Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2001 10:09 AM
Interesting letter from the WTS Publishing Committee recently. Funds for KH expansion and perhaps other activities now seem to be harder to come by.
A report from the Publishing Committee on making the best use of
contributed funds.
Five years ago because of construction in the United States and throughout
the world on K. H. and A. H. and branches the needs were greater than the
available funds putting quite a strain on the resources.
The design build committee limited any building projects to only those
absolutely necessary. This resulted in saving millions of dollars just the
first year.
The operations committee with the help of a new integrated computer system
was able to make some significant changes. Formerly there were 6 purchasing
departments, 13 receiving departments and 262 inventory
locations at Brooklyn, Patterson and Wallkill. Now there is 1 purchasing
department, and just 7 service centers handling the receiving and
inventories. The inventory has been drastically reduced and millions of
dollars have been
saved.
New energy efficient boilers located in the Towers residential building are
now also supplying all the heat and hot water for not that building only but
also the other main buildings on Columbia Heights.
An integrated financial reporting system has enabled them to consolidate
funds. These have been used for K.Hs, Branches, etc in other countries
such as Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and some of the Pacific Islands.
Places that do not have the necessary materials, resources, funds or
experience to engage in such projects
on their own.
Since November 1999 a new program was instituted for
building some 2000 K.H.s in the above areas. Local
volunteers who were able to work full time on such
projects are being provided with food and lodging. By
the end of this past service year 1,750 K. H.s have been
completed. In Rwanda for instance 90 K.H. were built
for less than $9,000 each in the 2001 service year.
Tanzania built 177 K.H. for less than $10,000 each. And
Malawi saw 195 K.H. for $6,000 each. By the end of August 2002 they expect
to complete a total of 350 K.H.
in that one country alone.
Donations unfortunately have not kept pace, but have
decreased even prior to September 11. Now we see
severe economic conditions resulting in even less funds
available for expansion.
The Bethel family of 20,000+ worldwide is being urged to
help conserve resources. As an illustration if each of the
20,000 Bethelites turned off a 100-watt bulb for one hour
each day, at the end of the year there would be a savings
of $25,000.
Well, we live in exciting times and we will have to wait on
Jehovah as to what the future holds for all of us and up
here at Bethel as well.
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Wonder if Jehovah can make a loan to help out?
Why are they worried about "what the future will hold"..I thought they knew the future with no doubt?
ProandCon