In the year 1916 during the first world war, Hanna Shammas, his wife Martha and daughter Sara immigrated to Bahrain from Turkey. Hanna worked with The American Mission as a preacher in the Church, and also he worked in the library of The Holy Bible. Martha worked with patients in The American Mission Hospital, and Sara went to Iraq to finish her studies. When she graduated she returned to Bahrain and worked in The American Mission Girls School as a first teacher with Dr. Deem’s wife, The Principle.

Hanna Shammas continued working with the American Mission until he passed away in 1935. After his death, and in the same year Sara married Wadee Francis, and a year later gave birth to their first child, a daughter, Nazhat. Two years after that their first son, Faik was born. In 1942 Hanna Junior, their last child was born.
All Sara’s children married and had families of their own. Nazhat married Sabeeh, and had two girls and one boy, Faik married Saeda and had two of each, and Hanna Francis Junior married Marline and had Christine.

Hanna, Marline & Christine are regular worshippers at St. Christopher’s, and are very much involved in our church. Christine is a server on Sunday morning services, and Marline supports our social gatherings with her tasty dishes.

Hanna’s Christian roots has helped to make Bahrain the very special and blessed home that it is to us all. Praise be to God.