Gordon Town men feted by church
Published:Tuesday | March 22, 2022 | 12:07 AMAsha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
RESIDENTS OF Gordon Town were treated on Saturday by the Papine New Testament Church of God’s Life Builders Ministry, which organised a free community barbecue.
The purpose of this, according to Reverend Ajilon Ferdinand, the church’s head, was to give back to the community’s men in the hopes of making them cognisant that “there is a church that cares about them and wants to be invested in their lives”.
This activity, he said, is in line with selected activities held by the New Testament denomination during March, which is recognised as Men’s Month.
In addition to this, Ferdinand explained that he has also witnessed areas of need within the surrounding communities of which his church is located.
“When I walk the communities and I talk to men, they express to me how challenging it is and how forgotten they feel,” he said. This being a direct result of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic which struck Jamaica two years ago.
“I was talking to a group of men and I said to them, ‘This event is a men’s event, a man-only event,’ and you know what they said to me? ‘Man get anything free? People remember men?’”
A perspective such as this, Ferdinand says, speaks volumes about how men within the society feel and, as such, the church is doing everything it can to respond positively to the various needs voiced in the community.
“This is one way of showing our men that we remember them and that we care about their well-being. We want to invest in their lives, we want to empower them ... and we want to have an opportunity to speak with them and to build their lives for the better,” he said.
The initiative was financed by the church, its members, and other stakeholders, including the Caribbean Broilers Group. After what seemed to be a slow start, by 4 p.m. 130 men and boys were fed.
Day two of the initiative, held on Sunday, took a group of boys ages 13 to 18 for an ice cream treat at Devon House. This provided an opportunity for the church to have a wrap session with the youth, providing an outlet for them to express the issues they face, while the church highlighted its plans to provide assistance to them and to empower them, and to “let them know that there is a group that cares about their well-being”.
President of the Life Builders Ministry, Kemar Jackson, who spearheaded the initiative, told The Gleaner on Saturday that the event was all about giving back to a community that is dear to his heart.
“I mean, when you look around Jamaica today, you see it is the violence and crime and those things [that affect the communities, and so] it is only God why we are here today to say that this community has been somewhat peaceful,”said Jackson.
He reassured that the church will maintain its efforts in ensuring that they play their part to serve and to be more focused on catering to the needs of the people.
“Men set the tone for society, and if we can impact our men and reach more men, I believe that we can solve our societal problems that we face as a country,” he added.