GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer
Pastor Ivanhoe L. Fisher - George Henry
SPALDINGS, CLARENDON:
Pastor Ivanhoe L. Fisher is the chaplain at the Empathy Funeral Home in Portmore, St Catherine. He has been walking with God as a born again Christian since 1980 when he got saved at the August Town Seventh-day Adventist Church in St Andrew.
His walk with God is somewhat extra special because he was one of a few privileged Jamaicans to be baptised in the Middle East. Fisher told THE STAR that he had a stint in Israel, and during his stay in that country, he used the opportunity to be baptised a second time in 1999.
"I got baptised in Israel and I was also ordained there. The Baptist pastor at the church I attended there baptised me, and I in return baptised him," stated Pastor Fisher.
His second baptism was not due to backsliding but, according to Fisher, he wanted to experience what it would have been like participating in the Christian activity in the Middle East. For him, it was a wonderful experience.
Fisher's enjoys his work as chaplain at the funeral home. He noted that the work is interesting, as he gets the opportunity to counsel a large number of persons almost on a daily basis, as they mourn the loss of their loved ones.
The chaplain pointed out that his work as a pastor does not allow him to give a 'waving hand' to mourners, but that it affords him the opportunity to give a 'lending hand' to them in their time of bereavement.
Comparing himself to biblical character Jeremiah, Fisher said Jeremiah wept, mourned and prayed for the people in their time of bereavement; and although he does not do all that, he tries as best as possible to empathise with them during their time of grief.
Reminiscing about how he got saved, Pastor Fisher said he was in August Town during the period leading up to the 1980 general election. He said a lot was happening in terms of upheaval, where persons were being killed and hundreds were living in fear.
Time to be saved
Although he was not afraid of the chaos, he pointed out that it was brought home to him that it was time to surrender his life to Jesus Christ. The decision was taken for him to be baptised, and so Fisher requested his water baptism, received it and has been doing all he can for God and humanity since.
While admitting that it has been good living for Jesus, the chaplain said it has not been an easy road. He explained that there have been ups and downs on the Christian journey, but he has never allowed unpleasant moments to prevent him from acknowledging that God is good and that He is to be praised.
"When you buck your toe, you have to try and get up. It is a struggle, but when you fall you are not to stay down there. What you need to do is to carry your burdens to the cross and leave them there. Do not get up back with the burdens because God will take care of them. All you have to do is to believe and trust in the Lord," encouraged Fisher.
The chaplain said that if he should live his life over, he would have started serving God earlier. This, he said, because salvation is sweet. He added that if persons start serving God from an early age, they would realise how sweet it is to serve and trust in Him, as it is a relief and joy to live without sin.
Fisher also made it clear that persons should not wait until they are on their sick bed to surrender their life to Jesus Christ. This, he says, is not a good time to do so, as their minds will be filled with many things, including thinking about earthly possessions they would leave behind should they die, and who will benefit.
He noted that all should seek to be saved before they are ill or next to death, so that these things do not occupy their minds, but they instead are focused on Jesus.
"If you know that you are going to die and your life is in the hands of God, then there is no need to worry. I want to tell those who are not saved that salvation is nice. Come and taste it. Surrender your life to Jesus and you will see what you have been missing," said Fisher
Do
you have a problem? Is something bothering
you? Write to