GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer

Deacon Thomas Chambers started his walk with the Lord at 14 years old. It was no surprise to him when he surrendered his life to his Maker because his parents had him exposed to the Lord through the Sunday school.

"I was brought up in a Christian home. I attended Sunday school as a child and got active in youth fellowship and other areas. Having been brought up in a Christian home, I was not the type of out of order, rude guy and so on, because as a youngster there were certain things which I couldn't do, like attending dances," said Chambers.

He said because he followed the good examples set by his parents and they (examples) helped him in accepting the Lord as his personal Lord and Saviour from his young age, he has been able to hold onto God until this day.

not easily distracted

The church deacon believes that attendance at Sunday school is very important because it helps to mould persons into being good Christians, who can turn out to be good servants of God. He added that whenever persons are exposed to Sunday school from an early age, especially if they are from Christian homes, whenever they become mature individuals they are not easily distracted from the way of the Lord.

"If one grows up in the church and in a Christian home, you find that you adopt those good things exhibited by your parents. My parents were Christians; and parents who are Christians try to mould their children in the Christian principled way; so when you reach a certain age you adopt their teachings and nothing really entices you out there to do some of the things which I see young people doing these days," shared Chambers.

He believes that if parents these days would surrender their lives to the Lord and start living for Him, while setting good examples for their children to copy, they would not have difficulty getting them to attend Sunday school and to start living for the Creator.

Chambers has worked hard for the Lord over the many years he has been saved, and 20 years ago he was appointed deacon at the Christiana branch of the Church of God in Jamaica in Manchester, where he worships currently. He pointed out that he loves his work as a deacon with a passion, despite the challenges associated with it.

"The role of a deacon is to assist the pastor and take on responsible leadership in the church. I find the work very interesting, especially when you know that you have certain responsibilities, you are actively doing something for the Lord and helping others get into the church and to be active as well," noted the deacon.

many miracles

Chambers bragged that God has been extremely good to him, as he has worked many miracles in his life. He recalled being ill and was given over to death by a doctor.

"As a child my mother told me when I was about six or seven years old that I was so ill and had been taken to the doctor numerous times, but doctor could not find any complaint. There was not much that the doctor could do to help me. The doctor himself got fed up. One day he said to my mother that there was nothing he could do for me, and that she should have taken me home to die," shared Chambers.

The deacon said his mother called for a day of prayer and fasting two days after, and since that day he has been healed.

"When the doctor gave me up to death, God picked me up to live. It was an opportunity for my mother to take me to the Lord because she was well aware that there was nothing impossible for God," said Chambers.

Chambers is married to Dawn Taylor-Chambers and has four children - Suzanne, Dale, Brenda-Lee and Carlene.

The deacon's favourite scripture is Psalm 100. His favourite song is 'He giveth more grace when the burdens go weary; He giveth more strength when the labourers are few'.

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