WHEN ALVIN TAITT was desperately trying fuh years tuh get his children, he said he was rejected many times by the system but one day he finally got custody of his three children. He then bundled dem up and fly off tuh England wid dem.
Anybody wid any kind o’ common sense would know dat fuh wha’ dem poor children went through all dem years, it was not going tuh be nuh bed o’ roses up there in cold England, neither fuh the family up there nor the children but Alvin Taitt finally got his children.
Alvin Taitt is an exceptional father and it seems like, no matter what, he was prepared tuh go through anything in order tuh get his three children. So today the children are in school but, as he said, they were still trying tuh cope wid the emotional trauma and abuse they had tuh endure in Barbados.
He said he had tuh teach the children how tuh behave, how tuh wash their clothes, how tuh brush duh teeth and how tuh talk tuh people properly. He said dat he didn’t even realise dat where the children was living in Barbados ain’t had nuh electricity nor running water.
He said dat he had tuh stay home wid dem because he couldn’t leave dem wid anybody and every minute he had tuh be running tuh the school because the teachers start tuh see dat there was something wrong wid the children. He talk about his li’l 15-year-old daughter who was going through counseling but was not opening up and evah time she talk ’bout what she went through, she was getting migraines. He said she even had trouble sleeping at night.
He said all o’ this drama even had its toll on Mrs Taitt, whose blood pressure went up and she is now on medication. Mr Taitt even said dat he and his wife had tuh sleep pon the floor so the children could sleep in their bed. He said dat at first they thought the kids were doing things on purpose, so they had tuh sit down and look at the situation from a different level.
He said dat he expected tuh get his children outta the situation duh was living in and come back tuh England and get on wid their lives but they have some stumbling blocks . . . but as a real, true, resilient Barbadian, he said, he believe dat God is good!
Well, my boy, I could vouch fuh dat. Leh muh tell ya, He ain’t only just good, He is great, He is merciful, He is loving and kind and He ain’t gine give you more than He know you able tuh bare. He knows your frame and He know dat you gine come through this period wid flying colours. Ya know something dat He know too? Well, He know your heart and your wife’s heart too and He know dat both of you have a lot o’ love in your hearts; otherwise dem children would be still in Barbados smelling hell and nuhbody won’t know wha’ dem poor children going through.
I wish there was more I could do tuh help you and your family, Mr Taitt, but I know dat everything is going tuh work out and dem children gine begin tuh level out. I know dem children gine start tuh respond tuh and accept real genuine love. I know it is hard but I know you gine make it and people are going tuh come tuh your rescue. I know dat dem children ain’t gine have tuh come back here because it would totally destroy dem. I know dat the authorities’ both here and there gine come through, even if is at the last minute. I know dat because of your love, honesty and sincerity, Mr Alvin Taitt, people from all walks of life are going tuh bless you.
All I’m asking you and you wife tuh do is tuh hold on, have faith, keep praying and keep believing dat it will all work out fuh your good. A lot o’ people are praying for you. Hang in there.
• Mavis Beckles was born and raised in The Orleans. She has an opinion on everything.