A God sen you come, mi dear. God sen you come

Grandma Bunchie did not see the physical food that she was to cook for dinner for her four children who would be arriving home from school any time now. Although she had no idea where a suitable meal was going to come from for them, she refused to sit back and lament about that fact. What she did instead was to pull up her faith-faculties. She went outside, got dry wood, got kerosene oil, got matches and proceeded to light a fire.

Then she got her largest cooking pot, filled it with water, put salt and other seasonings in it and allowed the water to start boiling. As she did this she focused more and more on her faith faculties knowing that she did not have the answers, she did not see physical food but that God would deliver. She knew that if she had to explain to someone what she was doing, they would think of her as a raas mad woman. But she was resolute in her faith and continued as she hummed “All to Spirit I surrender”” She was therefore not surprised when Miss Cherry her next door neighbour came over and offered her a huge bag of grocery items, cautiously explaining that she had received more than she would be able to use and “...seeing as how you have the children, something just whisper and tell mi to come and share wid you. I hope that you do not mind.”

As Grandma Bunchie graciously accepted them, she assured Miss. Cherry that she did not mind at all because “Is God send you come Miss Cherry, God Send you come”. As they parted, Grandma Bunchie lifted her eyes to God, thankful that again He had delivered but also more and more aware that the faith-faculty cannot go wrong. She was therefore not in the least perturbed when her four children arrived home with four other children because she had more than enough to share.There are many different lessons in this story for us as bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender Jamaicans. In our own personal lives and as a community we have had to rely purely on the grace of God to keep us going.

It is only our belief in God that protects us and makes life liveable from day to day.As we dream of achieving certain things that seem too big (meal for four children)to happen in our life time, the answer is to take the small first steps (light the fire, set on the pot), take the lead in one way or another and leave the rest for the Spirit (All to Spirit I surrender) to achieve.Focus not on what the popular culture is saying (raas mad woman). Most will see us unnatural, weird etc. But place instead your energy and attention on the goals to be achieved. What others think of or say about us is none of your business.The facts are the facts (no food in the cupboard) but you do not have to live by them. Instead live beyond them not pretending to have all the answers Expect big things to happen (large cooking pot) Celebrate small victories (groceries arrived) Acknowledge the source (God send you come) Share with others (I decide to share wid you) Think about others (arrived home with four other children)Move to the promptings of the Spirit (something just whisper and tell mi to come and share wid you) Prayer Treatment Holy Spirit, I believe in you and know that with you on our side, we are a majority. I therefore take the small first steps to achieving success in my personal and communal lives.

Thank you Spirit. Thank You Spirit!!!!!!!