We had the opportunity to partner with people going to the Bahamas to work on the only camping facilities for this island nation. The entire camp had been destroyed by a hurricane with many buildings being leveled or moved miles from their original locations.
The buildings were up but needed some finishing work done. We painted, hung doors, installed electrical socket covers, poured concrete pallets, installed soffit, put shingles on the gazebo and took care of other details. After a long day of work, it was sometimes hard to see what was accomplished but the finishing work is as important as putting up more visible aspects of the building like the walls or roofs. After all, everyone appreciates having a door to close when they go to their dorm at night or go to the stall in the bathroom.
While a missions trip to the Bahamas sounds like a vacation, it was rather difficult. All day we worked hard in the heat with a pristine beach calling our names about 50 yards from where we labored. In the afternoons, there were kids playing the water, laughing and having a good time, making the temptation to drop the work and hit the beach even stronger. Fortunately, the team got to enjoy the beach and the crystal clear waters for a couple of hours in the evenings.
The camp directors cooked the meals for us on most days. One evening, we had raw conch, right out of the shell. Most everyone agreed the conch was better deep fried instead of raw.
On Sunday, we left Abaco Island for Hope Island to attend a church service. The people were very friendly on this little island. Hope Island is home to one of the most beautiful beaches around and has a big lighthouse we got to explore.
Toward the end of the stay, the group took a day to go out on a boat and enjoy some snorkeling. The visibility was 50 feet or more under the warm water. That night we went out to eat at a local restaurant and listened to some local musicians playing caribbean music.
