YONETTE Greene, known as Sister Michelle, of Dartmouth Village on the Essequibo Coast, is thanking God for her son Alex Greene, who miraculously escaped death when the walls of a pit he and 16 other miners were working in at Mowsie Creek in the Potaro-Siparuni Region collapsed during heavy rainfall at around midday Sunday. 

At the same time, she is mourning the death of her 17-year-old nephew, Raymond August, and her niece’s husband, Esmond Martin, who were buried alive with nine other miners under tons of earth, rock and mud.

Sister Michelle is a member of the Voice of Faith Miracle Ministries church at Devonshire Castle. She had attended service on Sunday morning, and was returning home just after 13:00 hours when she got the sad news.

She said it was devastating to hear that her nephew, who actually grew up with her, was dead along with her niece’s husband, and that her son was seriously injured.

Sister Michelle cried openly, saying that her niece’s husband, Esmond Martin, who had lived at Wales, West Bank Demerara, was just 42 years old, and he has left to mourn two little children – one 13 months old and the other one year old — along with his grieving wife.

She said her nephew Raymond August was just 17 years old and was single. Sister Michelle said she and another cousin at Dartmouth had brought up her nephew after his mother had died when he was only two years old.

She said God had mercy on her son, and allowed him a chance to escape.

Sister Michelle, who believes in the power of Jesus Christ, said she was asked to share God’s Holy Word on Sunday night in church, and the word she had received from God just before she had left church after the morning service had ended was “Lift up thy eyes to the Lord and see where thy help and strength cometh from”.

She said God is indeed great and awesome, and knows everything.
By Rajendra Prabhulall