DOING A GOOD DEED FOR THE FUTURE

(GOOD DEEDS FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE-OUR CHILDREN)

 

On Sunday mornings, I assist in the teaching of religious instructions to approximately twenty five (25) young persons in my Parish.  As part of this programme, this morning  (Sunday 22nd October)we all attended a retreat at Emmaus Centre, Arima.

During one of the sessions, the main speaker encouraged the young people to develop a deeper relationship with the Creator. She spoke about her own experiences at a young person, whereby she was confused and always felt like she did not belong. She told them that many times she had questions about her own religious beliefs.

We were then divided into smaller groups one of which I was the group-leader. The young people, feeling very comfortable with me, started to talk about their own life experiences. They were obviously undergoing many hurts and disappointments either from their families, friends or others in whom they had trusted.

As the session progressed, the majority of them were moved to tears (some were seen crying openly while others buried their faces in the palms of their hands.)

I, too, shared my own childhood experiences with them - my own past pains, insecurities and sufferings, so that they would know that I understood how they felt and that these feelings of confusion were just , I guess, part of the different stages of life.

We shared, hugged, prayed and cried and I gave them many positive affirmations. This ceremony was truly a time for releasing past experiences and focusing on inner healings.

 

 

As I departed, and remembered the day’s activities, I pondered on the number of the young persons who are either physically, emotionally or mentally abused; who are lonely, depressed and felt unloved by anyone. So many of them had no-one, or felt that they had no-one to turn to (no-one that they can trust); so many felt that there was nowhere they can go for support and counselling. Many of them were feeling so hopeless and full of fear for the future.

Our young people, well, our children (because they will always be our children) are crying out (for love), as RICHIE SPICE sings in his song: "CRYING FOR LOVE”

“Children are crying out for lov

crying out love.

Children r crying out for love

crying out love. 

Some need a guiding star dada

some need to cuddle in your arms

some need your time of day mama

cant face this Gideon on their own

 Children are crying out for love

crying out love.

Children r crying out for love

crying out love.”

 

These cries are beyond those coming from our children of birth or of our immediate families-

These cries are coming from our other children - the children in our communities who are being abused daily, the ones we pretend not to hear…the ones to which we turn a deaf ear.

These cries are coming from children at our schools - the ones who are being bullied and picked on daily and let us not forget the bullies, for they too are crying out. And we continue to turn a deaf ear.

 

These cries are coming from the children we see on our streets with nothing to eat, with no place to sleep. And again we turn a deaf ear.

Can we not hear their cries?

 

How long can we continue to ignore their cries?

Our young people, our children, are crying out (for love) and these cries are getting louder.

We, the adults need to extend our support: to inspire, to love, and to encourage our young people. We need to become more involved, more proactive where all of our children, our young people are concerned. There are many groups in our communities which focus on the youth  and in which we should make every effort to volunteer and participate.

 

This is the website of the Youth Organisation Directory, Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, which provides a list of all the registered youth organisations in Trinidad and Tobago.

http://youthorgtt.com/index.php?option=com_sobi2&Itemid=1

 

Let us all get involved. These young people are our future, so do a good deed for them.

 

                                DO A GOOD FEED FOR THEIR FUTURE...OUR FUTURE....