"Andrews Pen Community Project" Reported In Jamaica

[Key Guy]

From the Jamaica Observer

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html..._SDA_CHURCH.asp

Quote:

SEVEN years ago, members of the Andrews Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church in St Andrew began an initiative to win souls for Christ in Andrews Pen, a small inner-city community off Barbican Road.

But not only did they win souls, they also found a fertile ground to begin sowing seeds of love, community spirit and biblical principals. It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship between the youths from the church and those from the community under what is dubbed, the "Andrews Pen Community Project".

The project entails a mentorship programme, a homework programme and a welfare programme. Every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, a small group of young people, totalling about 12, from the church visit with other youth from the community at a small centre built by the church.

Dr Novie Younger, who co-ordinates the programme, said the aim is to teach positive values and attitudes through interaction.

"It's one of our church's effort at crime prevention. We are just trying to teach them how to love themselves, love each other and love God," she told the Sunday Observer.

Currently there are about 60 community children, who range in age from one to 17 years old, in the group. Some of them, Younger said, have been exposed to constant acts of violence.

"What we do is like a stimulant. They are challenged to do better, and we are seeing improvements. For one, they are reading more, because that is one of the areas we stress on," she said.

Kahlee Mitchell, 17, a member of the church, said she joined the group a year ago because she wanted to be a part of a ministry that helped young people such as herself. She said being a part of the group has strengthened her as an individual.

"It has taught me patience; it's the biggest lesson I have learnt here. Sometimes we have rough days, because I mostly deal with the smaller children. But we just pray and try to be calm with them," she said.

Mitchell said the trust level between her and her students have also improved over the past few months.

"They teach us lessons that are fun - about themselves, about their personalities and about their school life, and it does minister to me. It touches me sometimes because it is very personal," she said.

Denise Stedford, who is also a part of the group visiting the community weekly, believes it is important for Christians to help others who are less fortunate.

"It helps me to fulfil part of my duties as a Christian, because the Bible tells us to help others who are weak," she said.

Stedford added that she has been a part of the programme for the past three years, and is extremely pleased with the level of development she has witnessed in the children and youths.

"Before, you had like separations because the children weren't willing to socialise with each other. Right now we are seeing a difference because even though they do have confrontations, they learn to work it out," she said.

Pastor for the Andrews Memorial SDA, Lorenzo King, said the church also assists some of the students from the area with school fees, funding for textbooks and help meet their other welfare needs. He said he is pleased with the relationship the church has formed with the community.

"The community is pleased. The parents have been sending out their children and that is an indication of support," he said.

He said the interaction has also been good for the youths from his church.

"One of the benefits is that it is providing opportunities for our young people to develop leadership skills and to deal with challenges, and they have been growing. I have heard them talk about their challenges and I have heard about their experiences and it is awesome," he said.