New Year message from James Richard Wong Yin Song, Primate of the Anglican Church of the Indian Ocean and Bishop of the Anglican Church of Seychelles |31 December 2020
Bishop Wong
‘Help those who are facing adverse financial crisis, who have lost their jobs, their businesses’
“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.” – Jesus the Christ
“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” Apostle Paul
My dear brothers and sisters, I greet you in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus the Christ as we enter a new year 2021 and I trust that you are all enjoying the best of health despite the persistent presence of Covid-19.
“In the context of the coronavirus and of the results of the last elections, we see ourselves in a new reality, the new normal. We are thankful to God for His continuing blessings and protection on our beautiful Nation.
“During the last decades our beautiful paradise has experienced some dark episodes: divisions, hurts, insecurity, lack of trust among our fellow citizens, forced exile, loss of properties and even loss of lives and at the same time some of us were benefitting of the then situation.
“Lately, at the proclamation of the results of the last elections, we have heard and seen our political leaders guiding us in the way of peace, reconciliation and moving us towards the concept of national unity. Many thanks to them for giving us the good direction. What a demonstration of maturity they have shown to us all. My dear brothers and sisters I urge you all to follow our political leaders and this is the reason of this new year letter.
“This year is going to be one during which as a nation we will need discipline and sacrifice so as to move towards national unity and prosperity Covid-19 is not only a virus which is affecting the world including the Seychelles. It brought new procedures, asking us to keep social distancing and wearing face masks so as to protect ourselves and also to protect the others.
“During the first wave, we went into a lockdown which forced us to stay at home to consolidate our family fabric and our spiritual family life. Our economy was also locked down causing us to limit our expenses but that was not always the case. Though our airport is opened, the second and third waves in the world are preventing tourists to visit our paradise and therefore no income for the country. Income from the fishing industry is not sufficient to redress our economy. We are facing very difficult times ahead of us. Our economy is not picking up. Soon we might come back to the dark days of “napa” if we do not react now. If we do not control our expenses tomorrow will be too late. Financial discipline, this year is vital so as to preserve our forex reserves, hence our economy. I will make an appeal to you brothers and sisters who can afford to help those who are facing adverse financial crisis, who have lost their jobs, their businesses. Also, I want to encourage you my fellow Seychellois to be precautious in dealing with your finances.
“In the new reality, we are called to bring our nation together. For many reasons, we have been and are a divided nation. Politics have divided us, the Coup of 1977 produced two camps: “Ek nou and pa ek nou”. There has been a lot of sufferings. We are called by God to know the truth which will set us free (John 8:32). It is only when we know the context of our pains and who were the ones causing the agonies to members of our families and society that forgiveness, reconciliation and national unity will become possible. I would like to invite the perpetrators to come forward and to offer their apologies to the family members of their victims praying that forgiveness will become a reality and restoration will be possible. I also pray that members of the family of victims will be generous in forgiving those who triggered their pains.
“Jesus teaches us: “forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” My dear fellow citizens, God will apply the same measure of forgiveness to us as we apply to others. So, as we forgive those who hurt us, God will forgive our sins and reconcile us with the Father. In this blessed year 2021, let us all be peacemakers as we contribute in building a new Seychelles where peace, respect, tolerance, discipline will be part of the new reality, the new normal.
“Blessed and peaceful New Year 2021 to you my dear brothers and sisters.
“Together for His glory.”