Move Back to Bogotá

By the mid-1970’s branch operations in Barranquilla had outgrown the premises. As the search for available property got under way, no one imagined that it would lead them back to where the branch was first established in 1946, Bogotá, or that Colombia would soon have a new Bethel Home and a factory that would be printing magazines for four neighboring countries as well as for Colombia.

In Bogotá, land was acquired and plans were drawn up for comfortable living quarters to accommodate 60 branch workers and factory space sufficient for two offset presses. These were to be installations adequate for years to come.

“Impossible! Don’t Even Try It”

Down through the years, Colombia received the Society’s magazines from Brooklyn, first by surface mail and then by bulk ocean freight shipments. Because of the time involved in transportation, Colombia was always months behind other countries in the dates for the distribution of the magazines as well as for the weekly Watchtower study dates. How fine it would be if someday they could print their own magazines there in Colombia!

Well, now they do. William (Bill) Lensink, factory overseer, will tell us how this came about. Bill has been in Colombia since 1969, when as a small boy he moved there with his family from Canada to serve where the need was greater.

“In June 1982 Brooklyn wrote that they would be sending an offset printing press to Colombia in January 1983,” Bill begins. “Delighted, we began making plans. Then early in November, we learned that customs duty on printing equipment would be upped to 15 percent on January 1, 1983. Would Brooklyn agree to early shipment of the press? And could they accomplish this before the year’s end? Professional importers and customs brokers told us: ‘In less than two months and during the year-end holidays, impossible! Don’t even try it.’

“‘But if it is Jehovah’s will,’ we reasoned, ‘we can do it.’ The Colombia branch previously had proposed to Brooklyn a plan and a budget to have the press trucked to the U.S. city of Miami and flown into Bogotá by 747 jumbo jet​—less trouble, more economical, much faster, and less rough handling. We asked the Society for a decision, and the Publishing Committee of the Governing Body approved!

“The brothers would oversee this big job themselves. On November 16 we submitted the license to the Importation Board for approval​—one month minimum, if approved. That would cut things pretty close. Next, our task force outlined customhouse procedures, working out emergency plans for every step of the way. I thought I had better keep a diary of events.”

Diary of Events

“MONDAY, DECEMBER 20: News from Miami​—the trucks had arrived from New York; press towers and parts ready for loading on the jumbos. Still no word about the import license.

“TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21: Bethelite José Granados along with a customs broker went to the customs office to request permission to nationalize the importation right at the airport. The executive secretary wouldn’t hear of such an unorthodox proposal. Then Granados spoke up and explained the purpose of our nonprofit society. ‘The Society will take care of all the handling,’ he added. ‘The first shipment arrives from Miami Thursday.’ Permission was granted​—authorization typed up, signed, and sealed.

“WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22: Bethelite Bill Neufeld and I left early in the morning for the Importation Board. ‘What if the license is rejected?’ We didn’t allow ourselves to think about that. When we arrived at the office, the secretary greeted us with a warm smile. ‘The Board approved your license yesterday,’ she said. ‘Go downstairs and pick it up.’

“THURSDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 23: Our Witness team was at El Dorado Airport early​—crane and low-bed trucks standing by—​the big 747 arrived with the first of three heavy shipments. Customs officials, inspectors, tax liquidators, and auditors, all in turn expressed their objections. But photocopies of the official authorization removed all resistance.

“FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24: Second jumbo load received and nationalized. No problem in spite of Christendom’s holiday eve.

“WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29: The last shipment landed as scheduled, cleared customs, and was trucked off to the branch without a hitch, just in time to beat the year-end slowdown and halt in official activities.

“The ‘impossible’ had been accomplished! In the Bethel Home, the rejoicing at that year’s end had nothing to do with the world’s New Year. It was jubilation for Jehovah’s having crowned with success the efforts to get Colombia’s offset printing press into the factory before the December 31, 1982, deadline!”

In Step at Last

“Our first Watchtowers,” Bill Lensink continues, “began rolling off the press three and a half months later​—the issue of April 15, 1983. The Kingdom publishers were jubilant. Shortly La Atalaya and ¡Despertad! were appearing on magazine counters in Kingdom Halls throughout the country before the date of issue. No more confusion as to ‘which Atalaya to study this week.’ By year’s end our press was turning out 200,000 magazines each month for Colombia alone. In 1984 we began printing for the neighboring republics of Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador, and Peru.

“And in May of that year​—with simultaneous printing of the magazines in English and Spanish—​we were in spiritual step with the vanguard of the theocratic organization at last.”

[Pictures on page 124]

Though experts said, “Impossible! Don’t even try it,” Colombia’s rotary printing press was flown in by jumbo jet at a considerable saving. Colombia prints “The Watchtower” and “Awake!” for five Latin-American countries