LifeSong

Our Legacy is in Your Hands

Strengthening Families by Strengthening Faith

Did you know that for every white baby that dies,

two – three black babies die?

What Can We Do To Help Our Black Babies Live?

We must come together as an entire “Village” and find ways to help educate, strengthen and empower our families so that they will have good spiritual, parenting, decision making and social skills.

African & African American Traditions

“Always Remembering Who We Are and Whose We Are” Christening of Baby Elias Joseph Johnson

Contact: Maria A. Long, M.Ed., CCHW, COPE Healthy Start LifeSong Community Liaison, 386-295-1947, maria.long09@gmail.com

BIBLICAL SCRIPTURE

“Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be afraid;

do not be discouraged,

for the LORD your God will be

with you wherever you go”

Joshua 1:9

July 2018 Issue 10

AFRICAN PROVERB

A family is like a forest, When you are outside,

it is dense, when you are inside,

you see that each tree has Its place.

Want to Learn More About

LifeSong and How We

Can Help Keep Our Babies &

Families Healthy & Safe?

Contact: Maria Long

maria.long09@gmail.com

386-295-1947

Together We Can and Will

Change Lives !!!!

Family and Friends (“The Village”) gathered on Saturday morning, June 30, 2018 at Flagler

Beach, FL to celebrate the Christening/Dedication Celebration of Baby Elias Joseph Johnson,

son of Ethan and Arielle Johnson of Ormond Beach, FL.

The Celebration was a mixture of African and African American Traditions performed by the

Rev. John T. Long III (longtime family Pastor and extended family) as a means to honor God,

Family, Friends and Our Ancestors. We Thank God for Ethan and Arielle’s decision to have this

Christening Celebration as it is a open display of their faith and belief that Elias has been given

to them by God and therefore must be dedicated back to God so that his STEPS will be

ordered, ordained and guided throughout his life.

The Christening Celebration proved to be a blessed and joyful event crafted with loving hands

and hearts from the selection of the location (Flagler Beach) to the blessing and sharing of a

home cooked meal prepared and provided by the loving hands of his parents and

grandparents. Several components of our African heritage was woven into the Celebration.

African Stoles were made specifically for the men; prayers were lifted up by Grandparents Earl,

Jewel and Elaine thanking God for Elias and praying for his anointing and protection as he

grows into a man child; each “Villager” spoke blessings into Elias’ ears followed by the reading

of “Children of the Village” (an African poem which talks about the role of the Village in the life

of an African Child) in additional to several African artifacts being used. Thank You Lord and

Thanks to each of the “Villagers” in the life of Elias Joseph Johnson. To God Be The Glory!!!