Senior Citizen Lysia Lowe Continues to Give Back to Her Community

It is no wonder that at the age of 79, Lysia Lowe is still a vibrant, active member of the community, who is always willing to give a helping hand, as even as a child, she made it her duty to assist those in need.

“Life growing up as a young person was great for me and I grew up helping, I loved to help as a child,” Mrs. Lowe says.

She tells JIS News that she is a member of the New Haven Seventh-day Adventist Church in St. Andrew and has been a Christian for the past 60 years.

She informs that she finds pleasure in sharing and assisting members of the community who are shut-ins or just in need of assistance.

“It is a pleasure, it is a part of me and on Wednesdays we (the church) cook for our shut-in and the community. So a lot of people come and I go there and I share the word of God and encourage the people that God is with everyone,” she adds.

Mrs. Lowe also finds joy in assisting other senior citizens who are in need of assistance with visits to the doctor.

“Sometimes there is a senior person like myself and they want to go to the doctor so I follow them. I am a little stronger than they are, so I go with them and sometimes they can’t hear properly so I listen and take the answer from the doctor and tell them what the doctor says,” she states.

“That’s a pleasure for me and I say God is so patient with me and ever ready to help me, so I try and follow as close as I can to the footsteps of Jesus. As often as the person ask I make it possible. In June and July I was there with the person,” she adds.

Mrs. Lowe routinely makes the trip to the market on a Monday, where she says she does “a little witnessing.”

“On Tuesdays I stay home and cook and no matter how I try I never can cook for myself. So any brethren in the community… I take out some of the food first and take for them,” Mrs. Lowe states.

She also tells JIS News that she often looks out for the children, on the streets teaching them social graces and proper etiquette.

“On the street I love to help children. You will find children passing you and they don’t say good morning or good evening, so I stop and say ‘good morning’.  Sometimes I see them fighting and I will ask them not to fight,” Mrs. Lowe states.

Senior Citizens’ Week is being observed September 28 to October 4, and will be observed under the theme: ‘Active Ageing through a Healthy Lifestyle’.

At the launch of the week, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Derrick Kellier, lauded the country’s senior citizens for their invaluable contribution to nation building.

“The prosperity, progress, growth and gains we enjoy today have been made possible through the tremendous efforts and sacrifices of our seniors and elders in communities across the island,” he stated.

Activities planned for the week include a national church service at the East Queen Street Baptist Church on Sunday, September 28. Also October 1 will be celebrated as International Day of Older Persons.

Other activities will include a garden party on September 29 at the St. Andrew Parish church Hall; a tree planting exercise on September 30 at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin; a parish awards function on October 2; and on October 3, there will be a Parish exhibition day at the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Library. On Saturday, October 4, there will be an evening of entertainment at the Mico University College auditorium.