Contestants of the 16th annual Miss Gospel Bahamas Pageant paid a courtesy call on President of the Bahamas Christian Council, Rev. Dr. Ranford Patterson, at Cousin McPhee Cathedral on Wednesday, May 25.
The visit was to officially introduce the religious leader to the young women competing in the pageant organized by Great Commission Ministries International, and brief the new president about the event and its related activities.
Organizers said this year’s theme, “Empowered For Action; Changing A Generation,” is most suitable for today’s society.
According to the pageant’s chairperson, Anya McKenzie, one of the queen’s most important tasks would be to highlight the work of Great Commission, a non-profit mission organization which reaches out to high risk youths, the homeless and the poor through its Wulff Road headquarters.
Nine young women have set out to participate in a fulfilling journey that will change their lives forever. The contestants said they hoped to make a positive change in the wider community.
Pastor Patterson said he shared a similar passion and took the opportunity to discuss his “10 Point Plan.” Among other things, it aims to empower youths, bringing them closer to Christ, in addition to highlighting the positive impact of women’s groups and the role of men in the family.
“So many young men are in jail because they have no positive male influences,” he told contestants. “We don’t train our children anymore. The generation after ours is worse. They don’t know how to pray.”
One contestant, pre-school teacher Cedrica Williamson, admits that her appreciation of the church came after she got saved.
“I never liked going. I just went because my mother told me to,” said the 22-year-old. “After being saved I thanked God. I think that people must find God for themselves.”
That very lesson Dr Patterson learnt early on in life.
“I was a failure in school. I never passed any GCE’s. I left high school with a leaving certificate. I wasn’t accepted into the College of the Bahamas, but I knew this was not the life for me, so I decided to make a change,” he shared. “I went abroad, gained two Master’s in Christian education and human resource management, a Bachelor’s Degree in Christian education and a Doctorate in Christian education. After that, COB accepted me as a teacher. I wasn’t able to be a student there, but I was lucky enough to be a lecturer.”
Win or lose, Dr Patterson encouraged the women to make a difference “in their own way.”
“Don’t settle,” he admonished. “Don’t worry about what people are doing now, just worry about what you will do later.”
The nine contestants are Shirlene Jean Baptiste, Aimee Ferguson, Dianthus Johnson, Nehemie Louis, Garissa Maurice, Candace Rolle, Lavette Smith, Andreace Strachan and Cedrica Williamson.
The pageant will be held Sunday, July 31, at 7pm at the Wyndham Nassau Resort’s Rainforest Theatre.
By Precision Media
