Bound Together in Close Friendship - Katie and Yvonne

Katie remembers the first day she met Yvonne. Feeling like a little girl on the first day of school, quiet and reserved Katie sat in the dining room of the Jah-Jireh home, wondering who she would meet. Enter beautiful Yvonne with her lovely smile and bubbly personality and that was the beginning of a wonderful friendship. Katie and Yvonne found a friend in each other not way back when, but right here and now when they were older. And yet, their friendship is strong and they have been a wonderful support to each other in the home.

Over the years, we have seen many friendships form in Jah-Jireh. Faithful brothers and sisters have found loyal friendships in other residents, carers, and volunteers. Though this is the life story of Katie and Yvonne, it is a celebration of all these friendships.

Strength In the Face of Opposition - Yvonne

Yvonne was baptized in 1969 at the last Wembley International Assembly. She remembers that day like it was yesterday. “It was pouring with rain. My husband told me not to bother coming home.” Well, that didn’t stop this faithful sister from getting baptized. The 1973 Yearbook describes that record year: “The year 1969 was another record year. At the “Peace on Earth” International Assembly at Wembley the stadium was packed on Sunday with an audience of 82,416 eagerly listening to President Knorr’s public address, “The Approaching Peace of a Thousand Years.” The mass baptism on that occasion added 2,215 to the ranks of the dedicated, the total for that year in Britain being 5,563. The publisher peak rose to 58,096.”

That is how Yvonne’s journey in the truth began. She would see many difficult years, with opposition from her husband and other challenges, but that isn’t how she remembers those years. She joyfully recounts her experiences in the ministry: “People had it very difficult coming to the truth,” she says. “One was an abused girl. She came in so strong in spite of getting cancer.” She remembers how many had tried to get the truth to her, but she was always busy with work and would rarely open the door. “It was like I was being moved by Jehovah,” says Yvonne. “I went on a bad icy day, not expecting her to be there, but she was at home!”

“We started a friendship first,” she continues. “I encouraged her to read the paragraphs, but she would break down in tears every time she tried. She gradually started reading the paragraphs and then she said: ‘You are not going to leave me, are you?’ So, I said ‘No you are going to have to throw me out!’” The girl never looked back since and was soon baptized. Evidently, Yvonne knows what it takes to be a true friend.

In all the years that her husband opposed her, Yvonne stayed firm in the truth never giving up on her husband. Decades later, her submissiveness and patience paid off. Her husband started responding to the truth. She remembers that day like it was yesterday. “My husband was very upset with the fact that women were being allowed to become priests in his church,” she recounts. “One day, he asked me if there is anything in the Bible that says that women shouldn’t become priests. I opened the Bible and read out the scripture to him.” “

He was in the toilet shaving,” she recollects. “He suddenly stopped as he heard the scripture. I was very tempted to tell him more, but I put down the Bible gently and left.” From then on, she felt something change in her husband. He was more friendly to the brothers. “He formed a friendship with a brother who was so sweet, he would bring Tony a trout every time he would go fishing.” Sadly, her husband passed away a year after he stopped being opposed, but Yvonne looks forward to the say she will see him again. When asked what helped her all those years, she says: “I didn’t challenge him back and tried to stay patient, but the thing that really helped me was prayer. Friends in the congregation supported me as well.”

In the Jah-Jireh home, you can almost always see Yvonne with a paintbrush in her hand, lost in her painting. The home is filled with her vibrant paintings, and her lovely presence. Despite limitations with health, she continues to serve Jehovah faithfully.

A Lifelong Love for The Ministry - Katie

Katie came to England from Vienna, Austria many moons ago. She was baptised in July 1957 in Austria. “Same place where brother Gerret Losch comes from,” she says. Her zeal for the truth was evident as she started pioneering just one month after baptism and was appointed as a special pioneer in 1958. The pioneer spirit that was lit then remains aglow to this day as she continues as a special pioneer.

In 1962, she married John Peden and they had a wonderful life together in Jehovah’s service. They served for 10 years on temporary circuit work and travelled to Devon, Exeter, Sommerset, Midlands, Scotland and many other places.

Out of her treasure chest of ministry experiences, she pulls out one that she remembers vividly. She fondly recollects studying with a woman from Barbados who had come to live in Reading. “She was the most amazing study I ever had. We started studying the Blue book. I remember when she came across a point which she didn’t know before … like the anointed, governing body and others. She would say ‘Stop!’ and would say a quick prayer right there ‘Thank you Jehovah for making me know this lovely point.’ I took my husband because he didn’t believe me when I told him what she would do. He just couldn’t believe how marvelously she had taken to the truth. She came along in the truth and she witnessed to about 18 people including her family.”

Among those who took to the truth was this woman’s grandfather. “He was in his 80’s,” she remembers. “He came from Barbados and visited them in Twickenham. My study couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t go to the kingdom hall when he was with them. But he had it in his mind that he couldn’t serve two masters, so the first thing he did when he went back to Barbados was that he resigned from the very church he had built on his field! He then served Jehovah faithfully and even became a ministerial servant before he died.I studied with her mother as well and she preached to many people.”

Katie has been a quiet yet powerful example to all of us in the Jah-Jireh home. You can always find Katie with a book or studying in a corner and you can see the love she has for Jehovah and the ministry. Still serving as a special pioneer, she uses every opportunity and continues her ministry faithfully without letup.

A Strong Bond of Friendship

Having led such different lives and with such unique personalities, the one thing in common that Katie and Yvonne have is their love for Jehovah. Now, that is the strongest bond you can form!

They love watching films, getting their hair done together, eating Chinese and “falling asleep,” giggles Katie. “I love discussing certain points with her from the Watchtower,” says Yvonne. “She has a box full of memories of scriptures and their relation to each other. And I love talking to her about it.”

Here is a peek into what they get up to at the Jah-Jireh homes:

These friendships that the older ones have formed in Jah-Jireh has been a blessing especially during the pandemic. As the world locked down around us, we still had each other to encourage and be with. Our spiritual routine went on without missing a beat and the wonderful brotherhood that comes from serving Jehovah has kept us going. Have there been friendships that have proved invaluable to you during this lockdown?