Bahama Mission Update - July 22, 2003

Bahama Mission Update
July 22, 2003

The 33rd Annual Caribbean Lectureship is now history. The Theme, "God's People In A Troubled World", yielded great lessons and encouraging fellowship and worship.

Personal Reflections:
33 years ago when I brought the first group from America to Jamaica for the Lectureship, and when Ken Dye put it together, there was no thought of it making such an impact. I remember that the audience was about 98% American. This year it was 98% plus Island people.

700 people packed into the Highbury Park church building in Nassau Sunday morning, and more were on the outside and in the back. The four congregations in Nassau worked together as one to be the hosts this year. In a rented hall across the street, the ladies fed more than 800 people a great feast. The logistics of lodging and transportation were overwhelming, but if there was a problem it did not show up. Monday night there were 506 present at the hotel.

The singing was something you had to hear to appreciate. Willard Maytubby from St. Louis and Thaddeus Bruno from St. Thomas anchored the leading with several others helping. A spirit of love prevailed, there was not even a hint of discord!

Lincoln Young was eloquent in his Welcome to the Bahamas on Sunday night. Spending time with Benny and Peggy Morton whose roots go back several generations in Eleuthera, and the man who baptized Bill Miller more than 50 year ago was a treat.

I was shocked and taken aback by the award that was presented to me on the closing night.. It causes us to reflect that men often get the credit for that which they could not do alone. Dinah and I work together as a team. Her contributions include: washing and ironing our clothes, acking and loading the plane, flying sometimes when I have to study or need a short nap, writing hundreds of cards and thank you notes, sewing new tops for the plane, collecting supplies for the congregations, teaching, cooking for guests, keeping contact with our families back home, and on and on and on! The preachers usually get the credit, but without our wives we would never accomplish the task!

The closing night was exciting as we sang and prayed together ready to depart on the morrow. Two of the preachers from Cuba led the closing prayer. One in Spanish and the other in English. For years we prayed that men from Cuba could join us in the free world at the Lectureship. The Lord willing the 35th Caribbean Lectureship will be conducted in Havana! Next year it will in in St. Thomas. Contact Thaddeus Bruno at diamond@viaccess.net.

While many of us went back to our various works, Thaddeus Bruno stayed on to hold a meeting at Highbury Park. Many others stayed to give support and enjoy the time of study and song.

We flew back to Abaco on Thursday and prepared for three families to visit in Marsh Harbour. Jason and Katrinka hosted an elder from Richardson,Texas, and Dinah and I enjoyed friends from Tennessee. All of us were together at a meal on Thursday night prepared by the ladies of the congregation and hosted in the home of Greta Culmer. Brethren in Abaco treat us better than we deserve. Ladies invited us to meals and brought us fruit, fish, and avacadoes. I continue to hold clinics and was amused to have an Italian Count as a patient. His wife drove him down from Treasure Cay about 25 miles away. He spoke no English and had a hard time understanding that his treatment was free. He was even more perplexed when I refused the wine he wanted to give me in payment.. Finally he asked me to take a contribution for the Church. We were both satisified with that.

Dinah and I will soon be going down to Eleuthera for a part of the VBS with brethren from Wynne, Arkansas. (Louise Ganus reminded me that Wynne has an "e" on the end of it. She used to teach there. I am sure that the folks from Wynne will be happy to see it spelled correctly.) We enjoyed visiting with Dr. Cliff and LouiseGanus during the Lectureship. Harding University has played a vital roll in the development of leadership in the Bahamas.

We will then be going to Cat Island, then Long Island and on to Exuma to carry some supplies to Steve and Suzette McQueen who will move there to start the Church in about two weeks. Steve is being overseen by the Church in Ringold Georgia. We are thankful to them and to Mike Gurganus for all of the work and sacrifice they have made to reach this exciting point. If you are interested in helping with the establishment of the new congregation in George Town, contact Mike at gurganus@catt.com.

Jason and Katrinka continue to work hard and make progress with the congregation in Abaco. Jason will soon begin the Sunset School in Marsh Harbour, He has 37 students studying World Bible School in a small settlement of Crossing Rocks, and announced Sunday that he had enrolled 20 more. Jason along with members in Marsh Harbour drive down the coast when a group finishes a course and present them with certificates.

We will soon get a big Bible order sent off. We are surveying the numbers needed in the various Islands at this time. Keep praying for us as we watch to the East and pray that the Hurricanes will miss us again this year.

Thank you for your support and prayers.

david

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

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