Ellen eyes preaching?

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf may be contemplating a new job after the Presidency. Upon her return to Liberia Tuesday after attending the UN Summit in New York, the President described herself as a “Messenger of God” during a thanksgiving service held at the All Saints Catholic Church in Unification Town, lower Margibi County for her safe return.

The description of herself as a messenger of God, and her speech which sounded much like that of a prelate delivering a sermon seems to suggest that Madam Sirleaf looks forward to becoming a Preacher of the Holy Bible after she leaves office.

“… whatever I do, I do it because I’m a messenger of God,” President Sirleaf said as held the microphone on the Church’s pulpit.  “People don’t believe this you know, but if God was not behind what I do, I wouldn’t be where I am.”

President Sirleaf said Liberians keep having difficulties, but God keeps blessing the country, emphasizing that with all the difficulties and problems here, including the floods and roads conditions, God keeps blessing Liberia.

She urged Liberians to keep thanking God for the way he keeps coming back every time despite disobeying and doing things that are not pleasing to Him. “We are holding ourselves back; we are holding ourselves back from God’s blessings because of the things we do and the things that we say and the way that we talk about each other and the way that we talk bad about our country. The blessings are there waiting; you an claim it; but you keep disclaiming it,” President Sirleaf cautioned the citizenry here.

She added that as soon as Liberians recognize God’s blessings upon the nation and do the right thing, he will bless the country even more. She then thanked Defense Minister Brownie Samukai, for chairing the cabinet and keeping the country safe, while she was away, particularly appreciating the fact that Samukai made sure everyone collaborated even in difficult times when things happened that should not have happened.

Earlier delivering the intercessory sermon, Monsignor Rev. Dr. Gabriel Jugbeh said many times “we hear people criticize,” but fail to see where good is done to acknowledge it. To rebuild Liberia, Rev. Jugbeh urged Liberians to reexamine their commitment to this service that has been qualified as “dedicated service.”

“If all of us together – in the words of St. Paul to the Romans – galvanize our resources, our human intelligence, our talents and everything that we are and we have and put it into use, what a better Liberia we [would] have,” he said.

He concluded by thanking God for bringing President Sirleaf back safely and for once again putting Liberia back on the world map. Defense Minister Samukai briefed the President that as a result of environmental changes, Liberia had two incidents of flood disaster to which the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Disaster Committee responded.

He also reported on the violent riot in Ganta, Nimba County, but said that situation was swiftly brought under control and measures have been put in place to ensure that Ganta is safe and people can go about their normal business.

By Winston W. Parley –Edited by Jonathan Browne