St. Lucia
The Land and the
People
On the extreme southeastern edge of the Caribbean Sea lie a chain of emerald islands known as the Windward Islands. From the sea and air, St. Lucia is the most identifiable island of this chain because of immense twin peaks on the southwest end of the island.
The St. Lucians are a mixture of races originating in Europe, Africa, India, and Indonesia.
Religion
Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion. Sorcery and black magic are still practiced secretly by many.
Past and Current
Work
A survey was made of St. Lucia in 1947 by a missionary in St. Vincent, who then prepared a detailed report of the appalling spiritual need. James and Leah Wooster heard God’s call. They arrived February 25, 1948. Work was begun, God’s blessings were experienced, and a small building in Castries was rented for services. Then the great Castries fire of June 1948 swept everything away. Due to the hospitality and help shown to the homeless and hungry, the catastrophe brought the Woosters' ministry for Christ into a more favorable light in the eyes of the people and government.
From 1951 to 1953, seven missionaries joined them. Various missionaries served in St. Lucia until 1985, when retirement and ill health left no missionaries on the field.
In 1987 other missionaries arrived in St. Lucia and revived the ministry. Their work was mainly in Pierrot. In addition to the church-planting effort, the work consisted of training teachers and leaders and conducting open-air services, youth meetings, and seminars in churches.
Over the years, 11 Baptist churches have been organized.
Goals
Requests for church-planting missionaries have recently come from St. Lucia. The door remains open.