this?

Hundreds of people where killed in the mudslide but only the three were members of the JW. However, five JW families also lost their homes. A statement from the headquarters in New York revealed that Jehovah’s Witnesses have begun relief work to provide food, potable water, gasoline, and lodging to victims, and providing spiritual support. “The branch office is continuing to monitor the situation and support the ongoing relief efforts”, the statement said. See full statement below. “During the early morning hours of Saturday, April 1, 2017, three rivers overflowed near the city of Mocoa, the capital of the Colombian province Putumayo, causing devastating mudslides that killed hundreds. “Unfortunately, the Colombia branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses reports that two of Jehovah’s Witnesses died in the disaster and one other is missing. “Additionally, five Witness families lost their homes. Jehovah’s Witnesses have begun relief work to provide food, potable water, gasoline, and lodging to victims, and Witness elders are providing spiritual support. The branch office is continuing to monitor the situation and support the ongoing relief efforts”. http://starconnectmedia.com/2-jehovahs-witnesses-die-1-missing-as-mudslide-hits-columbia/

Jehovah’s Witnesses are involved in ongoing relief work to repair hundreds of homes following a devastating typhoon that struck the Philippines at the end of 2016. Source

Source

Source

These pioneers died on November 22 after the collapse caused by Tropical Storm Otto in Panama

Anyone have any news about our brothers and sisters on the Island. It looks like the following storm left a lot of destruction:

SIXTY-seven-year old Soloveni Turogo and his wife, Amelia, are proud owners of a three-bedroom cyclone-proof home, complete with an adjacent kitchen and bathroom, thanks to a group of volunteers who descended on their Delakavula settlement in northern Viti Levu for three months to live and rebuild their home for free. The elderly couple, who live with their children and grandchildren in this largely sugarcane growing village, attend the local Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses at Dobuilevu, located along the Kings Rd, about 30 kilometres from Rakiraki town. They, together with 16 other families in the area who lost their homes during Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston last February, are now proud owners of new houses built from floor to roof by a team of builders and helpers comprising local as well as overseas-based volunteers. None of these volunteers got paid for their efforts, nor were the owners of the homes ranging one to two and three bedroom houses paid a single cent. The builders arrived with their own tents to sleep in, and food, which they happily shared with their local hosts. Volunteers like Ryan Herman and his wife, who were in New Zealand when they heard of the devastation Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston caused in Fiji. The couple was also involved in similar rehabilitation work in the Philippines, as well as in Vanuatu. At the height of the church's reconstruction project, some 18 volunteers, some of them couples, travelled to Fiji from Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the US and Vanuatu. They all paid for their own return travel. In addition to assisting with the rebuilding of 17 homes in Dobuilevu, church volunteers have also completed 14 new cyclone-proof homes for church members on Koro in Lomaiviti. A group of builders and helpers spent three months on Koro. Building of these homes, comprising corrugated iron walls and concrete or timber floors continued this month at Nayawalevu, in the hinterlands of Ra Province, Ba, Tavua, Tailevu, Ovalau and Vanuabalavu in Lau Province. "Straight after Cyclone Winston struck, our team of volunteers visited our brothers and sisters who were badly affected," explains Frank Coffin, co-ordinator of the local branch of Jehovah's Witnesses of Fiji. "In their visits to Vanuabalavu, Taveuni, Koro, Ovalau and the northern and western regions of Viti Levu, not only were emergency supplies of food, water, clothing and temporary shelter distributed, but our teams also carried out assessments of the damage. "This set the stage for the second phase of our assistance, where teams of local builders were dispatched to affected areas to carry out immediate repairs to homes that needed repairing. This has also been completed and now the team is into the third phase, which is the construction of homes for about 60 families in the cyclone ravaged regions." For home construction, the church has commandeered half of the local Kingdom Hall compound in Vatuwaqa, near Suva, to act as the central home construction site. A team of 25 volunteers constructed prefab homes at this site. Once completed, these home frames are trucked to the building sites where teams of volunteers help erect the houses in no time. The entire reconstruction program from the design of the home phase to construction has all been done on a voluntary basis. Building engineers were consulted in the designs of the houses to make them strong and secure. "It's quite a full-on operation, requiring constant co-ordination and management," says Mr Coffin. "As to be expected sourcing housing materials has been a huge challenge, but with persistence and patience, assistance by various government departments, and not to mention Jehovah God's blessings, our teams are well on their way to providing a good strong and safe home for those who need them." Materials for a one bedroom home is estimated to cost $US5500 ($F11,300) while a three bedroom house is costing US$10,000 ($F20,580), with funding provided through voluntary contributions by the church's world headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. Mr Coffin added that some of the families affected badly and had initially applied for the Fijian Government's Help for Home initiative, have returned their M-Paisa cards to the Ministry of Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation. "It is a loving gesture on the part of these members who were left homeless by TC Winston, as returning their M-Paisa cards would allow the Fijian Government to offer assistance to a lot more people who also needed help. "We are also so grateful to our many brothers and sisters from overseas who answered our call for help, and gave of their own time, skills and resources to fly to Fiji at their own cost, to help us in our time of need. "I speak on behalf of my brothers and sisters in Fiji, especially the hundreds of families among us who lost their homes and livelihood during Cyclone Winston in thanking the loving support and oversight from our governing body in the United States and the blessings and comfort of the God we serve, Jehovah." * CORRECTION: A picture that appeared on Page 5 of our 8-page Winston liftout last week stated that it was a house being built by Habitat for Humanity. The house is in fact being built by volunteers and members of local Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. We regret any inconvenience caused. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=378222

Please let us pray for our brothers and sisters in Haiti after the hurricane Matthew. For three days we couldn't have any news from them because there wasn't any cellphone service in the south part of the country. Last night we finally received the news that no one died, but almost every house in Camp-Perrin is destroyed. In the picture is their Kingdom Hall. The rooftop is gone, leaving everything inside wet and broken.