Bahama Mission Update - October 17, 2003

Bahama Mission Update
October 17, 2003

Our schedule has been almost frantic for the past few weeks. When we last wrote we were waiting for clear weather between the two storms that were threatening the Bahamas and Florida.We strive to speak to each of our supporting congregation once a year. We believe that it is important that the brethren who support the work have opportunity to know first hand of the progress. Acts 14:26-28 sets the example.

We got off a day late and skirted the stormy weather in the Gulf and flew to Houston via Dothan, Alabama. The next day we flew to Rockport, Texas. We had a delightful visit with the brethren and have recruited one of the elders and his wife to come and help us in the Bahamas much as the Frank Sarvers have been doing for years. John and Gay Muery are recently retired and have their youngest boys in University. They plan to make a survey trip in February and choose a place for future sojourns. Our next stop was Pecos, Texas where we were invited to hold a meeting. We had a delightful reunion with these brethren. Two nights of the meeting I spoke on the Bible and Homosexuality and The Christian and Political Correctness. I spoke twice on local radio and was the guest on a local talk show. The host asked about the topics, and after explaining why we were teaching on this subject, I expected some dissenters at the evening services. Instead, we had visitors from a denominational church that has been much publicized for its stand in favor of homosexuality! They were delighted that someone was taking a Bible stand.

These were some topics we had used in some of our National radio broadcasts in the Bahamas. These were well received and prompted a lot of favorable comments from high ranking government officials. There has been a move to legalize same sex marriage in the Bahamas. We are still getting requests for the tapes and last week I was asked by the owner of the radio station in Abaco if he could replay them as a public service. We had a great Sunday with the Church in Desdemona, Texas. They and the Church in San Augustine have both started having an afternoon service. The ladies in Desdemona prepared a meal at the Civic Center, and both town's folk and surrounding congregations were invited. The Center was full for the afternoon service, and we had a number of visiting families in addition to brethren from sister congregations. It offered a great opportunity for evangelism.

Other congregations visited included Longmire Road in Conroe, Crosby, Texas, Monroe, La. and Bedford just south of Shelbyville TN. In all we flew 4000 miles and spoke and had meetings 37 times. We did get to see our 5 month old granddaughter in Tn. and visited with my mother in Arlington, Texas.

One interesting note was a visit with George Davis in a nursing home in Farmerville, La. Our dear friend Stance Savage in Monroe not only opened her home to us, but guided us into Union Parish to find Mr. Davis. He was a great friend of Dinah's Dad. Dr. Charles Zeigler died when Dinah was just 10 years old. In our conversation with George we learned of a common religious heritage that was shared with Dinah's dad. Mr. Davis, Dr. Zeigler and another doctor had plans to start a congregation in O'Fallon, Illinois. Dr. Zeigler died before it became a reality. It is a small world indeed. Dinah was delighted to learn some things about her Dad that she did not know.

We arrived back in Florida and flew on out to the Bahamas to be in Marsh Harbour while Jason and Katrinka took a group of young people to a youth meeting in Freeport and Jason also spoke at the men's retreat. I noticed a small drop in oil pressure on the plane on the way over, and spent spare time trying to resolve the problem. It was better when we flew the next time, but I was still not satisfied. Finally we found a small piece of carbon under the ball and spring in the oil pressure valve. When I got it corrected, the plane would not start. It needed a new battery. There is always something. I have always said, " If it does not seem right it is not".

We are delighted to announce that a gift of $11000 has been offered by a congregation in central Florida to purchase the steel for the new classroom building to be constructed on the prepared slab for the congregation in Abaco. This Sunday we speak in Ft. Lauderdale. The West Broward congregation will be taking up a special contribution to assist with this project. There is still shipping and customs duty to pay on the steel and then blocks and cement to build the walls. The Abaco congregation plans to furnish the labour. The $11000 commitment was made conditioned upon our being able to raise the additional funds needed to ship it. We will keep you informed of progress. We are working on the plans and will soon get them submitted for approval of a building permit.

The brethren in Nassau have been having great success working one week-end a month in Cat Island. They have already had one baptism and one restoration. They are being well received by the people of the Island and crowds continue to grow. We are thankful to them and to the Deveaux family for the dedication and hard work.

Lincoln Young reports a number of deaths in Eleuthera, some violent! He is concerned about the fact that young people on these family islands have little to do that is wholesome. We are also aware of 5 young men who have disappeared in Grand Bahama Island. Nothing has been heard from them in spite of an $80,000 reward offered. These things point to the need to provide a knowledge of Christ and Him Crucified to all men everywhere.We are now ready to begin some Friday evening programs for young people in Rock Sound at the building.

Dinah and I will soon be going down to Cat, Long and Exuma Islands to deliver study supplies. We are thrilled that in the High School in northern Abaco, 15 students of Sister Ruby Rolle are now enrolled in the WBS Acts course. The Word of the Lord will not return unto him void! We have just about finished our survey on the number of Bibles needed in all islands, and will be putting in a large order from our special contribution given for this purpose.

Keep us in your prayers as we do you.

david

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