Because of COVID-19, brothers and sisters living in medical facilities or nursing homes faced special challenges in arranging to observe the Memorial. In most cases, they could not leave the facility and visitors were not allowed. Despite these hurdles, with the help of local elders, these individuals were able to commemorate the most important event of the year.

In Naju City, Sister Lee Jeom-soon and Sister Kwon Ae-soon, ages 91 and 88, along with a 96-year-old interested woman, were determined to observe the Memorial. One of the doctors at their nursing home is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. After observing the Memorial at home with his congregation, he returned to the nursing home. He then helped to stream the Memorial program from jw.org for the two sisters and the interested woman. The brother also provided the emblems.

In Uijeongbu City, Brother Choi Jae-cheol works at a nursing home where 14 elderly brothers and sisters live. Despite the pandemic, our brother was able to assist the brothers and sisters who live there, along with interested ones, to commemorate the Memorial by video streaming the program. Bible studies were started with some of the interested ones in attendance.

Sister Kim Tae-sun is 59 years old and lives in Cheonan. Sister Kim was diagnosed with cancer five years ago. She was recently hospitalized because of experiencing severe pain. Tae-sun shares a hospital room with another sister named Kim Jeong-mi. She is 69 years old and has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Our sisters cannot leave the hospital during this pandemic. However, with the help of their local elders, they were both able to attend the Memorial and associate with their congregation via videoconference.

These two sisters expressed their heartfelt appreciation to the elders in a letter. The sisters commented: “Thank you for helping us to attend the Memorial and to enjoy the good association with our fellow worshippers despite this COVID-19 situation and our ill health.”

Sister Mieko Fujiwara, a 70-year-old sister who lives in Mie Prefecture, Japan, was hospitalized. Since Wi-Fi Internet is not available at the hospital, our sister could not connect to her congregation’s Memorial by videoconference. However, in advance, a local elder and his wife were able to send a recording of the Memorial talk wirelessly to her mobile device, which allowed her to observe the event from her hospital room.

In Zama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, 102-year-old Sister Yuki Takeuchi lives in a nursing home. In advance of the Memorial, her son-in-law and his wife sent Sister Takeuchi the bread and wine in a small package. She was then able to commemorate the Memorial with her daughter and son-in-law over the phone.

Her son-in-law, Brother Mimura, stated: “My mother-in-law was baptized in 1954 and has never missed attending the Memorial. Although this was such a unique Memorial ceremony, she was very pleased to be able to attend this year.”

We are certain that Jehovah noticed these infirm publishers’ efforts to observe the Memorial with the help of local elders.—Hebrews 6:10.