August 1994. Suddenly it dawned on us. Pastors receive Ministry. Pastors' wives have Shepherdess. But pastor's children have nothing. It didn't seem fair.
We decided to do something about it. "Why not," we asked ourselves, "create a magazine for pastors' kids? It would affirm PKs everywhere and show them that we are a special and unique group. We, too, have a mission and a purpose. The magazine would let PKs in our conference realize that they do count."
We shared the idea with our father, then President of our Conference (now President of the Caribbean Union). He loved it. "Why don't you put it into action now?" he encouraged.
Naturally, the challenge over whelmed us. We knew nothing about magazines, but we were convinced that this was an assignment from God. We got to work.
First we held a PK meeting. We brainstormed. We shared ideas and plans. We appointed a staff with Shawna as the first editor-in-chief. Mrs. Claudette Andrews, a pastor's wife and certified counselor, and Pastor Cleaver Callender were selected as sponsors. The North Caribbean Conference be came our organizational sponsor.
The first issue of The PK was re leased in December 1994. PKs throughout the conference enjoyed it, and we encouraged readers to respond.
Now The PK is a quarterly magazine. It caters to all ages. Some of the features of our magazine include: a Color Me page; Tiny Tots' Tale; News Flash; a cartoon page; a story for the older PKs; Fashion Police; Jokes and Riddles; Nature Nook; and Ask Aunt Claudette an advice column. The magazine goes to the PKs in the 14 is lands that make up our conference. The conference comes under the Caribbean Union in the Inter-American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
Motivated by a common bond, the PKs in St. Croix organized for Christmas 1996 a "toy drive" to solicit new toys for the playroom of the island hospital's pediatric ward. The response was so overwhelming that we were able to present a box of new toys to the local orphanage as well. Both agencies were extremely grateful and expressed how impressed they were by our community involvement. For Christmas 1997 we sponsored a drive to help the residents of the home for the elderly.
As for The PK, our plans this year are ambitious and exciting. The magazine will have a new color design for its cover, and its contents will be even more appealing.
The PKs of the North Caribbean Conference have a lot to be thankful for. We thank God that our magazine has been in circulation for more than five years. It has been a blessing to us. We are especially appreciative of the sup port of our parents, sponsors, and the conference administration. In addition we are grateful for the encouragement given by Waveney Martinborough, division women's ministries director; Jaime Castrejon, division ministerial secretary; and Sharon Cress, Shepherdess coordinator of the General Confer ence. By the grace of God we hope that this project will continue to be a blessing to the PKs of our conference and will eventually spread, conference by conference, throughout the world.
