CHARLESTOWN Nevis, June 19th 2011 - Pam Martin’s dream and longing to take care of orphans or children in especially difficult circumstances has materialized. On July 4, she will fly out of Nevis to visit 62 orphans for a week. The children are housed at a church/school compound in Haiti.
The Haiti connection was made possible through an encounter with a missionary she met in Barbados while attending a Women’s convention 2 years ago. When introductions were done, she had a keen interest in a Jamaican lady who has been a missionary in Haiti for 35 years.
The encounter with the missionary awakened her longing to take care of orphans. Pam said in an interview she always wondered why her parents would not adopt a child when she was growing up. Asked why she had a keen interest in disadvantaged children, she said: “I was raised with a lot of love with every need met and in a secure environment and I want children in difficult circumstances to experience the love that surrounded me.”
Pam’s parents are George and Yvonne originally from Burden Pasture, like many Nevisians, migrated to the UK in the early sixties. Pam was born in England. She relocated to her home island in 1994.
“When I decided to come and live here. I wanted to start an orphanage but realized there were no orphans, so I abandoned that idea,” Pam said. She got a job at Nisbet Plantation Beach Club and worked with the hotel for 10 years. During her free time, she enjoyed singing with members of the legendary Caribbean Roots.
In the year 2000, she did not feel right. “I felt something was missing. I had a copy of this book, ‘Race for Success’, by George C. Fraser. The book talked about the steps the author took to be the success he was. The first step was spiritual growth. I pondered at this step. I decided the best choice was to go to church. I called a friend who recommended to me Butlers Church of God. The first Sunday I attended, as Pastor Davidson Morton was preaching, I realized what was missing in my life. I did not have a personal relationship with God.”
Pam recalled her childhood days. She said although she attended church, she stopped going to church when she reached the age of 13. “When you are 13 you become more independent you begin to have special likes and dislikes. I did not like church. I found it boring with boring songs and countless rituals.”
After making a decision to have a personal relationship with God through Jesus, she began to understand about Christianity and having God as centre of her life. “I realized it was about a relationship and not rituals.”
In 2008 Pam began to attend another of the Church of God’s assemblies in Brick Kiln. Once there she realized that there were no programs for the children of the church so with her Pastor’s blessing she started a children’s class every Friday afternoon from 5.30-6.30pm. During the class she teaches the children various Bible stories and constantly reminds them of Jesus’ love for them. Pam says, “Over the past 3 years I have attempted to engage the children in positive activities whilst teaching them of Jesus’ love for them.
They range in age from 4 to 14 years old; many of the boys have strong leadership skills that I endeavour to channel in a positive way, demonstrating to them that they can be successful and useful in society.”
“I find my Christian life, very interesting. I have had wonderful experiences, many ups and downs along the way but my decision to become a Christian has changed my thinking and how I look at things and people.
Everything has changed. I love my role as Corporate Account Manager with LIME, every day is one of challenge yet exciting. I am full of joy 99 percent of the time because my faith reminds me that ‘the joy of the Lord is my strength’.”
Her church fully supports her decision. The Eden Brown Church of God women’s group, Women of Worth (WOW), Pastor Morton and other members of the congregation send gifts of money to the orphanage. Pam is using personal savings to finance her trip to Haiti and says “there is still a great need in Haiti and even if it is just to sing and shower the 62 children with love for a week, it will be well worth it”.
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