Man says God’s will led him to landfill

Similar to how Jesus' disciples dropped their livelihoods and belongings to follow Him, a St Thomas man said he is doing the same - by living in a landfill.

Jonothan Stewart, 83, smiled with THE STAR team as he sat outside his broken-down hut located at the Church Corner Landfill in Morant Bay.

"Is the Spirit of God lead mi here and when God speak, you have to be obedient. Mi never hungry round here because mi get tings from the police force, Lions Club, mi family dem send package for me and ting. Only persons mi nah take tings from is politician because mi nuh deal with politics. Mi is a Christian. Mi buy chicken and dem lay and mi get eggs," he said.

Stewart's dwelling is made of old zinc and board and could be easily mistaken for a stack of garbage. The space inside is cramped and is filled with old items, but the senior citizen emphasised that it is all God's doing. The old man's face lit up as he told THE STAR how he came face to face with God several years ago.

"During one of my walks, I saw Jesus. I knew it was Him because He has a special mark on Him that I will not speak about. Jesus was dressed in a sneakers and jeans and long sleeve plaid shirt. Many people would be surprised to know that Jesus dress like that but I am sure it was Him because of the mark. When mi see Jesus, mi say 'My risen Saviour' and after dat mi nuh know nutten else until about two hours later," he said. Stewart has lived at the landfill since 2010. He said he lived on Lyssons Beach previously.

"Di Spirit come to me when mi use to live a Lyssons and tell mi say man of God should not live in a house and I should pack up my tings and go outside. Mi take out the tings and go pack dem in an old garage. Di Spirit tell mi say mi must go on the fishing beach and mi stay there. It was just God's work," he said.

Stewart said he was forced to move from Lyssons Beach in 2004 because of Hurricane Ivan. After staying at an evacuation centre during the rain and winds, the elderly man said he went to live under a bridge in Morant Bay before moving to the landfill.

"Whole heap a time the dump light and burn down, but it never affect mi. Mi build mi little place by myself and mi comfortable. I have to be comfortable because is the spirit of God put mi here," he said.

A member of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, Stewart said he got baptised in 1998 and has been following the Christian faith since. The father of 10 said he was married for years but his wife migrated and sent him divorce documents.

"I found out that she died years ago when I saw the obit. Mi just settle in the church and put mi entire focus on God," Stewart said.