SUMNER – Sue and Dave Bryant are moving to the Bahamas this year to work as missionaries in teaching and home-building on North Andros Island.

She, a retired special education teacher at Buckfield Junior-Senior High School, and he, a minister, were asked three years ago to bring a team from Faith Bible Chapel in East Buckfield to run a Bible camp for island children for two weeks. When it opened, mothers started attending along with children.

That experience opened Sue’s eyes to the need for a library for the 360 students at the island’s only high school. She said she spoke with SAD 39 Superintendent Rick Colpitts after she returned home and was able to get books the district no longer used shipped to the island.

Sue said watching teachers on the island look over the boxes and boxes of books “was my reward.”

One teacher had a class of students with disabilities and none of them could read. Sue said when she returned to Andros this year, the teacher said the students were all reading, thanks to the gift of books.

The Bryants went to the island at the invitation of Grace Builder Director Elvin Martin, who retired from his successful construction company in 1985 to build homes and churches around the world.

This year, the Bryants helped build a home for Jennest, a disabled man who was living in a shack, Sue said.

The response to the building project was so great the town held an open house, and Jennest told the crowd the Bible study would take place in his new home when the Bryants return to Andros this fall.

Their Sumner home is up for sale and they’re ready to make North Andros Island their new home, they said. They plan to leave in October and return next May or June.

The government has offered them an acre of land where they plan to build a home as soon as funds are available.

Sue said she will resume Bible studies in three settlements and help in the schools. Dave will begin a Pioneer Club for kids in the town of Red Bay and help Martin on building projects.

The Bryants said they are trusting God for the sale of their house, to find a used pickup truck for them to take with them and for finances. In the meantime, they will be speaking in several area churches over the next few months.