Dey’s ah healing balm in SVG

Last Sunday ah kept my promise to attend de St Gorges Cathedral Service in Kingstown, just to hear de Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal (Anglican) Church (USA). Ah was given VIP treatment, seated in ah row dat was marked Reserved, bread and wine was served, but ah was neither served nor re-served anything.

Seriously though, It was ah one-dah-full three hours service. Lively Praise and Worship session by our ever faithful St George’s Choir (reminded me of de good ole St George’s Choir of Lois Williams, (still among de best). De choir was accompanied by a spicey’n’energetic musical Folk Ensemble with piano, violin, percussions and drums. Ah welcome presence was de involvement of the young people praising God. Scripture reading from de Book of Job by ah bold and brave eight year ole, Kai Marks, ah guess her parents and Granny taught her well. Dey was Gold Award Dance Presentation by SVG’s No-1 Dance Troup, La Gracia Dancers who proudly performed in ah colourful costume using de Nah-shun-all colours. Nuff respect to hard working Director Maxine Browne. And ah must big-up the church for its very bold and progressive inclusion of our Caribbean (Vincy) Folk Music, Dance and our Youths again. Lie-Za‘s big wish is dat our churches would see de need to study de lyrics and melody of several of our local Calypsoes and Folk Songs, and have dem played during services. She long foh de ole time Religion way her Granny uses to Sing, Dance, Clap Hands, Shout Hallelujah as dey Praise God.

And den de moment we all waited for, the Message from de Man of God, Bishop Curry. We could not ask foh ah more dramatic goose-bumps raising, powerful, opening statement dan de beautiful-soothing Baritone voice of Deighton Anderson as he delivered:”There is a Balm in Gilead To make the wounded whole, There is a Balm in Gilead To heal the sin-sick soul.” Den de choir joined in and Bishop Curry took it from dey! He did not fail to deliver. One must remember Bishop was born ah Baptist, converted to Anglican. His father was born ah Baptist converted to Anglican. His grand-father and great grand-father were both Baptist Ministers.

Listening to de man, spiritual Baptist-is-him still. He spoke about Love! De Love dat is documented in Corinthians 13, dat endures all things and never ends.

And den he spoke about de theme song, “The Balm in Gilead!” De Balm goes way back in Genesis, consumed and applied topically for various health benefits- from throat infections, lowering cholesterol, treating stomach ulcers, Covid-19, Monkey Pox, alleviating stress, and more. De Balm is still widely used and still regarded as being highly potent. De Balm was and is ah master foh healing de body but cannot touch de sinful soul. , But Alas! Dey is ah Healing Balm in SVG, to make the wounded whole. There is de Healing Balm of Christ’s Salvation to our soul in St George’s Cathedral and all over SVG, to heal our sin-sick soul!

After de Service ah asked Lie-za how she liked Bishop Curry She said up until Sunday she would have curry once ah week, but after Sunday’s Curry, she will be eating curry every day in de week, and twice on ah Sunday.
For ah week of much need Blessings in dis country, ah want to thank de Anglican Community, Bishop Curry and his entourage, in particular his blessed Vincy member of staff, Sharon Jones, who might want to tell her dad, my senior by two months, ah say thanks. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy.

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