The Hurricane Season of 2005 has been a year to remember in both the Islands and parts of Central America and the United States. We are thankful it is over, and hope next year will spare us the constant threats and damage.
The Church in Freeport is getting back near normal after a long haul of helping those who were wiped out in the five settlements of Grand Bahama Island by the 15 foot tidal surge. There were 1500 homes either destroyed or made uninhabitable. At times they were feeding hot meals to 600 people a day. They were assisted by congregations in the Bahamas in buying food and supplying cooks. The homeless have now been housed in a hotel that was destroyed last year in the Hurricanes, but is back up and habitable. The government gave the Church in Freeport a lot of praise for the work they did. Freeport hosted the Annual Mission Day again in spite of all of the work being done with the victims. Lincoln Young was the key-note speaker this year.
With funds provided by Whites Ferry Road via Don Yelton, Dinah and I were able to help a number of families after Wilma in both the Islands and in Florida. We are thankful for this great program and the assistance we have received over the years. Help was also sent by Healing Hands International in Nashville, directly to the congregations in the Islands. Florida was harder hit in places this year, than in all of the storms of 2004. The brethren in the Bahamas also assisted the victims in Mississippi and Louisiana. We are very proud of their outreach.
We have been very busy delivering Bibles and World Bible School Materials to the various Islands. When storms hit and people have their lives turned upside down, they seek food, shelter, water, and then want a Bible. We continue to be thankful to the young people at Longmire Road in Conroe, Texas for their deep commitment to buying Bibles for the Islands. To date they have raised $6000. We are also thankful to Sandy and Fran Haney for the new large box of WBS introductory lessons, and the work done in making grading keys for all of the congregations in the Bahamas. We continue to hand out and personally collect these lessons, grade them locally and furnish diplomas while setting personal studies. The mail system in the Islands is not conducive to mailing lessons back to the United States for grading. This is faster and much more personal. It is a delight to attend services in the various Islands and see visitors and members showing up with a completed lesson to hand to the preacher for grading. A number of baptisms have resulted from this outreach, and it continues to grow. Sister Ruby Rolle a teacher in Abaco has enrolled about 75 of her high school students already. Steve McQueen and Jason Quashie stay busy along with their helpers grading the lessons.
Dinah and I were invited to the Highbury Park congregation for a special Sunday on the 4th of this month. This was their Annual Honors Day. I spoke twice, and after services they had a special ceremony honoring some 13 of us. I was given the Bahamas Fellowship Award. This large beautiful plaque depicted me along with an aircraft and honored us for almost a quarter of a century of work in the Islands as the "Flying Preacher". Dinah escorted me down the aisle and was given a bundle of yellow roses. We were all treated to a fine meal under a tent after the long activities of the day. Most of the others honored were among the first members at Highbury Park, even before they moved to their present location. Many of them had been children or early members. They had in addition to their regular contribution, a special second contribution for the victims of Hurricane Wilma. More than $4600 was given in the special. We left the congregation a case of nice Bibles to use with their new converts.
When we arrived at the FBO (Fixed Base Operations) at the Nassau Airport, we met the Prime Minister arriving for a flight of his own. Dinah had gone to the restroom while I talked with the Honorable Perry Christy. When Dinah returned, he spoke to her, and about that time a worker at the airport came up and bowed and said, "Good Morning Your Lordship". This title is reserved for a Supreme Court Justice, but the little fellow was trying. The Prime Minister spoke to him and he along with his entourage left. Dinah looked at me and said, "Who was that?" When I told, her, she said she figured he was pretty important to have such a nice suit and be addressed as "Your Lordship"!
This past week was dead battery week for Dinah and me. We got in the plane on Monday morning in Nassau to fly to Exuma and the battery was completely dead. I carry a jumper battery with me and have for 5 years. This was the first time it had been used. Now I know why I carry it. I have since replaced the battery with a new one. When we got back to Abaco a few days later, we used the jumper again with the dead battery in our little car.
The work in Exuma is going well. We delivered WBS study materials and Bibles to Steve and Suzette and had a delighted fish lunch. We have sent a Van from Abaco to be used in their work. It has arrived and is a great help to them. We obtained another van to use in Abaco for our work and for visitors who come to help. Steve had a small Honda that was just big enough for his family. Now he can assist in picking up others. The attendance is up to around 15 now in this new work. One of our greatest needs is to have a place of our own to worship. We keep getting moved around and out with the space provided by the Research Center. Brethren in Georgia have sent a 40 foot container of School Books that are being distributed to schools all over the Islands. These gifts go a long way in opening doors as we establish new congregations. Steve has just published a very fine book, entitle "You Can I Know You Can". I was privileged to write the Forward some months ago. If you would like a copy, it can be ordered on line http://www.trafford.com/05-0316. I think you will enjoy the book and be encouraged by the maturity of our Island preachers.
We flew on down to Long Island to visit with the brethren and give Dinah a chance to rest. She has been suffering from bronchitis for about two weeks. She has taken antibiotics and many kinds of cough potions as well as some "bush medicine" concocted by the various ladies in the congregations. After drinking down some tea made from the Serisee bush, she said, no more! "Next time I need that stuff just take me to the grave yard." She held her nose to take another, and kept holding it, I asked how long she was going to hold her nose. She replied, "Three years". She is some better now, but not back to normal. The brethren changed the day of their Bible Study, so we could be there and speak. They are a wonderful group and McDonald and Judy Burrows are doing a good job. We met some new converts this trip.
The next stop was Cat Island and the Deveaux family. They are aging and the Island continues to be depleted as young people move away to find jobs. A lot of the older ones who have been working in Nassau are coming home and building houses for retirement. John is almost blind with glaucoma. They have new windows in the building a fresh coat of paint.
Lincoln was glad to see us. He is awaiting the arrival of his handicap van. The docks and small boats that deliver freight are overloaded this time of the year, and because of the Hurricanes. We hope it will arrive soon. This van will be a great help to him, as he can drive his wheelchair up the ramps and travel to other parts of the Island. He was expecting his Mom and some family to come over for the holidays. His batteries are also getting very weak and have to be recharged several times a day. I have just ordered two new ones to take on our next trip.
Back in Abaco for a few days, I did some catch up, and spoke at Bible Class and evening worship. The crowds were good and the regular contribution was $1400. This is in addition to a special Hurricane Victims fund they have ongoing. The goal is $2000 and to date they have given almost $1300. Jason and Katrinka are doing a very good job. They recently had Joe Holland and wife from Palm Beach Lakes spend a week with them in teaching and encouraging. This congregation is involved in assisting in many ways.
Benny and Peggy Morton have continued to assist in the work. Many of you will remember that Benny came from Eleuthera and was the man who baptized Bill Miller. He has been doing fill in preaching around the Detroit area, and the Lincoln Park congregation as set up a fund into which he puts what ever he is given. He must be doing some good preaching as he has recently made very generous contributions to several places in the Islands.
Dinah and I wish each of you a very Happy Holiday Season. We took take a couple of days and watch our grand daughter open gifts. We miss being with family.
Thank you for your prayers and contributions. Checks can be made to Bahama Mission Church of Christ, and sent:
Att: David Caskey-Mission, c/o Gulf Coast Church of Christ
3825 McGregor Blvd.
Ft. Myers, Florida 33901.
david
Bahama Mission Home Page
http://www.flyingpreacher.com/
Mission Contact
David Caskey
Webmaster
Jerry Pickup
http://www.jpickup.com/
