• Jehovah’s Witnesses—1996 Yearbook Report
    1996 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses

    • In addition to building being done at the world headquarters, work on new or expanded branch facilities was under way in 54 lands during the past year. Some of it was in preliminary stages. Other projects were completed. It was a joy to our brothers in the following six countries to have branch facilities dedicated during the service year:

      REPUBLIC OF KOREA. Forty-two miles [67 km] south of Seoul, in Kongdo, stands the Korea branch. Since the branch was moved to Kongdo in 1982, it has been necessary to expand the facilities four times. The latest expansion nearly doubled the size of the branch. The new buildings were dedicated on October 8, 1994, with Lloyd Barry of the Governing Body delivering the discourse “Rejoice Before the Master Builder!” And Jehovah’s Witnesses in Korea do rejoice in the evidence of divine blessing on their ministry.

      Seeds of Bible truth first reached Korea before World War I. Thirteen years ago, when the branch was moved to Kongdo, the peak number of publishers was 30,237. As of August 1994, the peak was 77,542, with 40 percent in the pioneer service!

      Branch facilities needed to be enlarged. What has been added? The entire office building is new, with a spacious area for the Service Department, Hospital Information Desk, Correspondence Office, Accounting Office, and Translation Department. The Factory Office as well as the Electronics, Computer, MEPS, and Graphics departments are in new surroundings, and other factory operations have had their floor space increased. The Bethel Home has 56 new rooms, a new kitchen, a pleasant dining room, a new medical services room, a new library, and a new laundry. There is also an attractive and comfortable new Kingdom Hall.

      The day after the dedication, at Suwon Gymnasium, a special meeting was held at which Brother Barry spoke again. Thirteen additional locations were tied in, with a total attendance of 95,883! Clearly, there are still many in Korea who are eager to learn Jehovah’s ways so that they can walk in his paths.

      TAIWAN. The following weekend, on October 15, new branch buildings were dedicated in Taiwan, an island 90 miles [145 km] off the coast of China. Brother Barry also dedicated these facilities. He had first visited Taiwan 42 years earlier, when only a handful of Jehovah’s Witnesses​—mainly of the Amis tribe—​were associated.

      Brothers from abroad as well as local Witnesses built the branch. In fact, at one time or another, 50 percent of the local publishers worked at the project. Some traveled as much as nine hours one way by bus in order to share in the work. Of an eight-woman Amis crew that helped to put in sod outside the dining room, the youngest was 60 years of age; the oldest, 84! This crew began work at 4:30 in the morning. They wanted to start at 4:00 a.m., but it was too dark outside. This same zeal is seen in their preaching activity.

      On the dedication program, Cyril Charles, a Gilead graduate now living in Hong Kong, reminisced about his service in Taiwan in 1949, when he was 28 years of age. Living among the Amis, he had no electricity, no indoor plumbing, and no mattress. But the Amis people showed love for Bible truth. When Brother Charles was going to train a few in the house-to-house work, everybody desired to join in. En route to the territory, 70 from the south and another 70 from the north met Brother Charles. Soon 100 more joined them. All of them wanted to work from house to house with him. Since then, much training has been given to those who have shown a sincere desire to serve Jehovah.

      Succeeding missionaries, who began to arrive six years later, spearheaded the work among the Chinese, who make up a large section of the population. Twenty-six ex-missionaries made it back to Taiwan for the dedication weekend. How pleased they were not only with the fine new branch facilities but also with the evidence that those they had taught have helped many others to become praisers of Jehovah!

      Harvey Logan, the Branch Committee coordinator, and his wife, Kathleen, both Gilead graduates, have served here since 1962. In just the past ten years, they have seen an increase of 150 percent.

      ECUADOR. During the next month, November, expanded branch facilities were dedicated in Ecuador. These are located 14 miles [23 km] from the port city of Guayaquil.

      It was just seven years earlier, in 1987, on the same property, that a new branch building had been inaugurated. However, since then, the average number of publishers had increased 130 percent. In the same period, Bible studies had risen 120 percent. In 1987, Daniel Sydlik had given a talk to an audience of 14,322 at a soccer stadium here. In this same stadium on November 19, 1994, Brother Henschel gave a stirring discourse to 35,992! True worship is on the move in Ecuador, and the enlarged branch will provide a fine center from which education in Jehovah’s will can be pressed to the farthest corners of the land.

      SRI LANKA. By January of 1995, the branch in Sri Lanka was also ready to dedicate its two fine new buildings. What a change after having moved the office from one bedroom to another in rented houses ever since the branch was formed in 1953! Here at last were facilities that would be an honor to our God, with grounds landscaped in a way that reflects our belief in Jehovah’s purpose for all the earth to be transformed into a paradise.

      Among those present for the program were Claude Goodman, who had served here back in 1930-31; Matilda Rajapakse (née Chapman), who is now in her 90’s and who has been associated with the local congregations here for at least 80 years and serves as a regular pioneer; Douglas King, who had been the second branch servant (as it was then known); David Mercante, zone overseer from the world headquarters, who gave the dedication talk; and many more.

      Sri Lanka is a large island off the southeast tip of India, where some 18,000,000 people live. For many of them, “Ayubowan!” is a common greeting; it means “May you live long!” Among Jehovah’s people, that is not merely a customary greeting; it is their heartfelt desire. In harmony with it, they want to reach all the people in Sri Lanka with the Kingdom message in their own languages. These new facilities will help.

      Building the branch has in itself provided an education​—not only in construction methods but also in spiritual matters. The project drew the brothers in Sri Lanka closer to Jehovah’s global family of servants. Engineering expertise was provided by brothers in America and Australia. Brothers from abroad gave of themselves to supervise the construction and to teach local Witnesses how to do the work. Needed materials and funds came from other branches. Volunteers patiently overcame language differences in order to work together. All have grown in appreciation of the worldwide aspect of Jehovah’s organization and the spiritual bonds that make it function smoothly.

      SURINAME. The branch dedication in Suriname was held on February 12, 1995. But what led up to it was amazing to watch and a joy to share in. Property for new branch facilities was obtained ten miles [16 km] west of the city of Paramaribo. Brothers from many lands came to help with the construction work. People from all over the city of Paramaribo came to see this evidence of loving international cooperation, and they watched in amazement as they saw our sisters driving bulldozers and other heavy equipment. Schoolteachers even brought their classes to let them see what could be done when people work together in one spirit. When the work was done, a program concerning it was shown on both television stations in Suriname.

      For the dedication program, our brothers were present from the Netherlands, Germany, French Guiana, Guyana, Curaçao, and other lands. Dominick Piccone, as zone overseer, gave the dedication talk. The office in these facilities will help to coordinate the preaching of the good news throughout this country of 400,000 people.

      CAMEROON. Witnesses in many lands are keenly interested in what is taking place in Cameroon. In fact, some of them were on hand on April 1, 1995, from Benin, Canada, France, Gabon, Nigeria, and the United States for the dedication of the four two-story buildings making up the new branch complex in Bonaberi, Douala. Among the guests were seven who had served as missionaries in Cameroon during the late 1950’s and 1960’s. Jean-Marie Bockaert, from France, served as the dedication speaker.

      In 1948, only 81 Witnesses were active in Cameroon. Now there are over 24,000 who render glory to God, in spite of the severe restrictions that the Witnesses labored under for 23 years. Assuredly, these new Bethel facilities will be of great value to the brothers in overseeing the activity of Jehovah’s people as they extend to all in Cameroon the generous invitation to go up to Jehovah’s house, to learn his ways, and to walk in his paths, with a view to rendering him sacred service forever in his new world.