• 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.”

  • The Bahamas
    1985 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses

    • 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.”