Abaco
CMA’s vision is to provide Bible training to pastors and church leaders on every island where training is not available. Abaco, the third largest Bahamian island in terms of population, lies in the northern Bahamas 180 miles east of south Florida. On the big island of Abaco, Marsh Harbour is the third largest city in the Bahamas. CMA national missionary, Kevin Knowles has been ministering in the churches in Abaco for many years. The church leaders and the local Christian Council have been asking CMA to expand their Bible training in Abaco for several years, but due to a shortage of missionary staff we have not been able to do so. Our prayer was that God would raise up workers for His harvest for this island.
In 2015, God answered this prayer. In September 2015, the Luttrell family moved to Marsh Harbour to establish and lead a training ministry in the Abaco islands. Our first class began in January 2016, with 11 pastors and leaders from six different churches.
“We’re so thankful for CMA coming down from day one and helping us, walking alongside us during our difficult time.”
This second group of church leaders was on track to graduate from the Bible training program in November of 2019 when life in Abaco was totally disrupted by Hurricane Dorian on September 1, 2019. Dorian was the strongest storm to ever make landfall in the Atlantic region with sustained winds of 185 mph and a 20-foot storm surge that flooded the island. The lives of everyone in Abaco were forever changed by the trauma of the storm and the desperation felt in the days that followed.
CMA has been on the front lines helping the people of Abaco rebuild! The Luttrell family traveled back to Abaco many times since the storm to bring tools, supplies, food, and materials to help the people of Abaco clean up and restore their homes, lives, and ministries. God used them to help the people of Abaco as they rise up out of the destruction caused by Dorian.
In December 2020, CMA was able to host the graduation for the second group of leaders. It was also around that time that the Luttrells determined that God had closed the door for their family to move back to Abaco. We believe that God is not finished with CMA in Abaco due to the hunger and desire for training that is evident among the leaders there. After praying that God would raise up a missionary family to move to Abaco and lead the training ministry there on the island, God answered that prayer in April 2023 by calling Justin and LeAnne Wilson and their family to serve in Abaco. To learn more about the Wilsons, click here.
