The 5th Day of Healing at the Yarborough field in southside Belize City got rained out when it was originally scheduled to take place two Saturdays ago. Nevertheless, the organizers still ensured that the children of the community could have experienced and enjoyed some of the activities that were planned, in spite of the rain.

On Saturday, November 2, however, Perry “Sticks” Smith and the Day of Healing Committee made sure that the kids and community members alike got their full dose of the Day of Healing – one which he dubbed as the 6th Day of Healing Reloaded.

The inclusive day of activities took place at the same venue as the previous week, and according to Smith, Restore Belize teamed up with them to bring out a steel pan band from Belmopan, known as The Panerifics. The steel pan group, which consisted of mainly youngsters and adolescents, did live performances throughout the day, and also did a recruitment drive for youths who are interested in learning to play steel pans.

Also in attendance were various Belizean artists such as Reality Youth, Bobo Youth and Positive Vibes who hyped up the audience with several dancehall, reggae and punta rock tunes.

As usual, there was food galore, which ranged from barbecue and stew chicken, to rice & beans and white rice. There were also a host of refreshments available, including juices, water, ideals and Gatorade.

During the day, all types of games and different activities were held, such as football and basketball competitions, lime & spoon and running races, and art and writing competitions.

The day’s purpose was to stimulate positive activities in Belize City’s crime and gang-ridden neighborhoods, and at the end of it, some of the children who were out there, and some who took part in the sporting competitions told Amandala that they had a lot of fun during the day. Some of the kids said that they were glad for such a day, and they hoped that there would be more days like that more often. As for the adults, they said that they welcome the initiative because presently there is a scarcity of community events, not only in Belize City, but all across the country.

The final Day of Healing for this year is planned for December 26 at the Complex field in the Lake Independence area in Belize City.