Jehovah’s Witnesses—1997 Yearbook Report

JESUS CHRIST had completed his earthly ministry. He had trained his followers for a work unlike anything that they had done before. They had observed as he witnessed about God and His purpose wherever he found people—by the seashore, on a mountainside, along the road, at places of business, in the temple area, and in private homes. He was, indeed, Jehovah’s “faithful and true witness.” (Rev. 3:14) He had also sent out his disciples by twos to get experience in this work of witnessing.

Then, before ascending to heaven, Jesus said to them: “You will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you, and you will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) What a gigantic assignment! How could they possibly do it? As Jesus stated, Jehovah’s spirit would be a vital factor.

With the backing of holy spirit, their witnessing quickly reached people in Mesopotamia, southern Europe, and North Africa. But more was to come—much more! Jesus had foretold that at the conclusion of the system of things, when the Messianic Kingdom of God was established in heaven, ‘this good news of the kingdom would be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations.’ (Matt. 24:14) The facts show that this is exactly what is being done.

This past service year, a Kingdom witness was given in 233 lands, island groups, and territories. The report shows that 1,140,621,714 hours were devoted to this activity. This is  the fifth consecutive year in which over a billion hours were devoted to this vital activity.

There were, on an average, 5,167,258 who shared each month in giving a public witness about God’s Kingdom. A peak of 5,413,769 participated at some time during the year. Each month, on an average, 645,509 were able to share in the ministry as pioneers. As the chart on pages 34-41 shows, the ingathering of sheeplike ones continues to progress. While the growth in some lands was less than in former years, in other places there were outstanding increases. Rwanda reported 61 percent; Albania, 52 percent. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, and Russia showed increases of more than 20 percent.

Equipment for Use in the Ministry

The foremost instrument used by Jehovah’s Witnesses in their ministry is the Holy Bible. They use many Bible translations. But with a view to helping people gain an accurate knowledge of God’s Word, they give special emphasis to distribution of the New World Translation. Year after year, that translation is being made available in more languages. At present it is being circulated (either the Christian Greek Scriptures or the whole Bible) in 27 languages (in addition to English Braille and Portuguese Braille).

This past year, the entire New World Translation was released in Norwegian. Announcement of this at the district conventions in Norway was met with thunderous applause and tears  of joy. For Norwegian Witnesses, it was the highlight of the year. A revised edition of the French translation including all the features of the Reference Bible was also published. And instead of putting their former French edition on the shelf, tens of thousands of Witnesses in France sent those Bibles as gifts to their brothers and sisters in ten other countries, Haiti and lands in Africa, where French is widely used. Additionally, the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures was released in Sesotho and Xhosa, and the translation has been completed in two more African languages. To date, 91,403,319 copies of the New World Translation have been printed in its various languages.

For use in the ministry as well as for personal study, other valuable publications are also provided. During 1996 the book The Secret of Family Happiness and the brochure What Does God Require of Us? were released. Initial preparation of such publications is only a beginning however. To reach the world field, translation is required. During the service year, translation work was completed on 206 books and 226 brochures, involving a total of 164 languages. The book Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life (released in 1995) is now in 119 languages. The Family Happiness book is already available in 86 languages. The brochure Enjoy Life on Earth Forever! (released in 1982) has  been printed in 237 languages; and the new brochure, What Does God Require of Us?, is already being distributed in 113 languages, with another 99 on the way.

During the year, 18 new languages were added to the list of those in which the Society publishes Bible literature. The tracts and brochures already printed in these languages are helping to make the Kingdom message available to some of the smaller language groups in the area of the former Soviet Union, many in Southeast Asia, more in Africa, some in the Americas—a total of over 25,000,000 people. The effect that receiving the literature in their mother tongue has on many of these people is marvelous to behold.

Videos are also used in our modern-day ministry, and mention should be made here of what was done to supply these. They are being used to strengthen faith in the Bible,  to teach basic Bible truths, and to acquaint people with the organization behind the name Jehovah’s Witnesses. To date, some 7,000,000 have been produced in 35 languages. In addition to the studios in the United States and the related facilities already in use in Denmark and the Netherlands, an audio/video recording and editing suite was installed in Japan this past year to care for Asian languages.

The Watchtower and Awake! magazines, of course, are published regularly. A mammoth, sustained effort is involved in doing the research, the writing, the compiling and designing, then the translating and printing in order to make The Watchtower available simultaneously in 113 languages (plus 12 other languages later) and Awake! in 55 languages (plus another 25 later). The effort is well worthwhile because the principal objective of these magazines is to point people to the only sure hope for the future—God’s Kingdom. This past year, these magazines were printed and distributed to an extent far beyond what was ever done in the past.

Pressroom production in the United States rose by 7.1 percent, to 235,981,300 magazines during the service year. Britain reports that in its printery, production figures for the magazines increased by 34 percent in the past two years. With more emphasis on extending the witnessing work into business territory and on the streets, zealous Kingdom publishers there are finding great joy in the response they are getting from many to whom they witness.

 The branch in Germany had never before printed as many books and magazines as they did during the past service year. Books totaled nearly 18,500,000—a 46-percent increase over 1995. Magazine production was more than 169,500,000—a 35-percent increase. Of the 3.7 million copies of each issue printed in Germany, approximately 1.3 million copies of The Watchtower and Awake! are in Russian, to contribute to the intense witness being given in that part of the world field.

In Ukraine, 2,073,011 magazines were placed in the hands of truth-hungry people during April. That marked a 68-percent increase in magazine distribution in just three months. On the island of Malta, magazine distribution in May was two and a half times as great as during the previous May. In many parts of the earth, the brothers set aside a date for a very special magazine day. Some of them had three or four meetings for field service that day. They were excited about the results.

A very important part of the ministry involves following through on interest found. This is reflected in the fact that 421,827,954 return visits were made last year, and on an average, 4,855,030 home Bible studies were conducted each month. Some of these studies, using the book Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life, were conducted several times a week. A nurse in Tanzania, East Africa, though not able to cover a full chapter at each study, nevertheless had daily studies until she had completed the book and was ready for baptism. From Siberia, to which at one time our brothers in Russia were exiled because of their faith, comes this report: “There is such a great desire for Bible studies that the brothers are not able to handle all of them. They therefore have to put interested ones on a waiting list, and they ask them to attend the congregation meetings in the meantime.”

 A Night to Remember

The most outstanding event on the Christian calendar each year is the Memorial of Christ’s death. In 1996 this fell on April 2, after sundown. The Memorial is, first of all, the occasion when the “little flock,” those who are spirit-anointed followers of Christ, partake of the symbolic bread and wine in obedience to the command given by the Lord on the last night of his life as a human. (Luke 12:32; 1 Cor. 11:23-25) But the “other sheep” are also present as observers. (John 10:16) They are deeply appreciative of Christ’s ransom sacrifice and the fact that it makes possible for them the prospect of eternal life on earth as subjects of God’s Kingdom. They urge others to attend with them in order to learn about this marvelous provision or to deepen their appreciation for it. As a result, this year there were 12,921,933 present for the Memorial, only 8,757 of whom were partakers.

In the 10,643 congregations in Mexico, attendance totaled 1,518,156. In the 6,526 congregations in Brazil, 1,075,039 were present. In the United States, attendance reached 2,024,476. In Cuba, 145,337; Malawi, 105,630.

Early in March a special campaign was organized in Albania to locate interested ones and then to arrange for the Memorial program to be held in locations where they would be able to attend it. Although there were only 15 congregations and 14 isolated groups in the country, the Memorial was held in 50 locations. A congregation of 45 publishers had 400 at the Memorial at one place; and at the book study location, another 110 attended. So in this country where 773 publishers were then reporting, there were 6,523 at the Memorial—more than eight times the number of publishers!

“Messengers of Godly Peace” Assemble

In all parts of the world, Jehovah’s servants look forward to their annual district conventions. If they cannot assemble  locally, they endeavor to cross national borders in order to be on hand for this annual spiritual feast. The series of conventions that began this past year featured the theme “Messengers of Godly Peace.” How true are the words: “Abundant peace belongs to those loving your law”!—Ps. 119:165.

In many lands two or three conventions accommodated everyone. In both the United States and Brazil, upwards of 190 conventions were needed in order to provide room for all who wanted to attend. Mexico arranged for 181.

An international convention was held during July in Prague, Czech Republic. Three members of the Governing Body were present to speak to the more than 21,000 who had gathered—most of them from the Czech Republic, but also several thousand from Austria, Canada, Germany, Japan, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland, and the United States. Two more international conventions were held in Poland—one in Lodz and the other in Warsaw—and those who were present were keenly aware that Jehovah’s spirit was manifest. Another two international conventions were held in Tallinn, Estonia, in August. These were attended by Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, and Russians, along with others—from a total of 15 lands. A local newspaper observed: “Tallinn is literally filled with the worship of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” And one of the convention delegates added: “This was a tiny foregleam of what the new world will bring.”

Along with the others in Eastern Europe, an international convention was planned for Bucharest, Romania. But the Romanian Orthodox Church bitterly opposed it. Inflammatory posters appeared throughout Bucharest. Newspapers, TV, and radio were used to fan the flames. Hotel managers were induced to break agreements. The government and the stadium management yielded, and the stadium contract was canceled. Through it all, the brothers were sustained by such inspired  promises as those found at Isaiah 51:7 and Jeremiah 50:34. But would they be able to benefit from the convention program?

Well, months before, when arrangements were being made for a district convention in Budapest, Hungary, the brothers did not plan to rent the huge stadium that they had used in 1991, when delegates came from 35 lands. They thought that this time the stadium would be much too large. Nevertheless, the manager offered it at a price that was so attractive that the brothers rented it anyway, having in mind that they could use just part of it. However, as difficulties escalated in Romania, directions were given to the branch in Hungary to plan for an international convention in Budapest. How providential that they already had a stadium that could hold such a crowd! A headline in the biggest evening newspaper in Budapest declared: “BUCHAREST: No—BUDAPEST: YES. Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Nép Stadium.” In Budapest, 23,893 from 12 countries attended. Two more conventions in Hungary boosted the total attendance to 36,326.

During this time, there were further developments in Romania. In recounting what took place, Theodore Jaracz, a member of the Governing Body, said: “We can only say that Jehovah’s heavenly chariot was on the move. It can adjust its speed; it can adjust its movement, change directions, at any time. The problem is for the earthly organization to keep pace with it!” (Ezek. 1:4-28) Just one week before the convention was scheduled to begin, the brothers were able to sign a contract for a stadium in Cluj-Napoca, in the northwest part of Romania. Travel plans for thousands of delegates had to be changed. Accommodations for 6,000 had to be obtained. All the work of preparation had to be compressed into a few days. And then with just two days to go, a second convention site was obtained, in Brasov, in the east-central part of the country. The preparations made could only have been done with  Jehovah’s spirit. The outcome? At the Cluj-Napoca convention, there was a peak attendance of 22,004; in Brasov there were 12,862, including 1,056 from Bulgaria. The total baptized was 1,631.

Back in Bucharest the church called for a protest rally on the opening day of the convention, but only the police and one elderly man showed up—and our brothers gave them literature and a good witness. As stated at Jeremiah 1:19: “They will be certain to fight against you, but they will not prevail against you, for ‘I am with you,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘to deliver you.’”

An Ongoing Fight for Freedom

In the first century, the apostles and other disciples often met with severe opposition. When this occurred in Philippi, in what is now Greece, the apostle Paul and his associates dealt with the matter in such a way that they ‘legally established the good news.’ (Phil. 1:7) Following that precedent, in 1936 the Society established a Legal Department at its world headquarters. Under the direction of the Publishing Committee of the Governing Body, the Society’s Legal Department, now located at the Watchtower Educational Center in Patterson, New York, and assisted by legal departments in a number of other branches, continues to aid Jehovah’s people in a modern-day fight for religious freedom.

Legal battles for religious freedom are in response to Satan’s efforts to stop the spreading of the good news either by outright frontal attacks or by more subtle encroachment on the personal lives of those sharing in this work. (Rev. 12:17) The freedom to obey God’s Word in abstaining from blood, to rear children in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah, and to remain neutral as to the world’s political affairs has a bearing on our ability to share in the witness work. All  these matters have been the subject of legal dispute. During the 1996 service year, we saw abundant evidence of Jehovah’s blessing on our fight for these freedoms.

For instance, after nearly five years of litigation in lower courts, the Japan Supreme Court handed down its first decision on the issue of freedom of worship in connection with public education. This unanimous decision, which is reported on in the November 1, 1996, Watchtower, will benefit all of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Japan.

The United States was the scene of significant legal battles in state appellate courts. In August 1994, claiming concern that a child might be raised without a mother, a hospital in Connecticut obtained a court order at 3:30 a.m. to force a blood transfusion on Nelly Vega. The argument of her husband and of her attorney that her bleeding had stopped and that she had clearly stated her refusal of blood was pushed aside. However, on April 16, 1996, the Connecticut Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the transfusion order “violated [Sister] Vega’s common-law right to bodily self-determination.” That ruling did not come in time to prevent the transfusion, but it will benefit others. In Florida, in a case involving Tina Harrell, an appeal court rebuked both a hospital and a trial court for challenging her refusal of blood transfusions.

The island of Puerto Rico was the scene of another appellate court victory for Jehovah’s people. Luz Quiles, admitted to a hospital for elective surgery, was forcibly restrained, two nurses and a doctor holding her down and giving her a blood transfusion against her wishes. A lawsuit was filed in her behalf. On April 1, 1996, the San Juan Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that her constitutional right of freedom of worship and privacy guaranteed by the Bill of Rights of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico had indeed been violated.

 In a child-custody dispute, a trial court judge in the United States had ruled that the three-and-a-half-year-old daughter of Teresa Palmer could not attend meetings or share in the field ministry until the age of seven. But the Nebraska Supreme Court has now set aside those restrictions on religion. The Supreme Court of Norway has also upheld the right of Witness parents in child-custody disputes. On March 29, 1996, that court made it clear that the decision regarding which parent should be awarded custody ought to be based on the best interests of the child, not on the court’s subjective opinions about the religious beliefs of the parents. Additionally, in Belgium the Regional Court of Mons ruled that an 11-year-old had the right and capacity to follow through with her personal choice of adhering to the faith and practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In another child-custody decision, in Germany, the Higher Regional Court in Hamm rejected the argument that the religious teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses would hinder the growth of the child. In yet another case, one originating in Austria, appeal was made to the European Court of Human Rights in behalf of Ingrid Hoffmann. A notable legal precedent was established, and Sister Hoffmann now has sole custody of her children.

In Colombia, Jehovah’s Witnesses for the first time gained official recognition as a religion. This was important because without it recent changes in the law would have made it impossible for us to obtain visas for missionaries or to receive tax exemption. In a matter of similar importance, the Society’s branch in Nicaragua acquired International Mission status during the service year. Good news also came from Tanzania, where we were officially registered on October 5, 1995, as “The Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses of Tanzania.”

An unusual six-year legal fight came to a positive conclusion in Brazil during this service year. In November 1990,  Brazil’s National Institute of Social Insurance notified the Society’s branch office that henceforth the 853 (now 1,150) members of the Bethel family there would not be viewed as religious ministers and so would come under the country’s labor laws. A long legal battle began. Happily, on June 7, 1996, the Judicial Advisory of the Office of the Attorney General in Brasília issued a decision upholding the position of members of the Bethel family as religious ministers working as full-time volunteers.

Educating government officials about the true nature of the work and activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses has proved to be an important aspect of the fight for freedom in modern times. The Watchtower of May 1, 1996, has been significant in this regard, explaining Jesus’ direction to “pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.” (Luke 20:25) After receiving that issue of The Watchtower, government officials in Ukraine told the brothers: “Very often we had discussions on this subject and tried to understand you. Now we have read your magazine carefully, and your position regarding civilian service is set out very clearly.”

At times, corrective information needs to be published in order to respond to campaigns of misinformation initiated by enemies of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In France more than 11,000,000 copies of a four-page tract entitled Jehovah’s Witnesses—What You Should Know were distributed throughout the country in May and June 1996, resulting in many positive comments from the public. It was also extensively distributed in Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Turning on the floodlight of publicity has often proved to be of great use in our modern-day fight for freedom. After unsuccessful attempts in the Singapore court system to uphold the rights of our brothers, the Governing Body approved the distribution of a special four-page tract to select government  officials throughout the world to inform them of the unjust treatment of our brothers in Singapore. The cover of the tract, entitled Religious Persecution in Singapore, displayed a picture of one of the so-called “criminals” who were arrested for possessing Watch Tower literature. Under the picture of our faithful, smiling sister was the caption, “A 71-year-old Witness tells judge: ‘I’m no threat to this government.’ Yet, she was sentenced to prison.”

In Eritrea, situated along the Red Sea, our brothers, while not openly brutalized, have lost jobs, housing, and government benefits because of their neutral stand. After The New York Times published an article touting Eritrea’s economic development as an “African Success Story,” the Society’s Legal Department reminded them of the subheading in their article entitled “Jehovah’s Witnesses Suffer Reprisals” and asked if the country could truly be called a “success story.” In response, The New York Times of May 7, 1996, printed the Society’s letter, and the Times itself gave it the bold heading, “Call Eritrea a Failure in Respecting Rights.”

As can be seen from this report, evidence abounds that Satan the Devil tries every legal and illegal means conceivable to interfere with the activity of Jehovah’s servants. May all of us persist in ‘wrestling against those wicked spirit forces’ that seek to keep mankind from hearing the good news about God’s Kingdom. (Eph. 6:10-18) As we do so, how comforting the words of the apostle Paul are at Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, who will be against us?” The answer is: No one that really matters, because no one can thwart Jehovah’s purpose.

Willing to Serve Where There Is Greater Need

During the past year, those graduating from the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead were sent out to help with the work of spiritual harvesting in many fruitful fields. Couples  were assigned to 12 countries in Africa, 8 lands in the Western Hemisphere (mostly in Central and South America), 3 countries in Eastern Europe, and 3 in Asia.

Other pioneers made themselves available to serve wherever they were needed in their own countries. In the United States, this past year, 1,172 willing pioneers helped to witness in areas not assigned to congregations. Another 1,236 assisted in witnessing in seldom-worked territory in the 294 congregations that had made special request to the Society for help.

In Britain, many pioneers have realized that fruitful missionary fields are in their own backyard. These include immigrants who have moved from other lands in recent years. Pioneers in Britain have been busy learning 28 languages in order to care for this truly international field.

School for Branch Committee Members Inaugurated

When the Watchtower Educational Center at Patterson, New York, was being designed, plans included facilities in which to train Branch Committee members. A special school curriculum was designed for these brothers. The first class of 24 students was enrolled on Friday, November 24, 1995. On the following Monday, classroom sessions began.

During the past service year, this school had three classes, each one lasting for eight weeks. Training was given to brothers from 60 of the Society’s branches. These branches supervise the ministry of more than 2,825,000 of Jehovah’s Witnesses and have in their assigned territory over 45 percent of the world’s population. So the effects of the school quickly reached many parts of the earth.

Heavy responsibilities rest upon the shoulders of Branch Committee members. According to the principle stated by Jesus and recorded at Luke 12:48b, more than usual is demanded  of spirit-appointed men who have been put in charge of much. For this reason periodic training sessions for them are very beneficial.

What are some of the responsibilities that come under the supervision of these brothers? Caring for Bethel family members and Bethel homes. Oversight of office work, which includes handling correspondence, literature orders, service matters, and translation of the Society’s publications. Printing operations—some small and some on a large scale. Shipping literature, magazines, and other supplies to congregations. The Kingdom-preaching and disciple-making work done by congregation publishers, pioneers, and missionaries. Making arrangements for traveling overseers to visit congregations as well as isolated groups on a regular basis. Planning for circuit assemblies and district conventions.

During the school course, all of this and much more, involving both branch procedure and field organization, are thoroughly discussed. Bible teachings constitute a substantial part of the course. God’s law and Scriptural principles governing all aspects of a Christian’s life are reviewed. Each Saturday morning, help is given to the brothers with a view to their improving their ability as public speakers. Experienced brothers from the headquarters organization and the field as well as members of the Governing Body make up the teaching staff. Evenings are devoted to homework and preparation of assignments for class presentation.

The wives who accompany their husbands to Patterson benefit from the association and the assigned work they do in the Bethel Home and other departments. They get to see how things are handled at the headquarters of the Society. Once each week, in the late afternoon on Friday, they join their husbands in the school’s lecture hall to hear a discourse, which is usually given by a member of the Governing Body. These  spiritually oriented presentations have proved to be most encouraging and practical and have been really appreciated.

Branch Committee members have found the school course to be refreshing, stimulating, and wholesome. Expressing appreciation for what they have been taught, one class said: “Having this school at the Watchtower Educational Center impressed upon us the wonderful advancement of Jehovah’s organization and enlarged our vision of the worldwide preaching and teaching work under way.” Regarding highlights of the course, a number of students observed that ‘an outstanding feature has been the special effort on the part of the Governing Body members to come up from Brooklyn and teach us both in class sessions and by giving special lectures. This attention is heartwarming. It gives proof of their deep interest in the welfare of God’s people all over the world.’

 The second class of the school expressed their resolve as follows: “We are determined to apply what we have learned by word and by example in order to maintain a smoothly functioning international theocratic organization, all to the praise of Jehovah God and to the spiritual advancement of his people.” When the third class concluded their studies, they reviewed the benefits of the two-month course and said: “The school has enriched us very much spiritually and at the same time motivated us always to prove worthy of the responsibility entrusted to us.”

Branch Committee members from each class gave the headquarters Bethel family brief reports on the progress of the Kingdom work in their respective territories. The Bethel complexes at Brooklyn, Patterson, and Wallkill (also Georgetown, Ont., Canada) were tied in for these programs.  The information and experiences from various parts of the world provided striking evidence of Jehovah’s blessing upon the faithful and zealous efforts of his people. The reports also illustrated the self-sacrificing love as well as the unity of thought and action on the part of the whole association of our brothers.—1 Pet. 2:17; 5:9.

As the service year ended, another class was in session. This one included representatives from 47 of the Society’s branches.

Benefits of the Ministerial Training School

The past service year has also seen great strides made in connection with the Ministerial Training School. There were 85 classes conducted in 30 different lands, with students enrolled from 62 countries. The curriculum was updated, and more instructors were trained to handle future assignments.

As the Kingdom activity increases year by year, more congregations are formed. To care for them, there is a need for qualified elders and ministerial servants who are willing to be used where they are especially needed, as well as for more traveling overseers to visit the congregations. The Ministerial Training School is helping to equip brothers to fill these needs.

The branch in Ecuador reports that some of those trained in that country are ‘serving where there is a need for maturity, and others are assigned to isolated areas where new congregations have been established.’ In Costa Rica “congregations have become spiritually stronger because these brothers are taking the lead in all features of the preaching work.” Graduates in El Salvador “serve as examples to others,” and their training has “enabled them to be better teachers.” In Mexico, where 466 congregations were established this past service year, a report states that “graduates are very useful in helping to organize the work in congregations and in supporting  the activities in the field ministry.” Congregations in Poland that have graduates assigned are impressed by “their complete engagement in the service and the supportive influence that graduates have on the congregations.”

In the Far East, those sent from Malaysia to the Philippines for training carry on in their home country and are “devoted and conscientious in fulfilling their assignment.” It is noteworthy that they have improved in their speaking ability. Barbados, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad, as well as Guyana and French Guiana, are all benefiting from the fine service of Ministerial Training School graduates.

In Bolivia, almost half of the traveling overseers are graduates of the school. When the Philippines branch needed more circuit overseers, they drew on available qualified men who had gone through early classes of the school. The same is true in other lands.

Heartfelt expressions on the part of various classes of the school reflect how greatly this provision is appreciated. Graduates in Peru said that the course ‘equipped them to render sacred service of higher quality.’ A class of students in the United States asked themselves, in line with what is written at Psalm 116:12, “What shall [we] repay to Jehovah for all his benefits to [us]?” Their answer in part was, “It is our determination to be loving and caring shepherds, zealous evangelizers and skillful teachers, to the benefit of our brothers.”

Single brothers who have served as elders or ministerial servants for a minimum of two consecutive years, who are between the ages of 23 and 50, who are in good health, who really want to serve Kingdom interests and their brothers wherever they are needed, and who are otherwise qualified may be invited to the school. In many lands, more young brothers are making it a goal to qualify for the school. They  give evidence that they are taking to heart the words at Ecclesiastes 12:1: “Remember, now, your Grand Creator in the days of your young manhood.”

Building to Promote True Worship

Construction of buildings has become a prominent activity associated with true worship. In 1512 B.C.E., at Jehovah’s direction the nation of Israel built a portable tabernacle for use in connection with their worship of Jehovah. But it was not a meeting place in which the nation gathered for instruction. They assembled out in the open. About a thousand years later, synagogues were built as meeting places. Early Christians at first met in private homes. However, in order to carry out the assignment of preaching and teaching that God’s Word sets out for true worshipers in our day, it has proved necessary to have offices and printeries along with required support facilities, also to provide large Assembly Halls and smaller Kingdom Halls. This has involved building work, and there was much of that done this past year.

During the 1996 service year, the Society was building new facilities or enlarging existing ones for branches or for translation/service offices in 37 countries. Some of the larger projects were in Mexico, Brazil, Russia, Japan, France, Spain, South Africa, the United States, Venezuela, and Australia. Preliminary work was being done on building projects for 22 lands. Besides this, the Society’s Engineering Offices and construction teams were helping with work on Kingdom Halls, Assembly Halls, and missionary homes in many parts of the world where there was special need.

During the year, construction was being done on new Assembly Halls in such places as Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Madrid, Spain; and Dakar, Senegal. Two Assembly Hall projects are well under way in the United States, and five more are getting started. Although the new Assembly Hall in Maputo,  Mozambique, was not yet completed, it was used for a district convention during July, attended by 1,938, and for another convention in August, attended by 10,040. This year also saw the dedication of an Assembly Hall in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, one in Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire, and a second hall in Guatemala. The Assembly Hall completed in Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean, has overflow facilities that make it suitable for district conventions of modest size. The practical design of the new Assembly Hall in Nouméa, New Caledonia, includes three Kingdom Halls, which are already being used on a regular basis by six congregations.

In Japan, although there were strong antireligious feelings as a result of cult-related terrorism, Jehovah’s Witnesses were able to build an Assembly Hall in Tochigi, not far from the emperor’s villa. After the work was completed, groups from various local government offices toured the premises. The officials who brought them said that they wanted the others to see for themselves that Jehovah’s Witnesses are not like the other religions. What makes them different? An indication is found in what John Barr, a member of the Governing Body, said during the dedication of the Tochigi and Hokkaido Assembly Halls in 1996. He proposed a resolution to use those halls “to further Bible instruction and education for living in harmony with the divine principles outlined in God’s Word.”

In many places the building of modest but well designed Kingdom Halls was given high priority this past year. Twenty-seven more were completed in the former territory of East Germany. Thus far, 47 have been built in Ukraine, and another 56 are under way. Many more Kingdom Halls are needed in Russia. The increase in the number of Witnesses there is very rapid, but about 85 percent of the congregations under the Russia branch do not have permanent meeting places. In Zimbabwe, where there are some 800 congregations, it has  been necessary for many of these to meet out in the open. This has caused some newly interested ones to hold back from attending. But with the help of three Regional Building Committees, the number of Kingdom Halls in the country has increased to 37. As a result, in places where there used to be one congregation, there are now three or four congregations meeting in a hall. Obviously, many more halls are needed.

Poland reports the dedication of 64 Kingdom Halls this year! In Slovakia, the building or the reconstructing of buildings to provide 95 Kingdom Halls was truly outstanding. Some officials in Slovakia have been very cooperative. In one case, however, a mayor declared that as long as he was mayor, Jehovah’s Witnesses would never have a Kingdom Hall in his city. Well, about half a year later he was removed from office, and the new administration reversed his decision. Yes, our brothers rejoiced in the evidence of Jehovah’s blessing!—Zech. 4:6.

Memorial attendance in Togo is about four times the number of publishers. More than two Bible studies are being conducted per publisher. And there is a very great need for Kingdom Halls in which to meet. To help fill that need with suitable buildings, the Society has acquired a molding press to enable the brothers to produce their own stabilized earthen bricks and another press for making roofing tiles. The first of these halls has been completed, and more are under way.

In a few instances, it seemed that the only way to build in a particular location was with international cooperation. This was the case at Popondetta, Papua New Guinea, where both a missionary home and a Kingdom Hall were needed. Popondetta can be reached only by boat or plane; most materials had to be shipped in. International volunteers who know the building trades came from Australia. Local publishers, including young ones and sisters, gave of themselves. As  they worked together, ties of international brotherhood were made firm. Sand from a riverbed was put through a sieve to remove larger stones. Then it was measured into buckets. A line of volunteers passed at least 27,000 bucket loads of sand, cement, and water from hand to hand into the cement mixers. Gradually the buildings took shape. When the time came for testing the new sound system and the sound of Kingdom Melodies filled the open-sided Kingdom Hall, many were overcome with emotion and their tears flowed freely as they stood in awe. Then up went the yeartext; next, the Kingdom Hall sign. In June, 362 gathered in this hall for an assembly—evidence that there is a large field for harvesting in this area where there is at present only one congregation.

Some of the building projects that involved printeries, offices, and Bethel homes for use by the Society were completed, and dedication programs were held during the year.

Early in the service year, on September 18, there was an unusual dedication program at the world headquarters, a program that reflected the rapid international expansion of the entire organization. The time had come for inauguration of the new 30-story Bethel residence in Brooklyn. It was decided that it would be appropriate to include in this program the dedication of 22 other buildings. Eighteen of them were residence buildings that had been renovated or newly constructed and were being used to house the headquarters Bethel family, two were buildings that had been erected for maintaining vehicles, and two others were large factory buildings. It was an enjoyable evening as the speakers reviewed evidences of Jehovah’s leadings and his blessing on what had been done. Those who heard the program were assembled not only in Brooklyn but also at the Society’s facilities in Patterson and Wallkill, New York, and in Georgetown, Ontario, Canada. Details are found in The Watchtower of April 15, 1996.

 There are 5,581 volunteers who serve at the world headquarters on a regular basis; all of these are members of the Order of Special Full-Time Servants. All together, there are 16,966 Bethel family members around the globe. Housing is provided for them in the Society’s facilities.

Dedication programs were also held at some of the Society’s branches. The first of these was in South America.

PARAGUAY: During the 30 years since the first branch dedication in Paraguay, the number of Witnesses in that country had grown from about 500 to over 5,000—this in spite of a 12-year ban on their activity. New branch facilities were needed. To fill that need, a complex of seven buildings was dedicated on January 13, 1996, at a location about six miles [10 km] from Asunción, the capital. In attendance were many longtime servants of Jehovah, including missionaries who had formerly served in Paraguay and other visitors from abroad.

In his dedication talk, Lloyd Barry, of the Governing Body, discussed the handiwork of the Master Builder, Jehovah God. Mankind needs to learn about him; it is our work to help them. After pointing out that the new building complex would be used to support that work, Brother Barry asked: “Do you want to give it to Jehovah?” The audience heartily agreed.

IRELAND: The program for dedicating new branch facilities in Ireland was held on May 4, 1996. For over 100 years, there have been preachers of the good news in Ireland. But the past decade has seen especially rapid growth. There are now some 4,400 publishers in 114 congregations in Ireland. To care for these, new branch facilities have been built in a beautiful rural setting about 20 miles [30 km] south of Dublin, on the edge of the village of Newcastle, County Wicklow. The complex comprises three linked buildings—a 20-room residence, modern  offices along with kitchen and laundry facilities, and space for vehicle maintenance and for shipping literature.

Willing volunteers provided all the building skills needed to do the work. Workers from abroad were joined by many local brothers and sisters who willingly exerted themselves in what for them was a new facet of Kingdom service. Every congregation in Ireland had a share in the work. Witnesses coming from distant congregations left their homes early in the morning so as to be on-site ready to work at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, and then they worked a full eight-hour day in construction. No one complained about weather conditions or work assignments. They just willingly got on with the work.—Ps. 110:3.

Gerrit Lösch, of the Governing Body, gave the dedication talk, discussing prophecies from Isaiah foretelling restoration of God’s people and expansion among them. Jehovah’s people in Ireland have shared in the fulfillment of those prophecies in many ways, and they continue to do so.

INDONESIA: Dedication of Bethel facilities was truly a  highlight of the service year for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Indonesia. In view of the unfavorable legal status of the activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses in this country, any hope for such a provision had long seemed to be only a dream. However, the need for such facilities had been pressing since 1990.

With the permission and kind direction of the Governing Body, new facilities were finally to be built. But the local brothers were unfamiliar with construction work; so how was it going to be done? The answer came by means of our international brotherhood. The Brooklyn Construction Office and the Regional Engineering Office in Australia made the necessary preparations. Up to 100 international servants and volunteers provided the needed expertise. They trained 40 local brothers and worked shoulder to shoulder with them during the two years of construction. Only with Jehovah’s spirit were the brothers able to overcome the many and varied obstacles encountered during the construction project.

Thus, it was an especially happy and historic day for the brothers when John Barr dedicated the new facilities on  July 19. Included in the audience of 285 were 118 who were branch representatives or ex-missionaries from overseas. Circuit and district overseers and, of course, the 59 members of the Bethel family were also on hand to share in the joy of the occasion.

With their new facilities, the brothers can work more productively and efficiently in serving the more than 12,000 publishers in this part of the world field. They have much to do because nearly 200 million people speaking various languages are scattered about on thousands of islands in this vast archipelago and are yet to be reached with the Kingdom message.

The dedication day was also one of joyful reunion and association. In the following two days, the delegates enjoyed together the “Messengers of Godly Peace” District Convention. With a member of the Governing Body among them, and with the greetings, special reports, and experiences brought by the overseas guests and delegates, the spirit of international brotherhood permeated the whole convention. Yes, the week of the dedication was truly special for Jehovah’s people and historic for the Kingdom work in this country.

ALBANIA: The preaching of the good news in Albania is done under the general supervision of the Italy branch. But the needs of that part of the field have made it advantageous to have an office right in Albania. Thus, on May 12, 1996, Milton Henschel, a member of the Governing Body, addressed an audience of 1,534 who had gathered in Tiranë, the capital, for the dedication of the two buildings that now serve as the Society’s office and Bethel Home in Albania.

The program began as guests who had come from 14 lands were told: “We thank you for coming to share with us in the dedication of our new Bethel. May Jehovah bless you. Welcome to Albania!” That warm welcome was delivered in the language of each of the visiting groups.

 The program afforded an opportunity to get to know longtime faithful servants of Jehovah in Albania as well as newer ones. Among those who related experiences was Linda DiGregorio. She and her husband, Michael, who were missionaries in the Dominican Republic, had planned a visit to his relatives in Albania for the spring of 1992. However, the Governing Body asked them to extend their three-day trip to Albania to two or three months. “This three-day visit turned into our new home!” she said. After the work was legalized in May 1992, they began to preach openly from door to door. “Warm, hospitable people began opening their doors and hearts to the Bible’s message,” Linda explained. “We had just a few tracts and magazines, no Bibles or books. But people responded to the truth. They accepted invitations to the meetings, and some of them are now baptized!”

Five months later, special pioneers from Italy arrived. Others came from Greece. The Society organized a language course to help them. But physical conditions were very difficult. Electricity was scarce and water was limited. It was hard to get food and supplies. They had to stand in line for hours for everything. The 100 special pioneers from abroad have since been joined by 15 Albanian special pioneers. Together, they are now serving in over 40 cities and towns in the country. They are being well supplied with literature, including The Watchtower, semimonthly, in Albanian. As of August 1996, Albania had reached its 40th consecutive peak, with 908 publishers—52 percent more than a year ago. It was particularly exciting for them to welcome 6,523 to the Memorial this past April. There is much to be done in this very productive field.

This is just a small sampling of what has taken place worldwide during the past year. The pace at which it is moving is breathtaking. The work that Jesus Christ foretold is indeed being accomplished, and under his direction it will be successfully completed before the end comes.

[Pictures on page 4]

Over 90 million copies have been printed

[Pictures on page 5]

Translation of books and brochures into 164 languages was done last year

[Pictures on page 6]

Printing and distribution of magazines reached record levels

[Pictures on page 7]

Videos are now being produced in 35 languages

 [Pictures on page 12]

1. Audience at Cluj-Napoca, Romania

2, 3. Some of the 1,631 baptized at Cluj-Napoca and Brasov, Romania

4. Enthusiastic crowd at Népstadion, in Hungary

[Pictures on page 20, 21]

School for Branch Committee members is being held at Watchtower Educational Center

1. School building

2. Instructor with students after class

3. School classroom

4. Students going to rooms to study

5. Courtyard

6. A residence building

7. Student relating experiences at morning worship

[Pictures on page 29]

1. Ireland branch

2, 3. Views of Paraguay branch

[Pictures on page 30]

1. Indonesia branch

2. Office in Albania