Caribbean Times 80th Issue - Friday 20th January 2017

10 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g
Friday 20th January 2017
80 hours of nonstop love; Bible
proclamation over our land
Coming out of the year 2016, a
year that was a most devastating year
for many people, has nothing to do
with the fact that it is classified as a
Leap Year (with twenty-nine days in
February).
All over the world terrible things
have happened and are happening and,
believe it or not, those terrible, devastating
things have nothing to do with
the year or our times.
As a matter of fact, for anyone
reading this article, that person (yes
you) can do some reflection and hope
(from here on) for a life of inner peace
and productive living. – This is possible
not because of the circumstances
of a person’s life or the abilities that
person may possess to earn a better
physical existence, but because God
has given to each of us the very precious
gift of His word – the Holy Bible.
Henry Van Dyke a notable nineteenth
century clergyman left us a
classic description of the Bible. – He
acknowledged that, and I am constrained
to fully quote him, “Born in
the East and clothed in Oriental form
and imagery, the BIBLE walks the
ways of all the world with familiar
feet and enters land after land to find
its own everywhere.
It has learned to speak in hundreds
of languages to the heart of man.
Children listen to its stories with wonder
and delight, and wise men ponder
them as parables of life.
The wicked and proud tremble at
its warnings, but to the wounded, and
penitent it has a mother’s voice. It
has woven itself into our dearest
dreams; so that love, friendship, sympathy,
devotion, memory, hope, put on
the beautiful garments of its treasured
speech.
No man is poor or desolate who has
this treasure for his own. When the
landscape darkens, and the trembling
pilgrim comes to the Valley named
of the Shadow, he is not afraid to enter;
he takes the rod and staff of Scripture
in his hand; he says to friend and
comrade; ‘Goodbye; we shall meet
again;’, and, confronted by that support,
he goes toward the lonely pass as
one who walks through darkness into
light.”
Recently, a branch of the world acclaimed
organization Youth With A
Mission, one headquartered in Trinidad,
visited Antigua on its Bible Proclamation
journeys across the Caribbean
to cover our land with the word of
God as a special first agenda item for
us in 2017.
Members, affiliates and friends of
the church - were invited to participate
in this powerful Bible Proclamation
over the land. Fluent readers of the
church, and other organizations, inclusive
of children teens, adults, seniors
– male and female were asked to avail
themselves to participate in the undertaking
which began on Wednesday,
11 th January at 13:00hours (1:00pm)
at Heroes Park, St. John’s, and was
slated to continue – nonstop up to Saturday
14 th January, some time shortly
before midnight, for a full eighty-two
(82 hours).
IT WAS ACTUALLY AC-
COMPLISHED IN EIGHTY (80)
HOURS – Reading from Genesis to
Revelation. Youth With A Mission is
a global movement of Christians from
many cultures, age groups, and Christian
traditions, dedicated to serving
Jesus throughout the world.
Also known as YWAM (pronounced
- WHY-wham), they unite in
a common purpose to know God and
to make God known.
There is presently a discipleship
school operating in Trinidad and Tobago
under the sterling leadership of
Elder Shamus James whose wife and
three daughters are all actively involved
in this ministry.
For posterity it must be noted that
when the movement began in the year
1960, the main focus was to get youth
involved in missions.
Today, they still focus on youth,
and they also involve people of all
ages.
The work is currently established
in more than 1,500 locations in over
190 countries, with a staff of about
30,000 persons.
The Antigua and Barbuda community
commends YWAM for a job well
done and many will remain in prayer
for their endeavours committing again
to taking delight in the continued reading
of God’s word to bring us and keep
us on the path of righteousness with
goodness and mercy following us all
the days of our lives, assured that at
the close of this mortal existence we
will all dwell in the House of the Lord
forever.
One may never fully know the
power and dynamism of God’s holy
word, read in eighty (80) sacred hours
over our land. One thing is sure, we
will all learn more of how much God
loves us.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed
in this Op-ed are those of the
author and do not necessarily reflect
the views of Caribbean Times.