Around noon on Thursday, January 31, a prominent Corporate Area high school was rocked by what some students say was a spiritual force which possessed one of their peers at first, then spread throughout the institution.

It is reported that the first student affected was dining in the school's cafeteria when she became possessed. She stood on top of a table and, in a voice far deeper than her own, began revealing intimate details about her fellow students, details she could not have possibly known, before collapsing on the table. She was then confined to a room through which she could be heard demanding to be released, shouting; "I need to tell them the word of God! Remember the Ten Commandments and the Seven Deadly Sins!"

Spread to other students

According to one student who asked not to be named, following this, similar wave of uncontrollable emotion spread to students who at this time were completely unaware of the incident that had taken place in the cafeteria.

The student with whom The Gleaner spoke said she began experiencing extreme pain in her own head, was crying uncontrollably for no particular reason, and subsequently vomited.

"People were moaning, groaning, crying, fainting," she said, careful to note that she was not herself a Christian, nor was the girl who was apparently "touched by God".

She said she believes "there was a kind of evil presence in the school, and God intervened".

Girls who had previously proclaimed themselves atheists were also affected.

She noted also that the teachers did not seem surprised, but rather annoyed at what had occurred. She said she was unsure whether their reaction was evidence of disbelief or of familiarity and that she had heard stories of similar incidents happening there before, though this was her first time witnessing it for herself.

No comment

One teacher, who has worked at the school for more than a decade, declined to confirm whether such an incident had occurred at the school before, saying only that she did not believe speaking about the issue at all would be beneficial to the school.

When contacted for comment, the school's acting principal had "nothing to say," except that the school was in the process of trying to determine what exactly took place.

Bishop Dr Delford Davis, pastor of the Power of Faith church in Portmore, St Catherine, said the incident should not be taken lightly and, at this time, special effort should be made to provide the affected students and the entire school community with spiritual counselling.

"That does not sound like a manifestation of the spirit of the Lord," said Bishop Davis. "The Holy Spirit does not manifest itself in that kind of way. He doesn't bring pain or seek to embarrass people, but is loving and gentle."

He added: "We cannot discount that the Devil can invade and penetrate people's lives as well, and that he can mimic the gifts that God bestows on Christians, such as the spirit of discernment."

Bishop Davis further said it was important for the Christian community to keep the students in their prayers.