St. Lucia

Six visiting brethren — Bro. Joe & Sis. Veronica Badlu, New York, NY; Bro. Ray Arthurs, Jamaica, West Indies; Bro. Peter & Sis. Ann Baynes, UK and Sis. Esther Worrell, Hamilton, Canada — together with Sis. Maudelin December, resident in St. Lucia, participated in preaching activities for the second year in St. Lucia.

We are trying to find the most effective way of communicating God’s word to people in as many areas of the island as possible.

Advance advertising

Last year, we held lectures in the small village of Anse La Raye and did some canvassing in another area, Gros Islet, where our hotel was located. Both the attendance and audience participation in Anse La Raye and contact activities in Gros Islet were encouraging, but we felt that in order to keep a steady flow of contacts, we needed to expand our area of activity. We therefore decided to advertise in the press our booklet “Key to Understanding the Bible” during 1995, prior to our visit, in an attempt to attract people island-wide and secure contacts before actually visiting the island.

We placed one ad in April and another in July, receiving 18 requests for the booklet. We encouraged respondents to follow up with the Bible correspondence course and Glad Tidings magazine. About nine have so far re­quested the Bible correspondence course and magazine. Most of these responses came from Castries, the capital of St. Lucia.

An encouraging prospect

One lady wrote asking us to hold a meeting at her home to which she would invite eight other women — a home Bible study group — and offered to provide us with transportation to and from our hotel. On our arrival, however, she called to apologize for having to cancel this meeting due to the sudden serious illness of her daughter. We were able to visit her at her home twice and on one occasion held a class with her. She then told us that they were planning to send her daughter abroad for treatment. Following the daughter’s departure she would visit us at the hotel.

We arranged a Bible class that evening and she came with two friends. Two other people also attended and they requested the course.

Later, another contact came to visit us. Sis. Maudelin has offered to do some more follow-up with more of our contacts as our time was too short to contact most of them. She also indicated her intention to start a Bible class with some friends of hers. We pray that our Heavenly Father will be with our sister, giving her the strength she will undoubtedly need as she embarks on this challenging project.

Personal development

A very important part of our activity on the island was our own spiritual development through Bible reading and discussion, which we found very stimulating and refreshing. The highlight was our fellowship around the table of our Lord with Maudelin, our sister in isolation. We invited her to spend the week with us at the hotel, which she did, even though she could not get leave from her work. Still, the time spent with her before and after work was mutually beneficial. We are planning to continue this fellowship by keeping in close contact with her.

It is hoped that brethren in planning their vacations will take into consideration those brethren in isolation, who need their support and fellowship. Sis. Maudelin has offered to send information about hotel accommodation to any one wishing to visit the island. Her address is — Ms. Maudelin De­cember, Bocage P.O., Castries, St. Lucia, West Indies. The mail is slow, so one needs to write well ahead of time.

Plans for next year

At present, we are trying to plan next year’s program, subject to the will of our Heavenly Father. We are planning to hire a hall to hold Bible classes next year, God willing, and the lady mentioned above has promised to help us acquire a suitable place.

Our next preaching activity is being planned for November 2-9, 1996, God wiling, following the effort held in Antigua. We are requesting those who are considering joining us in this worthwhile and fulfilling exercise to notify us as early as the end of July to facilitate accommodation arrangements. For further information please write to Bro. Joseph Badlu, 111 Bradford St., Brooklyn, NY 11207 (718)827-4732.

Spiritual lessons from nature

Some friends on the island very kindly took us to the volcanic sulfur springs, a famous tourist attraction in the village of Souffriere. As we looked at the continuously smoking crater located in the midst of the towering mountains around, we could only reflect on the power of the Creator, against which the pride and achievements of man seem so pathetically insignificant, and join with the psalmist in wondering, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?”

St. Lucia is a very beautiful island, very tropical. We are indeed thankful to our Heavenly Father for the blessing He has afforded us in being able to behold His majesty, His beauty and His peace so clearly visible in His creation. May these impressive visual aids also strengthen and propel us toward our goal of helping men and women understand His purpose of further glorifying this earth with His truth and purity.