A working and helpful visit to Anguilla by Minister and Motivational Speaker, Johnny Castor, attracted much public interest and support over the past several days. The Dominican-born religious personality, who has American citizenship and resides in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, came to Anguilla at the invitation of a number of persons to speak on family life and youth issues and how to deal with them.
The programme for his visit commenced with a Gospel Concert on Saturday, August 24, in which a number of local artistes participated. The following day, Sunday,was a motivational rally at “Freedom Park”, featuring Minister Castor, and during the rest of the week there were a number of interactive conference sessions led by him atthe auditorium of the Adrian T Hazell Primary School.
Many persons in Anguilla are familiar with Minister Castor’s work through his Tuesday and Friday morning programme on Voice of Creation Radio entitled Real Issues and Straight Talk. “The people summoned him here to conduct these conference sessions which aresimilar to how he talks on the radio, and with listeners asking questions and getting answers and advice,” said Mrs Vonetter Irose Connor, a member of the Peace Drive Group in Anguilla. “They are looking for answers on family and relationship issues and the Biblical response.”
Asked about that group, Conrad Rogers, a well-known talk show host, on Kool FM, who was with Mrs Richardson at the time, explained that the peace group sprung from the committee which organised the recent island-wide peace motorcade following the shooting and injury of seven youngsters at Blowing Point. “The motorcade made a simple appeal to our young people to stop the violence – in particular gun violence – and to give peace a chance,” Rogers told The Anguillian.
The rally and conference sessions, conducted by Minister Castor, were wide-ranging. They examined a broad spectrum of family issues and how they relate to parental responsibility,discipline of children and the social and spiritual life of Anguilla.
Minister Castor, a trained Biologist, who could have gone on to become a medical practitioner,rather than “a Minister of God” for the past fifteen years, said he was pleased when he became involved in the above radio programme in Anguilla. “The objective was to look at the challenges that we all face as individuals, families and as a community – and to look at a multiple answering unit that provides for the four components of humanity. Those are the spiritual, social, physical and emotional components,” he explained.
He continued: “It was while we were involved at that level of ministry that the call came from Anguilla to come to the island for a conference that would help to provide some of the necessary resources for the challenges that we face…It was about midnight that I got a call from Anguilla saying that seven of our young men were shot on the street. That intensified in my spirit the need to assist in providing resources and tools and this is what this conference is all about.”
Minister Castor, who is also a trained vocalist, particularly acknowledged the assistance of Michael Fleming, who he described as “a father figure”, for ensuring that he and his wife, Mrs Anna Castor, obtained airline tickets to travel to Anguilla. “There were other individuals who were very instrumental in bringing us here, and we truly appreciate and thank each of them,” he stated. “This is an initiative from Anguilla and it is what makes it more meaningful to us because, as Pastor Edwards said on my programme, it is really a Macedonian call – and I am so blessed to be part of this moment.”
Minister Castor was of the view that most cases of negative behaviour among children in the home were due to the absence and influence of a father. “I would say from the prospective of an Afro-Caribbean, an Afro-American young man, and as a single parent child, that I know, and understand first-hand, what it means to grow up without a father in my life,” he told the newspaper. “Some of the anger and animosity that I expressed as a teen, when I see it manifested in our young men – most of them – who do not have a father figure or daddies in the home, I connect to that. What is so interesting about it is the mere fact that God has laid His hand upon my life to prevent it from going into the negative. I know there is hope for every single young man or young woman.” He stressed that research showed that 77% of the young men in the United States, for example, who grow up without a father, ended up in prison or their productivity in society was significantly diminished.
Minister Castor said the objectives of the conference were to come face to face with the realities that are in the Anguillian community, and to realise that the challenges must be dealt with. In order to do so, effectively, there was a need for a four-pronged attack. “Firstly, we must address the emotions,” he stated. “Secondly, we must address the social issues; thirdly and fourthly, we must address the physical and spiritual issues. We must let our young people know that there is much that they can do and that there is a price on their life – the blood of Jesus of Christ.The only difference between the functioning youth and the dysfunctional youth is really the home, school and church. It is important for us to work collaboratively, not in isolation, to accomplish our task.”
He added: “One of the individuals who were instrumental in organising this event was Sister Vonetter Connor who is really the coordinator. We want to thank God for her and the team, and for the Anguillian community that will continue to support this initiative.”
Mrs Connor summed up the conference this way: “We are looking at the end for a more civilised group of youngsters. Remembering the young people are the men and women of tomorrow, we want our children to hear what the Word of God is saying to them. They are here for a plan and a purpose: not to be shooting and killing each other – and there is a need for a lot of parental guidance. I would say that charity begins at home.”
A working and helpful visit to Anguilla by Minister and Motivational Speaker, Johnny Castor, attracted much public interest and support over the past several days. The Dominican-born religious personality, who has American citizenship and resides in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, came to Anguilla at the invitation of a number of persons to speak on family life and youth issues and how to deal with them.
The programme for his visit commenced with a Gospel Concert on Saturday, August 24, in which a number of local artistes participated. The following day, Sunday,was a motivational rally at “Freedom Park”, featuring Minister Castor, and during the rest of the week there were a number of interactive conference sessions led by him atthe auditorium of the Adrian T Hazell Primary School.
Many persons in Anguilla are familiar with Minister Castor’s work through his Tuesday and Friday morning programme on Voice of Creation Radio entitled Real Issues and Straight Talk. “The people summoned him here to conduct these conference sessions which aresimilar to how he talks on the radio, and with listeners asking questions and getting answers and advice,” said MrsVonetterIrose Connor, a member of the Peace Drive Group in Anguilla. “They are looking for answers on family and relationship issues and the Biblical response.”
Asked about that group, Conrad Rogers, a well-known talk show host, on Kool FM, who was with Mrs Richardson at the time, explained that the peace group sprung from the committee which organised the recent island-wide peace motorcade following the shooting and injury of seven youngsters at Blowing Point. “The motorcade made a simple appeal to our young people to stop the violence – in particular gun violence – and to give peace a chance,” Rogers told The Anguillian.
The rally and conference sessions, conducted by Minister Castor, were wide-ranging. They examined a broad spectrum of family issues and how they relate to parental responsibility,discipline of children and the social and spiritual life of Anguilla.
Minister Castor, a trained Biologist, who could have gone on to become a medical practitioner,rather than “a Minister of God” for the past fifteen years, said he was pleased when he became involved in the above radio programme in Anguilla. “The objective was to look at the challenges that we all face as individuals, families and as a community – and to look at a multiple answering unit that provides for the four components of humanity. Those are the spiritual, social, physical and emotional components,” he explained.
He continued: “It was while we were involved at that level of ministry that the call came from Anguilla to come to the island for a conference that would help to provide some of the necessary resources for the challenges that we face…It was about midnight that I got a call from Anguilla saying that seven of our young men were shot on the street. That intensified in my spirit the need to assist in providing resources and tools and this is what this conference is all about.”
Minister Castor, who is also a trained vocalist, particularly acknowledged the assistance of Michael Fleming, who he described as “a father figure”, for ensuring that he and his wife, Mrs Anna Castor, obtained airline tickets to travel to Anguilla. “There were other individuals who were very instrumental in bringing us here, and we truly appreciate and thank each of them,” he stated. “This is an initiative from Anguilla and it is what makes it more meaningful to us because, as Pastor Edwards said on my programme, it is really a Macedonian call – and I am so blessed to be part of this moment.”
Minister Castor was of the view that most cases of negative behaviour among children in the home were due to the absence and influence of a father. “I would say from the prospective of an Afro-Caribbean, an Afro-American young man, and as a single parent child, that I know, and understand first-hand, what it means to grow up without a father in my life,” he told the newspaper. “Some of the anger and animosity that I expressed as a teen, when I see it manifested in our young men – most of them – who do not have a father figure or daddies in the home, I connect to that. What is so interesting about it is the mere fact that God has laid His hand upon my life to prevent it from going into the negative. I know there is hope for every single young man or young woman.” He stressed that research showed that 77% of the young men in the United States, for example, who grow up without a father, ended up in prison or their productivity in society was significantly diminished.
Minister Castor said the objectives of the conference were to come face to face with the realities that are in the Anguillian community, and to realise that the challenges must be dealt with. In order to do so, effectively, there was a need for a four-pronged attack. “Firstly, we must address the emotions,” he stated. “Secondly, we must address the social issues; thirdly and fourthly, we must address the physical and spiritual issues. We must let our young people know that there is much that they can do and that there is a price on their life – the blood of Jesus of Christ.The only difference between the functioning youth and the dysfunctional youth is really the home, school and church. It is important for us to work collaboratively, not in isolation, to accomplish our task.”
He added: “One of the individuals who were instrumental in organising this event was Sister Vonetter Connor who is really the coordinator. We want to thank God for her and the team, and for the Anguillian community that will continue to support this initiative.”
Mrs Connor summed up the conference this way: “We are looking at the end for a more civilised group of youngsters. Remembering the young people are the men and women of tomorrow, we want our children to hear what the Word of God is saying to them. They are here for a plan and a purpose: not to be shooting and killing each other – and there is a need for a lot of parental guidance. I would say that charity begins at home.”
