While scrolling on Facebook yesterday, I stumbled on a quote that struck in a very deep and personal way as it resonated the sentiments and morals I had gotten from a story I read a few minutes before. The quote read “There world is full of nice people , if you can’t find one be one.
The story was about a scared little mouse who was losing his mind when he discovered that the farmer had brought a mousetrap home and placed it in the house. So frantic and uneasy was he that he ran around telling all the farm animals he could find about his plight. He told the chicken who clucked at him and told him that his plight was none of her business, the goat offered his prayers and his sympathy and the cowed dismissed him harshly. Frankly, a mousetrap in the house was of no concern to them.
Later on that night the mousetrap caught something and the farmer’s wife raced to see what it was. Unfortunately for her, it was the tail of a venomous snake and the snake bit her. After returning from the hospital she had a fever and we all know chicken soup is held as the ‘Holy Grail’ for fevers, so the chicken was killed. People came to visit the sick woman and it is customary that guests be fed, so the goat was killed. Although so much effort was put into her care, the wife died and for the nine night, the cow was slaughtered. The mouse looked at all the sadness. Oftentimes we know that someone is facing a problem and think it doesn’t concern us, remember when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.
With the negative news of murders, rapes among other heinous crimes plaguing Clarendon, we often never hear the good news. Youth in the parish have stepped up to the plate, being keepers for humanity to positively impact the parish.
The Chavan Nelson Foundation and Voice for Jamaica Today Clarendon Subgroup shows how young people can make a difference. Youngsters from these groups and offered time, finances and other resources to help feeding the homeless in May Pen a regular and frequent activity as the mentally ill and homeless in Clarendon are two of the most ignored group of people.
Voice For Jamaica Today have also done interventions in communities through reading days at schools, marches against child violence and even undertaking a painting project for Labour Day.
The Rotaract Club and Leo Clubs of May Pen continue to stride as premiere organizations of which should be apart. The Leo Club is doing their Kids Kare Package drive to assist children at the May Pen Hospital who are in need of basic amenities.
The Angels of Love Clarendon Chapter continues to be the ray of hope for children suffering from paediatric cancers and chronic illnesses as they visit, read stories and host fundraisers to offset the cost of medical expenses and to continue to raise their spirits in the trying situations.
The Police Youth Clubs continue to set trends in the area of community involvement, honoring members and stakeholders who continue to impact youth positively. The Top Halse Hall Police Youth Club, Hayes Police Youth Club, Rocky Point Police Youth Club and the May Pen Police Youth Club continue to set an example for others to follow.
Yutes For Change continues to impact the lives of youth through empowerment speeches, pageants and other visionary methods to help youth discover their full potential and true purpose.
We salute these youth and we wish you all the best in your endeavours and we will continue to assist to facilitate the development the Jamaica we desperately want to see.
Remember, we are all involved in this amazing journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.
Each of us may not be connected through a blood line, we may not even be friends. But we are all connected through humanity.
Clarendon Youth Information Centre 