Young men of substance

Hardly a day goes by that we are not confronted with the challenges of youth and adolescence. Many in our society are quick to pounce on the delinquency that seems to have invaded all facets of our society. If we are to go by what we see and hear in the newspapers, on radio and television and on the streets, you will be convinced that indeed all is lost. From teenage promiscuity, to teenage murders, drug user and pushers and the lewdness we encounter daily on our streets. It seems, in fact, that the order of the day for some young ladies is “the less you wear, the more ‘en vogue’ you are.”

What is perhaps even more distressing is that it seems the more perverse the behaviour, the more it is glamorized. Social media sites are littered with examples of outrageous behaviour of all sorts, which from the number of likes and shares those posts get, are what we want to see. Weekly, our newspapers carry the mug shots of young people involved in vile criminal acts. It seems often that the main culprits are our young men. They are by far more prevalent in the Serious Offences Court and at Her Majesty’s Prisons as well.

But the beautiful thing about life is that when all seems hopeless and lost, the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel appears. On Sunday, January 22, 2017, the Methodist Church in the Kingstown/Chateaubelair Circuit held its first ever New Year Gospel Concert under the theme “Renewed in Christ through Arts”. While there was an array of excellent ministry performances, we wish to single out a small group who ministered with their instruments and then kept the church “rocking” long after the benediction was pronounced.

This group is of particular interest because they are all young men. Sadly their performance may not, however, allow for quick sales of newspaper or a heated discussion on talk radio, so they may not be featured there.

In an era, therefore, when all seems lost for our young men, we have the likes of Geran Maule on keyboard, Saeed Bowman and Alhron Harry on steel pan, Deion Allen on drums, Carmold Murray on acoustic guitar, Akil Augustus on bass guitar and Jordan Lawrence-Hamlet on electric guitar. This group of young men continue to dedicate themselves to their craft. They all clearly love music and it shows in the passion they display as they play.

For children who are looking for role models, please look at these young men. We know that none of them will claim perfection, but in an age when bad behaviour seems to reign supreme, they deserve all the accolades we can shower on them and they are displaying an attitude that is worthy of emulation. To this little group we say, stand strong, stand proud and take a bow, because you are in our books, “Young Men of Substance”.