Try sack-clothes and ashes dis time

Next Monday dey will be ah welcomed “Nah-shun-all Day of Prayer.” In one ah de Ole Testament Books in de Bible, de Children of Israel had ah “Nah-shun-all Day of Prayer” foh Israelites only. It all stemmed from how dey were carrying on wid dey wickedness and Sin-full acts foh years, den all of ah sudden dey noticed dat everything falling apart;

den dey decided to run hurry-hurry to God foh mercy. Dey called foh Prayer, put on Sack-clothes, rub dey skin wid ash (es) and mud, and went in de Heritage Square… oops, Public Square foh all to see, confess dey sins in public, loud foh all to hear, and den begged God pardon. Prayer over, dey got ah new Sin Book, ah new Lease, and everything started again like nutten ever happen..

De events are all recorded in de Bible. Dey was Rape, yes, even in King David’s Palace; and dey was Whore-more-sex-shells and Less-beyonds just like we have today; so be merciful to those who are different. Dey was Ah-dull-tree and Fornicate-shun, yes even de Priests, dem young boys foh de Prophet Eli uses to more-less de young girls in de Church. Dey was murder, theft, corrupt-shun, decept-shun; Rastaman will tell yuh dat Marie-Warn-her was on King Solomon’s grave, reproducing way back den. Sin is not new. De thing about Sin is dat it’s like ah fruit dat is soft, sweet and ju-c on de outside, yuh tempted to bite into it, but soon yuh teeth hit ah hard spot, yuh bite into de seed, it is tuff and de sweetness gone, it becomes taste-less or bitter.

De only difference between we and de Israelites, is dat we are Vincilites. We! Yes, all ah we do all manner of wrong in de sight of God, and now God tun His back, we finding ex-play-nay-shun and excuses to shed responsibility or blame. We placing we problems in de pews of de Churches. ULP is Boss at creating Side Shows, how easily dey shift de stage from Crime to Gay Rights, or to Me-de-Sin-all use of Marie-Warn-her. And when de Go-venom-mint finds itself backed against de wall, dey say it’s ah responsibility foh de Church.

Lie-Za say “Crime is rampant in SVG!!” Ah had to beg her to be more pull-it-tek-ill correct and say “Crime is rampant everywhere,” throw-out de world. De flip side of Bad is Good, of Hate is Love, of Crime is Peace, Love, Forgiveness. Arm-In Eustace’s proposals to create an environment of Redemption received ah hoff and ah scoff, “he wants to be Prime Minister-terial” dey said. And because de PM rubbished it, ah yet to hear ah Clergyman give it support.

It is ah good target to have at least one University Graduate in every home, but what happens when dat one Graduate is outnumbered by ah village of young criminals, illiterate, no skills – be it craft, drama, Music, things positive, creative and productive.

And basically all dat Arm-in was and still advocating, is foh us to put on Spiritual Sach-clothes and Ash and go back to God. “Gee we de ole time Religion”, de Sunday Schools in de Highways and Bye-ways. Revitalize de Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, 4-H Clubs, Cadets; de NYC, create ah balance in de young minds. It’s not surprising dat de PM rubbish Dr Friday’s offer to unite in de fight against Crime in SVG. His rejection will backfire pon him!

So come Monday, throughout de “Nah-shun-all Day of Prayer”, ah expect to hear men/women talk bout putting on Armour of dis, and breast-plate of de other. But all ah asking is foh Prayer Warriors to put on dey Spiritual Sach-clothes and Ash, confess before God and Man about his, her and our Sins, and den ask God to spare or spear us, have mercy on us oh God! And wid dat ah is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy.

Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.