A boy met a girl. A girl loved a boy. A family they raised through love and faith.

Such a simple story is the background for the celebration of the 50th wedding anniversary of Noel and Gloria David. To hear it being told by their friends and family it was a story of a young couple leaving their family village of Princes Town to mark a new path for themselves in San Fernando. It is a story of love and sacrifice, blessings and success.

Then 50 years later, still as youthful and courageous as the day they were wed, Noel and Gloria David presented the picture of a couple who can be looked upon as true mentors for many young adults who wonder what it takes to get to “fifty years of marriage”.

February 24, 2008 was not only a splendid golden day mirroring the occasion but it was a golden experience for all who came to share in the celebration and thanksgiving.

The thanksgiving Mass was held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in San Fernando and was concelebrated by Frs Clyde Harvey and Allan Ventour.

In his homily Fr Harvey highlighted how important it was to be truly family. This was well illustrated when one viewed the eight sons of the David family who processed into the church with their parents.

Mr and Mrs David and their sons

Noel and Gloria David and family

What really brought it home to those present at the Mass was the picture of the entire David family, new grandchild and all. It was truly a blessed experience to see how much love and sacrifice went into making such a beautiful family.

It was assuredly a very enlightening moment to see how precious yet strengthening a family bond can be. Needless to say the Mass and presentation of a Papal Blessing were but the beginning of the icing on the cake for the celebration that followed with family and friends.

Noel and Gloria David do not only have eight sons, they have many other sons and daughters. Some of us belong to Youth Ministry at Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Our former parish priest Fr Harvey suggested that we needed a Mom and Dad for our youth group and proposed that Noel and Gloria David fulfill such a role.

We benefited from their loving and insightful parenting. Mom and Dad are for us parents who express genuine love and concern, praying for us, members of the Youth Group, Youth Planning Team and for the youth of the parish.

One can say that Mom and Dad are the back bone of our little Youth Team offering their quiet support, not interfering but always influencing and guiding us.

As any child knows nothing is as good as Mom’s home cooking and boy don’t we know it! Mom and Dad always support all our youth ventures in true stewardship fashion. When called upon Dad would say, ask Mom so it was: “Mom, we want to have a barbecue” or “Mom we need some lunches for the youth rally, what you think?”

Mom would also refer us to Dad for guidance when something came up. All our calls were answered unfalteringly. Thus was the nature of the support given to us.  Who can be more grateful for having such God-given parents as we have in Mom and Dad? 

Through the vessel of their Thanksgiving Mass we benefited from the gifts of their many well-wishers who were asked to make a donation to Youth Ministry.

The support given to us by these gestures are greatly appreciated. This represents the legacy of Mom and Dad, which, we in Youth Ministry hope to mirror as we try to forge a road for the youth of our parish.

A road that we hope will lead to young people growing in faith and trust in God – a lesson Mom and Dad continue to teach us. Thank you Mom and Dad!!!