Bahama Mission
October to December 2001
I have some concerns that many of you may not be getting the regular e-mail
reports that we send out as often as every two weeks. These are available on
our web page at http://www.flyingpreacher.com. We appreciate the work being done
by Jerry Pickup in keeping this web page current. If you have an e-mail
address, or a friend can get the reports for you, we will be most happy to
add you to the list. You can reach our e-mail at david@flyingpreacher.com.
We strive to keep you well informed of all activities and progress in the
work that we do together. These mailed reports are sent by Gulf Coast and
will include a financial report.
Since our last formal report we are back flying with some restrictions. We
are still convinced that we must go ahead and get our Instrument rating, as
that will allow us to keep flying if we have more attacks on the United
States. We have been able to get many of the stock piled materials to the
Islands, and will be hauling the last load on our next trip.
The Sarvers have been in Abaco since the first of the year helping with the
Church in Marsh Harbour and the Stewards are to arrive on Friday. We are
thankful for all the assistance we can get. We have been able to get one
family who left with the last preacher back to services and are working on
two more. The Sarvers have done the bulk of the effort, and I had the
opportunity to go with Frank on two evenings before and after a trip to
other Islands.
Progress is being made by Lincoln Young and the church in Eleuthera on their
building. The old structure had many cracks and a lot of plaster has been
replaced. Doors have been added and changed and the handicap shower for
Lincoln is finally draining well. The Longmire Road Church in Conroe gave
$3500 to finish the electric work, buy lumber for us to build the pews and
to buy the paint. We have several groups coming to help with the labor and
do a VBS and some evangelistic work. We will soon begin the showing of Bible
videos on Friday nights in an effort to bring in people and set studies.
Long Island had begun work on the restrooms. We are thankful to Bogin and
Carolyn Smith for the $6000 donation to this effort. The restroom was
needed, but also now demanded by the government for all buildings with
public meetings. There are several new faces at the services and we have
plans for some public meetings as soon as the construction is completed.
Dinah and I spoke at one of the schools in Cat Island last week and enjoyed
a lovely meal with the teachers. I have been invited to speak next Fathers
Day to an Island wide celebration. We are still working to get some of our
Bahamian brethren to move to several Islands to live and work with the small
churches. Our big city Churches in Nassau and Freeport are doing well. The
little congregations out in the Family Islands struggle because of the
movement of young people to the city for jobs and the aging of the older
members. This sounds much like rural congregations in the United States. We
continue to work with and encourage these churches while we wait for those
who have moved to work in the city to retire and return home to the houses
they have been building.
Many studies are being conducted in the various congregations and baptisms
are taking place each week. We rejoice in this. I have just completed a
series of radio tapes for the program supported by the Freeport church and
will be making a series of devotional tapes for the Abaco area sponsored by
Abaco Wholesale Grocery. Radio is still a very viable means of communication
in the Islands. They do have satellite TV in some areas, but radio is still
the best means of inter-island communication.
Bill Miller reports that last Sunday the new American Ambassador to the
Bahamas attended services at Highbury Park in Nassau. They had good
attendance that day with more than 300 present. The Ambassador spoke for
about 10 minutes after the service and he and his wife stayed for about 30
minutes to meet everyone.
The building in San Salvador is now complete except for some plumbing. The
congregations in the Bahamas are sending a preacher down every two weeks to
work with this young congregation. Mike Gurganus plans to be in Exuama next
month to speak in the schools and plan a special effort this summer with
university students to start a congregation in Georgetown, Exuma. We hope to
meet him there to encourage this effort.
Last Sunday we had a funny thing happen that shows we do not always
communicate our intentions. A cute little boy dressed in three-piece suit
was bouncing off the walls at services. I later learned that he had taken
some asthma medicine that affected his behavior. I was trying to hold him
still and keep him from talking. Finally I told him that if he did not sit
still and be quiet that I would have to take him outside. His immediate
reply, "Let's go". I was sure he did not understand what I meant by go
outside!
Thank you for your prayers and continued support to the efforts to bring
Christ to the lost souls of the Islands. Due to the economy in the United
States, we have lost some support, while several others have made some
special contributions and increased monthly contributions. We have faith
that God will bless what we do together in his cause.
Checks can be made to:
Bahama Mission Church of Christ and sent:
Attn: David Caskey Missions
Gulf Coast
Church of Christ
3825 McGregor Blvd.
Ft. Myers, Florida 33901
If you need additional information about the work in
the Bahamas, please feel free to write to the above address, or refer to our
web page.
david
