All things RBC

[GrumpysWife]

That was beautiful Rick. Thanks for posting.

[Txjw]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading your experience. I am from the Dallas area though I live in Tennessee now. I can certainly relate to the southern hospitality! So grateful you made yourself available to help our brothers you have encouraged me to speak to the brothers about a volunteer form.

May Jehovah continue to bless your efforts in all you do!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[palmhat]

Rick, I was watching some of the movies from the Intellicad website and have a question. As MECS views .dwg files, and I already have an Autodesk license, could I continue to draw using my Autodesk programs, deliver them as .dwg and simply have MECS import them seamlesly to be used on its own platform? If so, the learning curve would be minimal, wouldn't it?

[Mybrick]

Got called back from my job in the hills to take care of some business on AutoCAD for my employer. So I thought I'd answer Tony. Ok I'm going to have to look up the meaning of Palmhat.

 

Yes, Tony, this WT CAD program has the ability to be used all over the globe over the net.  And like I said, you can use any video based software, like Skype, to video conference if necessary to see what and who your colaberating with. I watched my brother in Hawaii get married this last weekend with Skype. I would rather have been there in person, but thems the brakes. Anyone of us here in this forum can video conference for free if you are so inclined. Just need a computer, a web cam and the net. I know you all have two of these. By the way for those of you who want to know, it stands for Watch Tower Computer Aided Drafting.

 

WT CAD works well with AutoCAD from 2010 on. If you have WT CAD when you open your existing AutoCAD kingdom hall projects I believe it will automatically update all the info to meet MECS standards as long as you save it in the WT CAD MECS format. We are instructed to use this program for all our RBC work from now on exclusively. At this time not all aspects of WT CAD are online for us, such as MECS .ctb's, but what is available is really mind blowing. I set up my laptop with tools and controls I'm used to using in AutoCAD and didnt have much trouble. The guts are very similar, just the terminalogy is a little different. And the buttons take a little getting used to but the function is comfortably similar. You shouldn't have any trouble moving over to this, new for us, software.

 

In my exploring i discovered it will load everything you need for any aspect of the trade your'e drawing for, what ever that may be. Civil, Structural, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Controls, Architectural. I think thats all, I might have missed some, have to look again. Anyway when you decide what dicipline you want to draw in, take Architectural for instance, it loads your sheet title block, layers you will need, pre assigned colors and pen weights to work with, line types, all the architectural blocks you can think of right at your finger tips, any symbols that are associated with your drawings such as room tags, cross section tags, it does all the excel spread sheet tables just like AutoCAD but it loads these in a MECS format. With this MECS you tell the program what your primary language is and what the secondary language you want to share with is and it will automatically translate into that language and all symbols that are associated with that language group.

 

So VERY COOL!!

 

I get goose bumps just thinking about it. For someone who has never drawn before thats a monumental task which the brothers at the Branch have been developing for the past 25 years. Think of it, Jehovah has demonstrated over and over how far reaching his thoughts are and how organized his faithful slave is to make this arrangement available for us, ready to go, right out of the box, now just when he's speeding up the ingathering.

 

Organization, the two must keep up, ingathering and meeting together. What a wonderful and exciting God we worship. If anyone isn't busy in what ever assignment they receive, they aren' making themselves available, because there is plenty to do and there is a need right now to get started.

 

Do you have your copy of the software yet? You can load it on to both a laptop and your desktop. You'll have to license both machines individually but thats a snap.

 

Cool I just noticed emotionicons are available on my laptop. Up till now Iv'e been on a tablet and didn't see them. Way Cool.

 

I think I'm still 21 at heart.

[Mybrick]

Oh Tony, I forgot to tell you I'm in region 6. Our region is the one who just finished with the Madera assembly hall remodel. Sorry I missed you, if that's your assembly hall.

[Mybrick]

Speaking of the Madera assembly hall, that was my first  Assembly Hall and Kingdom Hall project to work on.

 

My father was in the roofing business and he learned this trade from my uncle Leon Jones. My uncles family is from the Fresno area here in California and owned and may still own a roofing company in that area by the name of Allstate Roofing. But anyway we were part of the roofing crew which my uncle was in charge of. I was sixteen, still kinda small for my age, driving on my own, and could legally work on the roof at this project. By this time I already had two years of experience working with my father and uncle doing roofing work. I remenber shoveling many a load of pea gravel onto to a roof which my father and uncle were busy appling hot tar and paper to. When I first climbed the ladder to find my father I saw what looked like a sea of surface with the far shore off in the distance. Many brothers were busy working on finishing up sheeting the surface, punching holes for pipes and HVAC units thru in front of those who were getting started on the roofing phase. As I looked around for a familiar face I heard a few brother looking my way laughing to themselves about how young I was and that I needed to go down because I didn't belong on the roof and would just get in the way or get hurt. I saw my uncle at that point and after talking with him he instructed me to grab a mop and bucket and take care of areas on the roof that were too small for the roofing machines he and my father were running covering the majority of the roof. We were putting down many layers of hot tar and roofing paper and this would take all day to accomplish even with all the help we had on the roof.

 

He pointed out a mop and bucket, assigned three brother to help me and instructed them to listen to anything I said. One to keep my bucket full, one to roll out the perforated paper after I laid out a layer of hot tar with the mop and one to keep him in 15 lb. rated roofing paper rolls. He had helped in my training and was confident I'd be able to handle this assignment, turned around and went back to his part. I worked aroung the HVAC bases, the inside corners of the building, all the areas the roofing machines couldn't reach. I don't know if those brothers who laughed at me earlier saw my little crew or not but the six o'clock news crew did and they filmed us for that days evening news event. I was so busy I hadn't even noticed they were on the roof. I missed viewing the news that evening and have missed the last two times I've been on the news also. I didn't even find out about it till the next day when someone mentioned they'd seen me on the news that last night. Oh well I guess I'm not camera shy when I'm not looking.

 

All those "Quick Builds" were before RBC was even thought of to my knowledge. This past year our design team was invited back to Madera for another remodel. And after all these years I found myself back where I started from on my first project. There have been many remodels over the years for this building but I was not part of those as I have moved out of that region and hadn't been invited to attend. Our design team thought we were going to join the local RBC design team of the area when we received the invitation to participate in this project but found ourselves alone. We started out with a welcoming talk from brothers from the Branch and got to work. It turned out to be quite a lengthy project and took our region seven months to complete. We had the main auditorium, a building which is used for eating in with an apartment for visiting brothers and another kingdom hall on the property which was also involved in being remodeled. But it all turned out nice and now meets the code and the needs of the local brothers and sisters. All to the praise of our Heavenly Father.

 

During that remodel we had to work on the fly as it were, because from our original design, which we slaved over for many days, the brothers would unbury a few surprises during the demo. We'd have to go back to the drawing board to redesign some aspect which had an unexpected conflict then run down from the second story area where our working office was to the floor where the work was in progress. This involved quite a few steps since our working office was at the opposite side side of the building on the second floor which ment we had to run across the assembly hall down a hallway to where the staircase was, go down to the ground floor, out an outside door, go over about twenty feet to a door going into the building area, then go through the building over to where the brothers were working and patiently waiting for a decision about how to proceed around what ever was discovered under the floor or inside a wall.

 

All this happened several times and one of those times one of our brothers hit a slight snag. At this particular time our brother, on his way to deliver a much anticipated solution through a door he had used many times that day, was stopped by a small grey haired sister with a small voice sitting at the door.

 

It turns out they let everyone who makes themselves available a place in RBC. This sister is in the Safety department and our brother had forgotten his helmet and safety glasses. As he tried to rush by her she stuck out her foot and asked our brother if he had forgotten something to which he remenbered the missing necessary equipment. This brother is over six feet tall with a commanding voice. He said he tried reasoning with her about the importance of his mission but to no avail. He even tried using his ace in the hole since he is a member of the RBC committee and when he asked the sister "Do you know who I am?" her reply was "Yes brother, I know who you are, you're the brother who left his helmet and safety glasses behind and I'm not letting you in till you have them!!!"

 

Needless to say he went back, retrieved his forgotten equipment and was allowed to have safe passage through to complete his mission. We all had a very big laugh when he told us of his perdicament.

 

I relay this experience to assure any who might be reading this that you may have skills you don't even know you possess until you fill out your volunteer form and find your place in Jehovah's service with the RBC.

Edited March 3, 2014 by Musky

[Mybrick]

I've been involved this weekend with a family emergency and having time to reflect while in the waiting room it occurred to me that perhaps my original post was misunderstood. My invitation to respond to this posting was not just directed to those who are in the design departments of the RBCs but any and everyone who's involved in the work.

I know by your replies that there are many who are in the different RBCs departments volunteering their time to make the work go quickly and smoothly as many hands make the work lighter. It would be nice to hear from anyone who has been on an RBC project or is currently in the middle of one to tell about your department, how many you're working with, what lunches you've enjoyed, comments neighbors have made watching the comings and goings even pictures of what the project looked like when it started to its new completed, updated look. Anything you've enjoyed or otherwise, we can laugh at or learn from to make our projects a safe and productive environment.

The Branch project must have some who are part of this forum that would like to share.

Seeing how many are involved will encourage those not currently involved to fill out their volunteer form and join in this vital work.

[Qapla]

The first project I was involved in was Rocky Mount, NC - back in he early 80's. This was when we used to call them "Miracle Halls" and names that indicated the "instant" way they were constructed.

 

In those days many, many brothers and sisters gathered on an empty site - one with only a slab and, at 7 AM the signal was given. Within seconds, the first wall would be erected. Keep in mind that this was NOT a prefabbed wall waiting to be lifted, but cut pieces of lumber that had to be nailed together.

 

By Sunday, usually early in the afternoon, we would have the first meeting in a fully completed and ready-to-use Hall. Most of those working on the project stayed for the entire build and did many of the jobs.

 

A far cry from the way it is organized today. In those days safety was not looked at as important as speed. The goal was to be faster and faster. However, when problems began to present in buildings some months down-the-road the quick build method was re-evaluated. The system now used is much safer and result in a much better constructed building that adheres to all the required codes.

 

There are more changes coming.

 

I am in "Structured Wiring". This includes most of the low-voltage wiring and equipment. We do sound, audio/visual, alarms, catv, network wiring, phone and anything related to these areas. We do NOT do thermostats or low-voltage accent lighting.

 

We currently have a large project underway. In fact, I may be there this weekend installing conduit before the slab is poured so we can pull the microphone wires for the stage directly from the sound console area to the stage - without needing to go up through the ceiling.

 

The number of people in our department varies from one project to another as some decide they do not like the work and change departments. I am the "third man" in our department. Officially, I am the assistant to the assistant - yes, this is an official position. I am also the "safety" brother for our department.

 

Each department is supposed to have a safety brother. This entails holding a meeting each morning before starting to work and reviewing/covering any safety issues that could apply to the particular project. For instance, there are safety concerns for working on a "slanted" floor that are not there on a flat floor. I am also supposed to report any safety issues we encounter so future difficulties like that might be avoided. I am also supposed to sign the paperwork for safety at the end of the weekend.

[rocket]

The first project I was involved in was Rocky Mount, NC - back in he early 80's. This was when we used to call them "Miracle Halls" and names that indicated the "instant" way they were constructed.

 

My first recollection is them being called  "Two Day Miracles." 300 or more brothers and sisters on site at the same time and just as many bystanders. The shortest time frame for a Hall to be built in our area to my knowledge is 36 hrs. It is on the same property as our Woodburn Assembly Hall but not physically connected to it.

[Qapla]

My first recollection is them being called  "Two Day Miracles." 300 or more brothers and sisters on site at the same time and just as many bystanders. The shortest time frame for a Hall to be built in our area to my knowledge is 36 hrs. It is on the same property as our Woodburn Assembly Hall but not physically connected to it.

 

I have seen as many as 1,000 on a KH  project. Way too many people or a build that size. It was hard enough when we had 1,000+ on am Assembly Hall site where there was room for that many .... but numbers too large overwhelm a KH site.

[Mybrick]

I had the priviledge of working on a Kingdom Hall project which is also used as an Assembly Hall. The building looks like a large plus sign from Google Earth with a tee shape at each end of the legs of the plus shape. If you want to look at it its located on East Brundage Lane in Bakersfield, California. You can do a search for it and zoom right to it. Just type in Kingdom Hall with that address.

 

This project when we started already had the parking lot in, slab floor and block walls up. We started on Saturday morning and by the time Sunday afternoon rolled around they were holding their first meeting. The center of the plus shape is the stage which is circular and rotates so the one speaker can be seen by all in attendance. Sound proof curtain walls slide into place to divide the stage into the respective four stages for each hall. Each hall seats 250 persons.

 

We had 3,000 brothers and sisters at each meal.

 

One of my uncles was in charge of the installation of the roof and I was put in charge of loading the tile for the roof. My crew loaded 150 square of tile while my friends from Modesto and many others laid the roof. Each pallet holds 3 square and a square of tile is 90 pieces weighting just about 10 lbs each. I used a blower to remove the dust from the cutting of the tile and I ended up with blood blisters on my feet by Sunday night. My crew comprised of brothers and sisters in a congo line passing two tiles at a time in three long octapus like lines from three pallets of tile that were delivered to the roof edge. I was horse by the end of the first day from yelling instructions for everyone to hear. My voice falls to the ground after about 3 feet.

 

I watched the construction start from each end of the plus moving toward the center. Each crew working just ahead of the other and it was beautiful to watch. We did watch for a while until the roof was sheeted so we could start. To stay busy until that point we joined any crew that would have us and had a blast working shoulder to shoulder. No one complained, they had no time as they were keeping an eye on the brothers nipping at their heels, patiently working behind them.

 

Organized chao's is the only way I can describe what happened there. We had inspectors on each leg working with the brothers giving their signature of approval as each trade made progress.

 

I remember many tired faces when we headed home Sunday night but not a sign of discord. No one was injured other than someone who hit his finger with a hammer. I agree this is not the best way to build, exhausting, but this occasion proved it can be done. I will always remember this experience and this was truly a quick build of massive proportions.

 

I'll see if I can find out how to insert a picture of this build.

[Mybrick]

This is the picture of the Bakersfield Hall.

Edited March 3, 2014 by Musky

[Qapla]

I have been privileged to help build two Assembly Halls. One on Plant City and the other in Daytona (Florida for both). I also helped with the major renovation that was done in Plant City when it was revised to be ASL.

 

I assisted with the relief work in South Florida (Miami and beyond) when hurricane Andrew  hit in 1992 (doesn't seem like it has been 22 years) and we were based out of the Ft. Lauderdale Assembly Hall - it has been sold since there is now one in West Palm Beach.

[Mybrick]

Love to talk with someone who's seen such projects come to life and been involved in relief work. Its individuals like you, John,  that I aspire to emulate. Very Cool!!     

[Qapla]

My brother and I started with quick building Halls around 1981 (my wife was pregnant with our first child) and we have been at it ever since. I have lost track of how many Halls I have assisted on. I have swung a hammer, shoveled dirt and done numerous other things.

 

Officially, I have been in Wallpaper (when we still did that here in Fl), Carpet, and Structured Wiring (Sound) for QB Halls.

 

As far as Assembly Halls, I have been in Trucking/Expediting, Heavy Equipment, Wallpaper, Carpet, Sound, Alarm and Irrigation during the builds and additional things with repairs and maintenance.

 

During the Daytona build, my oldest daughter and I were part of the Alarm Wiring Team. We installed miles of alarm wire (literally, since we started with 42 boxes of wire each containing 5,000 feet)  in all parts of the building, including the roof access.

Edited March 3, 2014 by Qapla

[pnutts]

My first recollection is them being called  "Two Day Miracles."

That is from a book called "Weekend Miracle" ( someone took my copy - now out of print ) by a reporter for the Brantford Expositor back in mid 80's.

He had covered the 'Quick Build' for the Paris, ON ( my home town ) Kingdom Hall in August of 85, however since his pictures were the property of the Expositor - they never ended up in his book.

He was sooo enthused that he disappeared for awhile during the 2 day build. He rented an airplane to take pictures from overhead.

We almost finished it in 36 hours - had to wait for a few days for proper locks to come in thus there was someone on guard duty all the time.

Another funny thing about the Paris build was that a chair salesman living in Woodstock, On would always take the route thru Paris when returning home.

He drove by the day before ( Friday ) we built and thought to himself, that he will have to drop in when building was underway, in order to try to sell some chairs.

Come Monday he was almost home in Woodstock ( 20 miles away ) when it struck him that there was a finished building with landscaping where there had been none on Friday.

He turned around and went back to Paris and got a tour of the new hall. He was dumbstruck - never got an order either since chairs were already there.

[Mybrick]

That's really funny how people take that double look with disbelief. My brother told me of a quick build in a mountain community he went to where the neighbor sat on his front porch all the time the work progressed taking pictures and shaking his head in disbelief. When the brothers took a break for their first meeting on Sunday afternoon he walked over to the site and talked with the brothers telling them how if he hadn't witnessed it himself he wouldn't have believed it. His expressed regret was he wished his church was just like Jehovah's Witnesses. He stayed for the whole meeting. Don't know how things turned out for him, maybe he's our brother now who knows.

[Qapla]

At one of the Halls we worked on back in the weekend build days - when we worked right through the night - a TV crew showed up around midnight or later. The camera man was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt style shirt. The news guy was in a suit. They filmed the exterior of the building with bright lights and interviewed one of the brothers. They also went inside and filmed the drywall hangers at work. It was interesting because they had something no other station had since they were the only station to have someone come that time of the night.

 

When they finished filming, they went to their truck and stowed the equipment. The reporter disappeared for a few minutes and showed back up in work clothes. They went back inside and began to mud and tape the walls. They were both Brothers who worked at that TV station.

 

Not only did they get to help on the Hall build, they scooped the other stations with footage no other station bothered with. I heard later they were nominated for some kind of news award for that footage - I have no idea if they won.

[Mybrick]

Great I love it!!!     So Cool!!!

[rocket]

I am always amazed at how dumbfounded in disbelief the inspectors are at times. Our "Three Day Build" was in the middle of winter rain and snow flurries. Just as the roof was being completed and the water was being squeegeed out of the building, I remarked to the inspector at how it's had to believe that the carpet would be laid, benches set and and our first meeting would be in less than twenty-four hours. I will always remember the expression on his face as he looked at the water on the floor, "it will never happen, I guarantee it." Well the floor was dry in time, the carpet laid, the benches set and our first meeting on time, 1:00 P.M. Sunday. He would not have approved it if it wasn't dry, he was simply dumbfounded. That carpet lasted 15 years and was replaced 1 1/2 years ago with our first remodel. How time flies.

[Bro.David Drake DeLaurento]

I completely agree with you Lance about needing qualified help that can go right to work along side you. That's part of what the Branch is stressing in seeking volunteers in their projects. I don't know if you got a similar invitation that everyone in our RBC received through our Builders Assist site but I believe about six RBC's in California received a request for 200 skilled volunteers per day be supplied from Nov 2014 - Feb 2015 to help back east.

I'm sure you know everyone is requested to supply current skills be updated on their individual profile. And with the Watchtower we had a couple of weeks ago about sacrifices acceptable to Jehovah and how RBC was specifically also mentioned, I believe the faithful slave is bringing this to the attention of the entire organization to give of their valuable talents. Since the Branch is requesting any who know of brothers and sisters with skills to be made known to the RBC in their area so an invitation can be sent out to them it might not be long before you have that angelic help you're praying for.

Everyone is welcome to volunteer no matter the age or skill level and with the RBC having a list of your skills they can use anyone willing to work in some capacity. Armed with this information we can achieve those goals I mentioned earlier. I'm directing this personal request to anyone who might read this forum, please fill out your volunteer application from your congregation secretary so that many hands can make the work lighter not to mention make our Heavenly Fathers heart glad seeing brothers and sisters working together, side by side.

I recently mentioned this to a brother who is a sprinkler contractor and he was reluctant to fill out a volunteer form until I mentioned we were paying a firm to create and stamp our sprinkler plans. His reaction was " We can't have that". So I'm wondering if others are holding back donating their skills because they don't think they have the time. We all have to let our conscience be our guide.

The procurement department has a difficult task. I have dealt with electrical contractors for years before I changed my profession. The electrical aspect is crucial and important. Every state, county, town, has different electrical codes and if you get an inspector who sees that a switch, electrical outlets, and other related matters is off or not to code, get ready to either retrofit or repair the problem. Or ding materials is just as important. I know Jehovah blesses us by having well qualified brothers and sisters. I don't know if the RBC has cost overruns on any project. When the apostle Paul saw that there was a problem is caring for the orphan and widows, the matter was placed under prayer and spiritually qualified men stepped in to handle this matters.

When David and his son Solomon built the temple, there was meticulous planning. Jehovah had his hands in this. The RBC has daunting responsibility but few workers. I would love to help and my wife wants to sign up, but we have kids. Even though they are homeschooled, who can I trust to take care of them while were working. I wish there was a way to help.

[Qapla]

 I would love to help and my wife wants to sign up, but we have kids. Even though they are homeschooled, who can I trust to take care of them while were working. I wish there was a way to help.

 

There is a way to help, brother ....

 

I started with RBC projects when my wife was pregnant with our first - we had four.

 

You can "take turns" with the children during a build .... especially since builds are no longer done in one weekend. Just ask to be put in different departments - ones that are not on the project at the same time so one of you can stay home with the kids while the other is at the site - many families do this.

 

When/if any of the kids are 16, they can join you on the project by signing up for RBC.

 

Another way to help is by volunteering to be in "Security" if your circumstances allow. One there is equipment on the site, there needs to be someone on the site 24/7 - so there is  vast number of brothers/sisters needed to just be there - usually for a 6 hour shift. They usually have teams of two so you and another Brother could do late night duty and your wife and another Sister could do mid-day duty during a weekday.

[Mybrick]

The procurement department has a difficult task. I have dealt with electrical contractors for years before I changed my profession. The electrical aspect is crucial and important. Every state, county, town, has different electrical codes and if you get an inspector who sees that a switch, electrical outlets, and other related matters is off or not to code, get ready to either retrofit or repair the problem. Or ding materials is just as important. I know Jehovah blesses us by having well qualified brothers and sisters. I don't know if the RBC has cost overruns on any project. When the apostle Paul saw that there was a problem is caring for the orphan and widows, the matter was placed under prayer and spiritually qualified men stepped in to handle this matters.

When David and his son Solomon built the temple, there was meticulous planning. Jehovah had his hands in this. The RBC has daunting responsibility but few workers. I would love to help and my wife wants to sign up, but we have kids. Even though they are homeschooled, who can I trust to take care of them while were working. I wish there was a way to help.

I'm glad you brought up these thoughts about spiritually qualified brothers. We forget the mechanics involved in these situations and how spirit is involved.

First the fact that these brothers were spiritual meant they were trained by personally faithfully applying Jehovah's principles and view point when looking at any situation or problem before them. Second they displayed humility by asking for Jehovah's involvement with their decisions. Thirdly they couldn't be frozen in their descision making because time was of the essence, a descision had to be made. So after reviewing all the possible choices humbly and prayerfully, they trusted that Jehovah would assist with his spirit to make their efforts successful by removing obstacles or manipulating matters in our brothers favor.

These spiritually qualified brothers had successfully earned the slaves confidence that they would always approach any problem or issue with our brothers or sisters interests first in their minds much like children with their parents or a wife with her husband not showing bias or favoritism.

So as a spiritual man yourself you have my confidence you are approaching this desire to be part of this great work before us by asking for possible solutions to your needs. And after prayerfully approaching any problem, looking at it with the understand that nothing is impossible for Jehovah, to make the way open before you, if your goal is to assist this work of building meeting places for the advancement of pure worship, you will find your way with your family to be a helping part of meeting the Branch's goals.

We all must be humble in this aspect. We must rely on our Heavenly Father to make our efforts successfu, but it starts by making yourself available.

As far as cost over runs are concerned there are always unexpected costs and since we're not perfect we will make mistakes. The responsible thing is to learn from our mistakes and minimize repeating them. In our design team we research all our callouts on the plans for the best possible materials. We review our lists with the different trade overseers for their imput on what best meets the needs with usability, reliability and meeting current codes. Then someone will double check that the data was entered properly so the purchasing brothers won't be lost when they can't find a unit because it's model number was entered wrong. All this sounds like it should work but sometimes wrong information slips through. We can't let these mistakes freeze our descision making process up, we still have to continue making progress because Jehovah is bringing in a great influx and the work must be done of building suitable and safe places to meet.

Please pardon me if I sound preachy, I just have a great passion for All Things RBC. Ever since my experience in the disaster relief there in Texas I view this effort in the same light. Our brothers and sisters need our collective help to bring their new studies to a place that dignifies our worship to Jehovah and sanctifies his name just like Solomon's temple. We must stay ahead of the in gathering work not three stages behind like your local government with pot holes and bad roads. This requires we make ourselves available to be used by Jehovah.

The nice thing about RBC is if you have capability you can learn a new skill there when volunteering to be a helper in any department. Never boring work is to be found in the RBC and your efforts bring praise to our Heavenly Father.

[Qapla]

There is a way to help,

Just ask to be put in different departments - ones that are not on the project at the same time ..

 

Actually, I thought of another option.

 

One of the departments that is on the build EVERY weekend is Food Service. Since they are there for breakfast and lunch (and sometimes even a late meal) they need many, many volunteers. A family could ask to be in this department and then ask to be scheduled on different meals/days/weekends. Since they need so many, they are usually willing do be very accommodating to the volunteers.

 

This way, you could take turns with one of you going to the build while the other one stays with the kids.

 

Don't let the early start time scare you away (many start between 3-4 AM) because there are others who come later to relieve the ones who got the early start. This department needs the help - so, if you really want to be part of RBC - they take experienced as well as rookies and will train - they seem to always need help.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Qapla

[maladee]

My husband is overseer  for welding RBC4, he has rookies and experienced bro and sisters in the group ,do you know we always need someone on fire duty, you just watch for fires ,with a fire extinguisher nearby ,so this is some work for everyone, Bill says the most important thing is that you are humble it does not matter how much knowledge or skills you have ,they are always willing to train.