AFTER a decade of dedicated and distinguished service to the people of Guyana, the respective Divisional Commanding Officer and the Secretary of the Georgetown Citadel Corps within the Salvation Army Guyana Division, Captains Matignol and Meirielle St. Lot, have proceeded with their family on transfer to Jamaica.

This wonderful couple and their three precious daughters — Mathilda, Yolmeena and Melvinda – departed Guyana last Thursday for the Territorial Headquarters of the Salvation Army in Kingston, Jamaica, where they will take up their new posting.
The St. Lots, both Haitians hailing from Fon-des-Negres in the Republic of Haiti, arrived in Guyana for the first time in 1999, spent one year, then returned to Haiti in 2000.  They tied the nuptial knot while on their initial tour of duty here.  Their first two daughters were born in Haiti; and the third, who was born in 2008, is 100% Guyanese.
The St Lots proved to be such an adorable couple with such a passion for the work of the Lord and for improving the lives of humanity that they quickly won the favour of the membership of the Guyana Division, which was deeply saddened at the departure of the St Lots. But by some good fortune, they returned here in 2004; and this time around, spent an unbroken nine years, contributing an overall ten years of service to Guyana, and greatly impacting the lives of the people with whom they interacted.
The St Lots were the longest serving officers at the Guyana Division. Their runners-up are Divisional Commanders Majors Sinous and Marie Theodore (also Haitians), who served at the helm of the Division for eight years, and under whose dynamic and visionary leadership the Division advanced by leaps and bounds, winning souls for the Lord while responding to both the spiritual and welfare needs of the poor and less fortunate.  This was bolstered with the support of the Advisory Board and a hardworking team of dedicated officers, among whom the St. Lots were pillars of strength.
While here, Captains Matignol and Meirielle St. Lot headed many Worship Centres or Army Corps: At Linden; Queenstown, Georgetown; Wortmanville; East La Penitence; the  Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Kingston, Georgetown; and finally, as respective Commanding Officer and Pastoral Divisional Secretary of the Georgetown Citadel Corps (headquarters).  Highly efficient, zestful, and passionate about their jobs, the St Lots were both practically doing two jobs at the same time with their final appointment at Citadel Headquarters.

Managing the Drug Rehabilitation Programme
To the wider society, Captain Matignol St. Lot is best known for his impact on the Drug Rehabilitation Centre, where he spent five rewarding years as manager of the project, with his wife also making positive contributions.  Under the astute leadership of Divisional Commanders Majors Sinous and Marie Theodore, the St Lots revolutionized the Drug Rehabilitation Programme and took it to new heights.  For them, it was a labour of love, and they worked assiduously doing it as unto God.
Through the programme, headed by the St. Lots and executed with the help of counsellors and other support staff, countless substance abusers/drug addicts whose lives teetered dangerously on the brink and were headed for the abyss were dramatically transformed.
Apart from receiving counselling, therapy and other interventions at the centre, clients were shown love and acceptance by the St Lots, and were given a new lease on life. For those who showed a genuine desire to change their lives through completing the programme, there was always the assurance that the
St. Lots would go the extra mile to see them successfully through.  Hundreds who entered and stayed with the programme were rehabilitated; and once off drugs, were reunited with their families and reintegrated into the wider society.
This task, though rewarding, was not easy; but the St Lots were determined to see it through, and worked tirelessly and at great sacrifice, especially since the clients were no ‘Sunday School children’, and the St. Lots still had their three young children to care for.  But they did a successful job of parenting their children and seeing them grow up to become fine junior soldiers, doing well both in church and at school.
There were times when the programme, which catered for more than 35 grown men at a time, would run low on cash, but the Divisional Commander and his manager persevered; and, together with the Advisory
Board headed by Mr. Edward Boyer, would find innovative ways of keeping the programme going.
Because of its shrewd and transparent management, the programme won the respect and admiration of then President Bharrat Jagdeo, who committed a yearly grant of $5M to offset the financing of the Drug Rehabilitation Programme, so that more persons genuinely wanting to come off drugs could benefit from the programme.

‘Mom and Dad’
Before very long, the clients had become so attached to, fond of, and explicitly trusting of the St. Lots that they referred to them as ‘Mom and Dad’, and would stoutly resist all attempts at having that nomenclature changed.
At year’s end, Thanksgiving and Appreciation or Reunion ceremonies would be held at the centre, and Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh and the clients’ families would be invited. It was always a very emotional programme, and the Minister of Finance would offer the clients words of encouragement, while they, in turn, would stage a talent show and give very moving testimonies about their lives  ‘Before’; ‘The journey through the programme’, and  ‘The happy ending’.  I still have vivid recollections of the way in which clients, with tearful eyes and hearts of gratitude, would embrace Captains Matignol and Meirielle St. Lot, call them ‘Mom and Dad’, and in their testimonies shower them with expressions of appreciation. Being very modest people, the St Lots accepted it all with quiet dignity and humble grace.
Captain Meirielle St. Lot was always possessed of an amazing measure of motherly love; and not only was she a mother to the clients, but to the scores of women in the Women’s Home League, whom she taught skills for life and to engage in keen and healthy competition; and to the junior soldiers, who needed shepherding along the way.  In church, Captain Matignol was active in the band, and played some of the instruments; whilst his wife, Captain Meirielle, had the voice of a nightingale besides command of the choirs, and thrilling the congregation with her solos.

The Army’s SSS approach
Mrs. St. Lot is basically a ‘people person’, and has a profound love for humanity.  She’s what is called ‘a person with a human face’.  She lived the mantra of the Salvation Army, ‘Sharing is Caring’, every day of her life, reaching out to help people in need.  Her actions were also guided by The Army’s
three Ss which allude to: ‘SOAP, SOUP, SALVATION’.  Salvationists take a holistic approach to ministering to the poor and needy. First cleaning them up, then giving them something to eat, then ministering to them spiritually.
As a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, I worked extensively with Captains St. Lot among others, and have found them to be incredibly wonderful people.  Some of the indelible memories I have of them include their response to the Lusignan Massacre of January 26, 2008.  Captain Meirielle was then with
Child, expecting her third daughter, but that did not prevent her from playing an active part in the counselling services the Salvation Army offered to the five homes individually. Headed by Commanders Sinous and Marie Theodore, the team made repeated visits to the hurting and bereaved residents who had lost loved ones; prayed with them; provided counselling, and offered material assistance as well.

I remember her fondly hugging four-year-old Roberto Thomas, who had managed to survive the slaughter waged by marauding gunmen who shot and killed everyone else in the home except his mother, Gomattie. I remember asking him what he wanted, and the way she faithfully granted his request, taking ice-cream
for him on her next visit to the scheme. I recall the way she prayed with fervour as the team visited each of the affected homes at Lusignan to tell them about the will of God, and that He would come through for them. I recall, too, the common bond of love that became evident between the ministering and the ministered to parties, and the way the Salvationists were accepted with wide open arms.

Best Days?
Naturally, one would be inclined to think of the St. Lots’ days managing the Rehab Programme as their best days in Guyana; but having come to the end of their soujourn, when they were asked about their best days in Guyana, Captain Matignol St. Lot modestly replied: “We enjoyed every moment of being in Guyana and working with the people. I consider our time here a complete stay.”
And expressing thanks to the people of Guyana, Captain St. Lot said, “I find Guyanese people very loving and hospitable. As I leave here, I will miss Guyana, and will pray for the people, hoping that everybody will know that God has a plan for the people.”
The Captains also expressed gratitude to the Chairman and Advisory Board of the Salvation Army in Guyana, referring to them as a source of strength for them in their many times of need. “As I did my work, I always found that the Advisory Board was a great source of strength and inspiration,” Captain St. Lot concluded.   His wife, Meirielle, ended with the timely reminder that, “Parting is hard.”