The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A US missionary and a team from South Dakota are in Grand Bahama helping with hurricane restoration and have committed to working for the next two years with their fellow churches in the Bahamas.

Rev Patrick Paul, superintendent of Assemblies of God (AOG) for The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Island, was pleased to partner with Dr Dow Warner and his team, which is assisting with the restoration of homes damaged by Hurricane Matthew in October.

The team from Pierre, South Dakota, has helped with the roof repair of Rev Terrence Jones’ house on Nelson Road, in the Mayfield Park Subdivision. 

“We are delighted to have partnered with our friends from the Assemblies of God in the US to help us with restoration following Hurricane Matthew. And they have pledged to work with us for the next two years, sending teams to come in every few months to assist us,” Rev Paul said.

Sherlin Williams, national director of AOG Men’s Ministry of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, said the Men's Ministry was established to help during such devastation. He said Dr Warner and his wife, Cindy, had been to Grand Bahama in 2002 and 2007 on missionary work.

“They have been in China for the past seven years, and we are very appreciative that they have taken the time to come and assist us with our hurricane restoration ... to bring some normalcy back to the island of Grand Bahama,” he said. 

Stafford Symonette, restoration director of AOG, connected with Dr Warner after the hurricane. He was in Jacksonville, Florida, when the category four storm hit Grand Bahama, and could not believe the level of devastation he saw on the television while in the Turks and Caicos.

“I said 'we got to do something' and I got on the phone and began to call and got connected with Dow Warner. And he got to work right away assembling teams from South Dakota to come and assist us, and I want to say how thankful I am to him and his team. It is not a vacation for them. They have been climbing roof and working here. They have come from so far to assist … and are an example for others to follow," he said. 

Dr Warner is the founding director of  Sons of Salvation Christian Missionaries in The Bahamas. He and his wife have also led a seven-year mission to China teaching about Jesus Christ. 

They are no strangers to the Bahamas and said when they heard about the devastation caused by Matthew shortly after returning home to the US from China, they immediately decided to come and help.

“We know Pastor Terrence and the pastors here from our trip in 2002 when we brought over 100 persons to the island to help  with ministering. And so we got as many teams to come and help Pastor Jones here with his roof,” he said.

“We could have stayed in the US but we chose to come and help someone else and we want to share the love of Christ - that is what missionary work is about. I have known Pastor Jones since 2002 in Garden Villas and he is always willing to work with the poorest of poor. So when we heard it was his house that needed repairs, for me, it was a no brainer and we come here to serve him in any way we can,” he said.

He challenged Christians in the Bahamas to get out of their comfort zone and to consider going to China to minister.

Pastor Jones thanked Dr Dow and the team from South Dakota. “It is wonderful what they are doing, and I am so grateful. My heart is filled with joy right now,” he said.