I have known Donnie and Bonnie Floyd since my young adult years. Even though our lives have had different trajectories, over the years I followed the story God began weaving together for the two of them. As I have watched it unfold, I saw God use their powerful story of forgiveness to bring about an incredible ministry to serve a little island of people that needed to know who Jesus is. 
When I heard that they were trying to put together a mission team to start ministry work on Barbuda by rebuilding the homes of the displaced people of the island after hurricane Irma, God began speaking loudly to me about being a part of it. The Holy Spirit literally compelled me one morning to call Bonnie and tell her that I was supposed to be part of the inaugural mission trip. She literally screamed, “Yes, yes, yes!” into the phone! And before I knew it, I was on an airplane on my way to Barbuda all the way from California. It was a very small team of just five that first year. I was unsure of where we were going to be staying while we were on the island, and I certainly was not completely aware of all that we were going to be doing either! Some of the things Bonnie mentioned included construction work, clean-up, a lot of painting and maybe even making curtains! 
As our little team worked day after day, I realized that what we were doing was not just bringing renewal to the island, it was also bringing love and causing change in the lives of the people that had been devastated by the hurricane. I also saw that there were things happening in me that would change me forever. The work was hard, the days long, the weather hot, but at the end of each day, as we washed the paint and the grime off of our tired bodies, we would sit and talk about all we had experienced and laugh and even cry together. Even now, thinking about all of that still makes me smile. The many stories we shared each evening of the families being so excited about new walls and ceilings, new paint, new windows and doors and so much more, are just as memorable as the afternoon I prayed with a 12-year-old girl to receive Christ as we painted a bathroom together in her new home. To be honest, when my time in Barbuda was over, and I headed back to California, my only thought was, “When can I go back?” and God provided a way for me to do just that at the end of the following year! Much had changed on the island since then. A house was procured that would become the team home…it just needed major renovating. So, my second trip included helping to finish up the team home so it would be able to be used by future mission teams. Again, we were another small team of five, and we were painting and cleaning, hanging blinds and renovating bathrooms. Beds were being built in all the rooms and room air conditioners were being installed. The renovation of the team home was almost completed by the time I left for home, and it was a good feeling to know that now there would be a place for larger teams to come and continue the Lord’s work and also have the ability to establish other facets of the ministry.
I have such a longing to return… back to Barbuda where God changed my heart…honestly, the memories of being there continue to change me. 
If you have a heart for ministry and are thinking about mission work, I urge you and encourage you to make a way to be part of this wonderful ministry in some way. God has blessed Bonnie Floyd Ministries and I know He will continue to do so.

Duane:
“Why do you always go to Barbuda?” This is a question we are constantly asked. My answer is simple—you can’t build real relationships through a one-time experience. Each time we go, we reconnect with the friends we’ve made, deepening those relationships. And every trip brings new people and new experiences.
Bonnie and Donnie are genuine people, and we have grown to love them like family. The work we’ve been a part of from our first trip to our eighth has been truly remarkable. Seeing what has been accomplished, with God beside us every step of the way, is nothing short of amazing. I could go on and on about our experiences, but that would take a book!”
Linda:
“After returning from our first trip to Barbuda in January 2019, I wrote this quote in my journal: “People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.” – Brian Chalker.
We first met Bonnie and Donnie as they greeted us when we stepped off the plane in Antigua. That year, we ended up going to Barbuda twice. The work was hard, and this was before the team home was built, but the experience was special in so many ways.
Not only did we grow to love Bonnie, Donnie, and their ministry, but we also met and came to love so many of the people of Barbuda. That is what keeps us going back year after year. We have seen their need and want to help in every way that God leads us.
At first, we thought, I think we’ve just made some good friends. But God showed us something deeper—No, they are now your family.”

Do you believe in providential encounters? These are meetings or interactions divinely arranged for a specific purpose. If you’re unsure, you may reconsider after reading this story.
On November 3, 2023, my husband and I boarded American Airlines Flight 283 from Antigua to Miami, returning from a vacation with our best friends. Little did we know that God had already orchestrated what would happen next.
Even as I write these words, my eyes well up with tears, reflecting on the depth of His thoughts toward us. I’ll try to keep this brief. That day, we sat directly across from Bonnie and Donnie. If you know them, you know—Donnie was relaxed, while Bonnie, as always, was busy. Meanwhile, my husband, Harold—though a pastor—is an introvert who rarely initiates conversation. But on this flight, something was different.
He noticed Donnie’s HE>I bracelet, a symbol he was deeply familiar with—Harold has the same phrase tattooed on his right arm. At that moment, he found himself in a silent debate: Should I say something, or should I sleep? Normally, he’d be asleep before the plane even left the runway. But this time, he chose to speak. That small decision has profoundly impacted our lives.
I share this story because my prayer is that others, like Harold and me—an African American couple—and Bonnie and Donnie—a Caucasian couple—would open their hearts to the beauty of connection beyond differences. It is in our diversity that we create something priceless—a masterpiece woven together by God’s design. He is waiting on us to embrace the richness of our differences and the unity of our gifts to transform the world!
This providential encounter didn’t just open the door for Bonnie Floyd to become the first Caucasian to minister at Compass Worship Ministries; it also forged a connection between the four of us that extends beyond a moment. It has become a Lasting Legacy: Spiritually, Relationally, and Financially.