This week marks the celebration of Family Awareness Week as promoted by the Georgetown Guyana District of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Family Awareness Week has been an annual celebration of the family since 2003. Each year the focus has been on issues which plague the Guyanese family such as spousal and child abuse, suicide, homosexual issues and achieving a balanced and united family unit that is Christ-centered.
From July 14th – July 20th, 2014, an exhibition of pamphlets, scriptures and even a mini-exhibition by the Self-Reliance Centre was what the citizens of Guyana witnessed along the Muneshwar’s sidewalk, one of the busiest thoroughfares in Georgetown.
Missionaries were out in great numbers along the sidewalk issuing brochures and having discussions with the passer-bys. The atmosphere was charged and people were generally in a mood to listen as long as they found out that they did not have to pay for the pamphlets and booklets. Over 40 serious referrals were had during a period of 5 days.
Some of the participants of the Self-Employment Workshops displayed their craft inclusive of pastries and condiments such as pepper sauce. The public was impressed with up cycled paper jewellery and the Guyanese cuisine.
Members of the various branches took turn as they contributed meaningfully and unreservedly to ensuring that Family Awareness Week was a success. Success was measured by the vast number of pamphlets that were taken freely by the passersby, the length of time that the passersby were willing to listen to the church members explain a principle of the gospel, the missionary referrals and the general response by shoppers to the presence of the church and missionaries.
During the Family Awareness Week, members were reminded to have their Family Home Evenings on Mondays, to invite a few non-members to church and on Sunday, talks were focused such topics as Eternal Marriages, Family Unity and gospel principles which loan themselves to peace and a Christ centered home. On Saturday, July 19th, 2014 at 4:00pm was the launch of the Closing Ceremony which saw friends of the church in attendance. Amongst them was the Chairman of the inter-Religious Organization of Guyana, Pastor McGarrell.
Generally, it was a wonderful week of family celebrations.