A NEW KINGDOM HALL IS NEEDED

In December 1949 the brothers paid in advance to use Liberty Hall in Belize City for a series of four special talks to be held in January 1950. The day before the final talk, an announcement was aired on the radio that the hall was going to be used the next day for the funeral service of a prominent person. Despite several appeals by the brothers to the owners of the hall, the special talk was interrupted by a group of people who entered the hall and loudly started making preparations for the funeral. Eventually, the brothers had to ask the police to intervene. Clearly, the brothers needed a Kingdom Hall of their own. Available halls were all used as clubs and dance halls, and rent was expensive.

“Last Sunday night at the Watchtower Study there were 174 present,” relates Donald Snider, serving then as branch overseer. “The hall is not able to accommodate nearly that many, so quite a few have to stand. Because it’s very crowded, it’s hotter than ever.” The branch office and missionary home were moved to various rented locations several times.

In September 1958 construction began on a two-story structure. The first floor housed a small branch office and missionary home, while the entire second floor was an auditorium. In 1959 construction was completed, and the Belize City Congregation finally had its own Kingdom Hall!

[Picture on page 221]

Branch office, missionary home, and Kingdom Hall in Belize City