BIMINI MOURNS

By THEA RUTHERFORD

FN Features Editor

BIMINI – As a hesitant sun dipped in and out of clouds hanging over Bayfront Park yesterday, religious and political leaders spoke of God's purpose, God's plan, love and hope to mourners who gathered there for a memorial service for the victims of fatal Chalk's Flight 101.

Biminites lined the ball park's fence to survey the requiem, hemming in surviving family members, friends, supporters and leaders, including Prime Minster Perry Christie, who filled seats on the grassy lawn.

Twenty passengers, 11 of them Biminites, met their demise shortly before Christmas on December 19 in a seaplane crash at 2:30 that afternoon. Residents of the tightly-knit community were left to grieve over the loss of mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends as the evening wore on when they learned the fate of their loved ones. Wednesday's memorial service – the first, with two others, one in South Florida that evening and the other in Nassau today – brought the bereaved together to grapple collectively with the tremendous loss. The memorial service for victims of what is now seen as the largest loss of lives at one time for the tiny island is but a prelude for the weekends of funerals to come.

In his address to the mourners, Minister of Tourism

and MP for Bimini and

West End, Obie Wilchcombe,

(From Page 1)

briefly eulogized each of his fallen constituents, calling them all by name and noting what they all meant to their families and the community at the service.

"It is true words cannot quantify the aggregate of the collective loss that our families, our communities and our nation suffered when Chalk's fatal Flight 101 ended an era," the minister began. "Within a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, happiness turned to pain, joy was replaced by anguish and hope gave way to despair. Eleven plus one of our people here in Bimini would not be home for Christmas."

Reminding those present even in their grief that "our God promises that joy will cometh in the morning," Minister Wilchcombe continued, "And so we have come together as a nation to honour the men, the women and children of Chalk's Flight 101. People who made us laugh, who made us dream, who gave us hope and whose exit will make us a stronger community a stronger nation and a stronger people."

Many stopped to take a look at a notice board bearing pictures of the 11 Biminites and the permanent resident who died in the crash. The victims ranged in age from 65 years to 15 months old. Sombre families hugged and greeted each other, some singing along with hymns played before and throughout the service.

"What could we say to a people who are so hurt," asked the Reverend Dr. William Thompson, one of a contingent of religious leaders who spoke at the sorrowful occasion. The President of the Christian Council sought, with the host of other speakers, to offer comfort and solidarity in mourning to the saddened group as he continued.

"Words cannot come from the finite minds; they have to come from the Word of God. May the peace of Christ be with you and sustain you and keep you in this most dismal hour," he said to those present.

While questioning why tragedies happen in his address, Justice of the Peace George Weech offered his own words of comfort even

while trying to understand what went wrong in what has been known as a routine flight for generations of Biminites.

"This is a Christmas we should never forget," he

said of this year that brought "grief in the midst of joy," during the famously festive season.

"In this time of questioning grief, we must exercise obedience and faith as God speaks to our hearts to soothe the unexpected pain of this yuletide season," Mr. Weech said.

Prime Minister Perry Christie welcomed and thanked all who came from abroad to share in grief at the service as well as assured the field of mourners and Biminites that they were not alone in their grieving over the tragic loss of so many loved ones.

"This occasion brought me into Bimini hours after the crash... to ensure that the people of Bimini, in particular the families, understood that the entire nation stood with them in their hours of grief," said the Prime Minister.

"We have come here again to demonstrate that our country suffers with you. (We have come here to demonstrate) that we were with you then, we are with you now and in those moments when you wonder where the help will come from... this nation will be with you then," the Prime Minister said, leaving mourners with Isaiah 43:2 a verse he himself took comfort in.

Echoing a statement made by a relative in one of the grieving homes, the nation's chief stated, "The Lord never gives you more than you can bear. That is the message to this island. That is the message to this community. That is the message to those of you who have suffered such an acute loss. The Lord never gives more than you can bear."

Recalling renowned individuals like Adam Clayton Powell, civil rights leader Martin Luther King and novelist Ernest Hemingway who visited Bimini's shores and were inspired, he reiterated Bimini's place as the "gateway to the country" and the island's international fame.

United States Congress-man Kendrick Meek along with Mayor Raul Martinez and his wife were among international friends of the island who mourned along with it at the memorial service.

Bringing condolences from South Florida, where many of his constituents are Bahamians, Mr. Meek said, "I just want to come today to give our condolences from South Florida. I just want to let you know how much we appreciate you. We appreciate those who have now moved on to a greater place."

Alvin Smith, FNM MP for North Eleuthera, joined other well-wishers in offering condolences to the people of the island on behalf of his party.

The memorial service proved a comfort to mourner Deserie Smith, who lost her nephew, Jervis Stuart, and cousin, Barto Dean, in the deadly plane crash. "It's just a revelation given," Mrs. Smith said of the service. "In trying times... you shall renew your strength."

While admitting that she is weakened in the midst of times such as these, the mourner, dressed in white, said, "The joy of the Lord is my strength. I don't focus much to the natural, it's the spiritual."

In similar sentiments, President of the Bimini Christian Council, Pastor Dexter Rolle, beseeched mourners to "trust in God in the midst of the tragedy. We have gone through so much but we are a blessed little island," he said. "Let us not act as a people without hope. This world is just a dressing room for eternity."

For Lolani Smith, 23, granddaughter of dock master and barber Don Smith, who perished with his infant nephew Jervis Stuart, moving on will not be an easy task. Mr. Smith, who raised her, was the grandfather that was like a father to her. The last time she saw him, he had woken her up the Monday morning of the crash to let her know that he and other relatives would be driving down to catch the flight home after her graduation.

"He was like my everything... everything I did I did it for him. He was like my motivation," said the young woman.

The service, said Ms. Smith, was "a little bit painful, but it turned out to be okay."

Though she found the memorial service to be comforting at times, she added tearfully, "There is nothing that you could possibly do or say to comfort me now. It's good for the moment but it's something that I'll have to deal with for the rest of my life."

ADDRESSING MOURNERS — Prime Minister Perry Christie addresses the crowd of mourners at Bayfront Ball Park in Bimini on Wednesday at the memorial service for residents who died in the seaplane crash last Monday. (Dhcphoto/GODFREY COOPER)

© 2005 The Freeport News