Wise and kind ‘Brother Dan’ passes

A strong, praying father with a powerful voice" are the words used to describe Kenneth Chambers, a father of 13, who sold both THE STAR and The Gleaner newspapers in front of the US Embassy in Liguanea for more than 30 years.

Chambers, who was fondly called 'John' or 'Brother Dan', died on October 1, some 11 days before his 89th birthday. A member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, Chambers has been remembered as a wise man who was always keen to impart knowledge to others.

"Him really get fi live out him life and mek an impact. Him always have great advice. A lot of people dem old, but dem just old. Dem nuh have wisdom and him was a man weh have it," said John, the fifth child.

Similarly, Peter, who is also a member of the Twelve Tribes, said his father was like a friend he could always count on. Michael said his father placed great value on education, encouraging his children to read constantly.

"He was always encouraging us to read despite our economic background as children coming from an impoverished community. He sold newspapers so he made sure that we were very intertwined with the columns, and he always encouraged us to read so we could be educated outside of the school system," Michael said.

He added that his father taught his children to be peaceful and to not be quick to anger. He was known as the peacemaker in Trench Town, St Andrew, the inner-city community where they lived.

"He strived to utilise the most peaceful, passive outcome in any situation. He was always the one trying to scare away any potential violence or conflict between other parties or between himself and others, and we as children took away from that also," Michael added.

Both John and Michael added that their father was a spiritual man who always read his Bible and sought to impart spiritual knowledge.

"We had a million Bibles in the home, though he wasn't the 'preachy preachy' type and he didn't try to force or to push us in any particular religious direction - Christianity or Rastafarianism. He gave us the freedom to be who we were. He just put the information in front of us so we could determine the direction in which we wanted to live our life," Michael said.

John added that his father did not hesitate to help those around him who were in need.

"Him actually help a lot a people get a start, 'cause a fi him house nuff people weh a come from country and neva have nuh weh fi stay in town. A fi him place dem usually come until them mek a start or get fi elevate and dem move on and get successful," John said.

He said his father also found jobs for persons by putting them in touch with professionals he met while selling the newspapers.

One of the people Chambers made a lasting impression on was Lennon Latty, to whom he handed over his business in 2019. Latty met Kenneth Chambers at a restaurant in Liguanea in 2015. Chambers became his friend and a father figure.

"He was like a father, because him always a show mi di ropes, a tell mi bout life and bout the Bible and things like that. He was a father figure, a friend a family. He's older than mi suh mi look up to him as a father suh him always a gi mi a word of encouragement and suh," said Latty.

He added that along with small farming, he uses the business Chambers passed down to him to provide for his wife and three children.

The funeral for Chambers will be held on November 18 at the Twelve Tribes of Israel headquarters on Hope Road in St Andrew.