The 2007 Hurricane Season started early this year with the second Storm coming into Florida on June 1st. Barry was only a tropical storm ( 45 mph winds gusting to 60 mph.) and dropped as much as 6-7 inches of rain on dry parched land. Southern Florida has been on severe water rationing for some time. This helped put out some of the fires and gave the grass and flowers some much needed dampness. As always, we pray to be spared the tough, damaging, life threatening storms of the mid season. One thing I failed to mention last time was the excitement I got at the Pecos, Texas airport. The weather had been warm and I was warned when I arrived to look out for rattlesnakes. I was very careful until the morning we left. I got a call on my cell phone from my sister, just as I walked into the hanger. I walked between the front of the plane and the hanger door. I noticed something move fast near my right leg. The snake was not quite long enough to reach me, but was long enough to give me a good round of strong hard heart beats. The manager of the airport came down with a shovel and we dispatched the angry reptile! This is a good reminder that we must not let our guard down in dealing with the evil that is in the world. Some people love snakes, but I grew up in Africa where a snake never hurt me, but several times made me hurt myself.
We had a short visit in Abaco before flying on to Eleuthera to spend time with Lincoln Young. I changed the oil in the plane and did some minor repairs. We carried his new batteries for the wheelchair. These had been modified for me by Charles Albury in Marsh Harbour (Charles is an long time friend who has a machine and welding shop.) to make them like the old batteries. He cut off the posts from some old batteries, drilled holes through the middle and attached with longer screws. That way, if they change the batteries up again next time, we be set. We had a delightful visit with Lincoln and also went out to a Bahamian Farm with a long time friend. She gave us watermelons, onions, and peppers to share with Lincoln and others. Farming is hard work in the shallow soil and coral rocks. Lincoln has had some work done on his van, and it runs great. I noticed the tight steering the first time I drove it. The van is an 1989 and is a great asset with the ramps for his wheelchair. We continue to appreciate Tony Smith who cares for Lincoln. The group from Wynne, Arkansas will soon arrive for V.B.S. and a week of teaching and encouragement. We plan to visit with them.
Our next stop was to spend several days in Nassau. We had a great visit with Bill Miller and got a lesson in "Traffic Bluffing". Most of the traffic lights in Nassau are still out since the Hurricanes of two and three years ago. This means that you have to bluff out the long lines of heavy traffic coming in all directions. I drove us over to a salad bar, and then let Bill drive back to his house. He is brave and had it not been for the lesson, I might still be sitting at one of the corners. ha We are very impressed with the Highbury Park congregation. They are about to appoint 6 new deacons. The elders and wives have spent a number of weeks in class with the prospective deacons and wives in training and preparing them to serve. The local and outreach works of the congregation are well organized and activities are ongoing every day of the week. The elders are working in restoration of those who have drifted, counseling, prayer and planning meetings. There are weekly activities for women, young people, older folks, marriage fellowship, new converts and even a 6:00 a.m. prayer meeting each Saturday. In addition, groups along with elders travel from time to time to the family Islands to encourage and support newer works. We ask for your prayers for Kevin Beneby as he struggles with health issues. Kevin is one of the evangelists for the Church. Also my good friend Gregory Williams lost his mother last week after she suffered a heart attack. Like all congregations everywhere, they have many health related issues.
While in Nassau I had the opportunity to pick up my new Work Permit. This is like a "Green Card". Being in the Islands for 25 years gives us some perks. Lambert Cambell from Abaco is the new Director of Immigration and Cora Colebrook is the number two lady. ( The director changed recently after some information about how Anna Nicole Smith got her resident permit so quickly and a picture of the then director sitting on the side of her bed giving her a kiss?) Cora is best friends with Greta Culmer in Marsh Harbour. Getting work permits is usually a slow process. You make application along with a medical letter, police report, and letters from the elders at Highbury Park who are registered with the government. This application is made about 8 weeks before the expiration date. It used to take several months to get my one year extension. However, this year I got a three year extension and it was in my hand 6 weeks before the old one expired. Cora smiled as she gave me the permit in her secure office on the top floor and said, " Your are out of our hair until 2010". Like a lot of places, it is not what, but who you know.
We also had time while in Nassau to be treated by dear friends, supporters and special family members from Phoenix. They were in town for a business trip and meeting at "Atlantis Resort". We had rooms given to us for a couple of days and not only enjoyed the visit and rest, but also the surroundings. This is a far cry from where we normally stay as we travel from Island to Island. This resort employs 9000 people and cost more than a Billion Dollars to build.
Father's Day, Loed willing, we are to be in Marsh Harbour speaking, and the following week in Ft. Lauderdale to speak to the West Broward congregation. We had a delightful trip to Ft. Myers where the Gulf Coast Church is our sponsor. They will soon complete their new building which will be a great tool for evangelism. They are overcrowded and cramped at this time. We had opportunity to meet with Humberto Gil and his wife Vickie who are now working with the Hispanic Ministry. They have a very active jail ministry and sponsor a half way house. There is a large group of men who sit together at services from the home. We are thankful to these elders and the staff who are a real encouragement to us and the work. One of the elders and his wife (Fred and Joanne Atkins) plan to come over on the 23rd to be with us in Ft. Lauderdale on the 24th to meet the congregation there and to thank them from their support over the years.
Dinah will make a trip next week to visit with her mom in the St. Louis area. One of the things we miss is being able to see to our mothers more often and to be of assistance to them. My sister and family carry most of the load with my mom, and Dinah has three brothers who live not too far from her mom.
We are thankful for your support and prayers. 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/
