Branch Dedications

The explosive growth in the field has also necessitated new and enlarged branch facilities. Some of these were dedicated during the past service year.

Canada

On September 25, 1993, the expanded facilities at the Canada branch were dedicated. Added to the existing facilities, there are a large new administration building, a two-story 200- by 200-foot [60 m by 60 m] section to be used as part of the Printing and Distribution Center, a new residence building that will accommodate some 330 Bethel volunteers, and service buildings. Among the many longtime servants of Jehovah on hand for the dedication program were two members of the Governing Body: Milton Henschel and John Barr.

Why the expansion? The office here supervises the preaching of the good news in a vast territory extending over 3,200 miles [5,100 km] from east to west, and north from the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes up into the Arctic. This is one of the largest countries in the world. There had been an increase of 59 percent in the number of Witnesses in Canada since the branch had moved to its present location at Halton Hills in 1981. More room was needed at the branch to care for the needs of this growing throng. Although the good news has been preached in Canada for some 110 years, this work has taken on new dimensions in recent years as special attention has been directed to foreign-language groups. There are now congregations and regular meetings in a dozen languages in addition to English and French.

Tahiti

Out in the middle of the South Pacific, lovely new branch facilities were dedicated in Tahiti on December 11, 1993. Milton Henschel, a member of the Governing Body, who spoke at the dedication program, reminded all present that, not the beauty of the construction, but the work that will be done inside the building is most important.

The building of such a structure with voluntary contributions and volunteer labor was certainly newsworthy, and TV news reported on the dedication in its international broadcast. Sixty-two years earlier, in 1931, Sydney Shepherd, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, had landed in Tahiti and endeavored to preach. He was followed by Frank Dewar. But neither one of them was permitted to stay very long. Now, however, there are over 1,700 Witnesses in Tahiti and other islands of French Polynesia.

Western Samoa

The gathering of the precious things of the nations reaches out beyond the major nations of the world to the small island groups in the vast Pacific Ocean. Since the work began in earnest in these countries in the 1950’s, 26 Gilead graduates and 24 other missionaries and special pioneers from overseas have served in the five countries under the Western Samoa branch. Fruitage of their work is seen in the 650 publishers now serving on these remote islands. About five years ago, a crucial need developed for new facilities. Why was that?

In addition to brothers scattered among the 59 inhabited islands under the branch, congregations using Pacific-island languages had developed among the large expatriate communities in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and California. Although they are few in number, the spiritual feeding of these dear ones is important. (Isa. 42:10, 12) Jehovah shows concern for his people no matter where they are found. Reflecting this viewpoint, the Governing Body has worked to strengthen translation into the four Polynesian languages used in these islands, namely, Samoan, Tokelauan, Tongan, and Tuvaluan. Brothers and sisters have been trained in translating, proofreading, and the composing of publications on a computer.

Regardless of the small circulation, the same amount of work, manpower, and facilities is needed for translating publications into these languages as for those spoken by millions of people. By 1990 space at the old branch (a converted missionary home) was at a premium. A much larger building was needed, and the Governing Body approved the project.

However, how was the construction work to be done? Traditional houses in Samoa are built with local materials and have no walls, only poles to support the roof, so most local brothers are totally unfamiliar with the building systems used for constructing a modern branch.

The answer came by means of our international brotherhood. The Brooklyn Construction Office and the Regional Engineering Office in Australia prepared the plans, designing the building to withstand earthquakes and cyclones. Forty-four international servants and 69 international volunteers provided the needed expertise during the three and a half years of construction. Not only did they train 38 local brothers and sisters who worked full-time on the project as well as many part-timers but they also enhanced the spirituality of the local congregations. The experience and skills gained on the construction site have already helped local brothers in building Kingdom Halls.

Dedication day was November 20, 1993. John Barr of the Governing Body delivered the dedication talk. All in attendance enthusiastically responded to the resolution dedicating the branch to Jehovah’s service.

Germany

The largest branch-expansion program completed during the past service year was the one in Selters/Taunus, Germany. This marked the culmination of a three-and-a-half-year project during which over 18,600 volunteers helped to more than double the size of what was already the Society’s largest branch office and printery.

On hand for the dedication program on May 14-15 were four members of the Governing Body: Carey Barber, Milton Henschel, Karl Klein, and Daniel Sydlik. In the audience were people of 55 nationalities. In his discourse, Brother Barber pointed out that the upheavals in Eastern Europe had given the brothers greater freedom. “But it would be impossible for them to provide all the literature and magazines needed” to satisfy the spiritual hunger of the people there, he explained. “So the Germany branch supplies it to them, leaving them to get on with the preaching work.” How appropriate, then, that many of the guests at the dedication came from those Eastern European lands! They were delighted as they toured the facilities, observing the bindery and watching the large new offset press in operation. The enlarged facilities will enable the Germany branch to produce up to 1.6 million magazines and 80,000 books per day. Publications are already being printed there in 42 languages for 58 countries.

Only 3,658 were able to attend the dedication program at the branch on Saturday. But all the Witnesses in Germany had contributed to the construction in one way or another, and everyone wanted to benefit from the spiritual upbuilding of that occasion. So on Sunday the program continued at Bethel and at six sports stadiums throughout the country, at which time 177,902 joined in giving praise and thanks to Jehovah. Brother Sydlik summed up how so many felt when he said: “This has been the dedication of dedications. It will linger in our memory for a long, long time to come.”

Other Building Projects

Construction continues at a rapid pace at the world headquarters in New York—on new facilities in Brooklyn, at Patterson, and at Wallkill. At these various locations, upwards of 1,040 brothers and sisters are currently sharing in the construction work. It is hoped that by March of 1995, Gilead School will move to the Watchtower Educational Center at Patterson.

The Society also maintains an office in the Czech Republic. A new ten-story building, donated to the Society, has been renovated and put to use as a Bethel Home and office in Prague. A newly built Kingdom Hall and missionary home complex at Maseru, Lesotho, includes an office and a depot for literature.

When three new missionary homes were needed in the Solomon Islands, international cooperation made it possible to fill the need. Groups of brothers in Australia prefabricated some of the essential parts. The Australia branch then collected everything together for shipping to the Solomon Islands. In the meantime brothers in the Solomon Islands prepared the building sites and cut over 40 tons of timber in the forests, carrying it out by hand. Everything was ready just in time for the arrival of 96 brothers from Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii who volunteered their time and the airfare to help with the construction that was to be done quickly on two islands. The three homes were completed in just three weeks.

There was also much work done this past year to bring to a completion the work on branches in Korea, Taiwan, Ecuador, Suriname, and Sri Lanka. In addition, many other projects are under way. There is extensive branch construction that is being done in Mexico (see pages 244-5), Spain, Dominican Republic, Australia, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, Ireland, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Jamaica, and New Caledonia. After many delays due to opposition, the brothers in France are moving ahead with expansion of the branch facilities in Louviers. Near St. Petersburg, Russia, over 300 volunteers—from Scandinavia as well as from all parts of the former Soviet Union—are working hard to prepare an Administrative Center for the Religious Organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia.

There is also much construction going on in southern Africa. At present the branches in South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Madagascar, and Zaire are building. South Africa is in a position to supply building materials and equipment to several of these branches. For this reason the branch has large purchasing, export, and trucking departments to take care of the needs of that branch and of others as well.

Another huge building, a 13-story branch construction project, is in the planning and design stage in Japan. In addition to ongoing construction at Cesário Lange, Brazil, preliminary work is being done with a view to the building of an office, a warehouse, and residence facilities in São Paulo. And there are numerous other projects in various stages of planning that will help care for the spiritual needs of the great crowd that is embracing true worship.

How is it all possible? By means of Jehovah’s spirit. In response to its operation, Jehovah’s people—those who may have very little materially as well as those who have more—generously give of themselves and of their material means to advance Kingdom interests. And what joy they have as they see Jehovah’s blessing on the outcome!

[Pictures on page 27]

New branch facilities (clockwise from the top): Canada, Western Samoa, Tahiti, Germany (with its most recent printing press)