Pedro does not recall much about his mother, who died when he was only a year and a half old. When Pedro was five, his father also died. So Pedro was left alone with his brothers. Jehovah’s Witnesses had already been calling on their father, thus Pedro and his older brothers all started to receive a home Bible study.

Pedro relates: “The very next week, we started to attend the meetings. As we associated with the brothers, we could feel the love that they expressed toward us. The congregation was a refuge for me because the brothers and sisters showed me love and affection, just as if they were my parents.” Pedro recalls that one of the Christian elders would invite him to his home. There Pedro shared with the family in conversation and relaxation. “These are memories that I cherish,” says Pedro, who started to preach about his faith at the age of 11 and got baptized at 15. Aided by those in the congregation, his older brothers likewise made much progress in a spiritual way.

There is also the case of David. He and his twin sister were abandoned when their parents separated. Their grandparents and an aunt raised them. “When we grew older and realized the situation we were in, we were overcome by a feeling of insecurity and sadness. We needed something to lean on. My aunt became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and thanks to this, we were instructed in Bible truth. The brothers extended to us their affection and friendship. They were very fond of us and encouraged us to reach goals and to keep on working for Jehovah. When I was about ten years old, a ministerial servant would pick me up to share in the field ministry. Another brother took care of my expenses when I attended conventions. One even helped me so that I could make contributions at the Kingdom Hall.”

David was baptized when he was 17 years old, and later he began serving at the branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Mexico. Even now he acknowledges: “There are several elders who contribute to my education and provide me with helpful counsel. In this way I am overcoming the feeling of insecurity and loneliness.”

About his own experience in providing help to orphans and widows, another congregation elder says: “I believe that orphans are even more deeply in need of Christian love than are widows. I have noticed that they are more likely to feel rejected than children and adolescents who have both of their parents. They need many expressions of brotherly affection. It is good to look for them after the meetings to find out how they are. There is a married brother who was orphaned when a little boy. I always greet him warmly at the meeting, and he embraces me when he sees me. This strengthens the bonds of true brotherly love.”