5
look at their children, we can imagine those
fears about how long this will last. They are
praying for relief. We are praying for this too,
but then what action are we taking? It is true,
that many are already involved in trying to
ease their burdens; some are also engaged in
other ecclesial activities. However, there
may be others who possess the ability to
make a further move - to remove them to an
improved condition, and I would urge them to
use the talent given them by Our Heavenly
Father to work towards making a difference
in our brethren?s lives. How shall we start,
what should we do? may be the query.
Again following Nehemiah?s example ?
Chapter 1:3 and they said to me, ?The
survivors who are left from the captivity in
the province are there in great distress and
reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also
broken down, and its gates are burned with
fire.?
1:4: So it was, when I heard these words,
that I sat down and wept, and mourned for
many days; I was fasting and praying before
the God of heaven.?
1:10: ?Now these are Your servants and Your
people, whom You have redeemed by Your
great power, and by Your strong hand. (Just
as our refugee brethren are.)
1:11: O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be
attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and
to the prayer of Your servants who desire to
fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper
this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the
sight of this man?.
These words clearly reveal how touched
Nehemiah was on hearing of the distressing
situation of his brethren, which moved him to
action, despite his problematic job situation
? ?For I was the king?s cupbearer.? This
comparatively luxurious position did not
cloud his vision of the suffering of his
brethren, hence his grief was clearly visible
to the King who, on hearing of his distress,
Resettlement of our Refugee Brethren
asked, 2:4: ?What do you request? ?So I
prayed to the God of heaven. (The beginning
of his mission.) 2:5: And I said to the king, ?If
it pleases the king, and if your servant has
found favour in your sight, I ask that you
send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers?
tombs, that I may rebuild it.?
From what follows, Nehemiah had already
made plans for action, and he only needed to
get past this great obstacle of getting the
King?s approval, and God, seeing his earnest-
ness, took care of this.
We will only be moved to earnest action if,
like Nehemiah, we can feel for what our
brethren are going through. Let us again read
above their thoughts and fears and strive to
approach our Heavenly Father for His help to
move us to the action of resettling our them.
This case is His, as Nehemiah states at verse
10 above, and God will similarly prosper us,
as he did Nehemiah, who nevertheless
pursued it, but we must go to him for His
Support.
I am appealing to those who are in
charge of our publications, to the
Brethren worldwide, to assist this
effort by including these appeals
in their publication, thereby informing
and giving as many as possible the
privilege and opportunity of getting
involved in this rewarding project.