Baby Aaliyah dedicated to God

The Sanguinetti New Testament Church of God in Clarendon on Sunday, December 6, christened its ninth baby since January. The baby is Aaliyah Marshall, daughter of Shantell Smith of Dykes Hill district in the parish.

When the young mother and godparents were called to the altar with little Aaliyah, it was a moment that Smith and all those in attendance will always remember.

Bishop Donald Dawson reminded the congregation that the family is a divine institution, ordained by God since the beginning of time, and that children are a heritage of the Lord, committed by Him to parents for care, protection, and training for His glory.

He said that the parents need to ensure that Aaliyah is trained in the way of righteousness and godliness, for as much as she was presented for Christian dedication, it is their duty to provide a Christian home and a godly environment for her.

"It is the duty of every parent to recognise this obligation as a solid responsibility to both God and the child. The parents of this child must likewise recognise the sacredness of their charge and with all sincerity, accept their responsibility for the nurture and admonition of this child," shared Dawson.

He called on the parents to ensure that Aaliyah, as soon as she is able, learns the principles of the Christian faith and the nature of the Christian life; and to see to it that she is trained to give reverend attendance to the public and private worship of God and the teachings of the Holy Scriptures; as well as seek to lead her in the love of God.

The baby was prayed for by Dawson before he asked officers of the church to pronounce God's blessings on her. During his prayer, Dawson called on God to protect her, provide for her parents so that they would be able to support her in the best way possible, and bless her so that she could grow up to be a proper child.

Aaliyah was born on August 12, 2015, at the Mandeville Public Hospital. Her mother told THE STAR's Life and Times that she felt great knowing that she had been christened. She also pledged to do all she could to ensure that she knows the Lord at an early age.

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