Devon Dick
TWO DAYS AGO, 28-year-old Durraine Gidden, son of a pastor, was buried. Durraine, after preaching his second sermon for the day, two Sundays ago, went into the churchyard and was greeting the worshippers. His would-be killer, who shook his hand and said to him, "Good preaching," walked off then returned and shot him in the head and while he lay on the ground, the killer pumped more bullets into his body. Why would someone want to shoot a preacher who works as a building inspector with the St. Catherine Parish Council? What does one say to the mother and sister who witnessed the murder? What does one say to his fiancée? What do I say to his aunts Beulah and Judith? Where was God in all of this? What is God saying in all of this? What is the Church's response?
Amazingly, a daily newspaper said the Church was just waking up. This, because of a statement from the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church. This is not a time for blame game but rather a time for civil society to galvanise against the common enemy. However, the editorial comment by that same newspaper shows that if you want to hide anything from journalists, put it in a newspaper. And it seems true, if after all the efforts of the Church, such a statement could be made in a newspaper.
Bishop Delford Davis called the Church and nation to the National Arena on New Year's Day and one of the largest crowds at the Arena responded in prayer to the incidents of violent crime. Where were the journalists?
SHORT MEMORIES
Journalists have short memories. Many churches are involved in daily ministry in difficult areas and among difficult situations and dangerous persons. Have they forgotten 'Bawl Out', 'Storming the Gates', 'Forgiveness Campaign', the ongoing initiative in Spanish Town, Grants Pen, etc.? Have they forgotten that two working Brothers of the Poor were killed recently? Did they not hear Rev. Rennard White challenge the nation at the National Prayer Breakfast to support Operation Kingfish?
Anyhow, one should sympathise with that newspaper because they did not define what they meant by church. Church has at least four meanings. Sometimes it is a building, sometimes it is the universal church of all believers, it can also be a specific church such as a local church, and it could be a denomination or a council or whenever congregants meet. Generally speaking, by church, the media means either certain official from JCC or a church leader from a historic church.
It seems that a case can be made for the Church to have a more united approach to crime fighting as being done by some Ministers' Fraternals. No single denomination can manage this monster. No single council can tame this dragon. It needs a wider Christian group such as the one which owns and operates Love FM and TV or the group that managed the hurricane relief after Gilbert in 1988. This group would make available more financial and human resources to tackle this difficult problem. It could help also with public education on safety tips and information and intelligence gathering. This group could facilitate a more focused response to known trouble spots.
INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION TO CRIME
In addition, this united effort needs to seek the support, understanding and help of overseas partners. Most church groups have at least fraternal relations with international and regional bodies. There is an international dimension to crime, and just as how there was co-operation between progressive forces in Jamaica, Britain and U.S.A. to fight against slavery, there is the need for international cooperation to conquer this murderous spirit.
Let the beginning of spring, spur the Church as the collective Christian presence to a more united effort and international cooperation.
Rev Devon Dick is pastor of Boulevard Baptist Church and author of 'Rebellion to Riot: the Church in Nation Building'.
