Sister Bell helping ‘the boys’

Born Cynthia Scott in Grenada, on August 11, 1924, she entered the Caribbean Training College in Trinidad (now the Caribbean Union College) at age 21.  While on vacation in Tobago she met her late husband, James Bell, to whom she was married in 1949 until his passing 31 years ago. The union produced three sons and three daughters, 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.  In addition to which she raised several other children and is still housing young adults to help them get started. Cynthia never entered the world of teaching but instead became a seamstress in her adopted home, Tobago.  But it was as a Seventh Day Literature Evangelist that she began her prison ministry. “I started going up to the police station where some folks used to buy  books from me.  One day, when I came down the first flight of stairs, I turned around so fast that I ended up in the jail, saw a man holding the bars who said ‘lady you sure that is where you want to go.’ 

I replied ‘no I want to get out.” The prisoner then enquired “aren’t you Mrs Bell” and asked her to say hello to one of her neighbours. That night Cynthia lay in bed wondering “what should we who are outside do to help people like this young man from getting inside and what can we do to help them inside so that when they come out they will live a better life.” The very next day, she went back to the station and asked permission to see the prisoners.  An officer was sent to escort Cynthia to the prison and “Sister Bell” was born. “I started going to the prison, holding services, and counselling them.   I did this singlehandedly for over 11 years. Our church had a prison ministry group and they got some of us to start a branch in Tobago which visited every Saturday morning but I also went during the week on my own.” However, recognising a need to do other things to help the prisoners rather than just the church service, Cynthia brought in people to do different classes, such as agriculture, using examination papers from the Government in which most of her boys made 90 marks and over, and graduated before specially invited guests. 

Then she brought people to help with craft in which she is herself an expert, tie-dye, straw mats, bamboo craft, and leather craft of sandals and slippers. Then she suggested to the Commissioner that they hold an exhibition as the boys had a number of things they had done. With permission from the National Security Ministry, Sister Bell organised a very successful exhibition in the Tobago Mall complete with steelband music. And the following day obtained permission to take out the prisoners to Sabbath service and lunch. She no longer sews except for the occasional wedding dress for someone special but is kept so busy otherwise that daughter  Marilyn Bell-Joseph chimed in: “That’s my mother, she is always busy; when I go to Tobago I have to make an appointment to see her. People would just find Mummy, people we do not even know.”  Sister Bell is still in the prison counselling, organising crusades and baptisms, undaunted by one or two physical run-ins, and break-ins at her home by her “boys” as the neighbours refer to her charges.

She is still a part-time literature evangelist “working with my books”; a member of the Coterie of Social Workers (Tobago Branch) for more than 30 years; public relations officer and past president of the Federation of Community Services of Seventh Day Adventists (Tobago);  a member of the board of directors of the First Foundation Home for battered children and young mothers in Tobago; a committee member of the Tobago Prison Youth Group; a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Task Force; and co-ordinator for the Tobago Prison Ministry of Seventh Day Adventists. In addition to all of the above she is actively involved in helping with the rehabilitation of prisoners who have been released. While she is happy about her national award, Cynthia says: “I feel if it were not for so many people who are always there to keep me happy and to be involved in all my work — prison officers, the Commissioner and superintendents who are all always supportive — I do not think I could have done it all.

As I tell people two things I cannot do at the same time, ‘work and worry’ and if my life had not been a happy one I do not think I could have been successful in what I am doing. But I am happy because I see it makes other people happy and some of  their lives have been changed.” Sister Bell thanks her mother, father and siblings because she says, “It was not hard for me to do what I was doing because my family were all loving and giving and they respected and cared for everybody, no matter who they were.  My children were there for me and have really supported me in what I am doing too. I got a lot of help from them, my friends and neighbours, and even the inmates have supported me with the prison ministry. So this recognition is not only for myself as I do not think I could have gone on had I not been supported by all, and also my church.”