TWO thousand youth from Operation Save A Youth (OSAY) sent a strong message in Clarendon as they embarked on a community service mission in the parish last week.

The youngsters, some as young as age nine, are part of

the Central Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (SDA), which comprises churches from St Catherine, Manchester and Clarendon.

They teamed up with public health inspectors, health educators, vector control workers and other staff of the Clarendon Health Department, and were broken into groups and transported to different parts of the parish where they undertook a major clean-up activity in communities with high indices of the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Also, markets, cemeteries and other public areas were cleaned as the parish was recently identified as having a high index of the aforementioned mosquito responsible for the transmission of the Zika virus, chikungunya virus and dengue fever — all of which are currently affecting people on the island.

Others gave their service in the form of street evangelism, door-to-door witnessing; cleaning-up and painting of schools; donation of blood, food supplies and beds to individuals previously identified as being in need, as well as assisting with the administering of health checks and dental care to residents.

Pastor Kevin Barnaby, youth director of the Central Jamaica Conference of SDA, told the

Jamaica Observer that among the main objectives of OSAY are, to capture the reality of Adventist youth, minister the gospel, and take Jesus to the streets.

“We do the acts that Jesus would want us to do and in doing so, we encourage persons to respond to God’s love,” he said. “We have a number of SDA youth and non-Adventist youth, and we want them to rediscover their sense of belonging for a greater purpose and, of course, we want them to understand that giving service is a part of God’s purpose for their lives.”

Barnaby, who spoke with passion, added that there were some places in the parish where people slept on floors and in less-than-favourable conditions. He mentioned that it warmed his heart to see youngsters willingly giving their time to make the lives of people much better.

Moreover, Linnees Green-Baker, chief public health inspector for Clarendon, lauded the efforts of the youngsters and further explained that team members were dispatched to four different locations where they searched and scouted with members of the community to find and destroy mosquito breeding sites.

“We’ll be focusing on one of the high-risk communities in Clarendon — Moores, where the Aedes index is not going down as fast as we want it to. So we’re there in the community now intercepting persons in their homes and helping them to identify the breeding sites and destroy them that when we’re not there they can do it, and we’re helping them to treat the breeding sites. We want the public to know it is easier to catch the mosquito in swimming stage than flying stage,” Green-Baker said.

In addition, she said two of the major institutions that would be treated were the Clarendon Infirmary and the May Pen Hospital, as they are sensitive premises which would not normally be fogged.

Meanwhile, a number of the young people shared their views on the project and said that, despite the negative labels attached to youth, older people should not write them off.

“Don’t count us out just yet, because there is still some hope left in the world and I hope and know God has not given up on us,” Dale Francis said.

May Headley, deputy head girl of St Jago High and a member of OSAY, said the initiative is a grand opportunity and added that many young people possess the urge to give back positively but lack the proper medium.

“Providing this opportunity is a great way to have youngsters using their skills and reaching the lost. We are interested in being the sermon, doing what God wants us to do. The hungry will be fed, homeless given a home, health checks will be done and we will be identifying with people where they are and offering Christ’s love to them in a real way. I am aware of the many labels out there about young people but sometimes all we need is a medium to do good,” she said.

Kimberly Thorpe, area co-ordinator in charge of Pathfinders for the Central St Catherine SDA Youth Federation, added: “Being a young person myself, it’s a true privilege to be able to serve and knowing I have assisted someone, even a little bit, into having a better life and to introduce them to the God that I serve, know and love. Rarely we have the opportunity to come together as young people and impact communities. With OSAY, if you can’t wield a machete, you can spread the word. If you can’t spread the word, you can give blood. So there’s no one thing.”

Valbert Walker, pastor of the May Pen district of SDA churches, stated that it “excites [him] to see young people galvanising and motivated to go out and do something other than having a

Bible in their hand.”

“This is another way to give back to Christ and it excites me to know young people, coupled with adults, can go out and do something for the community and see Jesus in another light,” he said.

Walker added that all it takes is proper guidance to steer young people on the right path.

“Sometimes we put a stigma on them, but they are ready and willing once guided. They think out of [the] box but it is alright once they are guided in their way of doing things — nonetheless we’re getting the job done,“ he said.

Those who benefited from the initiative expressed their gratitude to the SDA church and praised the interest shown by the youth in community service.

“It’s a good initiative and once all of us team up and work together we can restore the parish to its former glory,” said George Samuda, a vendor in the May Pen market for over 30 years.

Ernestine Bailey, who is in her 80s, said it was a great venture for them to follow through on and the most impressive part was the involvement of the young people.

“I have seen some attitudes in our churches from young people which will turn anyone off, but when you see this it will invite young people to be active in church and stay. Things are happening in the church and these ventures will hold the interest of the young people,” she said.

Barnaby, meanwhile, thanked the parents of the youth for their support, Food for the Poor, the Jamaica Conference of SDA, and other sponsors.

As part of the initiative, two youngsters who are non-Adventists were presented with scholarships valued at $150,000 each. The day’s event ended with a gospel concert at the old police station in May Pen.