PHOTOS: Crucifixion re-enacted as Jamaicans commemorate Good Friday

Jamaicans flocked to Half Way Tree in St Andrew on Good Friday to watch Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church's annual reenactment of Jesus' crucifixion. Jonathan Ononiwu, playing the lead role as Jesus Christ, carried a wooden cross from Winchester Road to the church along Half Way Tree Road, in front of a 'crowd of people' who went to 'witness Christ make his final journey to die for our sins'. Good Friday, which marks the start of the long Easter Weekend, is a national holiday in Jamaica.

20 guns taken off St James streets under the state of emergency

The security forces are reporting that 20 firearms have been taken off the streets of St James since the state of public emergency was declared in the parish on January 18. The latest success came on Wednesday when the security forces recovered a handgun in Rose Heights. No one was arrested in connection with the recovery. According to Acting Commissioner of Police, Ealan Powell, the Jamaica Constabulary Force's (JCF) commander for the state of public emergency in St James, the security forces remain relentless in their pursuit of illegal guns in the parish. "Efforts continue to find illegal guns. So far we have found 20 illegal guns. The last one was yesterday (Wednesday), and we continue. We are not going to cease, we are bent on finding all of them," ACP Powell stated during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Freeport Police Station on Thursday evening. He appealed to members of the public to pass on any information they might have on where illegal guns are hidden. "We are appealing to members of the public in the wider community, to tell what you know. I believe the confidence is building, the trust is building; there is now a lot of co-operation, and I believe that as we go along, we'll be able to find more guns," ACP Powell stated.

Debut novel from Jamaican author about the power of positive thinking

First-time writer Damien Marcus Williams is a proud man today. He launched his debut novel, 'Grab You Some Lemons: Make the Best out of Life's Sour Moments', in a charming function held at the Jamaica Theological Seminary two weeks ago. The function was attended by several well-wishers, members of the Ekklesia Bible Fellowship church and the pastor Barrington Hall and several of Williams' close friends. The ambience created for the event was a sort of effervescent positivity that was almost contagious. Fluffy yellow, green and white pom poms hung from a nearby tree. Coffee cups emblazoned with messages such as 'Your Dreams are Valid' and 'In God, All Things Are Possible' added to the positive feel-good vibe. Two female performers, Sharona Jonas and Shanique Marie thrilled the gathering with great renditions of popular and gospel songs. After the launch, Williams signed several copies of the book for his supporters and fans.
The book itself is a true delight, beautifully written in clear sparkling prose and in the first person narrative. Damien attempts to reveal meaningful lessons about life by offering an unapologetic peek into a young man's life. Chock full of testimonials, personal accounts, and biblical anecdotes, Damien weaves a great tale of the challenges he faced as a Grenadian immigrant who had come to Jamaica to immerse himself in God, surrender himself to the winds of destiny, and study theology at the Jamaica Theological Seminary. In chapter three, Damien describes the rampant homophobia among his peers who labelled him a 'queer' because he was different and who spread vicious lies about him watching gay porn in the library. Damien Williams is a snazzy dresser, and his effete mannerisms may be off-putting to the typical macho Jamaican male and the constant rejections - that was one part xenophobia, and two parts homophobia - at the seminary only underlined that sense of isolation he felt throughout the book. There are startling revelations such as his battle with BPD (bi-polar depression) and there is even a paragraph where he describes how a licensed firearm holder attempted to inflict harm on Williams for corrupting his male relative. These experiences awakened in him a festering resentment towards Christianity tempered by unwavering love of God. To say that Damien Williams is unconventional is an understatement. How many persons who have had such a negative experience at the JTS could return triumphant years later to launch a book there? And how many people could have the support of a church and a pastor of a book with at least one polysyllabic Jamaican swear word in it? He has soared above the fray and reached a zen position where he finds meaning, even in his depression where in his own words, he is "finding my own freedom in surrender" - a sort of determinist what-me-worry thinking that appeals to the optimist in all of us. Williams opines: Enjoy the ride, there's a capable driver (read the Man Upstairs) at the wheel. Williams explained his motivations for writing the book. "It's more than my personal journey, my journey is a vehicle to get the message that we look at pain and difficulty and things that don't work our way as failures. My message is that what we call failure is redirection, failure is life's way of redirecting us, things are not happening to us, but for us," Williams told Loop News.
"When your perspective changes, you will understand that obstacles are just tools that life gives us to win. Trust the process, the script is written, my journey has taught me that even the things that happen to us are pebbles, like Hansel and Gretel, that help you to find your way." The book is a good read, and as blogger and social media activist Emma Lewis pleads in the foreword: "please enjoy the story of a life, a soul and a voyage".