Hundreds of Jamaican nationals and friends in South Florida turned out last Sunday, August 7 to celebrate the island’s 43rd anniversary of Independence at an Ecumenical service at the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Lauderdale.
The Guest preacher, the Reverend Oliver Daley of the Ridgemount United Church in Mandeville, called on all Jamaicans to celebrate their national identity with pride, loyalty, patriotism, love, appreciation and to build a caring society by “first acknowledging one’s national identity which is critical.
Immigrants wrestle with their identities and Daley suggested that Jamaicans could do this in a meaningful way by continuing to assist in nation-building of their island home through the process of open hearts committed to generosity, open minds committed to creativity and graciousness, open conscience and open dialogue to build national consensus.
Celebrating the dignity of nationhood through Independence, Rev. Daley urged the congregation to engage in a spiritual relationship while seeking methods to building a caring society. He emphasized that as a nation we could make a positive difference by staying close to the Lord as we sought guidance and inspiration.
Quoting Jamaica’s National Hero, Marcus Garvey, “…nations are built by people,” Rev. Daley called on the congregants to liberate their minds from all prejudices and contaminants in order for the work to be done. With national identification, he reminded the nationals that this would continue the quest to building a caring community and country.
According to the Daley, there are critical elements to building a caring society and encouraged nationals that “all of us must be examples of a moral superior family,” adding that a weak family always bore elements of ignorance, poverty, suffering and ill health.
Daley, urged Jamaicans to unite and show maturity as a nation since being emancipated and gaining Independence, and that we can continue to build a better nation through dialogue, insight, reconciliation and empowerment.
