The committee was formed in 1988 after Bros. Arthur Hodgson, Randolph Furbert, and Carl Simmons returned from Africa, and missionary meetings had been arranged among the assemblies so that they could report on the work in Africa illustrated with slides. Sis. Lois Simons suggested that an offering be taken at these meetings so that it could be used to support the work of the Lord in Africa. This was agreed to, and an offering was taken at each of the four missionary meetings. Then the question arose as to who would be responsible for the funds collected. It was decided to form a committee, and the first meeting was held on July 11, 1988 at Cobb's Hill Gospel Chapel. Eight members attended representing seven assemblies, and thus the committee was first formed with Bro. Arthur Hodgson as chairman, Bro. Randolph Furbert as Treasurer and Bro. Carl Simmons as Secretary.

As to the purpose of the committee, it was decided at the first meeting it would support the work among the assemblies in Africa; it was to establish fellowship and encourage believers from Bermuda to answer the Lord's call to the work in Africa on a full-time or part-time basis or visit Africa to see what the needs were. At that meeting there was also discussion about a tour to Africa during the summer of 1989. This tour did come off, and sixteen believers visited Africa for three weeks in 1989, with Bro. & Sis. Carl Simmons and Sis. Phyliss Fubler staying for an extra three weeks. At the same meeting Bro. Arthur Hodgson mentioned that he had left eleven thousand Kwacha with the Elders of the Lilanda Chapel Assembly for distribution. Thus the first gifts were used for meeting the needs of widows in twenty-five assemblies in Zambia and twenty-one assemblies in Zaire. It was also decided to minister ten dollars twice per year to workers in Zambia and Zaire.

Presently we are ministering one hundred dollars twice per year to twenty whole-time workers in Zambia, and Kenya, and in addition the committee has supplied a loan of twenty eight thousand dollars for a minibus for Zambia with the agreement that it would be repaid in Kwacha to build a new mission home at Kawama Mission, Zambia. The committee has sent several outboard motors to Kashobwe Mission in Zaire and purchased locally made boats for the setting up of a fishing industry at Kashobwe. We have purchased loudspeakers for Zambia and Zaire and several bicycles for whole-time. workers in Zambia. The committee has contributed several thousand dollars toward the travel expenses of various ones going to Africa from Bermuda to help in the work on a short term basis.

The assemblies in Bermuda had a Missions Conference in 1992 and brought Bros. Robert Gitau and Felix Muchimba to Bermuda for that conference. Bro. Kovina Mutenda was also assisted in visiting Bermuda some time later.

We thank the Lord for leading Jennifer Furbert out to Senegal where she served for some time. The committee assisted in the supply of her needs.

The chairman assisted in sending a container to Zambia a few years ago. God be praised for what has been done to help His work in various ways in Africa.

Because of the diverse focus of the African Missions Fund, the Committee considered it appropriate to change its name to "Bermuda Missions". Edward Richardson is currently serving as secretary. We continue to minister to Africa and have been especially active in Nigeria.