By Robert Dixon
“The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17
One of the things my late friend and mentor, Pastor Bobby Wilmot, once said was that when he died, he wanted to leave behind a huge hole or void, but equally, he wanted to leave behind enough men in place to fill it. So said, so done. Pastor Bobby died on September 28, 2020, and left behind many Kingdom men and women whom he helped shape and direct to carry on the work, including me.
He has inspired and motivated me to represent the Kingdom of God in the best way I know how: by following the Scriptures and loving people; loving those who are hard to love; and loving those who hurt and persecute you, as those are the ones who often need your care the most.
I remember receiving a picture once, via WhatsApp, of a past student of the school for which I am principal (Operation Restoration Christian School – ORCS – in Trench Town). Lying dead from a gunshot was this young man, whom we will call “Promise.” I still have him on video, promising me that when he left ORCS (having sat the Grade Nine Achievement Test), he would graduate from high school. Emotionally stricken that day, he promised that he would not let me down.
At ORCS, Promise received the scaffolding he needed to lift him out of the mess that was his life. His mother started having children at a young age, had a violent past, and had very little energy or effort to give to her lastborn. Often, I would have to take the three-minute walk from the school to where he lived to wake him up, and one time, in righteous anger, I actually dragged him out of bed to come to school!
WHAT OTHERS TAKE FOR GRANTED
We celebrated his birthday every year he was enrolled, as he and other celebrants in their birth month would be taken for a drive around Kingston, driving up the hills to see the view. Though mundane for some Jamaicans, such an experience is rare for many inner-city residents and is rarely missed by our children. Then, we would visit a mall to purchase ice cream and cake for their party.
There were times when I was rough with Promise, showing him where he went wrong. At other times, we just sat and talked. After leaving ORCS, he would occasionally visit the school, but without the support needed, the culture of the ghetto was having its way in his life.
I always tell my teachers and other staff that our goal is to build enough grit and determination in our students so that whenever they face a challenge, they will also be able to get up and fight, that is, persevere, instead of saying, “if mi did know!”
It’s unfortunate and sad that Promise will never have that chance, but what I can assure you is that he got a taste of the love of God in an environment where love is freely shared.
We believe that school should be a safety net for children, even as we work on strengthening the home. Strong home, strong nation
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Robert Dixon, an elder at Covenant City Church, is Principal of Operation Restoration Christian School, a private school in Trench Town that caters to students, aged 12-17, who have literacy and numeracy deficiencies that have hindered their progress in the traditional education system.
The school relies heavily on donations. For further info please contact 876-967-4242. orcs94trenchtown@gmail.com. www.operation-restoration.org