'Congregants losing hope'

• Pastors say harsh economic times breaking resilience of church members
• Claim joblessness causing rise in stress levels of Christian population

Erica Virtue, Senior Gleaner Writer

Pastors working in some of Jamaica's tough inner-city communities say the harsh economic conditions facing the country are pushing many of their congregants to the brink of disaster, as high levels joblessness are causing hopelessness.

Chairman of the Spanish Town Ministers' Fraternal, Bishop Roy Johnson, said stress levels among individuals in the Church are alarming.

"In terms of the counselling that we do, it is absolutely true to say that over the last few months, there has been a definite increase in stress levels," Johnson told The Gleaner. "People's ability to cope with all that is coming at them both from the school children, and the adults in general, I think we can say that our stress meter has definitely gone up some notches."

His church, the Worship Centre at 61 Old Harbour Road, has several initiatives to assist its membership, as well as the external public's ability to cope with the tough times.

However, high unemployment among certain demographics in the Spanish Town area has led to much of the anger and frustration exhibited and, in other instances, criminality, he said.

safety level down

"I think the economic circumstances that people face are getting harsher, and on top of that the other disquiets - because even though we say major crime is down - people still have to cope with the simple matter of buying food, and sometimes crimes against the person. People are not feeling that increased level of safety," he said.

Pastor Bobby Wilmot, who works the tough Majesty Garden community near the Three Miles area, said people are affected by the loss of jobs and the lack of jobs.

"Unemployment and the lack of finances are the predominant cause of stress. To use their word, it is affecting the livity. They say, 'Boy, pastor, the livity get rough', and we recognise that because we are not a group of Christians who are hiding our faces in the sand. We also know that times are tough," he said.

"I can tell you though that our people are under some serious stress. If people in the higher income bracket are themselves under so much stress, then you can understand what it is like in the inner cities," Wilmot said.

Commending his Covenant Church body for their resilience, he said families are assisting each other through the tough times. Wilmot told the story of a Covenant Church family that assisted an inner-city family by taking one of their children to live with them in another community.

"Their daughter goes to the same school as the young lady and so the family has taken her in to attend school and ease the stress of that other family. So it has created a tighter bond in the church family," he said.

Major Richard Cooke, of the Joy Town Foundation, said high stress levels were affecting the family life in the inner cities and is causing less than wholesome behaviours.

While not directly involved in counselling, he said financial hardships appear to be at the heart of much of the stress and frustrations in the inner cities.

erica.virtue@gleanerjm.com