Stop the violence! Put down the guns!
This is the appeal being made to youth involved in gun violence, by Rev. Dr. David Durant of Restoration Ministries, on behalf of the National Network of Pastors and Leaders.
His cry came as a team from the network, which is made up of an inter-denominational group of churches, gathered at Restoration Ministries International at Bonnetts Avenue, Brittons Hill, St. Michael yesterday, to discuss their upcoming National Prayer Gathering to be held in Independence Square in Bridgetown on Friday March 1st and Saturday March 2nd, respectively, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. nightly.
“We want to make an appeal here together, asking our young people to put down the guns, to stop the violence, to really seek ways and means where they can help curb their anger, even if they go to some anger management sessions, because we don’t want to see (Her Majesty’s Prisons Dodds) being continually filled up with the youth of our nation,” Rev. Durant commented.
“Please, I am asking also drug lords, if you can come to a place of just changing your lifestyle, rather than encouraging and creating that community for our young people to just filter in and be led down that deviant path of violence and lawlessness and paid assassinations,” he continued.
“If drug lords can think of turning their lives around and serving God, and also the importers of guns, I think that we will have more exposure and that trade can come to an end and we can see our nation become that preferred place for all citizens of our country,” Durant added.
His comments concluded the press briefing, which also examined ways in which the church can make a greater impact at the community level. Durant acknowledged that whilst the two nights of intercessory prayer over the weekend would aid in changing the spiritual climate in Barbados, as prayers are offered up for various social and economic woes, the National Network of Pastors and Leaders will also be introducing a number of activities and targeted interventions to assist the nation’s youth, and by extension their families.
Durant and the other faith leaders present – Pastor Courtney Selman, Rev. Eliseus Joseph, Rev. John Carter and Rev. Aubrey O’Neale – meanwhile noted that the church has a responsibility to pray for the nation as the scriptures instruct, since “there is power in prayer”, and then other activities can follow to meet the needs that exist. (RSM)