Ah barbie doll name Patricia

Any tribute to Sister Pat from my family will have to come from Dollis, my wife. Only people like Debbie knows Sister better.

Dollis was a student at the then Marriaqua Secondary School when Sis Pat took up duties as Principal, and she is still there as Teacher up until the day Sister passed away. The school was renamed St. Joseph’s Convent, Marriaqua (SJCM) but has always been popularly referred to as “Sister School”. For Dollis, first it was Sister Pat the Principal, then Sister Pat the Employer, always Sister Pat the Mentor and Advisor, if ah was asked who is the one person that would have had the greatest influence on my wife, it will have to be Sister Pat. {{more}}

When we got married one of the brightest spot in the church was where Sister was sitting. She had literally blanked me and I helplessly avoided her and hid for ah year, the period between the time Dollis told her she was pregnant and when we got married. So yuh will overs how my heart lept foh joy on our wedding day, when she came over to me, hugged me and said : “God loves yuh Bassy”!

The wedding made things right with Sister and me and we uses to get into some nice, nice ole talk. Sister Pat saw hope where others saw doom and despair. Her admission and re-admission of teen mothers was only one of her many unparalleled visions. She believed in the boys, and would re-admit the very worst among them. “Boys are only late bloomers” she would say, “where would society be without the boys?” she would conclude.

We talked about religion extensively and she enlightened me ah lot bout the Holy Eucharist. Ah nearly collapsed one day on our way to Bequia when she told me that the Bread at Communion and the Wine, are the Body and Blood of Jesus. “No symbol Bassy”! she said, ” It is the Body and Blood of Christ that I eat and drink at Holy Communion”. It took me ah couple years to overs what she was trying to tell me, and that she was so Right! Ah could just see Joel Jack and others coming at me foh saying Sis Pat is Right. Is only thru profound Faith that Bread and Blood can be turned into the Flesh and Blood of Christ, too bad foh those who don’t overs that.

Ah must add-myth that ah have not attained that level of Faith as yet, and that means ah have far to go.

Sister will be remembered by all who had the good fortune to have dealings with her.

Chelsea, our lickle nine-year-ole, who had caused Sister to blank me, was also close to Sister. Sister would send lickle Catholic things for her, Rosary and so on. She always challenges Dollis that she can’t wait to see Chelsea make First Communion. It was rough on Sat-dey morning trying to explain to Chelsea that Sister had gone to meet Jesus. She sobbed foh ah while and then she got up, went into a box in which we had just received two Barbie Dolls, she took up the pink one and said: “I was looking for a name for this one, I will call her Patricia after Sister Pat!”

God has been good to Sister Pat. I believe that her death was almost painless, something that only the very good and faithful ones among us will be fortunate to experience. Saint Peter got it made now, he getting ah good wuk-house in Sister Pat, he could go on long leave now!

BISHOP-POPE CHOSEN FOH PURPOSE

Ah just want to big-up Bishop Melch Pope who is head ah the Faith Temple Pentecostal Church at New Montrose and also my great friend. Ah remember when ah became convinced that ah needed to have ah Water Baptism; ah wavered between the Cat-lick and Pentecostal Church and ah had ah few fellars in mind Fr Mike, Fr. Tuss, Pastors Daniel, Frederick, my cousin Clarke and Pope to dip me in the water. But was Lie-Za who first pointed it out to me, she tell me if was she, she would ah use Pope, and get to kill all the birds with one dip, ah will be Baptized by ah Pope who is ah Bishop right with the Pentecostal.

So Rev. Melch has a unique name. He’s been in the business foh 25 years. First he was an Evangelist, and then he came to SVG ten years ago to lead at Faith Temple. There is ah story way he was preaching in T’n’T, shouting and ranting like George Jefferson, then he lept and flung out both hands, one half of his shirt went flying on the left hand the other on the right hand; ah real Trinny Roti man that “Buss up Shut”! But that is the energy with which Melch delivers his stuff. Small wonder that he has been able to triple the Lord’s flock from 150 to ah climbing 450 in ten swift years, great fishing by any Fisher of men!

So last Sunday was ah double celebration for the Bishop. Ah sat close to Bishop George Frederick and wife, every body in Pentecostal is either Bishop or Pope, yuh would think dey planning to tek over Cat-lick or Angle-can! Big guard of honour with members along the aisle holding Palm Branches forming an arch over head. The only thing that was missing was the donkey foh Pope and wife to ride thru the Palms.

The afternoon was laced with talent. At Faith Temple is good music, ah combination ah strings and pan, the very best in dancing from Diadem Dancers, Gold Medal winners. Some gusty Praise and Worship singing and at the end we got ah taste ah Kaiso for 2005 from Pastor Pope’s 18 year ole daughter. She composed ah song foh the occasion “Chosen Foh Purpose”. The reigning Kaiso Monarch, Princess Monique will be relieved to hear that Miss Pope will not be around foh Carnival.

Pastor Noel Clarke me cousin delivered ah good message and was first to reach at the dining table foh refreshment. Not even Pastor Fredericks with his long leg could ah beat Clarke with his short legs up that hill. All in all ah one-dah-full afternoon. Congrats Bishop or is it Pope.

And ah gone again.

One Love Bassy.