Bernadette — all she’s got is love

The loss of her beautiful singing voice a decade ago did not daunt this outstanding woman. Sitting for hours at the piano keyboard, letting her fingers do the singing, something wonderful emerged. Bernadette Laughlin-Scott, a musical child prodigy, undergoing the painful experience of losing her voice, decided to concentrate on evangelising. Her name is synonymous with music and singing. The Love Movement, now with junior and senior choirs, was her brainchild. Years of hard work and devotion are responsible for this group’s tremendous success, both locally and internationally. Passionate about this major aspect of her life, most of her waking moments are spent in planning and preparing for her students. In 1991, she embarked on a Youth Outreach Programme (YOP) and children’s choir, aptly named the Lights of Love. She combines music and spirituality as a medium through which lives are touched and healed. In so doing, Bernadette believes that God is using her for far greater work than could have been achieved had she been performing as a soloist. Recognising the problems facing youth, Bernadette’s YOP was born out of a desire to provide young people with a release for their energies and frustrations, which invariably cause them to succumb to negative peer pressure. To this end, Bernadette has included girls from St Jude’s School for Girls, St Dominic’s Children’s Home and St Michael’s School for Boys, spending tireless hours training, coaxing, and even counselling them when necessary. They have been a part of The Love Movement’s productions for the past ten years. Kristal Quammie, a 17 -year- old from St Jude’s Home, reflects the views of her friends: “Auntie Bernadette shows us so much love and respect. She is truly inspirational and gives us a reason for carrying on. She always has time for us.” She emphasizes spirituality in every aspect, as her main thrust is in presenting Gospel musicals while still including pop, Broadway and calypso music.

Over the years, Bernadette became more and more concerned about the lifestyles of the young people in Trinidad and Tobago, especially their lack of moral standards, increasing use of drugs and alcohol and involvement in early sexual behaviour. She realised that she could use her God given talents to reach out to the youth through the medium of music, thus offering them alternatives to their lifestyle. In July 1990, the group began a series of youth concerts throughout Trinidad. These Outreach concerts were also used as a forum for sharing with the audiences life-changing testimonies of persons who could be role models to young people. The outstanding success of these Outreach concerts was fulfilling to Bernadette and encouraged her to include sessions of prayer, counselling and exposure to the performing arts. The Love Movement Youth Outreach Programme was born out of the public’s staggering response to these concerts and meetings. The unique feature of this programme is the emphasis on using and developing the youth’s natural talents in the field of creative and performing arts. According to Bernadette, “young people love to sing and dance; this comes naturally to them. So when we can channel this energy to make a positive impact on their lives, then we are really doing something for them. They also love to go on stage; our concerts provide them with this opportunity. This of course helps to boost their self esteem.” The very title The Love Movement was coined specifically for the purpose of sharing love amongst its members and by extension, the wider community. Through the unconditional love of Bernadette Scott and The Love Movement’s members, lives are transformed and emotional wounds are healed. The programme is offered free of charge to any young person between the ages of 12 and 21; weekly meetings are held at their centre in St Ann’s. The group goes on hikes and generally enjoys ‘liming’ and sharing their personal experiences in a positive loving atmosphere. 

Bernadette credits her spirituality to her parents. “I grew up in a home where family prayer was a must. My parents, who died in their 80’s, prayed every day of their lives and so we learnt from example. I constantly tell parents that the best investment they can make for their children is to pray for them everyday. It’s time that we realise there’s a spiritual warfare existing….there are other forces lurking everywhere, but God is there for all of us all the time. These forces draw us away from the tunnel of light; we take the easy way and it is only when we find ourselves in darkness that we start looking for Him. Holding onto Jesus carries me all the time.” She has been faced with several setbacks but emphasizes that those tragedies made her more aware of people and their pains. Now at age 57, this livewire starts her day at 6 am, tries to go to Mass every morning “to get the strength and guidance I need to feed others during the day,” and then takes her keep-fit walk. She is one of two full-time organists at the Church of Assumption, plays at funerals on request, teaches music at primary school a few days per week and spends whatever free time she has looking for suitable music, planning materials for costumes and any of the other numerous requirements of managing her YOP and the three choirs that make up The Love Movement. In addition to this, two major concerts are held each year as fund raising events to defray the costs of running her various programmes. She is very hyped about her YOP, which she adds, “provides a positive environment. The youths interact with persons of their age; share the same values, morals and talent. It is an environment of enforcement of spiritual values. Our focus is to be a light to the world. Actually, the first requirement for being a member of the senior group is to want to make a difference in the world. Having a good voice is not all. One must also be prepared to look at oneself, live a good life and spread the love of Christ.”

What fuels the fire and provides the energy for this passionate woman to go on? What is the driving force that consumes and propels her from one project to another? Bernadette remembers her childhood, when she would go to the chapel and share her pain with Jesus at times of unhappiness. She always felt consoled after speaking to God and gained confidence to go on. It is still so today. Her life has been enhanced by the knowledge that she has touched many people’s lives, especially young people. Her praises are high for her son Damian, now 25, who, in spite of having undergone many difficult times himself, is ever compassionate and understanding “when Mummy is in her bad moods”, invariably as a result of overwork and long hours away from home. Next weekend, The Love Movement celebrates 31 years of love with a production at Queen’s Hall entitled ‘An Incredible Love’. The Lights of Love Children’s Choir, The Youth and The Senior Choir will delight audiences with an interesting repertoire of songs. Countless hours of practice will have gone into these performances, which will undoubtedly be successful. Bernadette’s insistence on perfection is very obvious; I myself can attest to this, having recently attended one of these rehearsals. Bernadette longs for the day when The Love Movement will find a group or corporate sponsor. A loving and compassionate ‘Auntie Bernadette’ has improved and influenced the lives of many youths, offering them a foundation on which their self esteem, discipline, moral principles and holistic development can be built.