It is Sunday, May 13. Happy Mother's Day. This celebration is no less substantial in the Bahamas than it is in West Tennessee. And rightly so. At Wesley Methodist Church in James Cistern, the worship was centered on a celebration of Mothers. So much so that all the men, including first time visitors, were seated (escorted) up front on the chancel as an all men's choir for the women.

I spent the day Friday with Gene Zimmerman making a few more introductions. Specifically, I spent several hours at Spanish Wells meeting members of that congregation. Our earlier conversations had indicated that there would be little opportunity at this time to work with the Spanish Wells Methodist Church. So, I was a bit surprised when Gene said that he had scheduled an appointment for me to meet the “Pulpit Committee.” That would be Dr. Phil Pinder.

We met Phil at his office at the church while he was preparing worship for Sunday. We had a very enjoyable conversation, that seems to have made a favorable impression. Phil is arranging an opportunity for me to lead one of their Tuesday evening prayer meetings. This would be very familiar to those of you who have attended Wednesday evening prayer meetings in Southern Protestant churches. He assured me there would be an opportunity for me to “speak” to the congregation. There is also a possible opportunity to lead Sunday worship at the end of June. I believe that these connections will give us the chance to discern the nature of this opportunity.

I invite your prayers for my connection to Spanish Wells. As I told Phil, it is important that my work be undertaken in response to God's invitation. It is the clarity of that invitation that I desire.

Friday evening brought me to Bahamas Methodist Habitat's Camp Symonette in James Cistern. I will be working here at BMH for a couple of weeks. This is also a change in sequence, because Osbourne Weech has taken his wife to Florida for medical treatment. He will not be on site at Zion Children's Home for two weeks. I expect to join him at Current at that time.

Saturday was a day of settling into things here. Finding my way around James Cistern, I even got to watch the local softball team in action. BMH has provided me a comfortable room that is not a dormitory space. The room even has its own shower. Little matter that the shower is outdoors. These accommodations are wonderfully sufficient. And I will have the blessing of living as a part of the BMH community during these two weeks.

I am well settled, and I begin work on the electrical service change and rewiring project Monday.

Grace and peace,