In the early 1980’s, for example, the branch in Spain was making moves toward major enlargement of its facilities. The branch asked the Governing Body to provide the needed finances. But because of heavy expenditures in other directions at that time, such help was not then available. If given the opportunity, could the Spanish Witnesses, with their relatively low wages, provide sufficient funds for such an enterprise?

The situation was explained to them. Gladly they came forward with their jewels, rings, and bracelets so that these could be turned into cash. When one elderly Witness was asked whether she was sure she really wanted to donate the heavy gold bracelet that she had handed in, she replied: “Brother, it is going to do far more good paying for a new Bethel than it will on my wrist!” An older sister dug out a pile of musty bank notes that she had stashed away under the floor of her home over the years. Couples contributed the money they had saved for trips. Children sent their savings. A youngster who was planning to buy a guitar donated the money toward the branch project instead. Like the Israelites at the time that the tabernacle was built in the wilderness, the Spanish Witnesses proved to be generous and willinghearted contributors of all that was needed in a material way. (Ex. 35:4-9, 21, 22) Then they offered themselves—full-time, during vacations, on weekends—to do the work itself. From all over Spain they came—thousands of them. Other Witnesses from Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, Greece, and the United States, to mention a few, joined with them to complete what had at first seemed like an impossible task.

[Box on page 347]

Donations Were Not Always in the Form of Money

Witnesses in the far north of Queensland prepared and sent to the Watch Tower construction site in Sydney, Australia, four semitrailer loads of prime timber that then had an estimated value of between A$60,000 and A$70,000.

When the Watch Tower factory at Elandsfontein, South Africa, was being enlarged, an Indian brother phoned and asked that they please pick up a donation of 500 bags (110 pounds [50 kg] each) of cement—at a time when there was a scarcity of it in the country. Others offered their trucks for use by the Society. An African sister paid a firm to deliver 20 cubic yards [15 cu m] of building sand.

In the Netherlands when new branch facilities were being put up at Emmen, huge quantities of tools and work clothing were donated. One sister, though very ill, knitted a pair of woolen stockings for each of the workers during the winter period.

To build a new branch office and potential printery at Lusaka, Zambia, construction materials were purchased with funds provided by Witnesses in other lands. Materials and equipment that were not available locally were trucked into Zambia as donations to the work there.

A Witness in Ecuador, in 1977, donated an 84-acre [34 ha] piece of land. Here an Assembly Hall and a new branch complex were constructed.

Local Witnesses in Panama opened their homes to accommodate volunteer workers; some who owned buses provided transportation; others shared in providing 30,000 meals that were served at the construction site.

For workers at the project in Arboga, Sweden, one congregation baked and sent 4,500 buns. Others sent honey, fruit, and jam. A farmer near the building site, though not a Witness, provided two tons of carrots.