After heavy rains in northern Italy in late November 2016, some villages just south of the town of Moncalieri were inundated with water. In places it was over half a meter (1.6 ft) deep. “The water didn’t spare anyone or anything,” reported one newspaper. About 1,500 residents were immediately evacuated by local authorities, and thanks to the promptness of the rescue teams, there were no fatalities. However, many families suffered material loss.

Teams of local Witnesses got to work right away. They helped affected families by shoveling mud and debris out of their homes and by salvaging furniture and personal possessions. When one team with equipment and hot food encountered a blocked access road, authorities let them pass so that they could help a needy family. The volunteers extended a helping hand to their fellow Witnesses and also to their neighbors of other faiths.

For example, the cellar level of one apartment building was completely flooded. Once the rescue services had pumped out the water, a large team of Witnesses helped a fellow Witness named Antonio and his family to get rid of debris from their cellar. Next, the volunteers assisted other residents in the building. They formed a human chain and in just a few hours, emptied all the cellars. Everyone deeply appreciated their help. One of the residents, Viviana, approached Antonio’s wife and said with tears of gratitude: “Please thank your brothers on our behalf​—you really are extraordinary!”

In one village that was especially hard-hit by the flood, residents observed the teams of Witnesses who were helping those affected by the disaster. Moved by what they saw, some of these residents volunteered to assist the relief workers and were happy to follow the instructions given by the team leader.

One man’s home suffered considerable damage, and his garage was submerged in mud. He was astonished to see eight Witnesses work nonstop for four hours to remove debris from his garage. In appreciation, he hugged some of the workers and posted a message on social media to express thanks for their “invaluable help.”

One Witness relates: “We helped several of our non-Witness neighbors, many of whom are in their 80’s. Some of them had tears in their eyes as they expressed gratitude for what we had done.” One of the neighbors who is very active in the local Catholic parish told the Witnesses how much he appreciated their assistance and added: “It was wonderful to see that even though we have different religious ideas, we gave one another a helping hand.” Another man said: “I’m sorry that you are known only for calling on people on Sunday mornings and not for the help you provide.”