December 22, 2015. Keynote address at
the Special Thanksgiving Celebration in Guzang-Batibo, Presided over by the Rt.
Rev. Fonki Samuel, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church
Dear brothers, friends of the Fongang
Family, friends of Guzang of Moghamo, and of our country Cameroon.
This is a unique occurrence-a one in
lifetime opportunity-to have the moderator of the PCC decent to us lowly
ordinary people, at the level of the village or other rural entity, to chair a
thanksgiving celebration.
We are so honoured, more than ever the
tongue can tell or words can say. We see in your exemplary action an epitome of
what it is that our brother Moses Fongang, the organizer and the brain behind
this wonderful initiative had in mind. Nothing could be more humbling and yet
uplifting and inspiring, than the image of you breaking bread with us
commoners, for by so doing, the Rt. Rev. Moderator, his entourage, you all
VIPs, elites and higher ups on the social strata are living embodiments of the
art of giving and of sharing generously with the less fortunate, the needy, and
the less endowed. It is an art because it is intuitive. It comes from within
which means that each one of us can make it happen.
Yes, the art of giving and sharing is
that which the organizers summoned us today-not in the limited sense of the one
day event; not on the routine of a once a year ritual; but as a lifetime commitment
that brings out the best in us and highlights the most positive contribution we
could ever make to humanity.
As the famous Poet John Holmes stated “there
is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up”. And
yes it is not just about material. It is also about sharing, giving,
demonstrating love, compassion and understanding to the distress and the distrait.
It is about reaching out to the young orphans, perhaps a little confused by the
challenging circumstances into which he or has now been thrust by event which
they have no control. But yes, the same orphan whose future your generosity of
heart and your tenderness of soul could touch and transform once and for all.
And yes, it is about reaching out,
giving and sharing with that widow or widower impacted by the sudden and
inexplicable parting of a love one, but whose own humanity could blossom afresh
by your kind hearted actions that allow her to revive her sense of being and
regain her pride and dignity as a full fledged member of our global community.
There is no greater joy in my mind than
reinforcing the message to you all good people, that we become a great people
when we reach out and become each other’s keeper, especially for those that
need an extra hand and /or an extra shoulder on which to lean. Kindness,
philanthropy, generosity of the purse and of the heart are virtues that lift up
humanity. Like a rising tide, they lift up all the boats. So let us pledge,
each and every one of us, from this day forward, to transform the exuberance,
the brightness, the kind heartedness, the joy and exorbitant generosity
exhibited here today into a moment of daily occurrence, each day of our lives,
till eternity. And let us be driven by the words or one of the world’s greatest
philanthropists Mother Teresa who said and I quote, “it is not how much we give
but how much love we put in giving”.
Thank you immensely for your physical
presence here today, and your extraordinary support to this wonderful
initiative. May we collectively share the joy and the sense of accomplishment
in knowing that we go forth with a vision and a mission, and the zeal to meet
this self imposed goal by heeding the call when the voice call from within our
inner selves or from the society that we strive to serve.
Thank you very much for your time and
attention, and we wish you a safe return to your respective destination after
the end of all phases of the ceremony.
Ta Nformi Dr. Christopher FomunyohWhen News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
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