BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE sounds of youth voices shouting in chorus, “Crime has no place here!”, echoed throughout Warner Park and the streets of Basseterre yesterday (Mar. 30) at a rally against crime.
Before hundreds of students, teachers and parents, the rally jointly hosted by the Department of Youth and the New Dimension Outreach Ministries featured Jamaican-born evangelist Gerry Thompson.
Thompson told students that because of bad choices and negative influences, he lived a life built upon drug abuse and violent crimes for many years.
The derailment of Thompson’s life began like that of many other violent criminals, with sexual abuse from a parent. From that point forward he lived his life in denial of his inner pain, and found comfort in drugs, gangs and the trafficking of firearms.
Thompson, who was known as ‘Narcotic Blues’ in his gang, explained that in the depth of his journey into negativity, he found himself on the way to kill a man in Florida after a drug deal had gone wrong. On his way to carry out the murder, Thompson was approached by a person preaching the gospel, and suddenly took the time to reconsider how he wanted to live his life.
Following the “remarkable spiritual experience” fourteen years ago, Thompson turned his life around. He has since been ministering to youth through motivational speeches that warn them of the dangers a wanton life of crime and drugs can have.
Apart from Thompson’s gripping testimony, his renditions of “Why I put the gun down”, “I’m glad to be home again”, “God isn’t through with me yet” and “Just a closer walk” urged students to make informed decisions that would lead to productive, positive and meaningful lives.
Speaking with SKNVibes, Director of Youth Geoffrey Hanley said the “touching message” served as both a preventative and curative approach to the criminal impulses gripping the nation’s youth.
“Having heard evangelist Gerry Thompson, I’m confident that...there would be some change, not only in the personal lives of the students, but also in the way they interact with other members of their respective communities.
“I hope that after this event we would have more positive thinkers. It’s not only about focusing on crime and violence, but we have to instill in the youth that they have a purpose,” Hanley said.
Parents and teachers were advised by Thompson to continue the work done at the rally by constantly reminding the students to do good acts and resolve conflicts peacefully.
The Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Sam Condor, stressed the importance of prayer and faith in God as he addressed the massive gathering.
“God is large’ larger than all our problems,” the minister said. “So, we must never try to put him in a small box. The message is simple; it is one that you have been hearing time and again, but it is certainly one upon which you must begin to act, and act wisely.”
Condor said it was up to the youths to help eradicate the negative influences that “threaten to destroy our very existence”.
“Young people, we need your help to restore peace, safety and tranquillity to this our beloved Federation,” the minister said.
