• The Bahamas
    1985 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses

    • Two Canadian brothers, Hall Olson and Albert McBrine, who had come to serve where the need was greater, became the backbone of the construction project. At the same time that the Centreville Kingdom Hall was taking shape, another Kingdom Hall was being constructed on Quakoo Street, on a piece of land donated by Brother and Sister Blackman.

      FURTHER EFFORTS TO REACH THE OUT ISLANDS

      In 1960 Gordon Swisher, who had been the branch overseer up to that time, left to get married, and the Society appointed George Jenkins as his replacement. The following year saw two noteworthy events, the visit of M. G. Henschel in February and the “United Worshipers” District Assembly, July 27-30. The historic site of the convention was the Royal Victoria Hotel, built in 1863 as the first major hotel in the Bahamas. The attendance rose to a peak of 800, far surpassing any previous gathering of the Witnesses in the Bahamas. During Brother Henschel’s visit the matter of doing more to reach the Out Islands with the good news was discussed. In response to the call for serving where the need was greater, Brother and Sister Porter volunteered, and they were assigned to Long Island, Bahamas, where they carried on missionary service for the next 11 years.

      Brother Porter recalls: “To get all the interested people assembled in one location for the meetings on Sundays, we would start early in the morning and drive from where we lived almost to the ends of the island in both directions. By midnight we had driven over 200 miles, but it was worth it. For example, at 72 years of age, grandmother Ritchie, with whom we studied, shocked everyone in her settlement by witnessing boldly to the parish priest. Years later the grandchildren in this family moved to Nassau, took their stand for the truth and today two of the boys are elders.”

      The small congregation that now has its Kingdom Hall at Glintons continues to give the Kingdom witness to the people of Long Island.

  • The Bahamas
    1985 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses

    • “One of the problems in the Bahamas is that of reaching the people that live on the Out Islands, especially on the small out-of-the-way cays. To solve this problem, the brothers put forth diligent efforts, such as they did in August 1966, when six brothers traveled over the open seas 60 miles in two 15-foot outboard motorboats to the small island of Grand Cay, where about 200 people live. It is not known whether anyone had ever visited this island with the message of truth before. The circuit overseer reported: ‘Literature was left in almost every home. The people proved to be very friendly, even offering to lead us to the next house and introduce us.’ On the way back one of the motors stopped and the boat had to be towed, but the brothers felt well rewarded in spite of the danger involved.”

      “A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE”

      Summing up his many years of Kingdom service in these picturesque islands, Brother Van Daalen wrote: “Serving in the Bahamas proved to be a wonderful experience. My wife, Bettyjane, and I found that the people there are friendly, religiously inclined and tolerant. They are willing to spend time discussing the Bible.

      “During the 18 years that my wife and I were in the Bahamas, the Kingdom-preaching work made fine progress because of our heavenly Father’s blessing. Jehovah’s Witnesses are well known in the islands, and many fine brothers and sisters are expending themselves to search out the humble sheeplike ones while there is yet time. We are sure that Jehovah will move the hearts of others to assist where there is need.”

      BROTHERS WITH BOATS RENDER ASSISTANCE

      In the late 1960’s and the early 1970’s brothers from the United States again visited the Bahamas. They worked under the direction of the branch office and used boats to reach the widely scattered islands and cays. Among them were Richard and Ilona Farris and their four children; Eddie and Gary Irons; Jack and Ethel Miller and three children; Joe and Dorothy Miller and two boys; Allen and Betty Doe, and the Walters family. The Farris family went down to the island of Mayaguana, where they were able to assist Susanna Ford and her sister, Angie, to the point of their being baptized. Up to that time the interested people on Mayaguana had been helped by correspondence Bible studies conducted by Sister Fairweather in Nassau. The work in the Bahamas by the Farris family was cut short by the untimely death of Richard Farris. Several years later, however, the remainder of the family was able to return on their boat to Andros to witness on that island with Allen and Betty Doe. The Millers worked at South Andros (later transferring to Grand Bahama), and the Irons at Cat Island.

      Before leaving for the Bahamas, Allen and Betty Doe constructed a trimaran sailboat because its shallow draft was very suitable for the “islands of the shallow sea.” Life was not always easy on a boat. Sometimes the weather would not cooperate. For example, a circuit assembly was scheduled in December 1972 at Marsh Harbour, Abaco. Allen Doe tells us about their trip from Morgan’s Bluff, Andros, to Marsh Harbour, Abaco:

      “The weather started out absolutely beautiful​—sunny with a 10-15 knot breeze from the southeast. Suddenly a black line of clouds appeared in the northwest. The unexpected storm hit with fury. We turned the boat around and headed for a small indentation, called Hole in the Wall, in the shoreline at the southeast corner of Abaco Island. The wind turned to the northeast and increased to at least 50 knots. The waves in the anchorage became eight feet high, pounding the boat mercilessly while we were anchored. At ten that night one of the anchor lines snapped like a piece of string. We were soaked from the waves crashing over the boat. We learned the true meaning of the scripture ‘pray incessantly.’

      “When the morning dawned, we decided to brave the ocean rather than stay in that anchorage. It was good that we did because the only remaining anchor line was almost chafed through. But at first we were not sure that we had made the right decision​—the seas were 30 feet high! The boat rode them well, surfing down the huge seas. Soon we were in the lee of the island and reached a safe harbor at Sandy Point. But we were still 50 miles from the assembly at Marsh Harbour. The roads were flooded from the storm, so we had to wait several days until the water subsided.

      “Then we rode our little motorcycle to the assembly. We had to stop and wade through water up to our knees at least four times before reaching the assembly site on Sunday afternoon​—just in time for the public talk! How happy we were to be with our brothers and sisters and how happy they were to see us, for they had feared that we were lost at sea! Many brothers were not able to attend, but, thankfully, no brothers were injured or killed.”

      THE LARGEST ISLAND

      Andros is the giant of the Bahamas, being over 40 miles wide and 100 miles long. From 1950 onward special pioneers have done much good in preaching to the humble people of this island. For several years, following up the fine work of Jack Miller and his family, the southern part of Andros was the assignment for a group of pioneers that, at various times, included Yvonne Dean, Shirley Corsey, Donna Schorer and Debbie Sands. Sister Sands had been preparing to join a convent as a nun when she learned the truth through her brother. Although very young, she exhibited the same zeal for true worship that she had shown in her former religion. Through the combined efforts of these pioneers many have learned the truth, but they have generally moved to other areas. Today there are scattered pockets of publishers along the length of the eastern shore.

      REACHING BIMINI WITH THE GOOD NEWS

      East of Miami, in the Straits of Florida, is the island group of Bimini. Though the brothers on the Sibia preached to the people there, how did those people receive a witness in more recent times? A group of brothers from the Fort Lauderdale area used an airplane to travel back and forth to the island to carry on the ministry there. Brother Dean Tarbert rented and flew the plane. Though no congregation was formed, the people received a thorough witness, and interest was found. It just awaits further watering, and Jehovah will make it grow.