A PROPHET is without honour in his adopted country.

This is Bermudian Eugene Young's explanation for the public criticism he has received on the streets, in the Press and on radio call-in programmes ever since he came forward with dire prophecies about Barbados' future.

His prophecy was that if Barbadians did not repent, there would be a "wind in September"; if there was still no repentance, a tsunami would follow.

Although Mr. Young is Bermudian by birth, he has come to think of Barbados as his home for the past 18 years, he says. Now the time has come for him to say goodbye ? again.

Last week he boarded an American Airlines flight bound for Bermuda. He admitted he originally told Bajans he was leaving on September 6 but a "higher" calling kept him here.

That calling was a meeting with Prime Minister Owen Arthur last month which resulted in a second one-on-one meeting with the Prime Minister.

Coming out of that, a group of prophets are supposed to meet with the Barbados government's Committee on Ecclesiastical Affairs, in an effort to get a national day of prayer.

But Eugene didn't stick around for that.

"One lady said on a (call-in) programme that I don't even keep my word. She said: 'He said he was leaving, but he doesn't even do what he says'.

"They don't know I was asked by a very important person to stay a little longer. You don't take that lightly. So I stayed behind another week.

"But I will not delay my trip any longer, not even to attend the meeting with the committee on Ecclesiastical Affairs because I feel God told me to leave on Wednesday. I would like to be there for the meeting, but when God tells me to go, I must go," he told the Barbados .

Leaving was one of the most difficult decisions he had to make since it meant leaving his wife behind. She is not exactly a believer in these end-time prophecies so when Eugene decided to go public with his, it put a strain on their marriage.

The separation ? he in Bermuda and she in Barbados ? won't be easy, but he believes they have what it takes to endure.

But who exactly is Eugene Young? He is the son of businesspeople. His mother manages a small guest house in Bermuda, while his father owns a cycle business.

He grew up in Somerset and straight out of high school, joined Cable & Wireless. He was sent to Barbados at age 18 to train as a telegraphist. Barbados was where he met his wife. They courted for about five years during their long-distance relationship and then he popped the question.

That was 21 years ago. Soon after that, they both "got saved" and became Christians. After working for Cable & Wireless for eight years, Eugene was awarded the franchise rights for the Kirby Vacuum and that was what brought him back to Barbados in 1988. He and his wife started Kirby Enterprises and have been operating it for about 18 years.

Then Eugene decided to start his own sales and marketing business selling environmental protection products.

His religious beliefs remained virtually private as a member of Abundant Life Assembly and New Dimension Ministries.

That all changed in 1992, he said, when he received his first prophetic word about Barbados, which said in part: "Barbados, if you do not turn from your wicked ways, I'm going to pour out such wrath upon this nation like you've never seen before."

He unsuccessfully sought an audience with then-Prime Minister Erskine Sandiford after he reportedly received a prophecy where he saw him being swept from office. And, he had been seeking one with Arthur since 1999 with no luck until the meetings last month.

Since his latest prophecy, some of his friends have deserted him, even some in the church, but what stung him most was when his wife did not support what he was seeing.

"That was hurtful but even when I look back at the Word of God it says even in his household a prophet is without honour.

"My main concern is simply being obedient. The only person I don't want being upset with me is God. I don't want God saying to me: 'Eugene, what happened in Barbados was because of your disobedience'," he said.

The Eugene who spoke to the was not the same one who first came too eagerly to share his message. He seemed tired, admitting the public tongue-lashing had got to him.

"Today is the worst it has been. Before, it would just roll off like water off a duck's back. But today was an exceptionally hard day because pastors went on the call-in programmes ridiculing me, saying that God did not say this.

"These guys seem really upset because we met with the Prime Minister. I'm glad the PM gave us an ear and I feel I have done what God told me to do, which was deliver this word to the Prime Minister," he said.

Since his meeting with the Prime Minister, Eugene has softened his position on not returning to Barbados at all, saying he could be back, but only if the country repented.

"When I said I was leaving for good, that was when I thought Barbados was not going to repent. I'm thinking that the Prime Minister is not dismissing the request for a national day of prayer," he said, adding: "I don't think Barbados is a society that is so stiff-necked that it will see this wind come in September and still not repent."

His last words to Barbadians were: "Do not act out of fear ? pray."