Family Affair: over 150 turn out for de Shong reunion

Saturday, December 27, 2008, will long be remembered by several descendants of Francis de Shong throughout St Vincent and the Grenadines. That’s when 161 of them gathered at Mt Wynne for the final activity of their mini family reunion.{{more}}

While on the beach, de Shongs of all ages gave thanks to Almighty God for his mercies throughout the years, sang, laughed, talked, ate, drank, swam and played games, pledging to strengthen the ties that bind them.

One of the oldest family members, Louise Mc Tair Ramsden, who is now 89, journeyed from Trinidad, her adopted home land, along with three others, for the occasion. Louise, a retired school principal, expressed her joy at coming home to be with her relatives and read a tribute which she penned especially for her family. “I am not sure if I’d live to see 2010, so I had to come now,” emphasized an energized and jubilant Louise.

Other family members also came in from London and Bermuda just for the celebration.

Freddie Adams, son of the late Thelma de Shong Adams, has spent the last ten years diligently researching the de Shong family history, crafting in the process a gigantic family tree which, according to him, “continues to grow.”

The de Shongs held another activity on Sunday, December 14, 2008, when 78 of them joined the congregation at the Kingstown Baptist Church, Garden’s Gate, in the Sunday morning worship. One of their very own, Demion Mc Tair, gave a beautiful rendition of “Bind us together, Lord” during the service.

The de Shongs are seeking vigorously to hold a Grand Family Reunion here in SVG

in 2010, when they expect those currently residing abroad to come home for the occasion.

The Planning Committee of Freddie, Barbara, Jerome, Cheryl, Luis, Antonia, Garth, Eugene, Trevor and Diana, considering it a “labour of love” to identify their relatives and to get to know them, will continue to lay the groundwork for next year’s celebrations, in anticipation of an overwhelming response from their relatives here and abroad.