Bahama Mission Update
August 5, 2008

The summer has been busy in the Islands. We have been blessed thus far with the tropical weather. We feel for those in Texas who have been hit with storms. Our health has been good, and for the time being I have my malignant skin cancers behind me. Dennis Bonner removed the last stitches during the Vacation Bible School in Nassau. We had a great Vacation Bible School with the group from Longmire Road in Conroe, Texas with the Central Church and Andrew and Bonnie Major. 12 of the members from Central were there to work and help every day and continued the effort after the group left. The group was well prepared, flexible and most talented. John Helbig and I spoke at the various services. (His report on the activities will be included in this update.)

There was one baptism in Nassau, one in Abaco, and one in Freeport. I have not gotten information about other congregations in the past few days. Abaco has had two weddings and a funeral. Lilla Strachen's son Philly was buried on the 26th of July. This is the second son she has lost in the past few months. Bill Miller and Bro. Turnquest, elders from Highbury Park in Nassau were over for the funeral. Andrew Major was in Abaco last week-end to encourage and speak. A dozen brethren from Richardson, Texas are in Abaco and will continue until the end of the week.They are involved in a VBS along with other evangelistic activities.

Lincoln Young is busy in Eleuthera. The economy is growing more dire there and a number of the members are moving to Nassau to obtain employment. This is a common problem with our family Islands, and also with our rural areas in the United States.The church in Nassau has been informed and it is our hope and prayer that these new converts will be active in their new home. If you would like a copy of Lincoln's report this month, please let me know and I will forward it to you. The Day Youth Camp in Exuma went very well with great attendance. The daughter of Steve and Suzette McQueen is still undergoing tests. Please remember this family in your prayers.

The church in Freeport has appointed 4 deacons and continues to involve more men in preaching. John Deveaux's sister died in Cat Island. She was a good friend and an icon of the old Bahamian culture and way of life. Andrew Major has started a new congregation among Haitian Brethren at Central in Nassau. They meet on Sunday Afternoons and Wednesday evenings. We were delighted to buy $500 worth of Creole Bibles for this work. The new brethren are very excited. They were sorry to see the Bible Study on Sunday Afternoon come to a close. Andrew promised a two hour session on Wednesday evening. They spoke up to ask for three hours. The Haitian brethren stay for the Sunday evening service at Central and a translator is provided. They have about 25 attending on Wednesday and about half that number on Sunday Afternoon. A number of studies are in progress.They are using my personal Bible Study, "What All Mankind Should Know", in the French edition. There is little very little material available outside of Haiti in the Creole language.

This is a copy of John Helbigs report on the Vacation Bible School and the efforts of the young people and those not so young in a special involvement with the work in the Bahamas: I thought you might enjoy a report from a different perspective.

About four years ago a spark ignited in a small group of young people at the Longmire Road congregation in Conroe, Texas. They decided to collect aluminum cans, and use the money raised to buy Bibles for distribution by David and Dinah Caskey in their work in the Bahamas. Their initial – seemingly overly ambitious goal - was $5000. That initial spark spread to the entire congregation. Young and old alike became active re-cyclers, and generous hearts were pricked to reach deep and send the totals upward. Within about eighteen months, this group had presented David with the fifth $1000 check for the purchase of Bibles. From there, the enthusiasm continued to burn, and within another eighteen months, that total had risen to $10,000.

A small spark can ignite the hearts of an entire congregation. From that small beginning, the opportunity was opened for our group of young people (mainly from about 7 years of age to about 14 years of age) to travel to Nassau and to conduct a Vacation Bible School for the Central Congregation where Andrew and Bonnie Major serve. A working budget was considered, the Longmire Road Eldership agreed to support the Mission effort, a curriculum was chosen, and young teens begin to practice teaching in preparation. In approximately seven months time, our young people (along with the adults who helped train and guide them) conducted a VBS at the Longmire Road congregation; then packed up to take that VBS overseas to the Central congregation in Nassau.

The spark continued - During this time, the Longmire Road congregation continued to encourage and support this work to the point that when we left for the Bahamas on July 12th, most of the needed funds had been donated, so that we will not have to tap deeply into the weekly operating budget.

The spark continued - We met David and Dinah and Andrew Major at the airport, and immediately a loving relationship began to form with our brothers and sisters from the Central Congregation. God blessed us at every turn. Our brethren in Nassau received us in a very warm and generous way. We fell in love with the children from the community who were entrusted to us during VBS. It is our prayer that the seeds planted will reap a fruitful harvest in many families in Nassau.

We truly experienced what it means to be a part of a Partnership in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God is truly alive in the hearts of our brothers and sisters at the Central Congregation in Nassau. We were blessed by God to have the opportunity to sow seeds of the Kingdom among the children in their community. Over time, many will water and nurture, and it is our prayer that the increase given by God will be abundant.

John Helbig

for the Longmire Road Church of Christ

Continue to keep us in your prayers. We keep making adjustments to our schedule due to the rising cost of fuel. Car gas is $6.29 and aircraft fuel is $7.50. One of the activity groups as Graber Road in Rosenburg,Texas just sent a much appreciated special contribution to the fuel fund.

Thank you so much for your support and prayers over the years. Checks can be made to:

Att: David Caskey-Mission, c/o Gulf Coast Church of Christ
9550 Ben C. Pratt/Six Mile Cypress Parkway
Ft. Myers, Florida 33966.

Please note the new address. They have recently moved into their new building.

david

Bahama Mission Home Page
http://www.flyingpreacher.com/
Mission Contact: David Caskey

Webmaster: Jerry Pickup
http://www.jpickup.com/