Women-oriented US-based organization seeking to expand here
Written by Clifford Stanley [www.guyanachronicleonline.com]
Sunday, 20 December 2009 15:26
uses faith-based counseling as empowerment tool
MEMBERS OF A New York-based organization dedicated to empowering women to live purpose-driven and sanctified lives through faith-based counseling are currently in Guyana training young women for the establishment of a Chapter here.
Faith-based counseling has been described as counseling from a Biblical perspective, and those visiting and conducting the training program here are Guyanese residing in the United States of America(USA).
The name of their organization for empowerment of women and young women is ‘God’s Creation I Am’, and their motto encourages females to see themselves as being defined by God, and not by Man.
The Group’s founder and leader is Ms Jeanette Gomes, formerly of South Ruimveldt but now a social worker in the U.S.A, and she is accompanied by colleagues, Mr Sean Haley, Vice-President, Operations, and Pastor James Watts, Spiritual Consultant.
They are all members of the Family Tabernacle of Worship in Queens, New York, where ‘God’s Creation I am’ was founded in 2007.
Gomes told the Chronicle last week that their organization targets young women who are in need of counseling by helping them to redefine themselves and to realize that despite their negative experiences, poor perception, and hopelessness , they have a purpose in life and are destined for greatness.
“Our goal,” she said, “is to go out into the community, into the world, and minister to young women in juvenile facilities, orphanages, shelters, wherever the Lord takes us to minister to the souls of young women and women, to get them to discover that despite their lack of resources or whatever may be discouraging them from believing in themselves, they are great and have a purpose in this world; they just need to submit their lives to the Almighty God for him to fulfill the purpose he brought them into this world for.”
As the first phase of the development of a local Chapter, the team last week held a five-day training program for a group of young women from the villages of Mon Choisi(Number Three),Edderton(Number Four)and Zee Lust (Number Five)on the West Coast of Berbice at the Family Tabernacle of Worship branch at Zee Lust.
The topics discussed with the women during the workshop included personal/professional goal setting, social skills, character building, sound speech, modest dressing, positive peer association, abstinence and spiritual foundation and development.
On completion of this program, the women will be taught faith-based counseling so that they can in turn counsel other women in need to respect themselves, to set high standards, and to become role models within their respective communities, Gomes said, adding that it is through the foregoing means that ‘God’s Creation I am’ promotes community development.
“We are looking at the role of the church, not only for fellowship and receiving of the word of God, but as a day-to-day resource. For example, as a shelter for providing counseling for people who have mental health or cognitive issues; as a venue for skills training for economic activities, and promoting self reliance among the women and young women in the community; as a means of empowering women to develop their communities.”
Giving a background of the organization, Gomes said she migrated to the United States in 1995 and after training in Social Work, began working in New York as a Family Therapist.
She’s also served as an advocate for victims of domestic violence for the Supreme Court in the State of Connecticut, and is currently the Clinical Supervisor for Family Therapists in New York.
She expects to receive a Doctoral Degree in faith-based counseling in July 2010.
Part of her work in New York, she said, involves providing counseling to felons recently released from jail so as to encourage them to get over repeatedly relapsing into criminal and anti-social behaviour.
It was in the course of this work, she said, that she came to adopt and modify the methods of faith-based counseling, and found that her method of approach was much more effective in bringing about changes in behaviour and attitudes than those which were secular, ie, those which did not incorporate religion.
Positive responses to her brand of faith-based counseling from many of her wards, she said, encouraged her to found ‘God’s Creation I Am’ through which, organization, she proposes to propagate the idea, not only in New York but the world over.
With respect to Guyana, she said: “I always wanted to return home and make a contribution, and when I read about suicides and incidents of domestic violence and such aberrations here, I thought I would come home and introduce FBC as an option for addressing these ills.”
‘God’s Creation I Am’ is forming its first Chapter in the rural villages in West Berbice at the suggestion of her colleague, Pastor Watts, who is a former resident of Zee Lust, and a Senior Pastor at the Family Tabernacle of Worship in New York.
The hosts are members of the Family Tabernacle of Worship Church at Zee Lust, which is headed by Pastor Sean McDonald.
This first batch of trainees will be given certificates at a graduation ceremony later this month. They will receive training in faith-based counseling and community development early next year, Gomes said, in keeping with the aim of empowering themselves and other females within their communities who need help
The Website of ‘God’s Creation I Am’ is: www.godscreationiam.com
by Clifford Stanley [www.guyanachronicleonline.com]
Overseas-based Guyanese spread Christmas cheer at home
Written by Clifford Stanley [www.guyanachronicleonline.com]
Sunday, 27 December 2009 18:06
Overseas-based Guyanese spread Christmas cheer at home
Written by Clifford Stanley
Sunday, 27 December 2009 18:06
MEMBERS OF a New York-based organisation of Guyanese called ‘God’s Creation I Am’ last week distributed gifts of food, clothing and footwear and agricultural planting materials to over 250 needy persons in Berbice and on the West Coast Demerara.
Those who benefited were from Mon Choisi, Edderton and Zeelust Villages on the West Coast Berbice, and from Zeelugt on the West Coast Demerara.
The gifts were distributed by founder/leader of the organization, Ms Jeanette Gomes, a social worker in the USA; her colleagues, Mr Sean Haley, Vice-President, Operations; Pastor James Watts, Spiritual Consultant; and Pastor Sean McDonald of the local branch of the Family Tabernacle of Worship at Zeelust.
The gifts were obtained from New York-based members of the organization, and from local charitable sources.
The overseas-based Guyanese are all members of the Family Tabernacle of Worship in Queens, New York, and the largesse was in keeping with the organizations’ policy of combining faith and works and promoting self reliance, Ms Gomes said.
by Clifford Stanley [www.guyanachronicleonline.com]
US-based group introduces street lights to West Berbice
JANUARY 14, 2010 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
Members of “God’s Creation I am”, a New York-based organization, which is dedicated to empowering women to live purpose-driven and sanctified lives, last week helped residents of Number Four and Number Five villages, West Coast Berbice, secure street lighting for a particularly dangerous stretch of the public road.
The residents benefited from the intervention of the group which had been working with the young women in the area with a view to forming a Local Chapter since early December last.
President of the GCIA is Ms Jeanette Gomes who is a Family Therapist in New York.She said that the organization targets young women and is dedicated to empowering them through Faith Based Counseling (FBC) or counseling from a Biblical dynamic.Their motto encourages women to see themselves as being defined by God.The organization was conducting an initial training program for young women in the two villages prior to starting a local Chapter, when members saw the serious need for street lighting to ensure the safety of pedestrians in the two villages.
Their intervention led to pledges of support from Minister of Public Works and Communication, Robeson Benn, and the full support from staffers of the Guyana Power and Light who were instrumental in connecting the lights to roadway poles.
Thanks to Minister Benn, the communities will benefit from the street lighting free of charge.Expressing gratitude to all who supported the project, Gomes said yesterday that their intervention for the street lighting is one of the many community projects the organization will be addressing in these areas. There will be many others across the country as it establishes local Chapters for FBC empowerment of women and young women.
She said that since the installation of the street lights in Number Four and Number Five villages, subsequent developments have shown that the action had planted a seed that has already started germinating since members of the community are already going out soliciting additional lighting.
Newly admitted members of the GCIA have also begun assessing other needs of the community and are discussing ways in which they can personally address those needs without having to wait on the government.
Gomes, formerly of South Ruimveldt, and currently the Clinical Supervisor for Family Therapists in New York is accompanied by colleagues, Sean Haley, Vice President Operations and Pastor James Watts, Spiritual Consultant on this endeavor.They are all members of the Family Tabernacle of Worship in Queens, New York, where “God’s Creation I am” was founded in 2007.
They leave for home next week and will return by April to conduct further training and work in establishing their organization which they said “targets young women who are in need of counseling, helping them to redefine themselves and helping them to realize that despite their negative experiences, poor perception and hopelessness, they have a purpose and are destined for greatness”.
by KNEWS [www.http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com]
“Members of God’s Creation I am” at Centre Sean Haley and Jeanette Gomes (Second from right) along wih GPL Staffers during the installations
Street light installation for a dangerous stretch of the # 4 and #5 villages public roads in progress.
Copyright © 2010 God's Creation I Am. All Rights Reserved. Term of use | Privacy
