In the wake of Hurricane Matthew’s devastation, there remains much work to do in cleaning up our neighbourhoods and repairing damaged homes. The resources required for this cleanup and rebuild is beyond the ability of many. Thankfully, there are churches, missions, and businesses that are eager to help.

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Kirk has focused much of her mission efforts in the last decade on the neighbouring community of Bain & Grant’s Town. We’ve provided after school tutoring, summer Bible camps, and we regularly distribute groceries to persons in need. Every August, the Kirk partners with McDonald’s to provide school bags and supplies to children in the community as they prepare to return to school. At Christmas, the Kirk partners with McDonald’s and Sandals Foundation to provide a luncheon, with presents for all of the children in attendance.

In these final weeks of 2016 the Kirk is working to help our neighbours repair their homes.

King Solomon once wrote: “Whoever brings blessings will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered” (Prov. 11:25).

Rev. Bryn MacPhail, St. Andrews Presbyterian Kirk, right, with Omar Newton, the church sexton, who is helping to distribute building supplies donated by friends of the Kirk, including Sandals Foundation, and three churches in the U.S. following the passage of Hurricane Matthew. The historic church in Bain & Grant’s Town has a long-standing relationship with community residents in the heart of old Nassau.

As we made preparations to “bring blessings” to Bain & Grant’s Town residents, we found ourselves being “watered” by others. Sandals Foundation stepped up in a huge way to help us procure building supplies. This assistance was then generously augmented by ministry partners in the U.S.—“Mission To The World” (mtw.org), Kempsville Presbyterian Church (Virginia Beach, VA), and Church Of The Lakes (Land O’ Lakes, FL).

The generosity of our partner ministries has multiplied our capacity to “water” others. By the time we reach 2017, we expect that we will have offered meaningful assistance to approximately 30 homes in the community. We count it a privilege to be positioned to love our neighbours in such practical ways. We do this as representatives of our Lord Jesus Christ with a desire to honour His name—especially during this Christmas Season.

Rev. Bryn MacPhail