Bridget Kelly, a mother to three girls who are all afflicted with sickle cell disease, couldn't have asked for a better Mother's Day present. Baha Mar hosted the mother and her three daughters Santrinique (Bria), 19; Brinae, 16; and Brianna, 12, to an all-expenses-paid stay at the resort, which Kelly, the director of youth ministry at Cousin McPhee Cathedral, said was a "blessing".
In celebration of Mother's Day, Baha Mar honored the selfless and dedicated nature of motherhood by inviting extraordinary mothers from nearby churches to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime, all-expenses-paid stay at Baha Mar.
To select the individuals, Baha Mar reached out to local parishes and asked each church community to elect one mother who was especially deserving of luxurious pampering and a weekend of relaxation at the resort. The individuals were invited for stays at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar.
Calpurnia Fernander, the wife of Christian Council President Bishop Delton Fernander, senior pastor at New Destiny Baptist Church, was nominated from New Destiny. Ruth Demeritte, Grace Community Church; Eloise Armbrister, St. Agnes Anglican Church; Delores Hanna Forbes, Church of God of Prophecy; and Daphne Miller, Assemblies of God Bahamas, along with Kelly, were all selected by their respective churches to receive the invitation.
Kelly was the first of the six women to redeem her Baha Mar invitation, which included a two-night stay, all meals and spa treatments.
"I felt real special for the nomination," said Kelly, who is an active church member. She is described as an inspiring mother who never complains and continues to serve her parish while battling her daughters' illnesses.
"My pastor thought I needed a break. When he called me and asked me if I didn't mind him nominating me, I said 'Right now. I need it'. Earlier this year, my eldest had to be airlifted to hospital in the [United States], and the second one had to be admitted two weeks later. My life is up and down. My pastor asked if my girls could come with me because they are all sicklers, and Baha Mar said yes. Baha Mar was the best Mother's Day gift for me. It was a wonderful thing they did. I commend them. It was really good, and I hope they do some more reaching out," said Kelly.
Kelly was taken on a tour of the property before being left to her own devices with her girls, and said she found the property spectacular.
There were two things she found most memorable -- the bathroom setup and the poolside cabana, both of which she said were "awesome".
Kelly was able to lounge in a bubble bath and enjoy the ocean view from the bathroom. She said, in the pool cabanas, she was able to push a button and a waterfall with soothing rain sounds began, a feature she found soothing enough to put her to sleep.
While she had spa services at her disposal, Kelly, unfortunately, wasn't able to take advantage of them, because her two older daughters left the hotel to participate in pre-arranged church mission work. Kelly did not want to leave her youngest daughter, whose focus was on wanting to spend her time in the pool, alone.
"I didn't get to do the spa, but I think it would have been awesome, because just taking the tour, when I entered the spa doors it was so soothing, but the entire property was really nice," she said.
Ruth Demeritte, who is referred to as "Sister Ruth" by her fellow parishioners at Grace Community Church, was recommended as she is an honorary mother at church, responsible for offering counsel and advice to those in need, including the youth members. She has served as a mentoring and mothering figure for the children in the parish's Awana Youth Program, a Sunday school teacher, ladies group leader and a small group leader.
Daphne Miller is a longstanding member of The Assemblies of God Bahamas and is known for her commitment to meeting the needs of women, mentoring young women, visiting the sick and shut in and ministering to those in the hospital.
Eloise Armbrister, 91, is a regular worshipper at St. Agnes Anglican Church. She attends the children's service on Saturday mornings with her children and grandchildren. Her fellow church members say she is a source of inspiration and encouragement to all who know and work with her, and that she endeavors to promote and live Christian principles, values and virtues.
Delores Hanna Forbes, from the Church of God of Prophecy, was nominated for her tireless work in many capacities, supporting the ministry and the members of the church and surrounding communities. She was said to be an example to many women on how to lead and support a family, having raised 13 children and being a grandmother to 23.
Calpurnia Fernander is a wife and mother who enjoys encouraging and sowing seeds of optimism in the lives of her family, church members and community.

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