We in the Bahamas have been blessed this year. Hurricane Season ended December 1. We had no storms although there are still many areas that are hard hit from the previous two years. Dinah and I have visited some of these areas and will go to more of them in a couple of weeks. We did receive a check from a private foundation and have been able to help some of those who were hardest hit. (We have already given out about half of the money.) The question is often asked, "Is everything back to normal?" The answer is that it will never be normal for some of the victims who lost everything. A look at T.V. in the United States when they are showing pictures of New Orleans and the Mississippi coast will give you an idea of how things still look in some areas. The Gulf Coast was hit by Katrina, we had 8 storms in two years! We traveled to the west end of Grand Bahama last week where 1500 homes were destroyed by Wilma. The trees are dead and broken, and many families are living in makeshift trailers. One group we helped has seven families still living in one house.
The 8th Annual Mission Day in Freeport was wonderful this year. The expressions of love and the great fellowship gave us all a spiritual lift. The collective progress of the Church in the Islands is most encouraging. Dr. Ken Parker and his wife Martha were in attendance from Ringold, Georgia where he serves as and elder. He said that the week end was the most exciting for him this decade! Reports were made from almost every congregation and Andrew Major from the Central congregation in Nassau was the Key Note Speaker. Andrew was not feeling well and went to the Dr. before coming for the week end. The doctor took blood samples and listened as Andrew told him the was weak and sick at his stomach and dizzy. The doctor gave him some sample pills to help him through Sunday. Andrew said he looked at the side effects of the pills on the little slip of paper in the box. It said, "may make you weak and dizzy and nauseated". He said he did not take the pills as he already felt that way. ha. The Freeport congregation went all out to host us again this year. We had fellowship and meal sessions all during the period. Many from the Islands were hosted in homes. It was a great hug fest. We are so thankful for the love and cooperation of the brethren from all of the congregations in the Islands. The building in Freeport really looked great with groups having come and helped them paint both inside and outside. Dinah did a little more on her flower arrangement that stands in front of the pulpit. It really is a nice center piece that ties the new colors together.
Reports from Highbury Park, Southwestern, and Central congregations in Nassau were given. Steve McQueen from Exuma, Jason Quashie from Abaco, Lincoln Young from Eleuthera, James Miller from Freeport, and David Caskey "The Flying Preacher" rounded out the program.
Lincoln Young was back from his trip to visit brethren in the States and brought with him his nephew and also John and Ann Sands from Rock Sound. John and Ann are new Christians who are great workers and have had a wonderful influence in bringing others to the Lord. Lincoln told me on the phone that he was working on a new report, but did not finish as "his tongue got tired". (Lincoln uses his tongue to type.) He is a wonderful influence and does so much in Eleuthera. Lincoln has several studies going at this time.
Abaco had the largest group to attend from other Islands. Jason and Katrinka brought many new Christians and also Jonathan Kerr. Jonathan has only attended services a couple of times, but we pray will soon obey the Gospel. He had a good time. I saw him in my clinic after getting back to Abaco.( My clinics were very busy this week). He works for a tile company and has back trouble from all of the heavy lifting. On Saturday noon, the Abaco group was invited to the home of Eltha Rolle, the mother of Leslie Rolle a new Christian in Abaco. She runs a cafe in Eight Mile Rock (8 miles from Freeport) and cooked a lavish meal for all of us. Jason has done a great job of reaching out to men in the community and the growth in that area is very encouraging. Dinah and I got to visit with brethren in Abaco and some who are not Christians.
Donald and Judy Burrows gave a glowing report from Long Island. Attendance is up to around 30 and they are doing a lot of needed work and repairs on their building. The building was flooded out several times during storms. The salt water and mud came in 18 inches high on more than one occasion. They have finally retired their "Caskey Pews" made from two by fours and two by sixes and have folding chairs with pads. Now we can preach longer! They asked Dinah to do a flower arrangement and get some plants to enhance the new look with paint and tile. Dinah has already completed the task. I will remove the back two seats from the plane and we will take everything down right after the first of the year. They also want Dinah to paint a new sign for the road and refinish the two on the building that she did some years ago. The one on the road blew away in one of the Hurricanes. I will try and get the sign built this week so Dinah can paint. Sister Burrows with whom we stay in Long Island fell and dislocated her shoulder. She has been in Nassau for treatment and hopes to be home soon.
Dinah and I have many opportunities to hand out Bibles. We continue to be thankful to the Young People at Longmire Road in Conroe, Texas for collecting soda cans and providing the money. We took a walk before lunch in Freeport, and in a little shop, met Tracy Warren. She told us that she used to attend services years ago with a neighbor. She said she would like to start back, but did not have a Bible. We gave a Bible to James Miller and information on where she works and lives. He will deliver it, and we pray will be able to study with her. We were met at the plane on arriving in Freeport by Lincoln Russell. He helped us with the Bibles and World Bible School materials we were hauling. It turned out that I knew his father in Cat Island before he was killed in a plane crash in 1988. Lincoln wants to be a pilot as well. I also knew his whole family. We gave him a Bible and invited him to worship. The Bible say, "...My word will not return unto me void..."
We were thrilled to hear from Gladwyn Kiddoo in Jamaica. Gladwyn is the director of the School of Preaching in Kingston. For the first time in 40 years, a preacher from the Church was invited to address the Jamaican Cabinet. He began with a prayer, and then spoke on " What Does God Require Of You?" He dealt with responsibilities of national leaders before God. He encouraged them study their Bibles, taught the Plan of Salvation, and ended by offering each of them a personal Bible Study. We have a great interest in Jamaica as I had raised the money for the building at Mona and my late Father was the first Director of the School. Gladwyn was one of his first students.
Please keep in your prayers two special ladies. Ann Sands is still awaiting results from tests in Eleuthera and Delina Caldwell the wife of Stephen Caldwell in Ft. Myers, Florida. Delina is continuing to face tests and get treatment. Stephen one of the ministers at Gulf Coast and has been over the years a valuable asset to the work in the Bahamas as he has given countless hours as an unheralded co-worker.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support. Checks can be made to Bahama Mission Church of Christ, and sent:
Att: David Caskey-Mission, c/o Gulf Coast Church of Christ
3825 McGregor Blvd.
Ft. Myers, Florida 33901.
david
Bahama Mission Home Page
http://www.flyingpreacher.com/
Mission Contact
David Caskey
Webmaster
Jerry Pickup
http://www.jpickup.com/
