Bahama Mission
June 1999
JUNE 1999
At long last the work of the new plane is drawing to a close. The new
Radio/GPS navigational system has been installed. The bugs have been worked
out, (the circuit breakers for the fuel pump and radio were mislabeled).
Now the system functions very well. We have completed the first annual
inspection and all went well. We did have to add front seat shoulder
harnesses as per a directive that had never been complied with. We have
made several trips and are most pleased with the results. We thank each of
you for your generous contributions that moved us to a better system and
got us past the crash.
I was honored to spend the Father's Day week-end and week in Abaco. The
ladies of the congregation had a banquet honoring the men after morning
services. We were all presented a boutonniere as we arrived. The ladies had
worked hard on decorations, cooked wonderful food, gave us a menu with
choices, seated the men at the head table and provided a waitress to take
and serve our orders. Two of the young ladies formed a duet and sang
several selections for our listening pleasure. The ladies outdid the men,
who had cooked for the ladies on Mother's Day. During the week I was
invited to speak to the Ladies Bible Class. I was pleased to see how
evangelistic they have become with a number of regular visitors from the
community. I presented them the last of the new Bibles given by the church
in Auburn, Alabama. This class has grown and does many good works. Last
week they made a cake and surprised Brother Merlin Albury with a party on
his 80th Birthday.
Brother Mike Gurganus from Chattanooga, Tn. was with the Highbury Park
Church in a V.B.S. He brought a group of 20 with him and did an outstanding
job of holding the Classes in the morning and a lengthy series of classes
in the evenings. They had special efforts for the men, women and children,
and then a full session together. They stayed at a local hotel and provided
their own transportation in the form of two vans. The congregation did
treat them to a lavish Bahamian feed. Friday morning was highlighted with a
trip to the sea and the 6:00 A.M. baptism of Ian Williams. Brother Miller
and I met Ian on Friday night. The church there will continue to study with
him and involve him with the Family. He is a security guard with the hotel
where the group stayed. Mike has shown an interest in getting an annual
meeting of representatives of supporting congregations and individuals to
plan, co-ordinate, and share. The brethren at Gulf Coast have offered to
host the group, if there is enough interest. We would be pleased to hear
from you on this matter.
Saturday morning I carried a group of five, including Brother Lincoln Young
back to Eleuthera before flying on to Abaco for the week-end. We were also
able to give Lincoln his new folding wheel chair. It works great as it fits
in the luggage compartment of the plane. Several brethren from the
Southwestern congregation in Nassau had also come over to help Lincoln over
the holiday week-end. This was the occasion of the 26th Day of Independence
for the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. It is normal for members of the city
congregations to do mission work in the family Islands over holidays. Most
of these brethren travel at their own expense and provide an opportunity
for both edifying and being built up.While in Nassau, I had made
arrangements to get my work permit renewed. I had mailed the first
information early in May by airmail, but it has not arrived yet. It was
necessary for me to get another health and police report, more pictures,
and the application fee. I am sure that sometime this year, the first one
will reach.
We are working this week to get the donated cars for Abaco and San Salvador
over from the west coast of Florida, and shipped to the respective Islands.
Brethren plan to drive them over and I will fly them home. The churches in
the Bahamas plan to share the expense of customs duty, license, shipping
and insurance for the car going to San Salvador. This will in time reduce
the cost of sending men down each week-end by at least $80 a day.
Brother Tyrone Miller, an elder from Highbury Park, will be in Abaco
preaching this week-end, and Dinah and I will be with them next week. On
the 27th of July, Brother Todd Brunner will be in Abaco for five weeks
preaching. Others will join him and conduct a V.B.S. The brethren in Abaco
are doing some repair work on the building. It has held up well considering
that it was completed in 1986. The steeple was leaking and it was almost
impossible to find someone to climb the steep roof. I believe that it is
fixed now. They also plan to repair the window cranks that have corroded
and lay new tile in the entrance and bathrooms. We are proud to see these
brethren launching out on their own. They have a great attitude and are
having good crowds.
We are scheduling a week-end meeting in Eleuthera and plan to fly Lincoln
Young up to preach in Abaco. They along with other churches and individuals
in the Bahamas provide his support. I am also setting a time to go to
Freeport and meet with the congregation and the ladies converted over the
Christmas holidays from Crooked Island. They are visiting family in
Freeport this summer. When school starts we plan with the Burrows from Long
Island to go down and distribute Bible Studies, Testaments, and speak in
the schools. We hope to expand the little church there. Brother Burrows
used to teach school in Crooked Island and has a number of contacts. I
continue to conduct clinics and have a lot of invitations into the homes of
my patients. I sometimes wonder if we are having any influence on them, and
then something happens to encourage us. Last week a mechanic who along with
his family have been patients of mine for a long time found me, and gave me
$50 in U.S. money to help buy Testaments. He says that there will be more
coming.
Brother John Deveaux celebrated his 79th Birthday on July 1st. He is the
preacher in Cat Island. He continues to have such a great influence for the
cause of Christ among his people. We are thankful to and for him. He and
Francis have been married 52 years.
Thank you for the Memorial/Honors gifts to help begin new works. And thank
you for caring and sharing each month. Checks can be written to Bahama
Mission Church of Christ and sent:
Attn: David Caskey Missions
Gulf Coast
Church of Christ
3825 McGregor Blvd.
Ft. Myers, Florida 33901
David Caskey
