UK team blog: Farewell to All Saints and AIDS Secretariat

Saturday, 16 August 2008

Farewell to All Saints and AIDS Secretariat

Thursday 14th August
We all met up for our last visit to All Saints HIV/AIDS community, which was quite moving for a number of the team. Most of the team visited a number of the community and were really moved by their stories and huge amounts of faith regardless of the situation they now found themselves in. We thank God for Miss Moxey, Lillian, Lofton, Garvin, Sophie and many other members of the community.
We then had a quick lunch and went down to see the AIDS secretatiat. She gave us a very informative presentation about the situation of HIV/AIDS in the Bahamas. It was shocking to think that 3% of the population are infected with either HIV or AIDS. As of december 2007 11,200 people were known to be living with HIV/AIDS in the Bahamas. A positive statistic is that only 4 babies have been born infected in the last year. Which just shows the work that the Secretariat is doing, pushing regular testing and education about the disease.

We had another tasty meal at Wesley - please dont think any of us will be coming back thinner I dont think anyone will allow us to!
Ruthy

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Prayer Requests

We give thanks for our marvellous hosts here in Grand Bahama and for Timothy our main minibus driver. Please pray for the teachers, Principal and children of St Paul's Methodist College as they prepare for the return to scholl next week. Please pray for the Old Folks at the Home we will visit tomorrow. PLease also pray for our preparations for the Sunday services.
We give thanks for the hospitality and love that we have been given here in Andros. We give thanks for our generous home stay hosts and families. We pray a special blessing on all those we have touched in our time here, especially Sister Verne and family, Donna & Mary, the children at the Vacation Bible School, the young people of Andros, Revs Mark & Stacia, Sister Terese, Mary & Rose who ran craft lessons for us and especially Johnte. We give thanks for the good GCSE results for Katy, Caitlin and Rae and pray for Tim & Chris who have decided to wait for their results until they get home. We pray for our last day in Andros and for travelling mercies as we fly to Grand Bahama.
Please pray for all those who are receiving their GCSE results today -which is about half the team!, and those who are back home who are also getting the results today. Pray that whatever results the team receive they are content with their performance and that Gods Spirit is with them in whatever their response. We also ask that you pray for those back home who could not come with us. We pray that they are content with their decision and pray that God is with them through the tough times and through thier day to day lives.
Please pray for Sister Verne Duvalier and her grand children. Please also pray for our outreach work. And the Vacation Bible School that many children come and hear the word of God. We give thanks for the opportunities for outreach and our brilliant homestays and the huge welcome from the local people. We also ask for prayer for storm Fay, pray it doesn't turn into a hurricane, we pray for the people in Florida and Miami who will probably be affected. We also pray for the families of those killed in a bus crash in Haiti. We give thanks that the tropical storm is not affecting the Islands we are on. Please hold the team in your prayers as some are still homesick and feeling slightly tired. We ask you pray for the holy spirit to come and sustain us through the tiredness and the heat.
A Prayer used at this mornings worship - God of Love, we have come here tody for a family reunion! We know that we are sisters and brothers in Christ. Each of us is your precious child. And yet there is division in this family. There is sibling rivalry, old resentments, new irritations. We are quick to anger, slow to forgive. We would rather choose our relatives, than acknowledge the all-inclusive nature of your family. Open our hearts to your love, and show us the way of reconciliation. Teach us to see each brother and sister with your eyes. Help us claim our heritage as your own children, and live together in unity as yout family. Pray this with our Bahamian brothers and sisters and each other. The world church and beyond.