By Liz Thompson

Howard Montaque is the father of four children: two 10-year-old boys (not twins – life happens) and two girls, ages seven and eight. 

Born and raised overseas, the girls were sent to Jamaica by their mother in January 2022 to live with him. Howard was kept busy sorting out registration for them at the same school their brothers attended, and when that process finally ended, he squared his shoulders, gritted his teeth, and settled into the routine of what turned out to be one of the most challenging and rewarding years in his life! All this was happening at the same time that he was fully employed to the Jamaica Constabulary Force as a police man and engaged on a part-time personal project. 

HOW DID HE FIND TIME FOR HIMSELF? 

He laughed, “I didn’t. My life revolved around the children completely for a year. Three of them lived with me permanently and one came every other weekend.  

“In the mornings, I had to get them up for school and ensure breakfast was sorted out. When I was on vacation leave and they were on holidays, I also had to prepare lunch and dinner, balance out the responsibilities with my mother who was helping me.  I think I’m generally good in the cooking department, but, honestly, sometimes I had to buy food when I was just too tired.  

“If I was on the morning shift at work, I would collect the children from school in the afternoon and take them to the station where they would do their homework in a private area until I was ready to leave.  On the night shift, I would leave work in Kingston early in the morning, travel home to Portmore to transport them to school in the city; sleep in the car until school ended; take them home, supervise homework, and hand them over to my mother for the night so I could return to work.  The next day, the cycle would begin all over again. 

“I was driven to do this because I always tell my children, ‘Education is really the only way out and it’s important that you get this under your belt.’ I don’t want them looking back at their childhood days and feel any sense of abandonment by me; hence, my decision to be the best father I can be to all of them. 

“The year that the girls spent in Jamaica gave me a chance to bond with them and they with their brothers. It was a whirlwind of a time at different points but I loved it, and I am looking forward to the day when we can do it again.”

HOWARD MONTAQUE’S EARLY DAYS

Howard Montaque, born in 1973, is the last child for his mother Eunice Montaque and the sixth for his father. Raised in Greenwich Farm, his family moved to different low-income communities in the corporate area before settling in Golden Spring where his father had built a two-bedroom house. His dad was on the farm work programme and would spend at least nine months out of every year in the United States. 

Howard served as Head Boy of Newday All Age School and was later a prefect at Kingston Technical High. His first post-secondary diploma in Electronics was done at the National Tool and Engineering Institute (NTEI).

I DIDN’T CHOOSE THEM

It’s interesting how he “stumbled” into the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).  Howard explained that he was working as a sales representative with an Encyclopedia company after leaving NTEI. When two of his colleagues, who were scheduled to do a police entrance test, asked him to accompany them, he complied. 

Even when the police officer administering the test asked him if he wanted to try, he said “No.” He was awaiting a call from the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) to be trained as a “linesman” and he wasn’t interested in the JCF.  

The officer in the test area didn’t question him. He simply told him to sit, handed him the test which he passed, and instructed him to report for training. 

By the time JPS called, Howard was already in the Force and receiving a stipend, so it didn’t seem practical to leave. He concluded, “I did not choose the Force; the Force chose me, and through them, I was able to do my first degree in Management Information Systems at  the Excelsior Community College.” 

GOD’S LOVE KNOWS NO BOUNDS

While earthly love may fade and fail, God’s love knows no bounds.

When trouble arose in Howard’s 14-year-old marriage, they turned to counselling but his wife wanted to move on. A life of promiscuity followed the divorce, and he ended up fathering two sons born in the same year. 

He admitted that he was on a joy ride until an accident in 2020 almost severed his life. He was driving to the country when a truck ran into the driver’s side of his vehicle, pinning him down. His son, Jahmair, was the only passenger and was sitting at the back of the bus, even though he had told him to sit in his usual spot immediately behind him.  Because of disobedience, his son escaped unharmed; while he, Howard, had to be rescued by the fire brigade. 

Howard said this experience taught him that sometimes disobedience in the parent’s eye can mean something totally different in God’s eye. 

We thank God for His love which knows no bounds, for it was at that point Howard realized that his life could have ended and he had not made a decision to serve Christ. 

Ever the pragmatist, he told himself, “No, this is it!” He started listening to Pastor Shuttleworth on TBC radio and when the call to salvation was issued, he answered, “Yes!” 

God had linked him with someone from the church, who had contacted him out of the blues after they had met a year earlier, and he sent a message to Pastor Shuttleworth that he urgently needed to be baptized. This was during Covid-19 and there many restrictions, so it took a little while to iron out the logistics as a number of other persons were waiting. 

“I almost missed my opportunity as I had worked the night before and had to return to Portmore to collect the boys to take them with me.  When I got to the church, as I was scurrying to get details on what to do, I realised that my phone was ringing. It was my link to the Pastor calling to ask where I was as the bus was leaving and the “Spiritual Mother Hen,” Sister Bowen, had been searching for me. Hadn’t I seen all the missed calls? 

“My contact and I had never met, but as I dashed past a line of persons, some of who were on their phones, my eyes connected with one of them and I knew immediately who she was. 

“We hastily developed a plan for the boys. I gave them a stern talk. We hugged and then I turned them over to their new ‘auntie’ and left.” That was September 18, 2021.

WALKING WITH MY HEAVENLY FATHER

Howard related that, “The Christian walk has not been easy. The nature of my job and being a supervisor pose numerous challenges.  As a single man, I have to exercise self-control.  Having experienced first-hand what lack of that can do, and seen how it has destroyed so many lives, I constantly pray for strength to remain resolute.  I am committed to continue holding on to God because I am not going to hell,” he concluded.

There is one question that Howard answered which we know you will be interested in hearing next time we meet.  It is this: “We know that many in the Police Force are over-worked and underpaid; salary increases have been miniscule; tell us how you’ve been able to take care of your four young children, yourself, and your mother?” 

We applaud fathers like Howard Montaque, who have decided that they will stand by their children and raise them on the grounds of Godly principles, come what may.  We pray for you continued wisdom, fortitude and forbearing. 

Contact: set3952@gmail.com