By John Denny
Nevis Reporter
(Bath Plain) – The Friend Ships five-day outreach event last week in Charlestown gave medical and spiritual care to over 2,000 Nevisians. Before they set sail, leftover food was donated to the needy and leftover medical supplies and medicines were donated to local physicians, according to Andre Gilbert, General Manager of Trinity Broadcasting Network’s local affiliate.
“It was a resounding success,” said Mr. Gilbert. “Everyone seemed very pleased with the care that was provided and Saturday night, we ran out of chairs for the evening service.”
Friend Ships Unlimited is a faith based organization from Lake Charles Louisiana, U.S. They are dedicated to disaster relief, medical outreach, feeding the hungry and spreading the word of God. The organization has a fleet of ships one of which, the M/V Hope was anchored in Charlestown for the week of their stay.
Color coded wrist bands were distributed through local churches with a different color for every day and a limit of 500 for each day. Nine different clinics covering such practices as pediatrics, dentistry, chiropractic and eye glasses were available. After seeing the doctor, patients were then treated to lunch.
The opening event was marred when the Minister of Health Hon. Hensley Daniel took exception to not being invited. Mr. Gilbert explained the misunderstanding.
“We did all the necessary applications and approvals through the government,” Mr. Gilbert said. “We really wanted to leave politics out of this. It was a good and charitable event and I still can’t believe some of the things that were said We didn’t need to invite anyone to the opening ceremony, but we though it would be good to invite the leader from both political parties. I have supporters from both the NRP and the CCM working here at the station. We thought we had it all straightened out and we never thought anyone would get up on the stage and say anything bad, but they used our ceremony floor as a political platform. They took something that was to be a blessing for the people of Nevis and tuned it into something bad.”
To clear the air about any impropriety on the part of TBN or Friend Ships Unlimited, Mr. Gilbert issued to following press release:
TBN who sponsored and partnered with Friendships International has been pleased over the past week to provide the people of Nevis with free medical care and attention and to minister to their bodies by day and to their spiritual needs through Christian services at night.
TBN is pleased at the resounding success of its Health Mission and wishes to thank the Nevisian people for their continued support and to pledge its continued commitment to the people of the Island and to the maintenance of Christian ideals the world over.
The Health Mission did attract some unfortunate misinformation and TBN wishes to make it clear that it conducted the Health Mission with the full written approvals of all relevant Ministries of the Nevis Island Government.
TBN also wishes to be clear that there was no involvement whatsoever in this event by any political Party in Nevis. The bands for the people of Nevis to get access to the Health Mission were free to all and were available from TBN, staff members and various Churches on the Island.
TBN did not give any bands to any politician or political party and any such suggestion is false.
TBN, in a neutral and bipartisan way and in an effort to build togetherness among the people of Nevis, invited the leaders of both political parties in Nevis to speak and bless the opening of the Health Mission. TBN’s management was contacted by the Nevis Island Government and was informed that the Premier would not participate unless the Opposition’s speaker was removed from the program. TBN obliged the Government’s requests in an effort to maintain peace and prevent any division.
TBN is a Christian organization which seeks to carry out the mission and message of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It has never been embroiled in party politics on the Island of Nevis and rejects any suggestion that it is connected to or affiliated with any political Party on Nevis.
TBN’s special guest speaker Bishop Errol D. Hall called on the believing community to be united and said any divisions in a Nation or Church is caused by the devil. TBN calls on all the Churches to rally with the public and together despite political affiliation and or differences to make a stand for good and pray for peace.
TBN had hoped to create an environment where both political parties would be able to put aside their differences for at least one week and actively join us in being a blessing to the people of Nevis. Bishop Hall said, “We are God’s people. We must come together. God is bigger than a church…He is bigger than the Caribbean. Not even the universe can contain Him.” Let us heed the words of Bishop Hall and seek to heal our Island and come together as one people.
TBN and Friendships once again thank the people of Nevis and pledge to carry on the good works in accordance with the Holy Bible and the teachings of Jesus Christ. It is God whom TBN serves and not man and TBN will continue to minister to and serve the people of Nevis.
Psalm 38, Verse 19: But my enemies are vigorous and strong, and many are those who hate me wrongfully. Verse 20: And those who repay evil for good; they oppose me, because I follow what is good.
André Gilbert
General Manager
TRINITY BROADCASTING OF NEVIS
