OVER 100 children drawn from Sophia; Industry/Cummings Lodge; Enmore; Bare Root; Unity; La Penitence; Lowlands and other East Coast Demerara villages last Saturday received much-needed school supplies to suitably equip them for the reopening of schools as at September 3, 2012.
The donations of new uniforms and back-packs came with the compliments of Bible Fellowship Pentecostal Assembly of New York Inc., and Partners for Academic Support and Success of New York Inc, United States of America.
Playing a lead role in mobilising and shipping the gift items was US-based Rev. Ben Anthony, President, Founder and Pastor of Bible Fellowship Inc; while local project coordinator, Sister Esther Latchman of Enmore, ECD, conducted the distribution at the Gethsemane Assembly of God Church, 232 Beezie, Enmore.
Distribution continued on Sunday, September 2 at the Lowlands Church, East Coast Demerara. Latchman said the gesture is to be repeated annually.
Reverend Anthony, who was unable to come to Guyana for the presentation, directed to the recipients a message which was read by Sister Esther Latchman. In his opening remarks, Rev. Anthony warmly greeted the children, asserting: “All of you boys and girls who are gathered here today, I want you to know that you are very special and dear to my heart and to the people of Bible Fellowship Inc.”
On a note of encouragement, Rev. Anthony shared recollections of his boyhood days at Newtown, Enmore, where he grew up, claiming that he thus understands the challenges the boys and girls face, having lost his parents at an early age. “So you are not alone,” he said.
But his peculiar circumstances, he said, did not lead him to drop out of school. “This never happened, because during those times, there were people I met along the way who became my role model and whom I emulated – people in the church and in society.
“I met people who were willing to make an investment in me; people who were generous and kind, and used their own resources to bless me and minister to my needs; people who showed me a lot of love and affection, and cared about me so much so that it changed my life forever.”
Such attitude of love, caring and sharing as meted out to him several years ago, Rev. Anthony said, is exactly what is being extended to the children to whose needs the Bible Fellowship Inc. is now ministering.
“These were people with the same passion and fervour as you see today; people like we have today, who worked so hard to make this day a reality and a success.”
In addition, he recalled his teachers had the confidence in him, and his ability to excel and to one day become somebody who could make a difference in a positive light. Through it all, he said, he was resolute, stayed focused, and was determined to succeed in life.
Rev. Anthony recalled that the word ‘failure’ was not in his vocabulary, and affirmed that ‘success’ was his motto.
In perspective, he says, no mountain was too high for him to scale and no valley too low to cross. He admonished the youths to let that same be for them. He urged them to set themselves realistic goals, pursue their dreams and aspirations, and work diligently towards achieving goals.
Having set himself goals, young Anthony worked hard, made sacrifices along the way, and never gave up. Today, without regret, he proudly looks back on the returns of his labour.
In the next few moments, except for the message being read, there was an almost deafening silence as his success story resonated powerfully across the church, where the appreciative band of children listened with rapt attention.

Said Rev. Anthony: “Today, I can say my boyish ambitions which started in Newtown, Enmore, extended to Enmore Primary School, where I passed my PC exams.
* To Cove & John Secondary, where I was top of my class.
* To Golden Grove Secondary, where I finished with 9 subjects at the GCE examinations.
* To CLICO, where I became the Operations Manager/Underwriter and a Fellow of the Life Management Institute and other Fellowship designations.
* To the United States, where I am the founder and president of two not-for- profit organisations mentioned above.
* To the Information Technology Director of a multi-million-dollar company.
* A graduate of the State University of New York and the College of Westchester.
* Being the Immigration Director of COPO, a not- for-profit organisation in Brooklyn NY, serving the South Asian populations
* An advocate for immigrants, and an Immigration Law student of City University of New York.
* A candidate for Accreditation by the Board of Immigration Appeal to practice law in Immigration courts in the United States to help people like me.

“Boys and girls, the sky is the limit, never forget that; and you can count on me to reach the sky. “Appreciate life and those along the way — your parents, teachers and loved ones — and make all of us proud of this and many more years to come.”
The donor pastor, on behalf of his organisation, exhorted the recipients to value the sacrificial giving of the donors’ time and money in an effort to prepare them for school. He challenged them never to forget kindness, but to let it motivate them to work hard, study, and pursue their dreams.
Reverend Anthony also thanked all of those who helped “in whatever way”, for a job well done.