New church established on Middle Caicos

New church established on Middle Caicos
Published on June 1, 2012	Email To Friend    Print Version
Tom Deckard, also known as the “Jewish Prophet”, is moving rapidly to establish a base of operations on Middle Caicos, the largest island of the Turks and Caicos. Deckard’s “Cradle of Hope” Ministry has already moved several families to the undeveloped island, where they have rented homes as they begin to acquire land and begin building phase one of their new development. Reportedly Deckard’s ministry has already built 160 churches around the world. The cleric claims to have been born into the Jewish faith and advertises that he has predicted many events, the latest of which will be the steady decline of the USA, where he is a citizen. Hailing from the northern Midwestern state of Illinois, Deckard is now re-establishing himself and his operation in what he calls a “third world country”, the TCI. The families already living on Middle Caicos are reported to keep to themselves, home schooling their children. They hold services in their homes and invite locals to their services but refrain from attending any local community or church activity. Reportedly, they have acquired a building contractors licence and are currently bulldozing a site just east of Conch Bar, where they say they will build a church and three or four homes in their initial phase. The situation with regard to Planning Department or Board approval is unclear. The ministry is reportedly seeking to purchase other land and has reportedly already acquired two parcels in the Blue Horizon Resort area. The parcels have appeared in local publications in official foreclosure notices by mortgage holder Meridian Mortgage Company of Provo. They have gone unsold at auction on at least two occasions. Now it appears the Deckard interests have acquired the property for a less than market price. The sale has reportedly been arranged by a Middle Caicos real estate agent Forbes, Forbes and Forbes, operated by Canadian Sara Kaufman. Reportedly the group is seeking to acquire other sites from local owners. The group has been seen importing construction equipment, including a small excavator and dump truck, which are stored in Conch Bar along with shipping containers of household goods and building materials. It is not known who will be employed to do the construction work. However, one local unlicensed contractor has been named as a possible intermediary.