BY GEORGE HENRY ,star Writer
spaldings, clarendon
GEORGE HENRY - Deaconess Blossom Carter
DEACONESS BLOSSOM CARTER wants Jamaicans to surrender and submit themselves to God, so that all can be in a better position to pray to Him and ask for the healing of the nation. She says if the people do not look to God Almighty for help in correcting the ills in the society the end will be bitter.
"Jamaica needs to look to God Almighty because He is coming. The signs of the time are everywhere. We all need to pray, but the only way we can pray effectively is to accept the Lord Jesus as our personal saviour. If the people do not accept Him as their personal saviour they cannot pray the right prayer for Jamaica," said Carter.
Deaconess Carter, is a member of the Northampton Shiloh Apostolic Church in St. Elizabeth. She has been deaconess for the last 10 years after converting to Christianity when she was 15 years old.
GODLY EXAMPLES
She told THE STAR that her walk with Christ from such a tender age came out of the Godly examples which her parents Leslie and Mahailia Gayle set for their children. Carter pointed out that her parents always insisted there was a family devotion each morning. It was during one of these devotions that she dedicated her life to God.
Although she became a Christian at such a young age, Deaconess Carter said the walk with God has not been easy. She said there were distractions around in those days, and despite wanting to live up to all the principles which her parents and her church stood for, at times some were broken.
"As young girls growing up you wanted to have friends who were not Christians, and our parents were always against that. You have to keep friends who were always disciplined and Christian-like. Sometimes I felt like going out of the way but to please my parents I had to stick to the rules," noted deaconess Carter with a broad smile.
SEVERAL CHALLENGES
Her work as a deaconess comes with several challenges. Carter said a part of her duties in the church is to ensure that visitors to her church are comfortable. She adds her work also includes ensuring that the young people in her church are brought up according to the teachings of the church.
Deaconess Carter said dealing with young people is one of the reasons some women are not willing to serve as deaconess. She said some young Christians can be rebellious as many do not stick to the rules of the church. She said because of this, many older members shied away from the position.
Besides these challenges, Carter wants women to play an active role in setting examples for children. She said this is key if the country is to rid itself of the strong arms of violence that has gripped the nation.
She would also like the many young people now attending church to get serious about God. She said while growing up young people were more passionate about God and His work. Carter stated that more young people are going to church now than then but the passion is missing.
Carter who is married to Ernie George Carter, an assistant pastor, is calling on women who are thinking of taking on the role as deaconess, to note that the work is challenging.
She also wants them to know that when they are appointed in the post they need to abide by the rules of the church and live an exemplary life in order to serve effectively.
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