Thirty young men, who in the past had brushes with the law, were the recipients of brand new footwear courtesy of international religious charitable organization, Samaritan’s Feet, which has an objective of improving the lives of children, “one pair of shoes at a time.”
It forms part of the organization’s aim to deliver some $100,000 worth of shoes to children in Dominica and communicating to them that “there is hope,” according to one of the organizers, Colin Coyne.
“We are here as part of the Samford University and a group from the First Baptist Church of Indian Trail of North Carolina who have teamed up to provide shoes for all the children of Dominica,” he told DNO when the shoes were being distributed earlier this week.
He said funds were raised by the university and 6,000 pairs of shoes were brought to be distributed as part of the Caribbean Baptist Youth Festival now taking place on the island.
He noted that other than just offering shoes to the young men, they are being informed that they should turn their lives around and seek Jesus.
The rest of the shoes will be distributed throughout the island during the course of this week.
On its website Samaritan’s Feet says it is focused on bringing “life changing message of hope to youths and children through sports and recreational adventures and provide relief to hurting people displaced due to poverty, ravaged wars, and religious persecution.”
“We demonstrate compassion by washing and equipping their feet with shoes, and touching their hearts with the love of God,” the website has said.
I am writing this comment as DNO feels it is not worthy of posting.
I say that I do appreciTe the gesture of this organization however I am concern of the message that they are giving to our children about themselves.
My children came home with an band on heir wrist, and my little boy is explaining g me the mening of the liberation color beads give to him. They black bead they told him represent a black, evil and sinful heart and the white beDs represent a clen heart. Some of the children upon hearing the meaning begin to ask if they have black evil heart. DNO may not think this is important but I see this as very dangerous and deadly message told by white people to our black children. I am just saying things like these can,t be kept silence. Evil prevail when good people do nothing
Their help should be appreciated and not criticized due to this. However, the aim of those religions are to go about evangelizing , saying they are helping people, the supposedly downtrodden and poor to influence them to join their religion. They have an ulterior motive which is evident. They use this as a bait to amass more followers.
Many have left the Catholic Church due to this. The same in South America and elsewhere in the world. The condition of helping these people is, that they follow them and according to what they teach and preach. They do not assist them for nothing. Note what St. Paul stated:
Romans 15: 20 – Thus I aspire to proclaim the Gospel “not where Christ has already been named,” so that I do not build on another’s foundation.
This is self-explanatory. The above is the proof. I often wonder if these people know the Holy Bible as they profess and to teach it as they should. If people help others, they should not attach a condition to it and if they expect God to bless them for helping.
Dominican adults and children who were baptized in the Faith, indoctrinated in it, who made First Holy Communication and Confirmed, some got married in this Church and baptized their children in this faith, were very well indoctrinated in it. All they needed to do was to cultivate their faith as they lived it according to The Ten Commandments of God and the “religious teaching” of this Church.
1 Timothy 6:3-7 – Teach and urge these things – Whoever teaches something different and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and “the religious teaching”, is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes. From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions, and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds…
Note what St. Paul said about “the religious teaching.” This also means the Traditions of this Church.
I read it and I comprehend it. Why do they not comprehend it? Do people have to leave their Church to follow them because they assisted them? Only the gullible, the vulnerable, the weak of faith, the tepid of faith, closet ones, cradle ones and those who have fallen away will do so. They are susceptible to be influenced to leave their Church because of a little help.
Consider selling their birthright for a few pieces of food, clothing and money. I wish they were smarter. They need help but this help should not be a passport to renouncing their faith to join another one. Surely, they should be smarter than that. God inspires.
There is one person, a man, a godly gentleman whom I admire and he is Oral Roberts. Whenever he would be on TV, if I am indoors, I would listen to him. What a man, a great one!
When that day arrives (the world will be in mourning), The Lord will say to him, “Well done My good and faithful servant. . . .” He brought a lot of people to God. Those who predeceased us, souls to Heaven.
I heard him say on Toronto TV, he saw the need for evangelizing in the world and commenced doing so. He went about it in a genuine, godly manner. He did not build a church. He evangelized. He traveled worldwide. He practiced what St. Paul said: “Christ did not send me to baptize people but to preach the Gospel.” He excelled in it.
The last time he came to Toronto, as always he had a large audience. He spoke on TV and stated, he tells his audience, if they have a church, to go to it (find a church), words to that effect. He was very encouraging.
I can say, no doubt, he is a friend of the Catholic Church. This must be another reason why Our Lord blest him and made him so popular; a well-known evangelist and a successful one.
As heard on the Catholic Radio, “Evangelists of today are not like Our Lord Jesus Christ. He did not go where He was already proclaimed.” This makes me smile/laugh.
By the way, Oral Roberts’ wife was a Catholic. She died a few years ago. I believe I heard that she fell in a parking lot (must have been in winter) and eventually died. She never left the Catholic Church.
Oral Roberts is now aged and is not well. He is a man to be admired for his works. There is no doubt he assisted many people in need of worldwide.
God bless him in his infirmity. He is in his 90’s. The Lord is probably getting his special room, a mansion in Heaven for him when he passes on.
Past brushes with the law dont deserve a plate of food farless shoes; waste of time
boy Dominica can sound bad from abroad. Are we that poor? Yes there are a few families that could do with some help but it sounds like the whole country walking barefoot and desperate. I can only say I hope it will reach those who really need it like grotto home for the homeless, the home for the orphans and the families living in 2 by 4 with 6 and 8 children inside.
I applaud Samaritan’s feet for their efforts and their charity. I honestly feel though, that the recipients should have been less fortunate children/teens who don’t have the privilege to afford good shoes.
Most of the vay negs I saw that are part of the Social Centre program are not poor, or in need at all. They just malkasay, badmind, and wannabe gangstas. Most them can afford to buy (and already own) brand name shoes and clothes. Whether they obtained the money legally or illegally to purchase those things, most of these boys are hardened in their criminal ways already…. some new shoes won’t change them one bit.
As I appreciate the gesture of these group , I am also concern about the massage they are telling our children about themselves.
In addition to the shoes they gave some children an elastic and with 5 different color beads – black, red
, white, green and yellow. And would you believe that they are telling our black children that the black bead represent “a black heart, while the white bead represent a white heart” . Can you guys see the danger in this. These white people are telling our children their heart is black with evil. Because a black heart is a heart full of sin and a white heart is a clean heart. This crap has to stop! This happened in Castle Bruce to my children but I was not there.
It is like giving them a black doll and a white doll.
As if their hearts are clean. God knows better. These people are a waste of time.
Ifi were the PM and dating back to some years, I would not allow those people in Dominica. D/ca had enough religions when I resided there and that was enough for a small country.
A lot of them go about saying they are saving people. Only God saves. Note how the situation in D/ca got worst. This is everywhere in the world. More religions that are formed, the worst the world becomes. The worst is yet to come. They must be doing something wrong.
Too many different religions in the land. Too many different religions in the entire world. These are a cause of divisions.
JoJo I hope none of your family was there for a shoe.
I quite sure these guys can tie there own shoe. I think it is demeaning that they are treated like this for photo ups.
demeaning are you serious in other cultures it is considered a humbling move for someone to put on your shoes
I recall those days in Toronto when we went to shoe stores and a salesperson would assist with putting on the shoes, to be tried. As soon as you walked into the store, they were there to help saying, “Good day M . . . What can I do for you?” Those were the days.
Not too long ago I thought of that. Today, what with decrease of staff, if you see a salesperson in a store, you are lucky. One can hardly be seen. The service is not as good as previously.
When you go to upscale stores in the US they actually put the shoes on your feet for you. Part of the “royal treatment.” Don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions. Besides, he isn’t even tying the laces. He’s actually putting the shoes on for him.
well done….to God be the glory!
i like that…so they can make a faster getaway next time. By the way mr. P.M. if we are doing so well ,how come people can not buy their own shoes, even a tennis shoe?
JoJo,
Please listen to the news you all do not listen or read, that’s why you are so backward. That have nothing to do with the PM, this cAme directly from the church…NUKLE HEAD.
JoJo…this has to be one of the most foolish comments I have ever seen…..pfffffhhhhhhh (SMH). Help us……Lord… Help us, indeed.
somebody always has something negative to sey
is dat…………………………………………………heheeeeeee!
Wow, wow, wow!
Nothing goes by on this island if some individuals don’t involve the Prime Minister. Are we that petty? Why don’t you look at the positive side of things and make a sensible comment? For example, commending the church group on what they are doing? “Helping young people change their lives around” ….Geeze!
my friend all this petty things starts from the only young man in Dominica the pm he love to be in things so that’s why people put him in things all the time don’t talk on the behalf of the pm. you cant tell people what to say
Jojo it was a thoughtful jesture from the group , it you don’t have anything good to say don’t say nothing at all. Why bring politic into this.
You made me laugh, Jojo. I like the first sentence, even though it is sarcastic. It would make anyone laugh, especially those who have a sense of humor.
Nevertheless, you did not have to bring in the PM into this. I am certain that the poverty in D/ca has absolutely nothing to do with him, if only you would give it a good thought.
I have previously stated that people are responsible for themselves. If they did not obey their parents (if they had responsible ones) who disciplined them, if they were not studious at school, dropped out of school and followed bad company, they chose that lifestyle. There are other reasons why some are living in poverty.
Therefore, JoJo, prior to accusing and blaming the PM, please ask those poor people why are they poor and as we say, “How come they happen to be poor” and “Get into trouble?”
Let us say for ourselves, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
Have a great day/evening/week.