Dear Editor,

Mature Christian thought has led me to the conclusion that the God of our faith, who created and directs all things, did so for His ultimate glory. A Bahamian citizen anywhere on this globe should affirm and assert his or her love for their country, primarily because this is the place God by divine providence ordained him or her to be.

It is puerile to wish one had been born anywhere else, because that contradicts what God has already done.

I love The Bahamas because history and geography have favored our national development. North of our Caribbean brothers and south of the great United States, I believe was God-ordained.

When Christopher Columbus was lost on his journey to “the New World”, providence directed his ships to land here in The Bahamas.

The rediscovery of this place was God’s way to redeem Columbus’ mistake to expand the new world.

One of the greatest acts of freedom and liberation the last 100 years was the release of Nelson Mandela from a South African prison.

The global accord to initiate Mandela’s freedom was signed in 1985 right here in our little Bahamas.

Personally, I was privileged to meet Mandela on two occasions and each time he was the one to highlight that historical fact.

Divine connection begets human possibilities. The fact that we call ourselves a Christian nation places us ahead of most of the world.

The pursuit of godliness has not yet influenced all areas of Bahamian life, but to declare ourselves Christian indicates that Christian ideals remain our goal.

It is that God-connection begets human possibilities on a personal and national level.

I love our Bahamas because the worst about us cannot eclipse or erase the best about is.

I love this country because my personal aspirations are part of the collective aspirations of this country.

The ideals I hold for myself – hope, faith, excellence, and an indomitable spirit – are all high ideals I hold for my country multiplied 400,000 times over.

I love the place I was born and live, it’s many problems and challenges notwithstanding.

I am proud to be a Bahamian and work each day so this Bahamas will one day be proud of me.

As we celebrate the 49th anniversary of our independence, and head into our 50th golden jubilee, let us rededicate ourselves to be patriotic to our nation’s highest ideals so that we give no space to exploitation, hatred, avarice and violence.

Our upward look to the God who created and placed us here will influence our positive, outward look towards each other.

I is a Bahamian.

— Bishop Simeon B. Hall

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