Cancer. Ramilo Saavedra recalls when his doctor confirmed that his case is now Stage 3.
“I don’t know how God will rescue me out of this,” said the 41-year-old from Zamboanga City.
Since his diagnosis, Ramilo has clung tighter than ever to the hope from the Scriptures that he’s cherished since becoming one of Jehovah’s Witnesses some 23 years ago.
“I am fully convinced that Jehovah will give me strength and courage to endure,” Ramilo expresses as he remains positive despite awaiting about 28 sessions of chemotherapy and other medications.
“The Bible describes a future without pain, without suffering—even without death, right here on earth,” said James Morales, Philippines spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “Many people are surprised to find out that God’s original purpose is for perfect people living in a paradise on earth. His purpose has never changed. There’s sound reason to have faith in this promise.”
Faith inthat coming reality proved life-changingfor Neneng Tubiano, a zealous teacher of the Bible who resides in Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City.
She suffers from a fatty liver and gallstones. Also, her mother died while her children went astray and got themselves in trouble. “The pain of losing loved ones is incomparable,” she said. “But God promises that I will reap good results if I do not give up and keep on going.”
Nenengmoves forward with a positive outlook and for 37 years has been actively teaching about the Bible’s promises of a world without pain and sorrow.
May Oliver, 51, who also resides in Cagayan de Oro City, finds comfort in the same Bible promises.
Her husband, Eric, died of heart attack last year at the age of 48. “I lost my best friend, adviser, partner. Sometimes I even blame myself for what happened to him,” May said.
Picturing how she will welcome him back in the global resurrection to life on earth asdescribed in Scripture helps May endure the pain of Eric’s absence.
“Many times I pray for God’s Kingdom to come, the sanctification of Jehovah’s name,” she said. “And I always fervently pray to see Eric again in the resurrection.”
May’s favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:25, wherein it mentions that the “hope for what we do not see” helps her to eagerly wait for God’s promises to be fulfilled. She firmly believes in her grand reunion with Eric in a Paradise Earth.
The 30-minute program “Where Can You Find Real Hope?” will be hosted worldwide by congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The public is also invited the following week to the annual Memorial observance of Jesus Christ’s death on the evening of Friday, April 15, 2022.
Admission to both programs is free, and no registration is required. Information on attending locally is available at www.jw.org.
“In times like these, we need hope more than ever,” said Morales. “Hope helps a person look ahead with courage and confidence to the fulfillment of God’s beautiful promises. That’s why attending one of these special programs can be life-changing.”
