Author Archives: donalddeanchambers

“Mout mek fi sey anyting” (Jamaican proverb translated as “The mouth can say anything.”) Clothing communicates beauty yet hides beauty and the broken heart. Words communicate information yet hide a groaning heart. Actors communicate stories yet hide the true persons behind the storytelling. Status quo communicates achievements yet hides the dirty path to achievements. ActionsContinue reading “Door of Communications”

“He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground” (John 20:5). Naked at birth. Naked in the shower. Naked in intimacy. Naked at death. Clothing at birth to warm. Clothing after shower. Clothing after intimacy. Clothing at death. God creates this rhythmic dance between natural nakedness and creative clothing. Nakedness –  openness,Continue reading “Nakedness and Resurrection”

Jargons, jargons, jargons. Language, language, language. Clichés, clichés, clichés.  Expressions, expressions, expressions. Every profession, Every religion, Every field of study, Every discipline, Every gang, Every ethnic and social group Has jargon, language, clichés, and expressions. Entering a group You learn the jargon, language, clichés, and expressions. Like climbing a steep hill, it’s a steep learningContinue reading “Jargons”

Face to face I stand With an emotionally weary mother. I pierce into her eyes. She grants permission to see her soul. I see fear, helplessness, weakness, vulnerability, and strength. After a boxing match with her tantrum boy child, Bruised emotionally from marital separation,  And tension with the father, exhaustion envelops her. In the post-matchContinue reading “Crucified Mother”

How did I feel this week?  I felt like fruits churning vociferously in a blender – busy, hectic, stressful, and compact, and rubbing shoulders with multiple persons in multiple activities. One of those weeks. Eh! Notwithstanding, my heart and mind were still aroused. Aroused by an exotic pineapple plant in my garden producing a tinyContinue reading “Pruning, Presence and Participation”

With God’s invitation, We lie on the bed of vulnerability,  With tense muscles, With weary bodies, With aching joints. All wounded from the battle of personal life, relationships, and uncontrollable and unexpected circumstances. With gentle and firm hands God goes to work Moving Her hands slowly up and down wounded bodies Moving, not with abusiveContinue reading “God, the Masseur”

Standing in the shallow end of the swimming pool, I unconsciously touched my right shoulder several times.  There was a slight pain at the end of each lap. Finishing my morning swim, I got dressed and headed for the exit of the pool complex. But I was stopped in my tracks by a gentleman whoContinue reading “Acts Of Kindness”

We are wounded, without and within. Wounded without is detectable, easily attended to. Wounded within is like a busted underground water pipe. Water gushing aggressively to the surface, the only evidence of brokenness. I grappled with a wounded little boy like a wounded animal. Wild with rage. Wild with tears. Wild with resistance. Wild withContinue reading “Father Wound”

My phone rings. I answer.  The voice on the other end responds, “My beloved priest.”  I smile. I bump into a woman at the grocery. She utters, “Beloved priest.”  She introduces herself and we stand in the middle of the aisle chatting. She shares a story about being distracted with house chores while the televisionContinue reading “BELOVED!”

When I read the front-page headline in the Jamaica Gleaner, Saturday, April 2, 2022 entitled Painful flashbacks: Father tormented by murder of 8-year-old son; Stepfather gets life in prison for offence, my heart ripped in a million pieces.  Sadness blanketed me.  Anger befriended me. Rage tormented me. Revenge knocked on my door. I felt theContinue reading “A Child Called Galen”