The early bird catches the most worm

Our island Jamaica is really going through some hard times recently as it relates to the increase in acts of violence against our children. Recently, a fourteen year old female student was killed in the parish of St.Thomas. Since the brutal murder of the student a lot of talk can be heard about the early hours that students have to wake in order to travel several miles in order to go to school. This is a subject that I am very familiar with as I had to journey from the outskirts of Spanish Town every morning to reach school by 7:30 at Wolmer's High School for girls. Interestingly, however throughout my entire high school life I was probably late just once as I received perfect attendance for several years. This journey taught me good time management and respect for time. There were several times however when I would use my first class to catch up on some well needed sleep this didn't go down well with my teachers.

On the flip side of things, I had the privilege of having a school bus take me to school each morning so safety wasn't much of a concern. I would pass students on the road at early hours waiting in the dark for public transportation. It all comes down to the priority of our leadership,my suggestion is that school bus systems are implemented in communities that will ensure that students are able to arrive at school on time and safely. The same money that would be used to pay for public transportation could be used to pay for the maintenance of these school buses. These drivers would know which houses to go to and the times that each student need to arrive at school.

If the effort is put out in the first place to protect our children many of the problems that we face later on will be prevented. Some may say perhaps why do parents continue to send their children to these schools that are so far away. As young people don't we sometimes have to do what we can to ensure that our dreams are met? Yes , it would be ideal to attend a school that is closer to home but for those whose dream is to attend a certain school, should we then neglect to protect them because they have opted to go against what we deem as the ideal? Implementing a good bus system is one way of looking at it another simple way is that neighbours start to look our for neighbours. In times of old people would see someone walking on the road and offer them some form of assistance especially to a young child. However, because of the crime umbrella that continues to hang over our country people are very reluctant to stop and assist anyone. I implore drivers however, get to know your neighbours and their children so if possible you can give them some assistance to go to school.

It is always until something bad happens in this country before we see the need to address certain problems. Have we not seem young people heading out to school each morning, were we not aware of the harm that they face? We need to start thinking faster so that we can get things done before more harm continues to reach our children.

Church ministry without God

Have you ever been to a church service and when the singers are singing you feel nothing? You can hear the words coming out of their mouths but they have no conviction whatsoever? Music is one of the most important parts of church ministry and if God isn't in it, it shouldn't be called Gospel music to begin with. Some singers in church sing for self! They know they are blessed with beautiful voices so they use the church to showcase it but it isn't about ministry. It is simply to let people know what they have going on. They stand before you and they have blank expressions on their faces, while they sing such powerful lyrics. They aren't moved by it but they somehow expect that the congregation will be. The next issue is that of the modern day Gospel music. Call me old fashion but it isn't my flavour at all. Why should I have to be wondering whether I'm listening to Gospel or I'm at a dancehall event? Why does the church have to change itself to resemb...

Be more thankful

It's so easy for us to complain it's like we do it everyday. Are we more thankful for the blessings we have no matter how small they seem? It seems to me that more than ever people are more ungrateful than they are grateful. No matter how bad things are always remember that they could be much worse. Our house isn't big so we complain rather than be thankful that we have a house. Our pay cheque is small so we complain rather than be thankful that we have a job. Our skin isn't flawless so we complain instead of be thankful that we still have our skin to protect our bodies. Our body isn't sculpted perfectly so we complain instead of being thankful that all our body parts are still functioning. Our world is very ungrateful and we can never seem to be satisfied no matter how many blessings we have. This week I ask of you to be thankful for something everyday no matter how small it may seem.

This World

A world where people don't love you if you can't supply them with all the material things they need. A world where people marry just to get citizenship in a country. A world where the most educated aren't the ones given the best of jobs. A world where the television and internet are left to teach our children values. A world where the leaders of the church spend more money on church buildings tha n feeding the poor. A world where children receive guns before they receive a book to read. A world where in one half of the world people fight for an apple to eat while in the other we pick,choose and refuse what to eat. A world where we cry when we have no new clothes or shoes but some have never felt the warmth of a shirt and pants on their cold flesh. A world where politicians get increases in pay while the citizens are placed on wage freeze for years. A world where everybody proclaims they can't trust anybody. A world where girls value are always occupied with their look...

Search This Blog