28 Nov 2020
It was February 1997 that I took the office of bishop before 7 bishops with the theme “The journey begins"; now I look back as the years have gone by. All the bishops who I stood before are now gone and I ponder in nostalgia where have the years gone and why so fast. The pandemic and its isolation have given us time to think.
30 years ago I entered the USA I was welcomed, as I enjoyed its democracy, rule of law and respect for its constitution. What is happening now in the country by a lawless Politian that has thrown out decency and respect for his fellow citizens, makes me wonder what has happened in America as the years rolls by.
I've had the honor of personally meeting 4 USA presidents, Ronald Reagan who was on visit to my beloved island; George H. W Bush in Washington when he was vice president; Bill Clinton in Arkansas when he was governor and state senator Barrack Obama who stood on my front porch when he was running for the nomination to the US-senate (never heard of him before then) and at the end of his tenure as vice president dined with Dan Quayle. I dined with Governors Ned McWherter and Phil Bresesen of Tennessee and on the long flight from Washington to Anchorage Alaska in 1998, sat next to Gov. Jim Geringer of Wyoming. I have met many more distinguish, including Bishops Edwin Tomkins and Charles Connor, as the journey rolled along; thus, it makes me think in quiet solitude of this pandemic what’s happening in the America, I have grown to love.
Its image across the world has been diminished, hear the Mayor of Paris France, Ann Hidalgo, who wrote upon hearing the results of the American elections “welcome back America’, so are friends in Europe, Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand.
We continue to pray for America's political landscape and that the pandemic will find its way from us and America returns to the calm of political decency as we abide as the years rolls on.
Ever faithful,
Hartley, Presiding Bishop ACW
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