By Cecelia Campbell Livingston
It was a miracle that Glenmuir High School student Jordane Brown was able to sit his Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams, as prior to their commencement, he was not even sure if he would have lived or died.
Two weeks before his first exam, he was severely ill to the point of death; he could not consume any food for a week, with his illness affecting him both mentally and physically.
“I started to worry and stress thinking that I would never get the chance to do my exams and make my parents proud and to see all of the hard work they had to do to put me through high school and to pay for all of my subjects would not come through,” he shared with Freedom Come Rain.
Brown achieved passing grades in E.D.P.M., Integrated Science, Human and Social Biology, History, English A, Mathematics, Office Administration, and Geography with grades ones and two and two 3s
Although he would have liked to have gotten all ones and twos, Brown is praising God for the journey He has taken him through. He is celebrating the fact that he could have risen above an illness that tried to take him out and still delivered.
“Even though I was facing many trials and tribulations, I still anchored my faith in the almighty God, knowing that He would heal me through that illness, guide me through my exams, and help me pass them no matter the circumstances,” he shared.
Brown had high praises for his family, whom he said stood firmly in his corner, praying for him, cheering him on, and pushing him to study, no matter the obstacles.
One of his biggest cheerleaders is gospel artiste Jodian Pantry, who proudly wrote on her social media page.
“I’ve watched you over the years. I have watched you come under tremendous attack since prep school and even into high school. For almost every exam you had, you would get badly sick before taking them, but my mom never stopped praying and laying hands on you. We kept the consecrated olive oil extra close and bought enough just for you,” she said.
“I remember God healing you completely from horrible asthma. It just vanished one day, and you became healthier.
As CXC drew closer this year, for 2-3 weeks you couldn’t open a book, with only less than a week away from sitting your CXCs,” she wrote re his struggles.
His family was not the only ones praying and giving support, as Brown stressed that his form teacher, Miss Anecia Christie, was always there for him, encouraging him when times got rough and letting him know it was just a stage of life that he had to go through and that he should keep going.
“My subject teachers were also there for me, as every day they encouraged not only me but my classmates. My classmates are always encouraging me and each other, telling us that we have to make our parents proud, so we should keep on going.
I managed to stay focused by putting aside all distractions, which included the television, social media, and video games, to focus mainly on my study time so that I would be adequately prepared for the exams,” he related.
Brown, who hails from the Chapelton community, attended St. Robert’s Bellarmine Prep School before heading to Glenmuir. Passionate about football, he said his life’s goal is to be a very successful attorney-at-law and a real estate agent.
The new school year will see him trying to enrol in the Glenmuir sixth form programme and later heading to the University of the West Indies to hopefully get his Bachelor of Laws.
Brown will be the first to admit that when it comes to his parents, he has big dreams, and he shared one of them: that he can retire his parents, who he says work very hard to provide for his family.
“I also want to have enough wealth for my family and future generations,” he expressed.
Reaching out to those who will be sitting their exams next year, he imparted words of wisdom as he encouraged them to remain focus and study hard. If times get rough, he instructs that they should always ask for help and never forget Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”