Hephezibah Baptist Church | Portland, Jamaica

Hephezibah Baptist Church one of the oldest buildings in the communities of Islington, Black rock and Castle has been the pillar of the community since 1949. The structure built of cut stones hewn from the neighborhood and as far away as terrains such as Happy Hill, Commodore and as close as Castle Comfort  Errol Flynn property in Boston Jamaica .

The Church was built through the generosity of the community laboriously sacrificed it members and a well served community. In the early fifties Hephezibah Baptist Church was the place that housed people that suffered the 1951 Storm and the 1954 storm. Today after many Storms Hephezibah Baptist Church has suffered her most serious setback and need your help.

Hephezibah Baptist Church August 2011

My childhood church Hephezibah Baptist Church in Priestmans River Portland need your help, Hurricane Sandy removed its roof. This is a Picture of the Church in August 2011 on my last visit, the picture below represents what it look like today.

Hephezibah Baptist Church after Hurricane Sandy.

Whenever Jamaican Baptists talk about their early beginnings two significant points in history come to mind: 1783 and 1849. It was in 1783 that the first Baptist missionary arrived, a freed black slave from the USA and an ordained minister. In 1849 the Jamaica Baptist Union was founded. By that time, Baptist work was well established in the country with congregations in almost every parish and an enviable testimony of having played a leading role in the abolition of slavery (in 1834). 

Three of Jamaica's national heroes were Baptists George William Gordon, Paul Bogle and Nanny the denomination was in the forefront of addressing the educational, economic and social needs of the emancipated people. Baptist work benefited from a partnership with the Baptist Missionary Society (UK) which dispatched its first missionary to the country in 1814 and was instrumental in establishing, in 1842, the Jamaica Baptist Missionary Society, an agency to take the gospel to Africa. 

The Jamaica Baptist Union is very firm in terms of its autonomy with regard to missionary partners. As early as 1842 it declared its financial independence from the Baptist Missionary Society. The JBU itself has a history of sending out missionaries to various islands of the Caribbean and to Africa.

http://www.jbu.org.jm/
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Why Occupy Wall Street?

 

New York City Park

A College Student walking in a New York City Park Stopped by New York City Police department could not produce an ID handcuffed and thrown in Jail for 2 days as reported by Yahoo News This sounds like Iran or North Korea and not New York and the United States of America. We just had 2 US citizens released from Iran Jails and had to pay $500.000.00 each. I wonder how much this Student in NY will have to pay. We just had a NYPD Captain docked 10 days vacation pay for Pepper spray of "Occupy wall Street Protestors" and coolly transferred home to Staten Island as reward for that infraction. Mr Mayor! it is High time this Madness Stop! we cannot be sending our military to Irag, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and all the other places to die protecting Freedom while NYC Law Enforcement abuse our Citizens Freedom Here in the USA! The question is, are we at the point in New York City, where, if criminals dont get you or make you uncomfortable the New York City Police Department Will?.

When the protest in  Zuccotti Park "Occupy Wall Street" started the media was dismissive that the group did not have a clear agenda and it would end in failure. The group over time proved that there was much more to the protest than just the focus on Corporations having been bailed out by the Government return to solvency and now refusing to reinvest in the country and create jobs. Neither was it just the Major Banks who took serious risks with investors money, determine their own guaranteed Salaries and Bonuses backed by Boards of these institutions that consist of their friends. Neither was it the banks who got loads of money to lend to small business but hold onto these funds and are now implementing the most stringent requirements for small Businesses to qualify for these Loans, leaving small businesses with little or no operating credit. Neither was it the corrupt Credit Reporting Agencies that allowed some companies to be able to purchase the credit Ratings that favor them but went after middle class Families with a Guillotine using errors in credit report to lower credit scores.

Occupy Wall Street is all the above and more, this has been coming for a long time. In the most suttle way the rights of our citizens has been piece by piece removed from them. Police brutality and police heavy handedness since 911 have been wrapped in, "necessary to protect the Citizens from Terrorism".

Banks through over the past 10 years have unleashed themselves on their middle class customers charging exorbitant fees the most Gory is a $30:00 fee by Bank Of America to cash a check for a customer who has an existing Account. $35.00 fee for a Bank Transfer of $40.00 in the United States, $35.00 fee for a Certified Check all these transactions can be done at a Western Union for $10.00 or less. Before Technology all these transactions were done at the nominal fee of $5.00 and now with advanced technology these transactions cost 700% higher. The thing is only the middle class and the Poor pay these fees as the rich, "god bless them" are offered all kinds of silver, gold and diamond account and protection from these fees. There are middle class families that are entitled to these accounts and fees waved providing you have your Mortgage and a checking account with the Bank but most of these Customers are not told. This is why we need an effective Consumer Protection Agency.

This latest infraction By the New York Police Department and the foregoing only fan the flame of "Occupy Wall Street". Some years Ago I was on my way to Canada for a weekend vacation, presenting my necessary documents complete to Immigration at the Border. The Officer began asking some questions I thought unnecessary, I protested, I was then told if I didn't want to answer these Questions, "I should not come Canada because no one invited me". The office was so wrong I was invited by the, "Canadian department of interior in all kinds of advertisements telling me Canada was a great place for Vacation" and I should visit. Since then I have not been back to Canada.

If New York City Police Department continues to wantonly Pepper Spray Peaceful demonstrators while exercising their right. Arresting visitors and students without an ID when reasonable steps are available to resolve minor infractions, there are other Cosmopolitan City's people would want to visit and feel safe not from Criminals but the Police. "Occupy Wall Street" will be around for a long time, people will want to reverse this nation to the Home of the free.

Zuccotti Park

13 Long Days To Go!

Target Stores now In Canada

This is the Lucky thirteen (13)for the Team Members of Valley Stream Target Store because thirteen days from Today Deliverance will come. The Team will Vote to have Union representation in their Target Store.

The Team have held together under severe pressure from Target Valley Stream and Target Corporation. Target used all the tools they have to intimidate the Team members and dicourage the Team their legitimate Right to seek Union Representation. That has not worked.

The methods Target Valley Stream used only created further hostility and has pushed Team Members who were on the fencw to become definate supporters of the Labor action. Target went as far as to Threaten that they close the Valley Stream Store if the Team Members Vote to have Union Representation. TARGET KNOWS IF THEY CLOSE THE VALLEY STREAM STORE BECAUSE OF UNION ACTION THEY WILL HAVE TO CLOSE ALL THEIR STORES IN NEW YORK the Team knows that Target was giving them the BULLS.

The Team continue to seek the support of everyone, keep the pressure up this is a courageous group of Workers fighting for decent and liveable hourly wage, to be paid for extra for working on Holidays, paid Vacation not after working 1000 hours as is the current Practice by Target.

Keep the pressure on Target Corporation encourage the Team, this is a Long thirteen Days. Visit the website targetghange.com post your support.

This Action will not only Change Target Valley Stream but will bring Change to all Target Stores and Target Corporation.

The Team Stand UP

Team Huddle at a Target Store

After years of low wages and a meaningless Job opportunity the Team at the Valley Stream Target Store will Vote on JUNE 17TH to have Union representation.This is unprecedented for Target Corporation who have been under the radar and presenting themselves as a great place to work.

Of course Target do hire and train the best they can hire at minimum wage, the Team respond under duress to provide the best environment for the guest who visit their these well kept Stores.

It is difficult to complain about the quality of service in these Target Stores when you can find a Team member.Target must realise that 4-16 hours a week at minimum wage cannot feed a family or help their hard working Team members who attend college.

Team members must be paid holiday wage when when required to work on these important Retail Sales days, Team members must be paid a reasonable wage for work,Team Members will not be denied benefits by suppression of the number of hours they work while their availability is being suppressed by Target.

The Team Members at the Valley Stream Target Store will have a Union as of June 17th, this is a courageous Team and they will WIN!