Working on Christmas Day
Stabroek News
December 25, 2004
Drop-in Centre
Co-ordinator, Jacqueline Wilson said she has been the only mother the boys at the centre have known over the past two years, and she intends to be there for them on Christmas Day. Though she mothers children of her own she will not be spending Christmas at home, and regards herself as blessed to be spending it at the Drop-in Centre. At present she cares for 20 young boys who have made the centre their home. According to her, Christmas is when the boys most need attention since they have no family to go to. During the season it is either the centre or the streets for all of the youngsters. She said her role really is to make them feel loved and secure at the same time by demonstrating that someone still cares.
This Christmas, the boys will have the traditional breakfast of pepperpot and bread. For lunch, children at the Mahaica Children's Home will join the boys for a feast at the centre. Wilson admits that she thinks about her family around this time, but when she remembers the boys who are basically alone in the world, her concern shifts. She said that keeping them at the centre by just showing love is better than having them on the streets.
Fire Service
Kim Albert, Fire Service Operations Officer has worked with the Fire Department for 17 years, and every Christmas except one, she has spent on the job. She said the day is usually lonely because the family is not near and there is a constant longing for their company. However, she has been able to pass the day quite comfortably with workmates who are also at the grind on Christmas Day. She said that sometimes there are fires on that day and they are always at the ready to respond. Albert said at least 15 other fire officers are on location at fire headquarters on December 25. In the past, she recalled that relatives took a nice home-cooked meal for her, and kept her spirit of the season alive. This year, Albert said she has been fortunate to have Christmas Day off since she has completed training and is entitled to a rest period. But the day will pass with mixed emotions for her. She said that her mother recently passed away so Christmas Day comes as a painful reminder knowing that she will be absent from the celebrations.
The Emergency Unit, Georgetown Hospital
St Ann's Orphanage
Over the past two years, Sister Mary Peter Ngui and her colleague Sister Beatrice Fernandes have been providing a dedicated service to the children at the orphanage. Sister Mary Peter said she has watched the children grow in her two years there and feels a sense of obligation to them. She said the orphanage at present has 56 children, each of whom has a story. According to her, every child wants undivided attention, but they have learned to embrace the sharing of affection within the institution. She said the work they do at the orphanage needs no recognition, but everyday ordinary people recognise what they are doing and offer help. On a daily basis, people would just drop in and leave groceries or money or clothes for the children. She said such a beautiful spirit keeps them going and really lifts the children. Sister Mary Peter said it is sometimes overwhelming with all the donations they get from people. She said the contributions are a testimony to the goodness that is still left in the country. Though she works all year round, she has a day off every week in addition to a week-end off in every month. Besides herself and Sister Beatrice, there is a woman who washes clothes for the children, another one who cooks for them and one who cleans.
This year, she said, the children will have a traditional breakfast on Christmas Day, but with cereal since they love cereal. Then they will join with children from the Plaisance Orphanage and have a feast for lunch. The day will continue with them singing carols and playing games.
Georgetown Prison
Reverend Fay Clarke has been spreading Christmas cheer at the Georgetown and Luisgnan prisons for four years now and this year is no different. Throughout the year, she and others committed to making positive changes in the lives of prisoners, share goodwill with those imprisoned. Clarke said her work involves working with persons in the community to bring about change and facilitate the process of rehabilitation. She explained that many people in society are not conscious of the work the institution and others do for prisoners, but that has not fazed them in any way since the objective really is to end the stigma. According to her the stigma is that a person who has been condemned to prison is usually condemned for life. Clarke said Christmas is the ideal time to reach out to prisoners because that is when they feel most isolated and depressed. The Reverend said she sees this time as an opportunity to demonstrate Jesus's love by going to the prison and spending time with the oppressed. Clarke said she has no qualms about being around the prisoners on December 25, for Christianity has taught her how to be selfless.
Normally, Christmas at the prison involves the inmates' full participation. Clarke said the guys would perform skits, sing songs, do poetry and play instruments. She and others would take food and just be part of the merrymaking. Recently, Clarke initiated a literacy programme at the prisons. She said that reaching out to prisoners should in no way be construed as minimising the culpability of the prisoners in relation to the offences that they had committed; instead the aim is to show offenders that there is hope and that they can start again.
Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation
(GPHC)
Barbara Stewart, staff nurse/mid-wife has been in the system, as she puts it, for some 12 years now. This year Christmas will find her working in the Accident and Emergency Department, GPHC, ready to perform whatever duties may come her way on that day. It will be Stewart's fourth Christmas away from home and her husband, but she finds nothing wrong with spending the day caring for the sick. In fact, she hopes to spread some holiday cheer with people who may have little reason to be cheerful. Looking back, Stewart said she has had some exciting Christmases at the hospital. She said the mornings were quiet in past years, but things picked up in the afternoon. Most of the people they treated at this time had a story to tell about merrymaking which ended in them being admitted to the hospital. This year Stewart said she is looking forward to spending Christmas with her colleagues and the patients. Like every other Guyanese who enjoys the many palatable dishes of the season, Stewart said she will have her pepperpot with all the trimmings thanks to her mother.