Reverend Jacob Powell's hand is on Toni-Ann Bailey, while her mother Ivet Campbell holds her baby sister Crystal Bailey, as they both are being prayed for at a recent dedication service at the Sharon Baptist Church in Santa Cruz. - George Henry

BY GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer

MALVERN, ST. ELIZABETH:

The saying 'it is better late than never', was repeated by Miss Ivet Campbell when she took her 10-year-old daughter Toni-Ann Bailey along with her baby sister Crystal Bailey to Reverend Jacob Powell at the Sharon Baptist Church in Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth, earlier this month to be christened.

Miss Campbell told Life and Times that she did not have any reason to prevent Toni-Ann from being dedicated to God after 10 years. However according to her, knowing that she has two older children who were already dedicated, she felt uncomfortable, knowing that Toni-Ann was not, and so it became a burden.

"I was fearful that because she was not yet christened, something would have happened to her, because the blessing of God through baby dedication were not yet pronounced on her. And so, it was like a burden on my mind," said the mother.

Campbell like most parents believe that all babies should be dedicated to the Lord, as it is a sign that parents want their children to grow up in a Christian home, knowing the teachings of the Bible, as well as getting to know God for themselves.

Now that Toni-Ann and Crystal who were born on July 13, 1997 and October 31, 2006 respectively are dedicated, Miss Campbell said she felt more comfortable, as the burden she has felt over the past 10 years has been lifted. She said she can now have the two go almost anywhere knowing that the protection of God is upon them.

She also added that because the two are comprehensively covered by God, their dedication to Him does not stop there. The mother who said she was a Christian, said she would ensure that they both attend church.

Campbell's dream for the two children is for them to be working in the medical field as a nurse and doctor. Now that they have had God's blessings pronounced on them, she said her dream is more to be a reality, as God will be a part of their lives and He will allow them to make the right choices.

Reverend Powell during his talk to parents at the dedication ceremony explained that if parents do not allow God to be a part of whatever they do in their family, it will not work out to be the best.

He said it is most important for all parents to ensure that God be worshipped and praised by the members of the family, so that when their children are born they can be taken to the sanctuary to be blessed.

He said there have been many cases of child abuse in society, several cases of child murder among other crimes against children, because there are men who are heartless.

"We have persons around who do not believe that the other person's child is also his or her child. All of us must remember that the children that the Lord has given to us are not just our children, but that they are the nation's children, the community's children," said the minister.

He went on to say that the good parents want for their children, should also be the same hoped for other persons children, because God gave them all to us.