Bahama Mission Update
September 7, 2007

We have reached the peak of Hurricane Season (10th). We have been blessed thus far, but our hearts and prayers go to those who have suffered much. Both Dean and Felix brought death and destruction. More than 100 have died from Felix. In addition many have suffered and some died from the flooding in various parts of the United States. When you live with natural disasters, year in and year out, you have a full understanding of what is being faced in the path of Hurricanes. Keep us and others in your prayers. The system off the Bahamas may develop and move toward the Carolinas.

Friends in Pecos, Texas have swapped out our satellite phone that they have provided for more than a year and the update works great. The other one was "hit and miss and wait a while". (That was still far better than no phone at all.) The new one works more like a cell phone and we have used it in the car with the antenna and also in the plane. We are in places all of the time where the phones do not work or not available. This gives us access to weather, touching base with our Mom's, filing flight plans, and making arrangements in the various Islands to be met at the airport. Times have really changed in the past 25 years. There were times when we were out of contact for a couple of weeks at a time, and often flew into weather before we knew there was weather.

Recent trips have taken us to Abaco, Eleuthera and Nassau. Abaco hosted 7 ladies and a man from one of the congregations in Richardson, Texas. They had some very talented ladies and had a call in radio show to deal with many aspects of counseling. Dinah and I had the opportunity to visit and get to know these ladies during their last couple of days. Greta Culmer, her daughter Marisa, and her mom Lilla, hosted all of us for a wonderful dinner on their last night. Ray and Mary Christopher have stayed on for an extra week. We flew to Eleuthera to take new spare batteries to Lincoln for his wheelchair, a new jack for his van, deliver his money (the bank is still having problems in Rock Sound), and Dinah made him a lovely flower arrangement to go in his hall. Lincoln will celebrate his 40th birthday September 19th. We also picked up his Dragon Speaking program. This will allow him to speak and type rather than use his tongue. This program was donated some months back by friends in Ft. Myers. Lincoln had lined up some help to get it installed. The help did not come for weeks and then it was determined that his computer would not handle the program. Dinah and I have gotten him a laptop and this afternoon will get our web master Jerry Pickup who uses the program, to help us get it installed and working. The laptop will allow Lincoln to use the program at both his office and his home.

We then enjoyed a lovely week-end in Nassau with the Central Congregation. Andrew and Bonnie Major are tireless workers and the congregation is a delight. They have very talented and dedicated members. The singing was wonderful. The lessons were centered around their "Bring Your Neighbor Day". Sunday morning I spoke on "Who is My Neighbor", and Sunday night we shared " Eight Things That All Children Need". This congregation has centered its outreach in training parents and children over the years. We also delivered 4 cases of Bibles and 75 pounds of tracts. Two of the cases where for new Christians at Highbury Park congregation and 2 cases for Central. These are the Bibles being given by the young people at Longmire Road in Conroe, Texas. Take a look at the kids in the pictures on our web page. We have great hopes that this group with sponsors will come to Nassau next summer to conduct a VBS. The congregation and Elders are counting the cost, and the brethren in Nassau are praying that it will come to pass.

The Bibles create a lot of excitement. In Abaco I delivered 4 Bibles to Karen Alkazai. They were in Abaco covering for an absent Doctor for about 2 weeks. Dr. Alkazai is an ER doctor in Freeport and they are very faithful members. Karen needed the Bibles for 4 people with whom she is studying and who are about to obey the Gospel. The nurse at the clinic where I left the Bibles wanted to know if she could get one. I told her that I did not have any more with me. She asked Karen about a Bible and Karen explained that these lovely expensive Bibles were for new Christians, then she set a study with the nurse. It looks like she will get her Bible after all. Dr. Alkazai called me just before we left for Eleuthera to say that Karen got the Bibles and he wanted to know if he could get one too. Karen told him that he might have to be baptized again! (Ha) We will see that he gets one on our next trip to Freeport.

Jerry and Connie Smith will visit with us tomorrow in Florida. They now live in Mena, Arkansas. Jerry has made special arrangements for us to get the plane painted later this month. N40SA, a 1965 model was last painted about 10 years ago. We have patched the paint and done what we can with the corrosion. Jerry made us an offer we can not refuse. He got a special price and then will pay for half of the job. We are most thankful. It will not only look better, but will be free of corrosion after it is stripped and repaired. The wing tip fuel tanks will also be repaired as the sun takes it's toll on the fiberglass.

We are thankful for your support and prayers. 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/