The Guiding Lights
To Serve and Build the Faith of Tomorrow.
The Guiding Lights is a small , catholic youth group based in the rural village of San Rafael ( St. Raphael ) in East Trinidad. The group started out as nothing more than a peer group with big ambitions , but has since grown in strength , if not in physical size - and the ambitions have gotten bigger as well.
The group was formed in August of 1998 by a handful of youths.The group originally consisted of ten members , all of whom were intent on improving the community's social , economic , physical and spiritual condition in which ever way they could.
The group has made a tremendous impact in the community.It has been responsible for the hosting of the North Eastern region Youth Rally ( 1999 ) , the re-introduction of the annual Harvest dance and Christmas concert , the replacement of statues in the "creche" ( nativity scene ) , and the beautification of a nearby park , among other things. The Group holds All night vigils and is instrumental in the duties of the church.
Excursions and Family Day's are ways in which the group seeks to bring the community together , the excursions being extremely successful. The members also know how to have fun , using these activities as stress relievers. They also have frequent ' limes ' ( informal social gatherings ) which brings the group closer , and makes the job a whloe lot more enjoyable.
In 1999 , the group visited Curacao for the Antilles Episcopal Congress Youth Rally. With God's grace , and a lot of hard work , the group managed to send fourteen ( 14 ) members on the trip. It was the biggest achievment of the group
. The group is , however , faced with the challenge of raising enough funds to send its members to the World Youth Day ( June / July 2002 ) where the Holy Father will be officiating. It is an enormous task and will take a hurculean effort in order to be successful , but " with God , all things are possible !!! "
