God always gives us special people who bring joy to our lives. This is a brief story of one so dear to our hearts, Mae Louise Adderley.

It was a warm summer day during the month of August, that a bouncing baby girl was born in a picturesque settlement of South Andros, Bahamas to the proud parentage of Mr. Neville Adderley
Sr. and Mrs. Euterpie Hewitt-Duncombe. She was given the name Mae Louise.

Some years later her mom died and she was taken care of by her aunts and older siblings in Nassau. As she grew, she attended Eastern Junior and Eastern Senior High Schools. She was a very hard working and independent lady. After completing her high school studies, she wanted to attend night classes to become a secretary but those plans were interrupted by the birth of her daughter, whom she loved so much. Mae made many sacrifices in order to take care of her family. It was in
the year of 1974 that Mae began to experience some extremely rough and tough days in Nassau, so she had decided to sell all of her furniture and appliances to take up residence in Freeport, Grand
Bahama where her older sisters were.

After a few days of her arrival on Grand Bahama, Mae began her job search. She was determined to find a job to continue taking care of her family. After many days of searching she successfully obtained a job at the Voyager Restaurant, at Freeport International Airport. She was instrumental in forming the Grand Bahama Caterer's Union with Mr. Heury Bodie and was the first Executive Shop Steward. There she was employed for many, many years until the company began to down size and she was released from her duties as a cook. That did not put a stop to Mae's ability to continue working. She saw this as an opportunity to venture into higher heights and deeper depths by starting her own
business at home on Hudson Avenue with the last $20 that she had.

This business brought Mae to a standard in life that she was extremely proud of and she worked with great pride and much joy to make sure that her business was successful. She loved cooking even though it was not what she really wanted to do in life but God had other plans.

Each day before Mae began to work, she would ask God to help her day to be successful and gave God thanks. With her trusting God, her business thrived and she was given the opportunity to sell her food at the Car Rental company very near the Airport which was managed by her friend Troy. God started shuffling some things around again and she got her Business license with the help of her friend Mr. Alton Ferguson. Soon Mae was moved right next to the Freeport Taxi Stand. Mae became well known for her delicious breakfast at the airport and persons came from near and far to patronize Mae's Breakfast. Mae and her close friend, Maria Simmons remained at the Airport Taxi
Stand until the time that she lost her sight in October of 2005 while at work. She called her sister Deborah, who left her job to take her home. Later that day Mae had called Sister Jackie Richardson to take her to the eye specialist. Her children were called and were told what had happened. They flew to Freeport and took her back to Nassau with them.

Mae had joined Modern Free Lodge in the mid to late 70's and she worked hard in the organization for many years. She was dedicated and devoted to her local chapter #204 Ladies of Endurance. She held many posts within Modern Free such as Worthy Matron, Past Matron and she
had obtained many degrees in the organization such as Queen of the South, Amaranth and Daughters of Isis and now a life member. Each year after working so hard, Mae looked forward to the trips with her lodge members. Even after being blind, she still tried to participate but her steps began to get a bit slow due to not being familiar with her surroundings in Nassau. She was determined to continue attending lodge but it just did not work. Whenever there was a special event at the lodge hall and she was able to attend, she was there. Mae knew what was happening at lodge because she spoke with her friend Sister Ronnie Hamilton every day and Sister Simmons.

In 2010, Mae had a stroke and didn't know due to not having any signs or symptoms of a stroke. Mae found out when she went for her quarterly check-up that she had suffered a stroke. Shortly thereafter she started complaining of swelling of her legs, so she was taken to the doctor to find out why her legs were swelling and was told that her body was retaining fluids due to having a problem with her kidneys which were damaged due to the medications that she was taking. She
spent two weeks in hospital. She was released and a week later she went back into the hospital for a day because of the swelling of her legs. Even though she was given water tablets that was not the
solution to the problem. Mae's body got larger with the increase of fluids, she was hospitalized again and her life was never the same. After being discharged she was totally bed ridden. That took a great
toll on her because she was not understanding why she wasn't able to stand or walk. Her days from here on became sadden because she was use to going for rides, visiting family, friends, going to the beach and talking with family and friends on the phone and listening to the talk shows on the radio. She endured many, sleepless days, nights and months. After much prayers, she began to sleep.

Oh how she longed to be in Freeport, her home. When her friend Helen called, Mae told her that she was right around the corner from her. It was then that Helen realized that Mae was not the same. Not long after that call, she had slowed down on talking and eating. Mae held on to God's unchanging hands because whenever she prayed, she would ask God to forgive her of her wrongs, to keep and bless her children and she was sorry if she had done anyone wrong. Mae fought a good fight and she kept the faith that God would heal her one day and God did, by taking her to a better place to be at rest.