• Costa Rica
    1988 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses

    • For over a year, members of the Branch Committee searched for suitable land. Finally, with the help of Brother John Craddock, who had acquaintances in the business sector, an ideal place was located: sixteen acres of fertile land in a rural setting, just off the Pan-American Highway between the Juan Santamaría Airport and San José. The property is surrounded by three major cities and yet is large enough to allow for future expansion. It is a peaceful setting, with a daily panorama of strikingly beautiful rainbows and changing clouds sloping over volcanoes.

      By May 1984 the property was purchased. Over 4,200 square meters of floor space was planned, in comparison to the 550 square meters of the former branch. Help came from Bethelites, all the country’s circuit overseers, and many of the special pioneers, pioneers, and congregation publishers. Added to these were the many professional construction workers from the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Guatemala, and Panama. The foreign workers totaled over 300, and their stay ranged from days to several years.

      By the time the construction was finished, almost 5,000 publishers from most congregations had participated in the actual construction. The rest had a share by their earnest prayers, encouragement, and contributions. All this effort was extended because Jehovah’s people trust in his promise to ‘make it grow.’​—1 Cor. 3:7.

      THE DATE WAS SET

      Dedication, January 4, 1987! The whole country was invited. Brothers Swingle and Underwood from Brooklyn Bethel gave Scripturally encouraging talks, and then Milton Henschel, also from Brooklyn Bethel, expressed the purpose of the occasion: to dedicate the facilities to Jehovah and His interests. As the sun set in the west, all 13,311 in attendance thanked Jehovah for his spirit and guidance during the two-year construction project.

      Even during the construction period, it was evident the increase was on. Twenty-four new peaks in publishers had been reached since the construction had started. With new peaks of 10,374 publishers and 13,425 home Bible studies, it is obvious that the new facilities will soon be used to the full. The new branch will serve the needs of those future witnesses of Jehovah who are among the 30,534 that attended the Memorial in 1987.