History of hope
by Patrique Harris, Ministry Director
Growing up in Jamaica, I have always been fascinated with the history of the Caribbean and Jamaica in particular. From the Indigenous peoples who first inhabited the land, to Europeans who arrived, killed, and colonized, and the brutal transatlantic slave trade that fueled sugar plantations, and fattened the purses of imperial “powers”, our past is marked by immense pain, violence, and exploitation. Yet, the story of our people is not defined by cruelty alone. It is also a story of vision, resolve, defiance, and authenticity.
When I think of Jamaica’s National Heroes, Paul Bogle, Sam Sharpe, Nanny of the Maroons, Norman Manley, George William Gordon, Marcus Garvey, and Alexander Bustamante, I am reminded that much of the freedoms and opportunities I enjoy today are the result of the tireless efforts of so many people, both known and unknown. People who fought relentlessly for justice and for the betterment of generations yet to come.
I know that I, along with many others, have been carrying a deep heaviness. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control feel out of season, the tree frosted, lifeless, and barren. Yet, just like Sarah, who bore new life after years of waiting, hope can still spring after prolonged struggle.
When reality is ludicrous, we must trust God’s faithfulness and God’s affinity for redemptive work. With vision, resolve, defiance, and authenticity, let’s dare to dream of the day our lives and this world blossom again. Let’s fertilize our communities with compassion, prune parasitic systems that seek to diminish the humanity of our neighbors, and let’s drench our lives in love.
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out, or you will be destroyed by each other.”
Key Dates in 2026
Trimester 1
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