Kingston, Jamaica….[West Indies Union/IAD]
Seventh-day Adventists in over 600 churches across Jamaica, dedicated Saturday March 5, 2005, as a day of prayer and fasting to seek the Lord’s intervention in Jamaica’s spiraling crime and violence problem.
In the first of two special services held at the Andrews Memorial Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Meadowvale Seventh-day Adventist Church, Pastor Patrick Allen president of West Indies Union conference of Seventh-day Adventist, admonished the congregation to “believe in God and stand firm”. He said “As a community of faith, we are involved in various initiatives on behalf of our nation to help in combating the plague of crime and violence, but there is also a weapon at our disposal which we oft times do not use publicly and corporately to demonstrate our concern – and that is Prayer.”
He urged that “as Christians we cannot display any form of despair or a sense of hopelessness even when walking through the dark valley of death, because we know who walks beside us, who holds the future, and who holds our hands. We need to communicate this faith to our communities and nation that ultimately God is in control.”
The prayer and fasting, which started at sunset on Friday and ended at sunset on Saturday, saw Sabbath keepers gathered together in afflicting their souls, pouring out the agony and distress to God in their worship, on behalf of the nation and its people.
Pastor Allen reminded the congregation, which included government, opposition and other officials, about a number of acts of crimes ranging from gang wars, murders, and midnight shootings committed in Jamaica over the past two and half years, and highlighted many initiatives to combat crime and violence, promote values, counsel, participation of government, church and community leaders and members.
Pastor Allen encouraged his audience by stating that, “our line of defense is our trust in God for guidance and wisdom, as we conduct the affairs of the nation and as we go about our daily lives. We cannot behave like Deists who reject a belief in the supernatural and the authority of the Bible, choosing instead to depend on human reason,” he added.
In closing his message, the Pastor presented the antidote for the country’s gruesome crimes and violence by recommending the word of God, “as we face our moments of trouble in this nation and with our personal struggles, I recommend to you the word of God as a lamp unto your feet and a light for your path.”
The service at Andrews Memorial Church, which started at 8:00 a.m., saw the first lesson being read by Senator Burchel Whiteman, Minister of Information and the second by Senator Bruce Golding, leader of the Jamaica Labour Party. Other guests in attendance included Senators Floyd Morris and Dwight Nelson, Major Richard Reese, Head of the Correctional Services, Mrs. Yvonne Coke, Founder of Hands Across Jamaica, Mr. Winston Rickgard, General Manager of LOVE 101, Rev. Courtney Stewart, Chairman of TBC Radio, Rev. Lenworth Anglin, Chairman Designate of The Church of God in Jamaica, Mr. Pearnel Charles M.P., and Mrs. Lorna Golding.
