SPALDINGS, Clarendon

Before he was a Christian, Garfield Wilson questioned God. It was after he lost his grandmother and he blamed Him for her death. Now, 10 years later, Wilson is a young associate pastor doing God's work at the Mandeville New Testament Church of God in Manchester.

"I had some concerns about my relationship with God. I was about 16 years old when my grandmother died. I questioned God about her death because I could not understand. So, I was like blaming Him for what happened, as she was a very important person in my life," said Wilson.

The young minister said he played the blame game for a while, because he was unable to get an answer as to why his grandmother had passed away. He added that for four years, he carried around the hurt in his heart as no one could explain to him the reason for her death.

The past student of Munro College and St Elizabeth Technical High explained that his salvation came about one Sunday while attending church in Balaclava, his hometown. He added that it was unexpected.

He said on the Sunday morning when he got converted, he felt the burden lift from his life and he heard the Lord talking to him, telling him that he would work things out and that He had a plan for his life.

That life-changing experience happened in 2002 when he was 19.

God's prophecy on his life became apparent when he was placed in a leadership position at Balaclava New Testament where he led the youth department. He added that it was during his stint as youth leader that his pastor and other members sensed a special call on his life from God.

He pointed out that he was told to think about the call on his life and he prayed about what he heard from them for a while. He added that he was fearful because for all his life, he was thinking of growing up and taking care of his parents who had struggled hard to send him to school.

He said the idea of him becoming a minister was not appealing because it seemed as if it would have stalled his desire to take care of his parents. He finally relented when he realised that God would provide for him.

Reverend Wilson said he decided to attend Bethel Bible College in Mandeville and after completing his four years of studies at that institution in 2006, he was placed at the Mandeville New Testament Church.

"When I got the response that I was going to be placed here at Mandeville, I was a bit scared," he said.

"(In) Coming to Mandeville for four years as a student, I never thought I would have been coming here as an associate pastor. So, when I came and to be standing up there for the first time, to be preaching to this large congregation that I was usually a part of, it was a bit nerve racking," he added. Wilson said he eventually settled in with the help of a senior pastor who gave him much support. The husband of school teacher Dorraine DaCosta since 2007, Wilson said when God calls someone to carry out a job, he or she should yield without hesitation.

However, according to Wilson, the sooner one accepts what God wants for his or her life, the earlier a sense of satisfaction would come about, and more time would be available to such persons to carry out His purpose.