Winston 'Bello' Bell finds 'Joy' in honesty

The Reverend Winston 'Bello' Bell is determined that in the church where he preaches, Time Out For Jesus, at 73 Orange Street, Kingston, he is not perceived to be infallible. "In my church, I try not to look 'holy'. I am a real man, affected by all the things that affect a man," he told The Sunday Gleaner.

So he often uses his own life as a springboard to get the message across, one of the incidents he speaks about happening when he was a young Christian. He was walking on the street in Franklyn Town and the wind lifted a woman's dress high in the air. She was wearing underwear. Still, Bell says, what he saw was "very appealing".

This was especially so "for a youngster, aged 19, when the thing that occupies your mind the most is sex". As a young, unmarried man, it was testing, and Bell said when a situation like that arises "how you deal with it is going to determine if you want to walk with God or the world".

Fast-forward many years and a long, fulfilling marriage and Bell said, "There is nobody in my church who would make a sexual advance. I set the foundation from my pulpit when I preach. I am not interested in any other woman except my wife, Joy Bell."

"I talk about my wife, not because I think it will safeguard me from temptation, but I think every man should talk about his wife if him love her and think she is an integral part of his existence - which I do," Bell said.

Approaches from outside

Outside the immediate congregation, however, Bell says he does have persons approaching him, and he points out that it is not only because he is a pastor, but also through drama - he is also a celebrity. He points out, though, that there are some women who are fascinated by a man simply because he is a pastor. "You have people who plan for you. People bet wager on you," Bell said.

In terms of him being attracted to a woman other than his wife, Bell says, "As a man, any man, Christian or not, him will have those days. I am glad for the wife I have. If I see somebody out there who 'ketch me eye', I go home and talk to my wife. If I go overseas and come back, she says, 'Honey, you don't see anybody who you like or who like you?"

He recalls a particular incident when he went to another Caribbean island to perform. He was sharing a room and a woman came to see his roommate and saw Bell's wedding picture. "Instead of it driving her away, it made her curious and start falling in love with me," Bell said. "The day we left, she sat across from me in the canteen and cried. The same reason she wanted me was the same reason she could not have me."

Back in Jamaica, his wife popped the customary question and Bell told her about the encounter. He had the young lady's number and his wife asked to speak to her. Joy said to the woman: "My husband told me about you, and based on what he said, you genuinely love him. If I die, I want you to marry him. In fact, I am going to put you in my will. But guess what? I am not dying right now."

"I am very protective of my relationship with God," Bell said. "Joy Bell helps me with my moments of temptation. The girl (who wanted him) look good. There is every reason to bed her. But my wife teaches me how to deal with these things."

- M.C.