Former ‘bus pastor’ still spreading God’s word

Whenever one is in Brown's Town, it is not uncommon to hear a soft voice singing praises to the Lord, accompanied by the gentle strumming of a guitar.

Roydell Edwards, at 73 years old, has lived most of his life as a Christian. He was baptised when he was just seven years old and for more than 30 years, he preached on buses across Jamaica.

For a little more than two years, he has been playing his guitar, singing and preaching in the Brown's Town market in St Ann and collecting donations from passers-by who sometimes join him in singing praise to the Lord.

Working for Jesus

"The main reason why I'm here in the market singing is I'm working for Jesus, spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ," he told THE STAR. "Only Christian songs I sing and the Bible, the Word of God, is open before me and to the public and to the world. People make satisfactory contributions all the time, at all times."

Edwards grew up in the New Testament Church of God on Waltham Park Avenue in St Andrew, and later moved to Bermuda where he worked as a sales clerk at a lumber company during the 1970s and 1980s. While in Bermuda, he attended the Pembroke New Testament Church of God, where his uncle, Reverend Jonis Duncan, was the pastor. This gave Edwards the opportunity to begin preaching.

Upon his return to Jamaica, Edwards' path took a turn as he decided on a route not travelled by many; that of preaching on buses. He believes that many Jamaicans would know him, as, starting in 1988, he preached on many buses across all 14 parishes.

But in 2018, he took another important life decision. He shifted from bus-preaching and settled on a stationary location. He chose a spot on a side street beside the Brown's Town market, a street which is now primarily a vending area. "That is when I started preaching and singing down here."

And despite issues that some persons may have with bus preachers, Edwards, now known mainly as 'Pastor', said his experience over the three decades was mainly positive.

"Well, in those days the reception was second to none, satisfactory," he pointed out. "Here in the market, I would say they respond to me in a Godly way."

He travels every day from his home in Alexandria and has made the spot his own, setting up every day regardless of the conditions.

"Whether rain or not, I'm still here. I use an umbrella," he explained.