The construction work and how its organized is completely different than how it is done in the US.
In the US we have RBC, there are selected brothers and sisters who are in the committees and then we have others which are volunteers. The volunteers of course sign up and get an account online. They are assigned to a certain department(s) and then are notified when there is construction work available in their area or whenever they are willing to travel.
Well in the DR it's different. DR bethel assigns a certain group of trained brothers and sisters whose responsibility is the construction work. They are like nomads traveling at all times to handle the remodels or new builds. DR bethel has certain prepared designs of Kingdom Halls which they must follow. So this Construcrion Committee is probably about 7-10 people. This group is not only assigned by bethel but also receive monetary assistance. There are also other volunteers that travel with the group but do not recieve monetary help, for example these could be foreigners that want to work with the construction and have their own savings and request from Bethel a construction assignment and they are assigned to work with the committee.
Ok well of course having more volunteers means more assisting hands. So instead of the RBC online account, here certain congregations are assigned on certain days. For example, the Kingdom Hall in La Romana is continuing for another month... Thursday the Spanish congregtion from Higüey is assigned to help. Friday the ASL congregation is assigned to help and so forth. Not just one congregation but various congregations which are nearby are assigned to help on certain days. Then who ever can go is much appreciated. Then of course if you are available to go any other day then you are welcome to.
Also the building material is different too! Of course we are familiar with RBC involving carpet, tile, insulation, electrical, roofing, and so on. Well DR is simple, because of the weather and being near the water everything is concrete! Walls, roof, floor, everything is concrete. Of course electrical wiring is involved and having a gate surrounding the hall... We also paint. But that concrete work is tough! Everything is heavy. If you make concrete you need to lift rocks, dirt, and the cement mix into buckets and pour it into the machine to make the mixture. Then load it on a wheelbarrel and dump it and then shape it into what the design is. Then let's say you need to bring it down, you must break the concrete and shovel the pieces on the wheelbarrel and then take it out. Doesn't matter if you are building with or demolishing concrete it's a process and it's heavy! Plus of course there is no A/C so it's all done in the heat and if you are outside then your in the sun. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed my day, it's nice to experience a different type of construction work...but I must admit working there all day for 8 hours...the next day my back was in pain! Lol but the more I help the more I can get use to it.
Lunch was nice too. Usually in RBC they set up the parking lot area for the food and everyone usually eats on site. Well not here. Since the property usually isn't big enough...bethel makes a prior arrangement to rent or use a home nearby the construction site. Then there are brothers and sisters assigned to cook and prepare the meals and clean up afterwords. And it's arranged as though you are at Bethel. When lunch is ready they announce it at the Kingdom Hall everyone then stops and walks to the house. Wash your hands with outside water hose lol and then find a seat. At the table food is already served in the middle and covered with plastic to prevent bugs from intruding. Once everyone is set they do the prayer and say "grab the plate of food and pass it to the left". So it's just like bethel lunch. Which ever tray of food is in front of you, you grab it serve yourself and pass until all food has made its way to everyone. At the end we read the daily text and then concluding prayer then they announce "at 1:30 we will begin work again". (Time may vary depending on when lunch is ready, but usually we get a total of an hour break). So you sit and rest for a bit more but then off to work! The work starts at 8am- maybe 12 or 12:30. Hour break. Then resume until 5.
Here in the DR there are many special pioneers single and married. If there is construction work in the town a special pioneer is serving in then they must cease all service activity and focus primarily on the construction work. Until the work is done and the committee has moved to work in a different area, then the special pioneer can resume to normal service activity. Keep in mind most of this construction work takes about 3 months maybe more.
The work is usually Tuesday-Saturday, and Sunday-Monday are rest. The construction crew must attend local meetings. Even though the crew is constantly on the move, they are assigned to a congregtion and when their congregation has assembly then they attend but after that back to work.
Well the experience is wonderful. Even things are different over here it's beautiful to see that we all have the same purpose...everything for Jehovah.
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