Members of FTB, Follow the Blueprint Ministries have banded together to build a community in the hills of St. Mary to prepare themselves for the end times. CVM Live visited Bell Hill, St. Mary, and spoke with the community members who did not wish to be recorded.
Following the Blueprint (FTB) Ministries started in 2002 by Vincent Hoo is led by William Lecky. FTB is the Ministry behind billboards all across Jamaica that warns of the mark of the beast. They are known for their aggressive methods of evangelism. Marching through towns of Jamaica, urging persons to be saved. They are also the group behind the “mark of the beast” billboard placed across the island.
The numbers on their live stream service reflect a following in the thousands. Some members have come together to form a community away from the prying eyes of critics, nearly an hour’s drive from the closest town. Eager to see for ourselves the group said to be preparing for the biblical end times, CVM Live attempted to visit bell hill deep in rural, St. Mary.
The group consisted of men, women, and children who preferred not to be filmed. They confirmed they are members of the Ministry before continuing on their errand in various vehicles.
Residents from surrounding communities say they did not know much about the group. Most say the group is peaceful and unproblematic. A local farmer, who occasionally supplies produce to them, says they are vegetarians and spend most of their time ‘keeping church’.
Others have their suspicions; one person off-camera described it as a cult. It is said there is a sign at the entrance of the community with the letters HV inscribed in wood which stands for Hidden Valley. One FTB resident says the community offers a peaceful living and is a quiet area with no crime.
FTB Ministries is said to be an offshoot of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and bases much of their teachings and practices on the counsel of Ellen G. White. A recent media report suggests the group has been preparing for the biblical rapture of saints and has opted to separate themselves from now.
While the journey was cut short, it remains unclear whether the children are currently enrolled in school, what amenities are at their disposal, and how they hope to sustain themselves in the wilderness for their faith. Several calls placed to the group Wednesday, November 10 went unanswered.
More in this CVM Live story from Jhanielle Powell:
