CHRIST CHURCH PARISH AMBASSADORS Latrice Seale and Zico John are promising to “come hard” for the Spirit Of The Nation show on Saturday night at the Gymnasium of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex.
“We’re coming extravagant and bringing all the energy of the nation to create a big explosion of Christ Church, and all the essence of what makes this parish a brand beyond its own measure,” said Seale.
The 25-year-old, an office administrator at Simpson Motors, is into hospitality, having done her associate degree in culinary arts, later majoring in hotel management. John, 24, is an event planner at Accra Beach Hotel in Hastings. He is also heavily into the arts.
“I am into dance, drama, poetry, spoken word and choreography. When I am not doing event promotions, I am engaged in social work, or anything dealing with the church – Rhema Apostolic Ministries in Brittons Cross Road,” he said. The two both got involved in the Parish Ambassadors programme for different reasons.
“From secondary school I wanted to be an ambassador, but I got more in-depth by doing research on the programme a few years ago,” said the petite Seale. “Last year I was sitting on the committee and was exposed to part of the programme. This year being on the other side of the coin is an entirely different aspect. Now I have to be more mindful of what I say or do because I am now the face of Christ Church.”
Unlike his partner, John was not as informed about the programme. “I was recommended so I got the information on the programme and from there here I am,” he said. Their parish project, entitled The Southern Experience: Follow Us Down South, encompasses the culture, heritage, hospitality and entrepreneurship of the parish.
“We have done an essay competition among the primary and secondary schools within Christ Church. We have also done a fact sheet which tells about the history from then to now, as well as created a website where you can find out anything you need to know about the parish,” said a sleek-looking John.
Market day
“We also did some tours and learnt some history ourselves, and people were able to experience the culture at our market day. We executed some beach clean-up days to clear the beaches of the Sargassum seaweed. We visited some hotels where we interacted with the guests and shared with our fact sheet and website.
“Additionally we did a visit to the Villages at Coverley with Ellerslie Secondary students who were preparing school based assessment (SBA) on the development of Coverley and Barbados in terms of tourism. Doing the SBA, we found out that the area is not just a retirement community, but rather a place where younger people like me and you are happily married and living with their families,” said a smiling Seale.
The support of the people in Christ Church was not forthcoming at first, they both admitted.
“At first it was not as easy as we thought it would have been because people weren’t as open. But when we revisited they were more open to us and only then did they begin to support us,” said Seale.
“I believe that the support was there, but including them is what made the difference. It was a great experience for me interacting with the people in Christ Church and learning about the various communities,” said John. They both said they had learnt a lot during the programme. “Patience– that is the No. 1 thing I learnt,” said Seale, while for John it was “being able to cope with multiple personalities”. They also encouraged young people to join the programme.
“Even though it is not over, I gained most of what I came in for: more confidence, self-esteem self-development and self-awareness. Additionally I have changed how I deal with people, how I think, being in an environment with so many personalities and how to compromise. It’s a great programme that anyone should enter in terms of self-development. It’s gonna take you further than you imagined and your confidence will be boosted. However, if you’re not tolerant and open-minded coming into the programme, then it doesn’t make sense,” said Seale.
“I believe that I have already gained, in giving back to Christ Church and it has been a blessing to serve my home parish . . . . I came away with a few bonuses like gaining more confidence in myself, being able to interact with people and ultimately helping those within the various communities understand what the programme is all about.
“It takes away from self where you get to give back to someone and get to give to a greater cause than yourself. You need to have a selfless mindset toward the programme,” John said.