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Sabans greet Trinidad group arriving for
10th Anniversary celebrations
Saba – The Unspoilt Queen
In 1986, the Community
called together persons who were interested in becoming missionaries.
The group progressed with help from Fr Tiernan and community members
like Louie who had done missionary work in St Lucia. Two years later,
Fr Anthony Jansen, Dutch Priest working in the Netherlands Antilles, was
on vacation in Trinidad. He visited the community and invited us to
work on the tiny volcanic island of Saba. This was supported by an
invitation from Bishop Willem Ellis of the Netherlands Antilles.
Rhonda and the mission
group left Trinidad on September 12th, 1988 for “The Unspoilt
Queen”. Hurricane Gilbert forced the group to overnight on St Maarten
but that was not to stop the flow of living water to this part of the
Caribbean. The first days were spent getting to know our new-found
sisters and brothers who live in four main villages: the Bottom, St
John’s, Windwardside, and Zion’s Hill. We soon found that there were
many elderly people who lived alone, some of them disabled. Regular
visits to these ‘shut-ins’, to the hospital and home for the aged became
a part of our routine. Giving religious instruction at the primary
school was soon added. We also began Sunday school, First Communion and
Confirmation classes and prayer meetings for adults, youth and
children.
Over time, the river has
continued to flow and new tributaries have emerged – remedial education,
counselling, Bible studies, intercessors, evangelization which includes
Life in the Spirit Seminars and retreats by visiting speakers), men’s
fellowship, holiday camp for children, drug prevention, and a daily
radio programme, ‘God’s Hour of Power’.
Prior to our arrival in
Saba, similar pastoral work had been done mainly by religious sisters.
So naturally, it took a little time for the Saba community to understand
and accept the ministry of a lay community. As the mission progressed,
however, Sabans became aware of their own call to ministry and chose not
just to serve but to become Covenant Community members. In 1999,
community members from Trinidad joined our Saban sisters and brothers to
celebrate their 10th anniversary as Living Water Community
Covenant members. Over the years, Sabans have visited the community in
Trinidad to attend charismatic rallies, ordinations and other church
events. Saban teens and men have even come to Trinidad as missionaries
in their own right.
May the river of life flow
on.
St
Maarten – The Friendly Island
With the departure of
Dutch religious sisters from St Maarten, Bishop Ellis, invited the
community to expand its mission. The community ministered on this
neighbouring island from June 1990 to December 1993. During this time,
our main focus was the Parish of the Risen Christ in South Reward.
Our Ministry on ‘the
Friendly Island’ was very similar to that of Saba. One outstanding
addition was our Christmas Day lunch for the poor and disabled. The
involvement of many parishioners helped to increase sensitivity toward
the broken body of Christ in a society struggling with the material
gains that accompany success in tourism.
Many meaningful
relationships were developed during those few years but time did not
permit the emergence of a covenant community. This bond with St Maarten
was clearly expressed when, in 1995, Hurricane Luis hit hard. God and
building supplies were shipped and eight persons spent up to three
months working in shelters and helping with reconstruction.
St
Eustatius – the Golden Rock
In 1990, the Saban
household began weekend ministry to the neighbouring island of St
Eustatius. Later on when St Maarten began, they, too, shared in this
ministry. As on these two islands, our ministry on ‘Statia’ is
primarily pastoral. Our work among children in the Catholic primary
school and with youth tries to provide a strong foundation in the
faith. Our outreach to ‘lapsed’ Catholics and the elderly is done on
foot, enabling the Community to be a visible presence in the community.
Our warm relationship with
members of other Christian faiths is a good witness to ecumenism. Over
time, we have seen growth among our Statia sisters and brothers. Our
prayer is that this may continue and that the river of God’s love and
mercy may flood many more lives.
Household member, Charmaine Sabga, prepares
Saban children on their first Communion Day |
