 Welcome to TV30, a production of the Government Information Service. I am your host, Kendall Eugene, and today we have with us a gentleman that I have the esteemed pleasure of calling a philanthropist. We have with us today from Fiddepore Ministries, Mr. Gasper Henry. Good day to you, sir. Good day. Thanks very much. Well, while we were off the mic, I told you that I have been looking forward to having a chat with you. You're one of the individuals that I have seen do so much for the community, and I'm very happy to have you here with us to chat about your work and, of course, the Fiddepore Ministry, the movement that you have started. So let us start from the beginning. How did that idea come up? How did you sit down one day and say, you know what, I think I want to help poor people? Well, before I respond to that, I want to say that I feel quite humble in being interviewed by you and knowing that you have always been, you know, a strong fan of mine, supporting the work that I've been doing. It all started in the year 2006, the month of September, at 3 a.m. It's a kind of divine intervention. I used to live at Bishop's Gap, and I just heard a voice tell me to just feed the poor, feed the poor. So I tried to ignore it, you know. So I gave my wife a nudge, and I told her, I think God is asking me to feed the poor. So, you know, women tend to be very, you know, mindful of their savings. So my wife told me that there are so many people with lots of money. Why is me that God is asking to feed the poor? The little bit of money that we have is for us to buy a piece of land that won't need to have a house. So there is a lady called Sister Yah who is my prayer warrior. I consulted her, I informed her as to what the Lord revealed to me, and she told me that she's going to pray about it. To make a long story short, at five o'clock in the morning, she called me and she told me that she received some confirmation from God that I should venture into that dimension. So without telling my wife anything, in the morning time, I woke up, I went to Scotiabank, I made a withdrawal of $500, and I went to Super G and I bought some groceries. My wife is a very good cook, so I said, well, she's going to be the one that is going to prepare the meals. So she sent me coming home with an unusual shopping because two of us in the house, and I came home with so many, so much groceries, you know. So she asked me, well, what am I doing? So I tell her, well, I think, well, I'm going to start feeding the poor. She said, well, who's going to do the cooking? I said, but it cannot be me, you are the cook. And my wife stayed humble, and she prepared a big pan of food. And I got some plates, you know, these takeaway plates. And we were able to prepare 25 meals, very first time, 25 meals. The first time you and your wife brought that food out to the poor, you said it was 25 meals. 25 meals. Was that breakfast or lunch? Well, lunch, you know, in those days, the park, the Constitution Park, it was different, you know, before the Sir John Compton statue. And there would be many senior citizens there, you know. So while each of us, the park, I would see them lunchtime, and it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to tell you, well, these people need something to eat. After preparing the meals, we went to the town hall with 25 meals. My brother, when we informed the people that we have meals given away, and we were able to serve these 25 meals, and they had people that did not get food. This is something that we see happen around the city, where individuals come at the back of their vehicles, and when they open up the trunk, you have a line of people waiting patiently to at least get something warm to eat. And that started with you in 2007. Yeah, 2006. 2006. Your focus was ensuring that they have a proper meal by lunchtime. Okay? But I've been, like I said, I've been a major fan, and I have been following. But I also saw that you added breakfast into the mix as well. Why did you want to include breakfast as well? And you have your cook, your wife. How did she feel about that? Well, the breakfast is something that started recently. It started in 2019, 2020, for the COVID time. As a result of the different things that were put in place, the protocols, we just decided to venture into the breakfast, a kind of grab and go breakfast. But if we go back now to the commencement of Fidapur Ministry, the other gentleman called Mr. Hingson, he was the manager of Scotiabank. So when he saw me serving the meals one day at the city hall, he stood there and he began to observe what's taking place. And after he told me that he believed in me, and that's the first person that ever told me in life that they believe in me. And as a result, he guided me, you know, and he called me to his office and he recommended a lawyer called Colin Foster so I can get my organization registered. So Fidapur Ministry is a registered charitable organization under the company's Act of St. Lucia. So Fidapur Ministry is not no fly-by-night. We are a bona fide legal institution. It's a legitimate institution. A legitimate institution. How does that make you feel that somebody like Mr. Hingson would observe, take a look, a really strong and hard look at what you were doing and invite you in? You did not have to go and set an appointment. You were invited into his office and he gave you advice that people would actually have to put days or weeks in advance to receive. Yeah, very good question. You see, when you see you set out to do something from the heart, everything just flows. Because I never had any intention of looking to benefit from what I was doing. It is just, you know, a divine intervention in looking to serve my people, to serve my country and put in a meal on the stomach. I grew up in poverty. I grew up in hard times. And having a proper meal, it wasn't something I used to enjoy. I grew up in difficult times. Times were hard. Can you tell us a little bit about that? Well, I grew up in a new village, you know, I grew up in a house where we did not have the amenities. We did not have electricity. We didn't have water. We didn't have the basic commodities. But I'm the kind of person I always told myself that poverty must never prevent me from being the person I want to be. So I grew up, I attended the Anglican infant, Anglican primary, then the Corinth secondary. I passed, in those days, it was a junior sec, the shift system. And attended afternoon shift in the morning time, I had to walk around town with a bucket of icicles to hustle. And you know, being the first child of your mother, being the first child, that is the person that does all the work. So I had to make sure I go and hustle to take care of my younger brothers and sisters. And now you're hustling to take care of total strangers within the community. Doing the Lord's work. Yeah. We'll take a break right now. This is TV 30, a production of the Government Information Service. And we are here with the CEO and the founder of the CDPR Ministries, Mr. Gaspar Henry. More after this. Oi, you realize you step on my toe. Well, do something about it. If somebody tried to cross you, An animating start to take you, No need for your over-violence, Because the police let to help you. If I trouble start in this session, Alright, no need for aggression. Hold on, control your temper, Respect each other, Be innocent, Don't let no trouble, Let your temper, A message from Mission Moist Studio 758, Acid Creation, And the Royals and Lucia Police Force. Welcome back to TV 30, a production of the Government Information Service. We are here with Mr. Gaspar Henry, the CEO and founder of CDPR Ministries. Good sir. Now, you have been doing a lot of financial free work. Congratulations on that. We just heard that you've been hustling from a very tender age. Selling icicles around the city. Just so that you could help all the family. A lot of children would see that, and some would scoff, some would smile, some would laugh, some would joke. But for you, it was a way of life. Yeah, survival. Survival. We have a totally different age. We in 2022, we're seeing... Different generation. The rise of technology has taken that, it's tool on everyone. If you were not ready for it, it would have left you behind. And if you were ready, then you'd have known how to adapt. How have you adapted to the different times, the change of times? How are you reaching out to, not only the adults, but also the children, the youth, the students of schools? Well, from the time I grew up, I always have a natural love for people. You see? And when you see you grow up in them kind of tough times, you tend to value the things that you work hard for, you tend to value people. And as the Lord see me through certain journeys, certain trials, I tend to want to give back. So one of the ways that I find myself giving back is to reach out to the youth. I have some motivational sessions with the youth of the current school, as my alma mater. I reach out to the boys at the Boys Training Center, the youth in my community. I have some motivational sessions with the students at the Cassius Comprehensive School and you could see the youth in them, the children really embrace that because we have to try to reach out to them. When you look at the level of crime, you don't want them to venture into it. So you must send out that kind of safety net to catch them, catch their minds when their minds are still small to try to shape and put positive values in them unless they fall into the ills of society. So I really feel thankful to the principal, the principals that could embrace Feed Upon Ministry because Feed Upon Ministry is not just feeding meals to the senior citizens, but it is like a consortium, you have different aspects of it, different components and one of the components is motivational sessions with the youth in them trying to ensure that we do not spoil our youth. How has the reception been for the talks that you would have with the young people? Oh, very nice, very positive. At a time when you meet the parents of the students and they would tell you stories like, you know Mr. Gaspai, I thank you for reaching out to my child. I can see a positive change, irrespective of, I may not be getting a salary for that, but when you hear these kind of positive reviews, it makes me feel, well, yes man, that your labor is not in vain. When you see you go to the boys training center and you reach out to the young men and when they see you on the street, they will say, well, you know Mr. Gaspai, thank you for being there for me. And you see, one of the things, you know, parents have to do, parents have to make time for their children. Tell the children how they love them, tell the children how special they are, you know. The home is something that I believe should be carefully guarded. And you rightly said that parents should make time for their children, should make time to ensure that they know everything about their child, whereabouts and what the children are doing. However, we do have a problem and I don't know if you'll agree with homelessness in St. Lucia. And I would like to hear from you. How best do you think that we can deal with homelessness here? Because on a nightly basis, if you walk around the city, you will see the number of individuals laying on a cardboard on the ground, probably covered with nylon bag. And it's heart wrenching to see. Yes, it is, it is, it is. It is something that must be tackled from a holistic standpoint of view. You see, we need more people, rather with empathy. You see, some persons believe because they have today, they will always have. We saw what happened at that 6th of November 12th. No one saw that coming. That's an example to us, to make us know that we must have empathy. It just takes one trough. It takes one natural disaster to get you homeless. So we must not turn a blind eye to the homeless people. We have to reach out in our own little way. Let us see how best we can assist. And I'm convinced that's my belief that if every one of us play our little role in our own way, we can make a dent. You know, in causing a positive impact to reach out to the homeless people. I too was homeless, you know. Yes, I was. You didn't tell us about that? Yes, I was a homeless person. When I lost my job in the police force in 1991, you know when you see you in a house and you are contributing, you know, how it is. Pressure on you, you see. People have to watch the amount of sugar you're using. People have to watch the amount of water you're using because you're already contributing. And I was just told by my uncle, I could no longer stay in the house again. You know, and I used to sleep by the beach. You know, I used to take in the cold breeze. But I never give up. I never give up. I always see myself getting out. You see, when you see you going through these these crises, you must preach to yourself. And I was preaching to myself, Gaspard, you are homeless now, but you're going to get out. At some point in time, you are going to be successful. And gradually, I involved God in my life. I made a commitment to serve God. And from that time, from 1994, I've been a Christian and God has been able to help me to overcome homelessness. I was homeless in my life and it wasn't easy. Daytime, you are very happy with your partners, with your friends playing your dominoes. But in nighttime fall, and that man tell you, you're going at his home. Down till they're going at his home. And you know, you have nowhere to stay. It wasn't easy. However, you have to have the tenacity. You have to have the willpower. So my aim to my brothers and sisters right now, who are going through tough times, who lost their jobs as a result of COVID, hold on, press on, do not give up. Speaking of COVID, when it hit the world, that was really a game changer for everyone. And we, you, myself, everybody in St. Lucia, we took a hit. We felt it. Yeah, we took a hit. We were not expecting it. Tell us about some of the struggles that the ministry went through during the hard times of the pandemic. Oh, we got a beating. Feed the poor ministry, got a beating. There were many people who used to contribute towards Feed the Poor Ministry, you know, then Feed the Poor Ministry had to take it, it most of the resources to reach out to them. People who lost their jobs. You know, people who lost their mind. You know, people who couldn't catch up with the, you know, the commitments. You know, during those two years of COVID Feed the Poor Ministry, we were going through some tough times. So we had to remodel. We had to look at how we could stretch our resources. So then now we switch from lunch into breakfast. And that is very, very important. The very first meal that the people have on their stomach, it is very, very, and even now, as we do breakfast, there are persons who are going to work. They will still stop and get a breakfast. This is TV 30, a production of the Government Information Service. We are going to take a break. And when we return, more with Gasper Henry from Siebdopal Ministries. Be right back. Pamela, I noticed that you built your retaining wall on my property. You will have to give me my land back or compensate me for that. My contractor isn't dumb. I trust that he will not build anything on your property. Where is your proof? Let's go to court. This situation does not require you to go to court. Looks like we have to go through mediation here. Mediation is a way people resolve conflicts like this. Someone, a third party, comes to speak to both parties. This person is called the mediator. The mediator is impartial. He or she makes sure that communication between both parties is effective and efficient. So the mediator is a judge? No. The mediator is not a judge. Mediators, unlike judges, do not decide cases or impose settlements. Let me get a mediator to handle this retaining wall and that kitchen. Kitchen? Yes. Your kitchen also falls on my land. Let me call the mediator. Welcome back to TV30, a production of the Government Information Service. I am your host, Kendall Eugene. And today we have with us Mr. Gasper Henry from Siebdopal Ministries. Now, just before the break, you were telling us about how you took a hit with COVID. My question, though, did you receive any assistance probably from government or any agencies that came to your rescue during that time? Some of the hoteliers, they came on board, yeah, you know, and some other business people, you know, because the way COVID operated, while some people took a pluck in our local palace, some people benefited. But the good thing about it is that some of them who benefited, at least God touched them and they were able to give back something towards Fiddepal Ministry. And Fiddepal Ministry teamed up during that time with the Salvation Army and we were able to fulfill our mandate. And I want to give thanks to the former captain of the Salvation Army. We worked together during the COVID time to ensure that in the midst of the pandemic, we did not forget the homeless people. We stuck to it. How difficult was it for you, though, to at least deal with home, okay? Because you took a beating as well. But you also had to ensure that you took care of your extended family outside. Very good, yeah, that's a very good question. Well, I receive a battering, however, I think God touched my landlady. Yeah, I want to say thanks to her because my house rent was $700 and that lady in as much as her heart maybe had, but I think COVID was able to soften it up, you know? And she gave me three months at $400. Yeah, so she gave me a little discount for those three months and I'm very thankful. And I, too, had my struggle because, you know, all of us had our struggles, but COVID taught us certain things. I learned how to cook. I learned how to be a plumber. COVID taught us certain, yeah. COVID, as much as it did bad things, but it brought out some good things in us, you know? The teaching situations that I have to follow. Now, we all had our teaching sessions from COVID. I mean, they had some people who learned how to mend senses. Probably some family members got back together. Because nobody got together. All right? So people made the best of it. How did the individuals that you normally feed on a daily basis? Because I believe you do three times a day? Three days, yeah, three days, yeah, three days a week. How was it for them knowing that gas would be coming through? And of course, Christmas coming. Yes, yes. That's the time that is dear to your heart. Yes. What plans do you have for the season? So how would they be happy for you during that COVID period? And how are they looking forward to the upcoming Christmas season? Yeah, well, when these people saw, as I told you, I was walking in tandem with the Salvation Army because they are the ones who have the transport. When these people saw the Salvation Army vehicle coming towards them, knowing that they're going to get something to eat, it brightened up their faces. So yeah, brightened up their faces. And the Christmas season is a season where everybody looking forward to that. As Philly said, non-Pob say Milone, people looking forward to the Christmas season. I want to thank Flo, irrespective of every battering that business places get. But Flo have stood the test with me. Flo have been the backbone of Feed the Poor Ministry. Flo have persevered with me. For the rough times, Flo have held my hand. And on the 14th of December, Flo and I, we are going to partner to serve at least 150 males to the senior citizens. We are going to give them a treat. We cannot have our normal party because there are still restrictions because of the COVID. But on the 14th of December, from 12 o'clock, now our 12 o'clock is 12 o'clock. At the Constitution Park, we are going to partner Flo. And there are many other business places who have supported me for the year. I cannot remember every single one of them. And it is a risk to start thanking people. You may just miss out somebody that you may offend. So all I want to say is to thank everybody, everybody who have supported Feed the Poor Ministry. I want to thank my wife for being there with me. Never abandon the mission all for all those years, faithful, getting up two o'clock in the morning, three o'clock in the morning. I really want to tell my wife that I appreciate you. And I'm saying these words to you while you can hate. Oftentimes we tend to say good things about people when they reach the other side of life. They cannot hate. But I want to tell her that I am very appreciative of supporting me, for trusting me for all those years. So with Christmas approaching, it will be a massive Feed the Poor campaign going on with you and Flo. And we are looking forward to that. We're looking forward to your continued good work in and around the island. But my final question to you, what is the ultimate goal for you and the ministry? Very good question. Well, you know people ageing, you know. And I'm looking like being in that area of Feed the Poor, if God keep me alive, see about next six years, if God keep me, I'll be 60. And my aim in life is to have a home. Have a home. I was at a seminar in Jamaica, representing St. Lucia, where we discussed what you call a dropping center. A dropping center is a place where people can come with dirty clothes and get a fresh set of clothes. They can take a shower. They can get something to eat. They can do a little gym work. But they don't have to stay. I saw it in Jamaica. That's what I study. That's my goal in life to have a dropping center where people can come. They can learn a skill. Something small, but they mustn't be forced to stay if they don't want to stay. And my dream is that we have a peaceful St. Lucia where people can walk the streets freely. You know, where we can go back to our days of love. You know, where we can go back to our days of looking out for each other. Where we can go back to the days of each one being this brother's keeper. That's my dream and aspiration. I hope that those dreams are fulfilled. I would love to see that dropping center become a reality. Mr. Henry, I want to say a big thank you for being a part of TV30. Continue your good job. Continue your good work. And we wish you all the best in the coming years and all the success. Thank you very much. I'm sorry for the emotions. No, that's okay. That's welcomed. That's all right. Ladies and gentlemen, before we come to the end of a TV30, a production of the Government Information Service, I am your host, Kendall Eugene. Thank you for joining. See you next time.