The Tribune

By Rev. Sebastian Campbell

It has been quite a challenge; it had to be met, despite the adequacies an investment was made to drive home the theme of these celebrations. A more appropriate theme could not have been chosen. I hope it challenges us for generations to come and thus make us move more intentionally to build this bridge.

It was a privilege to have been commissioner to many of our Islands and Cays since our celebrations got started. There was Inagua, Mayaguana, San Salvador, Exuma, Grand Cay, Treasure Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Marsh Harbour and yes, Acklins and Crooked Island and many others. The message was consistent with elevating the importance of our children within the context of nation building. A child and older person raising and lowering the flag was a powerful symbol in every one of these flag raising ceremony. Children, even in preschool, like in Marsh Harbour, did a bible reading. Children, dancing to our cultural music met us at the dock in Grand Cay.

A first class youth brass band, all children, kept the tempo of music going, even in the rain in Crooked Island. Tiny and not so tiny children were gathered around the flag pole in Acklins, soon afterwards most of them produced cameras and demanded pictures of the sacred moment. Photo opportunities overwhelmed the entire ceremony. Surprisingly in Mayaguana they dashed out to the flag raising ceremony with their individual flags, when even New Providence was challenged in finding such flags. Small in number, as they were, but yet bubbling in spirit.

Grand Bahama must be congratulated. They were out the gate and running long before schools closed for the summer break. They took their day, closed the schools, only so that a more powerful form of education: teaching and learning could be facilitated. They captured the spirit of the old Time Empire Day, approximately ten thousand children were marching on the street, with teachers and community leaders, only to conclude in a grand rally. It was all about the children.

Deranged minds think all education takes place locked behind school gates and only in classrooms. I hope that a National FLAG Day be established for all our schools on all our Islands so as to redeem the time of Independence being during the summer recess.

I asked at all these ceremonies two basic questions. “Where were we 40 years ago?” Where will we be forty years hence, when we celebrate 80?” It’s awesome to consider, isn’t it? 40 years ago I was among the “little darlings”. (No one ever called us that). Today I am among the leaders, a bridge to the future. Forty years hence, I challenged those children that they would be saddled in leadership. They will be that bridge to take us to horizons beyond which some of us can never dream. I urge them to think, now, the unthinkable. The Bahamian brain is far from reaching its maximum potential; it’s still relatively a new brain.

Many persons forty plus shiver at putting colonial trappings in the garbage heap of existence. Many might still desire to sing, “God save the Queen” and bring back the Union Jack. Some want to be both colonial and independent one and the same time. I hope that these issues would have been history in forty years; our bridge to the future, pray, will be dealing with issues to extol as a first world country and forever keep us on the cutting edge of technology. But ever so important always have the mental emancipation of our people foremost on our national agenda. The lack of such and emancipation has us in the mire where we find it hard to shake of so many of our colonial appendages, politically, socially and even religiously. Many local leaders desire to look like the old colonial lords and use their titles even in a free and sovereign Bahamas.

Our children, they are bridge to the future. To better secure this bridge, we must invest in them; acknowledge our failure which is blatant in our dislike, of so many of their actions. Let us take the blame and resolve to redeem our ways as we move forward as a people. Please join me and let us together daily pray our national prayer:


Leader: O come let us sing out to the

Lord:

All: Let us shout in triumph to the rock of our salvation

Leader: For the Lord is a great God!

All: And a great King above all gods. (Ps. 95:1-3)

Leader: Let us glorify the Lord: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Praise Him and highly exalt Him forever for His wonderful gift of this archipelago, The Bahamas, home to us all.

We confess our failure, throughout these forty years of nationhood, to fully reveal your image and likeness. Illicit drugs, crime, violence and broken homes pervade and pollute our land. We confess our hatred and failure to show kindness, our injury to one another in thought, word and deed, as well as our uncharitable thoughts, prejudice and contempt toward those who differ from us.

All: We beg you accept our repentance, O Lord.

Leader: Almighty God, you created us in your own image and likeness: we thank you for all warriors in our history who have contended against evil and injustice and fought fearlessly for our freedom. Help us to use our freedom reverently and responsibly, that justice, equality and fair-play might be manifested and maintained in our Bahamas, and within and among all nations.

All: May their sacrifice and contribution not be in vain, O Lord.

Leader: We thank you for abundant blessings of families, for our children and youth – the bridge to the future – and all those who guide, protect and nurture them; we thank you for daily food, and the beauty of sun, sand and sea.

All: Increase our human and natural resources, O Lord.

Leader: Thank you for minds to think, for health and strength to work and play.

All: Create in us a Christ-like mind, O Lord.

Leader: Lord, guide our leaders in state, church, business and civic organizations to be responsible stewards of our national resources and direct our affairs in righteousness and peace, creating an atmosphere where social and economic opportunities abound; where the unemployed can find suitable and fulfilling employment.

All: Lord, give our leaders wisdom and insight.

Leader: May we treasure one another, our Independence and democracy for all times to come.

All: Lord, accept our prayers and thanksgiving, which we offer you, as one people united in love and service. AMEN.


*** This prayer is recommended to be used as an intercessors prayer by all Bahamians during this Independence season.