Our Life in the Islands of Micronesia: Tour

Tuesday, October 1
Once again, we were all up and going 6am or earlier! We had a beautiful drive up to Wallkill. It was about 1 1/2 hours, but, no traffic!

The lobby of Wallkill

And, right away someone in our group found someone they knew. Today, it was Sarah. She saw friends she knows from Georgia!

We met several friends as we waited for our tour guide. This sister is Japanese, but serving in another Asian country.

Our tour guide, Charles, greeted us. Charles has been a friend of the Saraccos since the mid-80's. We caught Charles the week of 25 years of full-time service and 20 years as a Bethelite. We haven't seen him in about 2 years.

We talked, talked and talked...

Sarah knew the brother on the far left. This group speaks Chinese.

Melanie (Charles' wife) came out to greet us. And we talked more.....

So, let the tour begin.... "stay between the yellow lines"

This group was following us, with their tour guide.

Name badges for D.C, Assembly and D.C programs and signs are printed here.

Sometimes Cds/cassettes for the deaf and literature with covers designed for prisoners

There is a department for bible repair. This display includes very old bibles from longtime brothers.

Including Brother Russell's personal copy.

"The Handbindery Rebinding a Book by Hand"

Book press.

Our group heading into the Printery.

"WITNESS TO ALL THE NATIONS"
"This good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations" Matthew 24:14
All the languages of the Bible and Bible Teach books that are PRINTED IN WALLKILL.

Looking in a display case of how printing as been done through the years. My dad enjoyed this part because he was in printing almost 40 YEARS AGO!

Printing plates used to PRESS the print onto paper and outside book covers.

Various plates from various books through the years.

A beautiful display and video of the Pressroom.

And, don't forget our blind friends.
"The Watchtower and some 200 other publications are printed in 7 different languages at the US Branch"
See the long, black line? Those are the volumes that it takes for the Bible to be made in Braille.
The red line reads, "The complete New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures in Braille."

But, what are the coiled pages on the shelf under the Bible volumes???

"Life in a Peaceful New World" in Braille!

PAGES!!!!!!!.......

A Watchtower in Braille....

1 BOOK, in Braille!!!

AHHHHH, the printery!!! (bird-eye view, we'll go down there in just a second)

Notice how CLEAN it is!

Just to clarify, Charles is not reading in Braille. But, he did do EVERYTHING ELSE for us!

What is this?

Examples of what the Bible was "written on" through the years...
Stone, Papyrus Parchment, Scrolls, Codex, Printing

And, an example of each...

Our brothers running the machines.

Working hard.

Forklift coming through, exactly why we are directed to stay within the yellow lines. : )

And small carts.

Ready to be shipped.

Charles explains to us the process using one of the machines.

Then, we see the machine.

Hey, wait a second. This isn't printing. No, it's equipment about to be shipped out to foreign Branches.

Ok, back to our tour....

WOW!, 1 TON!

What a savings!

Storing area.

Dad chatting it up with a 21-century printer. It was explained to us, they don't really print anymore, the machines do the work. The brothers make feed, adjust, etc the machine and make sure it runs properly to keep production going.