A Seventh-day Adventist Church pastor is gaining national recognition in Saint Lucia for helping deepen cultural connection and national pride through language.

Wulstan Charles, a pastor and former educator, is the author of the official Kweyol (Creole) translation of Saint Lucia’s national anthem, now being performed at schools, political rallies, and public events across the island.

Charles, who served within the Saint Lucia Mission of Seventh-day Adventists and is now retired, said his work was driven by a desire to make the anthem’s message of unity and identity understandable to all Saint Lucians, especially those more fluent in Kweyol than in English.

“Too many people were wondering what the national anthem really is,” said Charles, who first began working on the translation in 2009 while teaching and later serving as principal of the Saint Lucia Adventist Academy. “A Kweyol version helps clarify meaning and ensures that no citizen is left behind.”

Growing up across several communities on the island, Charles said his early experiences with church members who struggled with literacy in English inspired his commitment to accessible language and cultural affirmation.

“Somebody who is very conversant with their Kweyol and is fluent in it may not be able to write it,” he told St. Lucia Times while reflecting on what literacy means in the context of language.

In 2007, his concern for local language engagement led to the creation of “Your Lesson for Today,” a bilingual radio program on “Prayz FM” that Charles still hosts, blending Kweyol and English to reach a broad audience.

After refining the anthem translation, Charles submitted it in 2016 to the Folk Research Centre (FRC), where he serves on the Kweyol Literacy Committee. The FRC presented the work to government, and a review committee chaired by former Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy edited it before official approval as the Kweyol national anthem.

Since formal adoption, the Kweyol anthem—often sung alongside the English version—has been embraced as part of cultural celebration and nation-building.

“Each person’s role is significant,” Charles said, “and collectively what we contribute makes all of the difference when we look at the big picture.”

Building on that momentum, government leaders are now seeking to strengthen the role of the Creole language within the national education system. As part of efforts to highlight Kweyol as a valued second language and cultural pillar, officials are once again recognizing Charles for his contribution to preserving and elevating the language within the island’s educational and cultural life.

Church leaders in the St. Lucia Mission and the Caribbean Union are celebrating Charles’s contribution as an example of ministry that extends beyond the pulpit into national life.

“Pastor Wulstan Charles represents the very heart of Adventist ministry service that is rooted in education and cultural relevance,” said Roger Stephen, president of the St. Lucia Mission, the regional Adventist Church headquarters in the country. “His work reminds us that the gospel speaks most clearly when it is communicated in a language people truly understand. This contribution to our nation affirms dignity, identity, and inclusion.”

President of the Caribbean Union Conference Kern Tobias said Charles’s work reflects the church’s long-standing commitment to holistic ministry.

“The Seventh-day Adventist Church has always believed in engaging mind, body and spirit,” Tobias said. “Pastor Charles’s translation of the national anthem into Kweyol is an example of how faith leaders can contribute meaningfully to nation-building while honoring culture, language and heritage.”

Tobias added that Charles’s service highlights the role Adventist ministers continue to play across the Caribbean as educators, communicators, and community leaders.

“When ministry is lived authentically, its impact reaches far beyond church walls,” he said.

He concluded that Charles’s journey from teacher to principal to pastor and cultural advocate illustrates a life shaped by a commitment to inclusion, identity, and service.

The original article was published on the Inter-American Division news site.