HUNDREDS of children from West Ruimveldt and its environs last Wednesday converged at the David Rose School compound where they were given a gala annual Easter treat, compliments of Bishop Godfrey Morris of St Anthony’s Divine Inc of Queen’s, New York, USA.

Bishop Morris, who is Guyanese by birth and now resides in the USA, grew up in West Ruimveldt, but has a close affinity for the children of that neighbourhood.
Being aware of the vulnerability to which they are exposed, he has purposed in his heart to contribute positively towards empowering them spiritually and educationally, so as to enable them to become citizens of worth.

The afternoon was action-packed. The mood was one of excitement. There was food galore and bubbly kids, prim and dandily dressed, were having a whale of a time, as they played games, darted in and out of the building and onto the lawns.
Bishop Morris, seemed to have quite a lot on his hands, but with the help of his volunteers was able to keep things under control, occasionally ushering volunteers into an office, where items were repackaged for distribution to the keenly enthusiastic and appreciative children.
In a brief comment to the Sunday Chronicle, Bishop Morris modestly asserted: “I am here to give back to the community where I was raised. I was born in Albouystown and I was raised in East Ruimveldt and because of the blessings of Almighty God, am able to bless these wonderful children.”

He said he’s been doing it on a yearly basis and would travel to Guyana each year with representatives of his church for the occasion.
And here in Guyana, the church has been able to organise a Youth Empowerment Group with Colin Blaize as President and Zoan Peters assigned by the Ministry of Education Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, to work along as a liaison officer. The leadership of the group, as well as members, has expressed gratitude to the ministry for its support.
That group, known as Mistique Dance and Empowerment Group, has a motto and vision by which they are guided. Expressing the joy experienced at being able to undertake this gesture, Bishop Morris said the church catered for about 300 children this year, along with about 20 adults.

“I am passionate about what I am doing and we’re basically giving the kids a treat: Giving them food and drink, goodies, snacks; clothing; crayons, books etc.”
Meanwhile, President Colin Blaize, alluding to the Youth Empowerment group they’ve established, said: “This is a way of empowering the young people, because they are very vulnerable in this neighbourhood. Not only East and West, but we also extend a hand to Albouystown, Alexander Village, East La Penitence and others.