MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDING PASTORS
In 1991, while vacationing in Miami, USA with my family, God gave me a dream. In that dream the communities of Shortwood and Grants Pen were highlighted. In one scene, I was seated in a vehicle with my son John beside me, positioned on Charlton Avenue, where it intersected with Shortwood Road. As I looked down Shortwood Road, I saw a piece of land which I thought to myself, would be a good location to plant a church. Almost immediately, another thought entered my mind that the land was very expensive. After this I heard a voice say, “With God all things are possible.”
In another scene, I was walking with a young man up Shortwood Lane, from Grants Pen Road. As I walked, I saw another young man walking towards me who was maimed. I asked the young man who was walking with me what was wrong with the other man. He told me that a stake ran up into his body and maimed him. He further said that between our location and Barbican, there were many others like him who needed help. I then told him I was leaving, but that I would soon return to help.
On returning to Jamaica we visited the area we saw in the dream, and identified two landmarks which were present in the dream. After one year of prayer and seeking God, my wife and I planted Upper Room Community Church in November 1992. God has been true to His word. With a total of three thousand Jamaican dollars in our building fund at the time of bidding, a congregation consisting mainly of children and about six adults, He miraculously gave us a multi-million dollar property to serve and minister to the residents of the Shortwood, Grants Pen and Barbican communities of Kingston, Jamaica.
During our sojourn in the land to which He called us, He has given us favour with both God and man. Miraculously, He has drawn persons of integrity to partner with us in this ministry, and with His help we have offered healing to the broken hearted, and have endeavoured to set the captives free.
My wife and I would like to thank God, the leaders and everyone who has poured into this ministry their lives, time and resources. May God credit all you have done to your heavenly account. It has been a privilege and a blessing as we have partnered together with you in this part of God’s vineyard.
Pastors Ian and Yasmin Muirhead