Persons with an Internet connection anywhere in the world can now participate in meetings held at the BWA international offi ces in Falls Church, Virginia.

could go on. In the Chinese characters for Crisis (Wei Ji), one stands for danger and the other for opportunity. Yes, in the midst of uncertainties and pain and death, we have an opportunity to serve others and show the love of God to our fellow human beings as Baptists and as children of God! Bonny Resu is BWA regional secretary

for Asia and general secretary of the Asia Pacifi c Baptist Federation

Any refl ection on the past year in

Caribbean Overview By Everton Jackson

2012 is a signifi cant year for some

Caribbean countries as they celebrate their jubilee as sovereign nations, while others are still shackled by colonial powers. There were both lamentations and celebrations in a number of Caribbean countries in 2011 as political leadership was decided. Notwithstanding the political chal-

lenges in the region it is noteworthy that democracy is alive and well. But while we celebrated a relatively smooth transition of power in most cases, there were concerns about political upheavals experienced in some countries.

the Caribbean region will no doubt be colored by the challenges spawned by the current period of global uncertainties. The ongoing global economic and fi nancial crisis continues to thwart socio-economic development to the point where the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that

Caribbean countries will

continue to struggle and governments will have to tighten their economic spending. David Vegara, IMF Deputy Director for the Western Hemisphere, puts it this way: “The Caribbean region continues to struggle to recover from a long and protracted recession. Drags from fi scal consolidation and higher energy prices continue to constrain private demand, while the recovery in tourism fl ows remains tepid amid high unemployment in advanced economies.” In addition to the socio-politico- economic realities of the region, the

Caribbean continues to struggle with the evil of corruption in low and high places, human traffi cking, drug use and export, kidnapping, as well as the evil of imperialism in some areas. Clearly, the period under review has been one of mixed fortunes.

It is within this context that the mission of the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship is exercised directly and indirectly through its member bodies. Caribbean Baptists are cognizant of the fact that our salvation has not taken us out of the world but places us in the world to make a difference and to offer an alternative lifestyle to the world. While preserving the essentials of the Faith, Caribbean Baptists are challenged to be creative and innovative in responding not only to the socio-politico-economic realities of the region but also to the challenges posed by global emerging trends such as science and technology, urbanization, globalization, post modernity and pluralism, among others. In 2011, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas were affected Hurricane

by Irene. While the Turks and

Caicos Islands were only affected by fl ooding, some islands in the Bahamas were badly affected in terms of loss of roofs, damage to road networks and agriculture. Letters of solidarity were sent to the union/ convention of the respective areas affected

APRIL/JUNE 2012

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