From:TheBahamasWeekly.com
Memorial held for Pastor Lavard Parks and Family
Dec 4, 2014 - 8:05:43 PM
Photo: Bahamas Faith Ministries
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Nassau, Bahamas - A Memorial Service for
Bahamas Faith Ministries'
youth Pastors Lavard and Radel Parks, and their son Johanan
Parks was held
on Wednesday, November 26th at Bahamas Faith Ministries
.
The young couple, who were expecting a second child died on November 9th in a plane crash in Grand Bahama Island. The incident also took the lives of Dr. Myles Munroe
and his wife Pastor Ruth Ann Munroe, Dr. Richard Pinder; airline pilots Frakhan
Cooper and Captain Stanley Thurston, and American public speaker Diego DeSantiago. Allan Wallace did the other pic
The memorial was a Celebration of their Lives and was supported by their families and friends and people in the film, arts, entertainment industry. Many popular local artists performed at the event.
In addition to musical tributes there was dance and renditions from Black Pages a book of poems by Radel Parks.
Lavard
Parks was born in 1980 on the island of Grand Bahama. Known as
M
anifest, he left an indelible mark on the Bahamian and Caribbean music
industry. At a time when hip hop was still very much in its infancy,
Lavard spent much of his time using music as an outlet, especially in
the wake of his mother’s death. By his late teens, the Queen’s College
graduate had an obvious passion for audio engineering and quality music.
Despite earning his degree at the College of The Bahamas in
architecture, instead of building houses, he built careers while
establishing himself as a pioneer in gospel hip hop music.
When
the time came to take is passion to the next level by forming a music
label, Manifest received the equipment to build his company with the
help of Radel Hanna, the woman who he would later marry, raise a son
with, serve as a vital role in his companies with and tragically on
November 9, 2014 die with.
Photo: Bahamas Faith Ministries
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In
2000, he officially founded Dunamus Soundz Records, one of the premier
record labels and production companies in the Caribbean. With over a
dozen albums, music videos and artists hailing from several Caribbean
countries and United States, Manifest proved himself to be a prolific
contender in the music industry. The testament of his quality work
earned him multiple awards including Song of the Year, Artist of the
Year and more. Meanwhile, his tours led him across the region in The
Bahamas, Trinidad, the Cayman Islands and the United States, most
notably with a live performance on the Trinity Broadcasting Network with
his “I Shall Rise” duet.
An
astute entrepreneur, Manifest was also served as founder, CEO and
president of the Bahamas Hip Hop Fest and Ultimate Vibes Radio Station .
He also served as a mentor in music to countless aspiring artists.
Aside
from music, Manifest was a Youth Minister. He first took up the post at
St. Michael’s Methodist Church and then in April 2014 at Bahamas Faith
Ministries International. Up to the time of his death, Manifest was
going over promotional plans for his last album, “Forever”. He was also
finishing up his book to be released in early 2015. (Written by Arthia Nixon)
Radel Parks
was a performing artist, writer and dancer. She danced with 2SB (Spirit, Soul & Body) Fine Arts Ministries for five years, becoming technically knowledgeable in hip-hop, liturgical, ballet, ethnic, modern and jazz dancing. She began writing short stories and poems at the age of 12 and entered her work in several competitions and literary mediums. In 2000 she was the first ever poet to ever win the much coveted "Overall Winner" title of The Christian Youth Talent Jam. In 2002 she came second runner up for the King Eric Talent Search Award giving a stunning dramatic presentation of an original piece, The Other Voice.
Photos: Bahamas Faith Ministries
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She attended the New York Film Academy in London to study screenwriting and majored in English Language & Literature at The College of The Bahamas. She authored the Black Pages, her first collection of poetry (published 2004).
Radel was the public relations and booking officer for Dunamus Soundz Records, and the founder and director of the YAL Drama Team. She had performed as a public relations officer for Total Youth Church, the young arm of Bahamas Faith Ministries and other segments of BFM. She operated as a freelance writer, dramatist and performing arts consultant.
Bahamas Hip Hop and Film Industry Mourn the Loss of Manifest and Family
Photo: Bahamas Faith Ministries
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Photo: Bahamas Faith Ministries
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Photo: Bahamas Faith Ministries
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