Bahama Mission Update
March 6, 2010

We will endeavor to hit the highlights of activities the past month including Haiti and the progress of efforts to provide basic needs to the brethren there. We have experienced the coldest three months in the history of Florida and the Bahamas. Dinah had pneumonia and has been slow to regain her health. We took her back to the Doctor this week for a shot and more antibiotics. She has been with me most of the time, and just rested in both the plane and wherever we have been. We are very thankful for the continued contributions to Bahama Mission, and the special contributions for Haiti. We continue to do the best we can to see that funds are used wisely to reach souls and give relief to suffering.

This past month we have received the latest shipment of Bibles purchased for distribution in the schools. I met with school officials in Abaco and also with the shipping company to make arrangements for handing them out.. We will give the Bibles and study materials in areas where we have congregations, so that we can be available to follow-up and be of service to the students.We spent some time in Marsh Harbour visiting with brethren and being encouraged by the Frank Sarvers and the Jack Stewards. The Stewards left a few days ago and the Sarvers will be going home after 10 weeks in about 10 days. We are thankful for the work done with the Marsh Harbour congregation. The second annual couples dinner was held in the annex building. Dave Collins and Frank Sarver worked hard to add the drop ceiling. The building is not yet complete, but has been used for the past year or so in its unfinished state. We celebrated a number of birthdays in Abaco including Jack Steward, Lilla Strachan, Bea Sarver, and Amy Collins. Dinah and I also visited with "Cony Island" the little 85 year old with the mind of a four year old. She is a delight! Brother Bennaby, the Preacher from the Highbury Park congregation in Nassau, was the guest speaker for their monthly "Bring Your Friend Day." Jason Quashie has asked me to be the speaker on Mother's Day.

We were in Nassau for the funeral of Omar who was the 30 year old brother of Terrance Baker in Abaco. Terrance is a member in Marsh Harbour and also the aircraft mechanic who helps me keep the plane airworthy. Omar was shot, along with his friend at the friends home, in a case of mistaken identity. He left two beautiful children. The man who shot him was a gang member out on bail from 3 other murders. The security at the funeral was tight. Members of the Central Intelligence Division were there with machine guns along with uniformed police to provide a peaceful setting.. There was a gathering of gangs on the street outside the building in a very "unsafe" section of the city. They did everything they could to disrupt the services and also to intimidate those of us who had to walk down the street to get to our cars.

We have been in two meetings this past month. The first was a Leadership Workshop and Meeting in Nassau with Andrew Major and the Central Church. We had a series of special services and meetings with groups as we look to the future and the appointment of Elders and Deacons. Andrew continues to be tireless in his efforts to reach the people of the community. He teaches school, serves on the panel of Judges on the Juvenile Court each Friday, preachers, teaches,has a radio program, tutors young people who are "Latch Key Kids",does personal work, writes tracts, and now is going once a month to Cat Island to be an encouragement to Brother John Deveaux and the congregation in Smith's Bay. He recently baptized Patrick and Lilly Deveaux in Nassau and they have been going with him for the past two months.

We flew back to Florida between storm fronts and arrived safely about 45 minutes before a black storm with hail arrived in West Palm Beach.. We had planned to go back to Abaco for a day or so before coming to start a meeting in Clewiston, Florida where Willie Smith and his wife Giselle work faithfully with this small congregation. The congregation almost dissolved as attendance on Sunday morning dropped to 5 or 6. We have offered to hold meetings the past two years, and they have worked diligently. Last year we had 47 on Sunday morning and this year broke the record at 63. Willie has taught and baptized a number of people including some young couples. This congregation has been a magnet for aid to the work in the Islands. Many people come down in the Winter from congregations in the north to fish on Lake Okeechobee. These churches have helped in the Bahamas and in Haiti more recently. The brethren from Wynne, Arkansas will begin a VBS and meeting with Lincoln Young in Rock Sound ,Eleuthera on the 18th or this month. We met them in Clewiston some years ago. More than 200 attended the services during the week and we hope and pray that much will come from the sharing of the Word.

Many good efforts continue in Haiti. The confirmed death toll among the 20 congregations affected and the 5000 members in the quake zone stands at 196. Efforts are being made to find other members who are missing. The hope is that they are in some of the tent camps. Buildings totally or partially destroyed were:LaMentin, Deimas, Tabarre, Bolosse, Carrefour-Shoudu, Carrefour-Feuille and Petonville. There were eleven others in the Grand Guave area. Almost every Haitian lost members of his or her family. I doubt that the death toll will ever be more than an estimate.( More than a quarter of a million).Thousands of bodies have been buried in mass graves. Teams have been going out from the School of Preaching in Puerto Plata taking food and water and blankets and first aid supplies to the brethren. They are also looking for those missing. There has been a surge of spiritual awakening in Haiti after the quake. The Santos congregation has had 21 baptisms and the LaMentin congregations reports a 150% increase in attendance since the 150 died in the quake. They are meeting outside. Our teams are feeding members and children in many locations.Some of you may remember Roberta Williams and the orphan girls who have been carrying rice to those affected. She is featured this month on the cover of the Christian Woman's Magazine. In addition to these efforts and the help given the Elders at the Highbury Park Church in Nassau as they send supplies to the brethren, we have continued to help Dr. David Vanderpool in his surgery clinics and in doing vaccinations of children to stave off disease.

Thank you again for your support and prayers. Checks can be made out to Bahama Mission Church of Christ and sent:

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

david

Bahama Mission Home Page
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Mission Contact: David Caskey

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http://www.jpickup.com/