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  • How We Can Help to Meet the Needs of Others
  • The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom—2013
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The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom—2013
w13 11/15 pp. 8-9

How We Can Help to Meet the Needs of Others

“VIOLENCE erupted in the wake of a contested election, forcing thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses to flee their homes,” relates François, an elder in a developing land. “Food and medicine became scarce, and what remained was extremely expensive. Banks closed, and cash machines emptied or went off-line.”

Brothers from the branch office quickly began delivering funds and emergency supplies to displaced Witnesses gathered at Kingdom Halls around the country. Rival factions set up roadblocks, but because both sides knew that the Witnesses maintain strict neutrality, branch vehicles were usually allowed to pass.

“On the way to one Kingdom Hall, snipers opened fire on our van,” says François. “However, the bullets passed between us. Seeing a soldier running toward us, weapon in hand, we jammed the van into reverse, turned around, and sped back to the branch. We were thankful to Jehovah that we were alive. The following day, the 130 brothers in that Kingdom Hall made it to safety. Some came to the branch office, where we looked after their spiritual and material needs until the crisis was over.”

“The branch office later received many letters from brothers across the country expressing profound gratitude,” says François. “Experiencing how their brothers elsewhere had come to their aid increased their confidence in Jehovah.”

In the face of natural and man-made disasters, we do not tell needy brothers and sisters to “keep warm and well fed.” (Jas. 2:15, 16) Instead, we seek to provide for their physical needs. Similarly, after receiving warning of a coming famine in the first century, “the disciples determined, each of them according as anyone could afford it, to send a relief ministration to the brothers dwelling in Judea.”​—Acts 11:28-30.

As Jehovah’s servants, we are eager to help needy individuals in a material way. However, people also have a spiritual need. (Matt. 5:3) To help them become aware of that need and take steps to satisfy it, Jesus commissioned his followers to make disciples. (Matt. 28:19, 20) We individually devote much of our time, energy, and resources to carrying out that commission. As an organization, we use some donated funds to provide material help, but donations are used chiefly to promote Kingdom interests and spread the good news. We thus show our love for God and for our neighbors.​—Matt. 22:37-39.

Those who support the worldwide work of Jehovah’s Witnesses can be sure that their donations are used properly and effectively. Are you in a position to help bring relief to your brothers in need? Do you desire to support the disciple-making work? If so, “do not hold back good from those to whom it is owing, when it happens to be in the power of your hand to do it.”​—Prov. 3:27.

HOW SOME CHOOSE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORLDWIDE WORK

As in the apostle Paul’s day, many today “set something aside,” or budget, an amount of money and place it in the congregation contribution boxes labeled “Worldwide Work.” (1 Cor. 16:2) Each month, congregations forward these contributions to the office of Jehovah’s Witnesses that serves their country. It is also possible for you to send donations directly to a legal entity that is used by Jehovah’s Witnesses in your country. To learn the name of the primary legal entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses in your country, please contact the branch office that serves the country. The address of the branch office can be found on www.jw.org. The types of donations that you can send directly are the following:

  • OUTRIGHT DONATIONS

    • Donations of cash, jewelry, or other valuable personal property.

    • Include a letter indicating that the cash or the items are an outright donation.

  • CONDITIONAL DONATION ARRANGEMENT

    • Donations of cash with the condition that it can be returned if needed by the donor.

    • Include a letter stating that the donation is conditional.

  • CHARITABLE PLANNING

    In addition to gifts of money and valuable personal property, there are other methods of giving to benefit Kingdom service worldwide. These are listed below. Regardless of the method or methods you would like to use, please first contact the branch office that serves your country to see which methods are available in the country. Since legal requirements and tax laws vary, it is important to consult qualified tax and legal advisers before choosing the best way to donate.

    Insurance: A donation made by specifying an entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy or a retirement/​pension plan.

    Bank Accounts: Bank accounts, certificates of deposit, or individual retirement accounts set up as a trust or made payable on death to an entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses in accord with local bank requirements.

    Stocks and Bonds: Stocks and bonds donated to an entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses as an outright gift or by means of a Transfer on Death agreement.

    Real Estate: Salable real estate donated to an entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses, either by making an outright gift or, in the case of residential property, by reserving a life estate to the donor, who can continue to live in the residence during his or her lifetime.

    Gift Annuity: Money or securities donated to an entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses under an arrangement where the donor, or someone designated by the donor, receives a specified annuity payment every year for life. The donor receives an income-tax deduction for the year in which the gift annuity is established.

    Wills and Trusts: Property or money may be bequeathed to an entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses by means of a legally executed will or by specifying the entity as the beneficiary of a trust agreement. This arrangement may provide certain tax advantages.

As the term “charitable planning” implies, these types of donations typically require some planning on the part of the donor. To assist individuals desiring to benefit the worldwide work of Jehovah’s Witnesses through some form of charitable giving, a brochure entitled Charitable Planning to Benefit Kingdom Service Worldwide has been prepared in English and Spanish. The brochure was written to provide information on a variety of ways that gifts may be made now or later, as through a bequest at death. The information covered in this brochure may not apply fully to your situation because of tax or other laws in your country. Hence, after reading the brochure, you should confer with your own legal or tax advisers. By using such methods of charitable giving, many have been able to help support our religious and humanitarian activities worldwide and maximize their tax benefits. If available in your country, the brochure may be obtained by requesting a copy from the secretary of the local congregation.

For more information, you may contact the Charitable Planning Office, either in writing or by telephone, at the address listed below, or you may contact the branch office that serves your country.

CHARITABLE PLANNING OFFICE

Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

100 Watchtower Drive

Patterson, New York 12563-9204

Telephone: (845) 306-0707

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