Sunday mornings are usually busy in all our homes with everyone getting ready for the meeting, but Sunday, April 17 was a little different. Members of staff along with volunteers from the local congregations were help ing to clean, prepare rooms and arrange flowers in readiness for the Memorial celebration.

Every year arrangements are made with the local elders to provide for our brothers and sisters in the homes ensuring they can all attend such an important event. With each home hosting a Memorial, it is encouraging to have some from the local congregations present along with the staff on duty.

The total attendance in all the homes this year was 410 with 3 residents partaking of the emblems. One of our homes was able to use the Kingdom Hall as that is attached to the home. All the other homes held their Memorials in the dining rooms. We rejoiced this year to have 47 in attendance for the Sign Language group in one of our dining rooms.

Two of our residents were able to auxiliary pioneer during the month of April. All the ministry group arrangements in the homes were very well attended and many other residents were able to take part in giving out invitations, with some sitting in front of the home speaking to whoever was passing by, even on the day of the memorial.

A few friends were attending the Memorial for the first time and really enjoyed spending time with our elderly brothers and sisters and listening to their experiences. After the Memorial had finished, hospitality was provided so that everyone could enjoy some association and have a real interchange of encouragement on this special occasion.

Donations-Did You Know?

A survey was taken recently in all of our homes to calculate the years of faithful service to Jehovah amongst our brothers and sisters.

In total there is 8431 years spent in faithful service! What a privilege to look after our dear brothers and sisters and hear some of their wonderful experiences some of which we are able to share with you all by means of this newsletter.

Often, our work is hampered due to lack of funding in this present economic climate. The trustees are trying to encourage donations that will enable charitable funding to be offered to elderly ones in real need. You will be surprised to know that some elderly ones in truly desperate need are being refused funding because of government cutbacks. So you can understand why we are trying to boost donations so that we can offer care for them and to ensure our facilities are kept to a high standard. In view of this economic situation, the trustees are also searching for ways to raise donations to build and develop a home on land we own in Medway due to great need in the south-east for Jah-Jireh care.

Life Story: Christabel Connell

Christabel Earl was born in Sheffield in 1927. The family home was bombed during World War II, so Christabel was sent to live with her grandmother so as to finish her schooling. Even as a young girl she would ask the nuns at the convent school why there was so much badness and violence, but never received a satisfying answer.

Christabel and Eric Connell

After the war, Christabel trained as a nurse and worked in Paddington General Hospital, London. Living and working in the city however, Christabel was exposed to more violence. Both she and her mother used to attend spiritualist meetings, but still she did not receive a satisfying answer as to why there was so much wickedness.

Christabel’s eldest brother, John, had become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and one day, while visiting, he asked her if she knew why bad things happen. He then used Revelation 12:7-12 to explain. Christabel then accepted a bible study and despite many difficulties she was baptised on January 16, 1954 and began pioneering in June of that year.

Eight months later, Christabel was sent to Grangemouth, Scotland, where she spent approximately 1 year as a Special Pioneer before being assigned to Ireland in 1956. Christabel and her companions were assigned to Galway, then to Limerick. Both assignments were difficult because of the opposition they received from the Catholic Church.

In 1958, Christabel was invited to attend the 33rd class of Gilead and spent some time serving in the Collingwood area of Ontario, Canada.

After graduating from Gilead, Christabel was assigned back to Ireland, this time to Dun Laoghaire and in 1961 married Eric Connell. In 1965, they were assigned to a congregation of only 8 publishers in Sligo, a port on the north-western coast. Three years later found them in Londonderry, where they faced many problems as the trouble in Northern Ireland escalated.

In 1972, they moved to Cork, served in Naas, then Arklow. Finally in 1987 they were assigned to Castlebar.

Together they have served as Special Pioneers for over 100 years, attended the Pioneer Service School twice, faced bitter religious persecution and have lived through times of serious political and social troubles.

Throughout all of this Eric and Christabel have never stopped relying on Jehovah and continue to serve him faithfully despite their health limitations.

This story is just an overview of Christabel’s rich and rewarding life serving Jehovah. Please refer to the article entitled "The Angel of Jehovah is Camping All Around" from w09 3/15 pg 3-5 for the full story, or why not visit Christabel and Eric and hear their experiences first hand.

Announcement

Jah-Jireh is pleased to welcome Sister Cathrin Leake to the post of Care Manager as part of our Management Team.

Cathrin, as a registered nurse, has managed large nursing homes over the last fifteen years during her professional career and as a trainer has made staff training and development a focal aspect of her work.

Cathrin will be working along with Brother Mark Ambler who has recently taken up the post of Business Manager. We wish them both Jehovah’s Blessing in their work.