It was indeed a night of worship and giving thanks as hundreds from all walks of life turned out at the Inspire Inc Gospel Fest 2014, held at the Guyana National Stadium on Saturday evening.
With the dynamic performances from local, regional and international ministers of God, practically everyone was out of their seats as the word of God was administered to them.
The entire national stadium was undoubtedly anointed by the ministers who put on an epic show.
With hands in the air, bowed heads and in some cases, tears in their eyes, every member of the audience would have spiritually felt the presence of the Lord.
The concert started promptly at 19:00h, with two hours of local performances which definitely set the tone for the evening. From reggae to dancehall gospel, the artistes had everyone on their feet singing praises.
There were spectacular performances by Mariam Williams, who was accompanied by the powerful voice of her son, Jeremiah, who left an indelible impression on the hearts of those present. Ryan Hoppie also did his part on stage, but taking the crowd by storm was Cheryl Malone, who released her album “Unity” as she performed “Share Some Love”.
Holy rhythm
Bartica was also well represented by Solid Youth, who added a hip hop/ dancehall swag to the evening, with several of his tunes which had the audience dancing to the holy rhythm. Adding more flavour to the concert were Trenacia Esseboom, Samuel Medas and Sean Sobers.
However, Eon Greave was the last local performer to take to the stage before the regional artistes. He performed “What A Restoration”, which was well received by the audience. The show started with Barbadian Hoszia Hinds, who took to the stage, decked out in an all-white ensemble. He performed to perfection.
Hinds spent over 20 minutes on stage, and from the reaction of the audience, he did an excellent job. Dishing out songs such as “Giving Up Is Not An Option”, “I Can’t Live My Life Without You” and “Lord God To My Rescue”, he had men, women and children jumping in joy, praising the Lord.
Dripping in perspiration, Hinds made way for Jamaica’s Junior Tucker, who continued from where Hinds left off. His powerful voice boomed through the speakers of Travellers Sound System. He performed “My God, He Loves Me”, “Blessing And Honour”, “I Am Determined To Fulfill My Destiny”, “I Love You Lord” and “Rock My Soul”.
During his presentation, he interacted with the audience and had them singing various pieces of choruses. Without any doubt, Hinds and Tuckers put the crowd in a spiritual mood. All the local and regional artistes were backed by the Second Coming Band, which did a fantastic job.
Awards
As the show continued, three outstanding religious leaders receive Lifetime Achievement Awards for their dedication in spreading the word of God.
These were Reverend, Dr John Smith of the Central Assembly of God Church; Basil Smart, who hails from Linden; and Pastor Winston Mc Gowan of the South Road Assembly of God Church. Mc Gowan, a historian, has been serving as pastor for the past 30 years.
Smart could not make it to the show due to circumstances beyond his control, but the award was received by his son Selwyn Sills.
Inspire Inc Chief Executive Officer Yog Mahadeo also launched the second edition of his book “A Garland of Pearl”, which was illustrated by Royston Chase. During his presentation, he urged Guyanese to stay away from criminal activities and be more vigilant in promoting peace, love and unity.
He presented one of the books to his brother, Dr Vishwa Mahadeo, while noting that the third edition is underway. These books, he noted, will be available in local book stores across the length and breadth of Guyana.
Big welcome
And without any further hesitation, Yog introduced and welcomed Israel Haughton and the New Breed Band on stage. As he made his way to the stage, the entire Guyana National Stadium erupted in joy.
Spectators in the VVIP box went as close as possible to the stage to get a clearer glimpse of the Grammy Award winning gospel singer and song writer. He started off his 90-minute performance with “Jesus”, a worshipping song, which was followed by “Walk With You”. With his guitar and backup singers, the crowd went into a frenzy.
Every tune from Haughton was accompanied by loud cheers and screams. He did as he promised; it was a magnificent performance that had the audience on their feet as they sang, danced and worship.
The inspiring show, which was not interrupted by rain, ended just after midnight.
Those in attendance include junior Finance Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill; Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh; Member of Parliament Kwame Gilbert and others.
