Rice for Bahamas from New Smyrna

NEW SMYRNA BEACH (FBW)—When Randy and Paula Crowe evacuated the Bahama Islands ahead of Hurricane Ike, they flew their newly-purchased 30-year-old private plane to New Smyrna Beach, where he had previously served nine years as pastor of First Baptist Church.

The couple returned to their island home Sept. 12 with more than 1,000 pounds of rice and beans donated by First Baptist members, and with 25 tarps donated by the local Home Depot.

The southern islands of the Bahamas, near Cuba, were buffeted by Ike’s winds, and left homes and businesses wrecked, and residents in need of food. While Hurricane Ike moved past the Bahamas to strengthen in the Gulf of Mexico, First Baptist deacon Roger Inskip mount­ed an e-mail campaign among church members to collect food for those in need on the islands. The congregation of First Baptist jumped at the chance to aid their former pastor’s ministry.

“Our pastor made an appeal from the pulpit on Sunday, and the first load of food left on Tuesday,” Inskip said. “All of the food was collected in four days.”

Crowe is now pastor of New Life Bible Church on Man-O-War Island, and operates Island Outreach, Inc., on the islands. Inskip said Crowe planned to deliver the donated supplies to “young, struggling pastors” who will distribute the supplies on their islands along with evangelistic presentations. In an e-mail from Crowe to Inskip Sept. 12, Crowe also said the donated tarps “are already on houses in the Bahamas.”

Along with the donated food, New Smyrna Beach church members provided $400 to their former pastor to pay for fuel for his plane.

Financial contributions to Florida Baptists’ disaster relief efforts may be sent to the Florida Baptist Convention, Business Services, P.O. Box 5579, Jacksonville, FL 32247. Checks should be made payable to the Florida Baptist Convention and designated for disaster relief. Donations through credit cards can be made by going to www.flbaptist.org.