On January 28-29, 1995 meetings are to be held in the new Kingston Christadelphian Meeting Hall which will mark the dedication of that building to the work of the Truth in the Kingston area. The first services were held here December 25, 1994.
On the accompanying page are “before” and “after” pictures of the site. The “before” picture was taken in November, 1991 and the “after” on January 5, 1995.
In between, the site was cleared to the ground, many forms were filled out and seemingly endless codes were met, causing a two-year delay. Once construction was approved, a significant problem had to be overcome in the potential theft of any building materials stored on site: continuing inflation had to be circumvented by holding funds abroad until they were needed: many compromises had to be worked out with contractors to ensure timely completion with no cost overruns and $150,000 had to be raised from the brotherhood.
Delay furthers preaching work
During the two-year delay, significant preaching needs and opportunities arose. As a result, the ecclesia decided to trade-off part of the originally planned building to free funds for a highly successful series of campaigns throughout Jamaica.
This was completely in keeping with the original objective of the project, for the whole idea has been to provide a better base for testifying to the Truth, to the glory of God. The $150,000 thus paid for the building you see — plus a lot more besides.
Thanks for the help
Money was raised for the project in several countries but the bulk of it came from North America. On behalf of the Kingston ecclesia and all the Jamaican ecclesias, thank you.
While realizing that all is of God so that we only give what He has given to us, the brothers and sisters directly involved in the project cannot adequately express their gratitude.
Praise be to God that He so opened the hearts of the brethren to help.
Guatemala
After several months of language training, our two New Zealand families are now located in Guatemala City. Bro. Ross & Sis. Wendy Melles and Bro. Paul & Sis. Sian Green and families are seeking to establish the first ecclesia in that country.
Over the past six years, a list of over 1,000 people has been developed from responses to various forms of advertising. About 50% of those on the list have completed at least one of the Bible courses. We have been in contact with some of the friends for over five years.
Our two new missionary families have now been in Central America long enough to form some impressions of the area. Following are some of their appraisals to date.
Impressions of Central America
Bro. Ross and Sis. Wendy observe that San Salvador is a city of a rising middle-class. This can be noted in the homes which are much more substantial than the mud-floor dwellings of the country folk.
They have found the brothers and sisters extremely amicable and studious and ready to offer the newcomers companionship and support. Like other people in Central America, they welcome anybody who is willing to speak to them in their own language.
Bro. Paul and Sis. Sian note that San Salvador never seems to slow down. It has a population that is stretching the city’s resources to the limit (and beyond). Buses are so crowded that they are just moving blocks of people with hundreds of eyes staring out at you as they pass. Throughout the country, space is at a premium as El Salvador is the most densely populated country in Central America.
Particularly in San Salvador, people seem to be moving about at a breakneck pace. The main universities operate with two or three shifts and it seems that everyone here is studying something at the university as well as holding down a regular job. This means that most people are out from six or seven in the morning until eight or nine at night.
Ecclesially, both couples observe they have been made very welcome and the brothers and sisters all seem very keen to get to know more brethren from other parts of the Christadelphian world. They are a happy, active lot with a real zeal for the Word of God and seem quite excited at the prospect of spreading the Truth to their neighboring country of Guatemala.
Both couples have also noted some pleasant features about their new home. The pace in Guatemala is not as hectic as El Salvador and it is cooler. Both have obtained houses in reasonably central areas where they will be well placed to begin lectures in the new year.
Response to a recent newspaper advertisement has been encouraging so they feel the seed-sowing that has been done to date may have fallen on good ground.
Want to help?
The address in Guatemala is:
Avenida Reforma #8-60, Zpna 9,
Apartado Postal 245-A,
Ciudad de Guatemala, CA
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Guatemala Committee of the CBMA
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One