BY GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer
SPALDINGS, CLARENDON:

It was not difficult for Carmen Dacres to determine whether she needed Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour at the age of twelve.

Dacres grew up in the church at Coxswain in Clarendon and had parents who knew the way of the Lord and set Christian examples for her and her siblings to follow.

As a result, the Sunday school teacher at the Flemming Memorial United Brethren Church in Manchester, did not allow anyone to witness to her about Christ, as at that age, she was already a seasoned soul in the way of salvation.

"I got saved on July 28, 1962. From I was little I can remember even when I was seven years old, I had a consciousness of God and I used to be very active in Sunday school, like singing little songs, and saying poems," Dacres said.

The churchwoman stated that though she grew up with the consciousness of God, everything came to a head when she attended a rally at a church and recited a poem. It was after doing the poem that the minister in charge made an altar call. She was not hesitant in accepting the invitation and so she willingly surrendered her life to God.

surrender her life

Dacres stated that it was not necessarily the invitation given by the minister which caused her to surrender her life to God, but that it also had to do with the messages she received from the many songs sung at the function, which got to her spirit.

She remembers the minister saying the well known Bible verse 'Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest'. She stated that at the age when she surrendered her life to God, though she was a quiet girl, she realised that she was empty and needed Jesus, because she was a sinner.

The Sunday school teacher who is also the wife of a pastor acknowledged that she has found rest in Jesus since she turned over her life to God.

"With all the turmoil and storms as it were, going on in the society and in the world at large, even when those storms are raging, I have a peace and a quietness and a rest in my heart, because I have a hope in Jesus Christ that some day all of this will be passed," Dacres said.

Dacres who is also a choir member, a part-time preacher and a church counsellor, pointed out that she does not like preaching but that she fills in for her husband on occasions when he is away on other engagements.

important role

"I see my role in the church as a very important one, especially as a Sunday school teacher. I started teaching Sunday school classes from I was sixteen years old, and when I watched little children, young people and older persons getting a grasp of the word of God and which cause their lives to change for the better it makes me want to do it over and over again," Mrs. Dacres said.

She also said that she has seen students whom she has taught in the church taking their place in society locally and internationally in various professions, including being pastors, but the most important thing for her is that they have continued to hold their end of the bargain with Jesus Christ, and that has given her great pleasure.

She has however expressed disappointment with Sunday school attendance among the youths. She attributed the low attendance to the fact that there are so many young parents around these days.

"When I was a little child, I can remember one pink dress that I had and every Sunday morning my mother would have that pink dress ready, and I would be gone to Sunday school and enjoyed it. In those days I really had good times in Sunday school," Dacres said.

She noted that now more than ever, children need to be in Sunday school, especially when one sees the things that are taking place in the society.

The mother of Camroy and Ainsley said children should be trained up in the way they should grow, so that when they become old they will not depart from it. When this is done, the Sunday school teacher asserted that the ills in which children are now involved will not find common place among them.

She believes she has done well in helping children to know about God and His words, and added that she intends to continue teaching children until she can no longer do so.