Jubilation… 5 Decades In Ah Row

What can wash away our Nay-shun’s sins? nothing but 5 decades ah Sunday School Camp once ah year. Yes, dis year campers and former campers of de Glad Tidings Bible Camp (GTBC) from far and near, will re-group in celebration of de Organisation’s

“ Golden Anniversary.” Ah was informed dat de GTBC, de Sunday School Arm of de Gospel Hall Assembly in SVG, was formed back in 1972 when de leadership of de Assembly in Kingstown…… ley me doh tie up me foot and men-shun names and Titles eh, cause man does vex when dey ain’t see or hear dey name or dey great grand-dardy name. So doh vex if yuh doh get men-shun. It was in de summer of 1972 dat Mack (Uncle Mack) Velox and his dear wife, Tanty Elsa ah faith-full servant in de Lord’s Vineyard, took ah small group of Sunday School youths to an all Girls Camp on Union Island. As was expected de boys got jealous, mek noise and de following year when de group went back to Camp on Union Island, de boys were present in dey numbers. And dat I am told was de beginning of de GTBC.

Talking bout growth? GTBC has grown “in Leaps and Bounds.” There is a very vibrant Camp Committee headed by Tyrone “Uncle Tom” Dickson who is no “uncle Tom”, his committee functions and meets all year round. Members put dey money way dey mouth dey, and one member (now deceased) did put his money, as well as ah piece ah land on which dey’s now ah magnificent Camp Site wid dorms etc.

Not only has Summer Camp been ah reality, but every year fo de last 50 years, save and except interruptions like COVID-19, de camp dorms have been opened to youths from even nearby Carry-Beyond states T’n’T, B’dos et al.

Bible Camp is like ah Mecca way Christian and potential Christian youths mek ah Pilgrimage, commit dey lives to Christ and get prepared foh dis crazy wicked world. Good Campers doh mess wid Crime ‘n’ Drugs!

Was de great King Solomon dat said: “Cast yuh bread beyond the waters, after many years it will return”, so will former campers, many returning from overseas as leaders and trainers, to mek sure deys sufficient Bread to cast and keep dis powerful Ministry Alive and Well.”
De 2023 Junior and Senior Summer Camp is in progress, De 50th. Anniversary Celebrations in full swing wid ah Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, followed by Fun or Fund raiser dinner nex Sat-dey. T-shirts and other memorabilia on sale, and after all dis promote-shun, dey still insist dat ah pay foh ah T-shirt and ah $100. 00 dinner ticket.

MORE AND MORE 5’S

De Taxi driver was throwing numbers at me. As ah passed de Taxi Stand he shouted out: “ Love Vine, “5 in ah Row in yuh Back-side!” Ah ignored him, but he persisted: “ When yuh wanted to wear de other man shoe, yuh did blame de Prime Minister and Commissioner of Police back den foh de Crime shit-yuh-hear-sun (oops) in SVG, yuh did mek big promise to be tough on crime and de sources of crime.” De Taxi Man won’t chill, continued: “ Now de shoe pon yuh foot, tell me what non-scents yoh Whirl Boss saying. After he, de 5-Star General in office 23 years (ah 2 and 3) = 5 in ah Row, dis July month No 7 of 2023 (7+2+0+2+3) = 14 (1+4) = 5, yes 5 murders in one night pon one spot. Talking phart bout young men killing to satisfy High Man-tainance Woe-man.”

HOW EYE-RUN-ACHE

Lie-Za is most excited wid ah News story in Searchlight Midweek: “Creative sector CDB to Invest US $1.8 million in the Region’s Creative Sector.” A most welcome piece ah news foh Mas-men in particular. Isn’t it Eye-Run-Ache she says dat de article highlighted “ Ocean Predators,” ah beautiful photo of ah section from Melbourne Artisan’s 2023 Mas Band. She asking if is de same Melbourne Artisan wid over 5 decades of uninterrupted presentations of Vincy Mas, whose Mas Camp has been widout electricity foh years!! And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

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