There have been numerous articles about preaching and ecclesial activities in St. Lucia in recent years in The Bible Missionary. It is difficult therefore to tell you anything new that hasn’t been said or written already. Those who have been to St Lucia will know that it is a place of contrasting geography, sandy beaches, volcanic mountains and tropical rainforests - which all combine to make it a magnet for explorers and tourists alike. Such diversity is mirrored in the response to the truth across the island. The ecclesia is still in its infancy and has only 12 active members, but under the guidance of fairly frequent visits from Canadian missionaries and the blessing of our Heavenly Father, the truth has taken root and started to flourish. The list of contacts is long, but the quality varies. There are many people who claim to be religious and many discussions have been had with those who belong to different denominations (7th Day Adventists, Catholics and Pentecostals), but the harsh reality is that true Bible understanding is hard to come by and it may be some time before any of these are ready for baptism.

Sister Emma and I have been privileged to undertake a long-stay missionary visit to St Lucia at the request of CBMC. Inevitably long-stay visits, whilst useful, bring with them different trials and challenges to those of shorter trips or campaigns. One can forego many of the things we enjoy at home for a few weeks, but when faced with the prospect of 12 months away, some aspects of home need to be transferred. It has been necessary to find a place to live, which in turn has meant sorting out utilities, opening a bank account in order to pay bills. Our proximity to the town and the distances we travel mean that a vehicle is more practical than using local transport, but then one must encounter the obstacles of insurance, inspection and taxation! This might be a former colony, but its love of ‘red-tape’ knows no bounds! All of these things may not seem like mission work (and in a sense they are not), but they are required in order to meet the laws of the country and to enable us to live here for a year.

The ecclesia now meets at our house on Sunday for the breaking of bread and this is followed by a Bible Class study, separated by a short refreshment break. The former mid-week Bible Class had an average attendance of 3 (including ourselves!) and many members struggled to attend in the evening for various reasons, so we have switched to a Sunday afternoon which means that most people stay on and benefit from a study which they would not otherwise have heard.

As far as future plans are concerned, we hope to consolidate the existing contact base and have more in-depth classes for those who are particularly keen to learn the truth. We also hope to start a Sunday School, God willing. There are 5 children presently who belong to members of the ecclesia, but we believe this could grow significantly if we can find a suitable location to hold a class. Materials have been kindly supplied and sent by the “Christadelphian Save the Children Fund” (CSTCF) organization in London, Ontario, Canada. These supplies are of high quality and of a wide variety, and will be a real boost to our Sunday School initiative. We also hope to be able to spend time with the local brothers and sisters in order to increase their knowledge, their sense of fellowship and their competence to carry out ecclesial duties. We pray God’s blessing on all our efforts and upon the work in this island.

Submitted by Sis. Jan
CBMA/CBMC Publicity