2nd November, 2014
By: Brother Khrystus V. K. Wallace, President of Dare 2 Be Different International - www.daretobedifferentskn.com since June 2008
Fellow Citizens of The Federation of St. Kitts - Nevis, the wider Caribbean region and the world - LET US ALL PUT DOWN OUR GUNS FROM TODAY! Please.
I rose this morning to the news that The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis had lost yet another YOUTH LIFE due to gun violence. My heart dropped again as I honestly prefer staying positive and reporting on the positive, but I never forget that we LIVE in the REAL WORLD and bad things still do happen to good people too.
Having dressed on the upstairs of my home at Boyds - St. Kitts and walked downstairs where we convert our business space into a church space when it is time for youth ministry and Victory Centre Church at 8:30 am on Sundays, one brave child watched me square in my eyes and said, "Brother Khrystus, dey kill another one again last night and me teacher say only young fowl dying now, OLD PEOPLE stop dead."
His words instilled fear in my entire youth congregation and I knew that the worship and my well prepared and researched motivational sermon couldn't be used today again. It had to be a service of dialogue where I let them talk and try to answer as many of their questions about security and death and life after death and everything else that they wanted to talk about and ask."
Another child said, "Brother Khrystus. A know him. A used to drive on he bus. Why dey kill him?" My heart dropped again and I started hurting more too, as I TOO KNEW HIM PERSONALLY.
In an effort to keep the youth occupied, I let the service take a new order today. I let the young people choose the songs from our Dare 2 Be Different Song Book and lead out in the singing as I played the keyboard. They liked this a lot as they got to lead and I was happy because it got their minds off of death.
I continued that way throughout the entire service. Allowing them to pray, especially those who don't speak up much. They were a bit scared and so I helped them with words as they started and they grew in confidence bit by bit. I was using psychology to get the children to express themselves, relax their minds and change their focus from the FEAR OF GUN VIOLENCE AND DEATH as they stayed overly involved in CHURCH TODAY.
They happily rushed to find the passage of scripture that I would be preaching on today when I called it and although I was still somewhat sad and depressed that they were having to SUFFER FROM THE FEAR OF HEARING ABOUT DEATH BY GUN VIOLENCE IN St. Kitts - Nevis so soon AGAIN, I was happy that they were HAPPILY involved in the things of God.
They read the passage of Scripture for today. Ephesians 4:26 - Be ye angry and sin not: Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. It was here I sought to continue to instill in their young minds the importance of LOVE AND FORGIVENESS as much as we can so that we can grow into progressive, inspirational, love abounding God Followers and global citizens.
Why did I suddenly choose that passage of scripture today and not preach my motivational well prepared sermon?
Simply because some of the older ones are already RADICALIZED and speak of arming themselves so they could get the upper hand IF ANYBODY DO THEM OR THEIR FAMILY OR OUR CHURCH MEMBERS ANYTHING - just being HONEST.
I teach my congregation to talk out and express themselves, so when they do, I know what they are thinking and I'm able to help them. Remember that they just spend a couple hours with me per week, so they too are being influenced elsewhere. Kindly pray for this GENERATION of Global Youths - They do need prayer and more than prayer, ongoing programs, guidance and positive involvement.
At the end of the service today, EVERYONE ANSWERED THE ALTAR CALL. I believe I knew why? Simply because TRAGEDY usually causes people to THINK AND CHANGE AND DRAW CLOSER TO GOD. Some do it temporarily and others do it PERMANENTLY.
After service, we had our usual Dare 2 Be Different Victory Centre Weekly Breakfast and they usually leave after to return to our Dare 2 Be Different Sunshine Corner at 3 pm.
I had plans to visit another church today, but one child noticing that ALL THE INSPIRATION AND BLESSINGS were over, humbly turned to me and asked, "Brother Khrystus, we could stay with you and turn on you computers and watch some TV please and everyone was watching me with a pitiful look."
They know that we DO NOT do that on SUNDAY AT ALL, but I knew why they wanted to. THEY HAD RETURNED TO BEING FEARFUL OF THE GUN VIOLENCE that is seriously affecting our nation and very few are being caught or being successfully prosecuted in this regard.
I couldn't say NO - I said YES YOU CAN and they all breathed a sigh of relief. The younger ones started asking for pencils and colourings and scissors to go and do craft. I keep my church like a little Children's Club House because I deal primarily with children and youth and I have to know how to minister to them and keep them occupied on the things of GOD and also well rounded and engaged. So they know that they can come by Brother Khrystus at ANYTIME to eat, drink, relax, do homework, talk, help me etc. WHY? Simply because CHILDREN NEED CONSTANT LOVE - CARE AND ATTENTION.
I had to go back upstairs, take off my shirt and tie and just come downstairs and relax with them, let them talk out what was on their minds and ease the fear. After sometime, one child came and said, "Brother Khrystus, THANK YOU - WE GOING HOME NOW and several others followed."
I knew that thank you meant that they were a bit relieved from their FEARFUL spirit that they came to church with today.
"See you later Brother Khrystus," said another child as I waved her goodbye and thought - GUN VIOLENCE DOESN'T ONLY AFFECT THE IMMEDIATE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIM, but it also sends SHOCK WAVES THROUGH ALL and instills a sense of FEAR in our children and youth which is NOT FAIR AT ALL.
Young People - Let's ALL Put Down Our Guns From TODAY! It's Not Fair - Totally Not Fair that another SKN YOUTH Life Has Been Lost Again!
By: Brother Khrystus V. K. Wallace, President of Dare 2 Be Different International - www.daretobedifferentskn.com since June 2008
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| Brother Khrystus V. K. Wallace |
Fellow Citizens of The Federation of St. Kitts - Nevis, the wider Caribbean region and the world - LET US ALL PUT DOWN OUR GUNS FROM TODAY! Please.
I rose this morning to the news that The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis had lost yet another YOUTH LIFE due to gun violence. My heart dropped again as I honestly prefer staying positive and reporting on the positive, but I never forget that we LIVE in the REAL WORLD and bad things still do happen to good people too.
Having dressed on the upstairs of my home at Boyds - St. Kitts and walked downstairs where we convert our business space into a church space when it is time for youth ministry and Victory Centre Church at 8:30 am on Sundays, one brave child watched me square in my eyes and said, "Brother Khrystus, dey kill another one again last night and me teacher say only young fowl dying now, OLD PEOPLE stop dead."
His words instilled fear in my entire youth congregation and I knew that the worship and my well prepared and researched motivational sermon couldn't be used today again. It had to be a service of dialogue where I let them talk and try to answer as many of their questions about security and death and life after death and everything else that they wanted to talk about and ask."
Another child said, "Brother Khrystus. A know him. A used to drive on he bus. Why dey kill him?" My heart dropped again and I started hurting more too, as I TOO KNEW HIM PERSONALLY.
In an effort to keep the youth occupied, I let the service take a new order today. I let the young people choose the songs from our Dare 2 Be Different Song Book and lead out in the singing as I played the keyboard. They liked this a lot as they got to lead and I was happy because it got their minds off of death.
I continued that way throughout the entire service. Allowing them to pray, especially those who don't speak up much. They were a bit scared and so I helped them with words as they started and they grew in confidence bit by bit. I was using psychology to get the children to express themselves, relax their minds and change their focus from the FEAR OF GUN VIOLENCE AND DEATH as they stayed overly involved in CHURCH TODAY.
They happily rushed to find the passage of scripture that I would be preaching on today when I called it and although I was still somewhat sad and depressed that they were having to SUFFER FROM THE FEAR OF HEARING ABOUT DEATH BY GUN VIOLENCE IN St. Kitts - Nevis so soon AGAIN, I was happy that they were HAPPILY involved in the things of God.
They read the passage of Scripture for today. Ephesians 4:26 - Be ye angry and sin not: Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. It was here I sought to continue to instill in their young minds the importance of LOVE AND FORGIVENESS as much as we can so that we can grow into progressive, inspirational, love abounding God Followers and global citizens.
Why did I suddenly choose that passage of scripture today and not preach my motivational well prepared sermon?
Simply because some of the older ones are already RADICALIZED and speak of arming themselves so they could get the upper hand IF ANYBODY DO THEM OR THEIR FAMILY OR OUR CHURCH MEMBERS ANYTHING - just being HONEST.
I teach my congregation to talk out and express themselves, so when they do, I know what they are thinking and I'm able to help them. Remember that they just spend a couple hours with me per week, so they too are being influenced elsewhere. Kindly pray for this GENERATION of Global Youths - They do need prayer and more than prayer, ongoing programs, guidance and positive involvement.
At the end of the service today, EVERYONE ANSWERED THE ALTAR CALL. I believe I knew why? Simply because TRAGEDY usually causes people to THINK AND CHANGE AND DRAW CLOSER TO GOD. Some do it temporarily and others do it PERMANENTLY.
After service, we had our usual Dare 2 Be Different Victory Centre Weekly Breakfast and they usually leave after to return to our Dare 2 Be Different Sunshine Corner at 3 pm.
I had plans to visit another church today, but one child noticing that ALL THE INSPIRATION AND BLESSINGS were over, humbly turned to me and asked, "Brother Khrystus, we could stay with you and turn on you computers and watch some TV please and everyone was watching me with a pitiful look."
They know that we DO NOT do that on SUNDAY AT ALL, but I knew why they wanted to. THEY HAD RETURNED TO BEING FEARFUL OF THE GUN VIOLENCE that is seriously affecting our nation and very few are being caught or being successfully prosecuted in this regard.
I couldn't say NO - I said YES YOU CAN and they all breathed a sigh of relief. The younger ones started asking for pencils and colourings and scissors to go and do craft. I keep my church like a little Children's Club House because I deal primarily with children and youth and I have to know how to minister to them and keep them occupied on the things of GOD and also well rounded and engaged. So they know that they can come by Brother Khrystus at ANYTIME to eat, drink, relax, do homework, talk, help me etc. WHY? Simply because CHILDREN NEED CONSTANT LOVE - CARE AND ATTENTION.
I had to go back upstairs, take off my shirt and tie and just come downstairs and relax with them, let them talk out what was on their minds and ease the fear. After sometime, one child came and said, "Brother Khrystus, THANK YOU - WE GOING HOME NOW and several others followed."
I knew that thank you meant that they were a bit relieved from their FEARFUL spirit that they came to church with today.
"See you later Brother Khrystus," said another child as I waved her goodbye and thought - GUN VIOLENCE DOESN'T ONLY AFFECT THE IMMEDIATE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIM, but it also sends SHOCK WAVES THROUGH ALL and instills a sense of FEAR in our children and youth which is NOT FAIR AT ALL.
Young People - Let's ALL Put Down Our Guns From TODAY! It's Not Fair - Totally Not Fair that another SKN YOUTH Life Has Been Lost Again!
St. Kitts - Nevis is OUR COMMUNITY - it is imperative that we work together with LAW ENFORCEMENT to clean our streets of the villains because when they are not CAUGHT, they will only strike again VERY - VERY - VERY - SOOOOOOOON!
Condolences to the family and friends of the late KEVIN 'BROADIE" NEWMAN.
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