Growing up, the church wasn’t just a building, it was the heart of the community, the gathering place where people found hope, healing and often a home away from their troubles.

The church was where we lifted each other up, where fellowship wasn’t just on Sunday, but every day of the week. Back then, most parsonages were next door to the church and because the church was so close, when we became pastors, our home became an extension of that sacred space.

Some of my students would come by after school and join with the children of the church — hanging out, playing games, doing homework and eating us out of house and home. Our doors were always open; our hearts always ready to receive them.

They came hungry — not just for food, but for fellowship, for guidance, for someone to listen.

And we fed them. We fed their hunger, fed their minds and fed their spirits. We made sure they stayed out of trouble, made sure their homework got done and, most importantly, we got to know them. They trusted us with their struggles, with their dreams and with their pain.

One young boy in particular touched my heart. He didn’t have a steady home, no place to truly rest his head. And when he confided in us, we knew we had to do something. We reached out to his mother and with her blessing, we took him in.

We didn’t just provide a roof over his head, we gave him a foundation and a future. We raised him as our own. And today, I am proud to say that young man, our son, stands tall as a pastor at Mt Zion AME in Southampton.

At our best, this is what Bermudians do — we take care of each other. We don’t leave anyone behind. My life has been dedicated to service, to uplifting the people of Bermuda and, while violence remains a pressing issue in our country, I know the solution isn’t just in policy or policing.

The solution is in people. It’s in our commitment as a community to investing in the lives of our youth, to give them a hand up when they’re falling, to give them hope when they feel hopeless.

In the late 2010s, I had the honour of working with a group of young men who had lost their way. They were engaged in antisocial behaviour and failing in school but I saw beyond their actions and saw great potential.

Under the mandate of the Department of Education, I took these boys under my wing — day after day, working with them to make sure they stayed on track and completed their courses of study. At first, the hope was simply for them to pass a class or two. But by the grace of God, the development of strategic partnerships and with their hard work, those young men didn’t just pass — they graduated. Some with honours.

The lesson is clear: change does not come easy. It takes time. It takes commitment. It takes love.

If we want to steer our young people away from crime, we must do the work. I have done the work, and regardless of the outcome on October 4, I will continue to do the work.

But I cannot do it alone. We need more of us — more parents, more community members, more adults — to step up and mentor our young people. To show them the path forward. To let them know that they matter.

I have given my life over to service — service to our church community, to the greater Sandys community and to the people of Bermuda.

That’s why I’m proud to stand with the Progressive Labour Party — a family who have delivered Bermuda’s first minimum wage, raised pensions every year for our seniors and cut payroll taxes to their lowest levels in history.

We have fought for our people and we will continue to fight. But our work is not done. There is more to do. On October 4, I humbly ask for your support — because you know me, you know my heart and you know that I won’t disappear after the election. I am rooted in this community, connected to our people, committed to our future.

Together, we can continue the work. Together, we can build a better Bermuda in Constituency 36 and across the island

• The Reverend Emily Gail Dill, DMin is the Progressive Labour Party candidate for Sandys North (Constituency 36)

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