Leon Hendrickson laid to rest
Greater participation of fathers in parenting can curb crime...says Pastor Maynard
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis - PASTOR Eric Maynard of the Shiloh Baptist Church on Saturday said greater involvement of fathers in parenting could go a long way in curbing crime.
The Pastor was at the time delivering a sermonette during the funeral service of Leon Hendrickson, who died on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 after he was shot multiple times to the body in Marion Avenue, Charlestown, Nevis.
“This generation is abandoned by its fathers. That is why boys have gone astray,” he said and noted that the population of men mentoring children to attend church had declined over the years. As a result, he warned, the Federation would suffer due to the consequences of single-parenting.
“Every child needs two parents,” he stated. He went on to say that even at the pulpits, the population of women preachers was rising at a higher rate than that of men because many of them had turned their backs to God.
“God is watching and patiently waiting. Many think this is the most privileged generation, but
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| Caribbean Roots Band members singing at Leon’s funeral service |
it is the most underprivileged generation,” he said and called on stakeholders to collectively fight the wave of violence by looking at the root cause.
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| Hollisa Hendrickson sings for her departed father during the funeral service |
“When we lose young men of ages 25 to 40 we lose the strength of our nation. Women will have to work at construction sites,” Pastor Maynard said. He also called on all present at the service to return to regular prayer meetings.
He said most of the employees in the formal sector, such as banks and private companies, were women. The Pastor said young men who are supposed to be at the same level with the career women are not.
Addressing the young men, he said, “Do not destroy the social fabric. Boys are angry at their fathers. Let’s not destroy the island. Nevis has just started to see the light of day.”
He said media houses should place stories on violence on the inside pages and avoid the front page, as the stories glorify crime. “Put these stories on inside pages.”
Pastor Maynard prayed that God would comfort Leon’s family. He also stressed that that service should mark the last time where people in the Federation would assemble to bury a shooting victim. ~~Adz:Right~~
“We are hurting...we have to share our sorrows and find strength in each other. The Federation is changing and this should be a time of soul searching. We could lose gains we have made in recent years,” he said.
Pastor Maynard called on talk show hosts and callers to refrain from increasing already existing tension by their utterances: “One man called a talk show and said people should protest and not go to church.”
After a tearful church service, Leon Hendrickson wase laid to rest at the Bath Cemetery, Stoney Grove.
