Pastor sees church role in Buxton restoration
-Gafoors aids building plan
Stabroek News
April 12, 2004
Buxtonian Pastor Desmond Glasgow says that his Grace Assemblies of God Church has never lost sight of its role in the Buxton community and so his sermons and teachings have always denounced all forms of crime.
Glasgow's church is located just off the Buxton railway embankment in the general area where many of the crimes committed in the village have occurred.
The church is at present on a construction drive extending the structure to facilitate a multi-purpose hall, a kitchenette and other departments.
Glasgow told Stabroek News in an interview last week that the church members undertook the project based on faith, adding that they had no money at the time.
He said however that they were very conscious of the situation in the community, which demands that the church not only respond to spiritual needs.
Helping Buxton church: Gafoors Manager, M. Akalu (right) making the donation to Pastor of the Grace Assemblies of God Church in Buxton, Desmond Glasgow. Also in picture are members of the church and a worker of Gafsons.
"As a church, we recognised the serious challenges that were ahead, we saw the community being overtaken by a wave of crime and we had to respond somehow to curb it or at least protect our members and help win those who were straying," Glasgow said.
"If we educate persons, that would be teaching them to resent crimes, and they will be able to channel themselves to more productive and developmental activities."
Speaking about the project, Glasgow said it is being done in phases and they are in the second phase at the moment. He explained that ever since they began construction all of their materials were purchased from Gafoors and Sons Limited.
Sometime around June last year, the church decided that every month it would put aside $50,000 on its account at the store. Glasgow said knowing their financial situation the church was undecided as to what the money would be used for, but it was nevertheless paid down at the store.
The money grew to some $400,000, Glasgow said, and church members recognised that it was not enough to cover the cost for all of the zinc sheets needed for the building. He said it would have cost them some $609,000.
The church then wrote Gafoors asking for credit to cover the remaining $209,000. Glasgow said in response the manager made contact with them and announced that Gafoors would donate the remainder. Moreover, the firm decided to give them a better product than they were originally buying.
Gafoors has donated some $267,000 worth of zinc sheets to the church. The materials were handed over on March 11.
Glasgow said they were very elated at the firm's gesture, noting that it came at a time when they were in dire need. He said they would welcome similar assistance, adding that their commitment is to complete the church and commence the process of reviving the crime-besieged community.
"We want to thank Gafoors for their help, it was timely and it shows that there are persons out there who are kind-hearted," Glasgow said.
He noted that the community is plagued with a large number of school drop-outs and an even greater number of the unemployed.
"We want to teach them that life is not at an end here, they don't have to turn to a life of crime."
Asked what role his church played during the 2002/3 crime wave, Glasgow said it helped to organise a march, reinforced the need for good morals and educated members on all aspects of their lives.
Glasgow mentioned that during the height of the crime wave some members were afraid to attend church in the evenings but that has since changed.
He expressed the view that media reports have painted a bad image of the village and are responsible for the political face been put on the current crime situation on the lower East Coast.
He observed that almost every time a crime was committed on the lower East Coast, the newspapers and television newscasts would always report the bandits escaping into Buxton or operating out of Buxton.
He acknowledged however that there have been numerous incidents where criminal elements in the village have attacked and robbed other persons. But he strongly believes also that not all the robberies, kidnappings and other crimes being committed on the East Coast were done by Buxtonians.
Glasgow said ever since the crime wave erupted in 2002 several wanted men and other persons with questionable character took up residence in the village. He said these men were not aided by villagers who are decent-minded, but by persons of their own ilk.