Street Beat students (in black) from Florida, U.S.A., show the local Street Beat kids some dance moves at a street concert in Southside, central Kingston, recently. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

Sajoune Rose, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Twenty-one year-old Adrian McDonald is a beacon of hope. A resident of the volatile Southside community in central Kingston, he, unlike many other inner-city youths who have fallen prey to the gun, has shunned the negative influences around him and is looking forward to a positive future.

Adrian is one of 20 young men whose innocence and vulnerability captured the attention of Dr. Patricia Morgan nearly nine years ago while they were teenagers hanging out on the waterfront at the Kingston Harbour. Since then, his perspective on life has never been the same.

"Me see tings more clearer spiritually cuz we get all type a teaching - a nuh only Bible teaching. And before, we used to rude still an do tings weh nuff people no know bout. Dem involve gun, woman, robberies an other tings to," says McDonald as he sits on a makeshift bench with his head held high as he piercingly searches the evening sky for something unknown.

Attention captured

The rhythmic beat of the American gospel music being played nearby at the street concert hosted by City Life Ministries, a faith-based non-profit organisation in Southside, captures his attention. He glances at the approximately 100 persons who have gathered at the intersection of Fleet and Tower streets to enjoy the energetic dance moves of the children of the Florida-based Street Beat International, which is an arts programme comprising drama, music, and the teaching of life skills - along with the replicated Street Beat Jamaica.

McDonald, however, is a part of the men's group at City Life, which also has a women's programme called 'A Woman's World'.

Since 1998, Dr. Morgan and her family heeded the call of the Lord, which urged them to go downtown in the 'heart of the country', to bring relief and empowerment to the people there, which they hope will spread to the rest of Jamaica. This led to the establishment of City Life Ministries two and a half years ago.

"It is literally the leading of the Lord and we believe that God has sent us downtown to make an impact which we hope will have a ripple effect in the nation," says Pastor Carrington Morgan of the Morgan family.

He is most proud of the children's programme comprising 'Education First', where corporate entities sponsor a child and monitor them through school and Street Beat Jamaica.

Approximately 20 children from Street Beat International recently made their second visit to the island and spent two event-filled days promoting positive attitudes among young men like McDonald.

"Street Beat has helped me to be a better leader and to treat everyone as equal and to be friendly and this is what I want to impart to these fellow children," says Ciera Butts, who has been a member of Street Beat Inter-national for over eight years.

McDonald says he has matured in many ways since he has been with City Life. "It mek mi become a man still, if any likkle ting, me no look fi handouts," he says. While he has rejected the life of crime and violence, he says that he would like some assistance with employment. "Me do a likkle ting now and again, but me a 21 now an me still no have a job," he says while scratching the curly mass of hair on his head.

Although he is currently unemployed, he says that City Life has not only helped him and those who are involved in the programme, but also the entire community. "It kinda slow up crime an violence in a likkle way cuz dem try fi link wid everybody."

However, he believes that despite the positive spirit that City Life tries to instil in Southside, many other youths won't change from the negative influences that predominate life in the inner city.

"No matter how dem link wid the programme, dem still nah go change. A Southside dis name, enuh; it, no so easy. A so it set up," he says, almost in a whisper.