Monrovia – The color of green camouflage military uniforms on Sunday filled the peel of the Sinkor United Pentecostal in Monrovia, when the Armed Forces of Liberia, (AFL) gathered to do their yearly thanksgiving service ritual, which has been done in different churches and Mosques around the Country over the time.
Report by Mae Azango [email protected]
The week long exercise that commences with a thanksgiving service is usually done in commemoration of the upcoming Armed Forces day celebration on February 11, 2017.
At the regular yearly thanksgiving services, soldiers fully participate in the service, which included: the reading of scriptures, conducting Praise and worship, and musical performance by the AFL Male Chorus.
Reading from the Book of Psalm, Bishop Stephan T.Y. Benda preached on the Theme: Only a fool says there is no God.
“Many people will augur that there is no God; they would know that their most expensive shoes and clothes are made in a factory, but yet they believe that the Mountains, Rivers and Valleys came into existence by accident. Do you think these things just came into existence by mistake?
It shows that there is a God somewhere,” Says Bishop Benda
Bishop Benda furthered said everybody will be judged by God for whatever deeds they did while they were alive.
“Just because you ignore God, does not mean he won’t judge you. Everyone will give an account of his or her dirty deeds, weather you are a military officer, a politician, a business man or women or the Nation.”
Bishop Benda further said everything created by God is arranged and organized, including the stars that shines without being operated by a switch, the rivers go into the sea, while the sea billows are rolling without being operated, but yet you say that there is no God.
Asked Bishop Benda: “If we say that there is no God why do we call his name when we are in trouble? If you say there is no God, where did the idea of God come from that we are religious?”
For his part, Major Gen. Daniel Ziankahn, Chief of Staff of the AFL and head of the Chiefs of Defense Staff in West Africa, thanked the church for the opportunity of celebrating with them.
“Thank you for your kind hospitality in allowing us to celebrate our thanksgiving service with you. And as we leave from here I hope your words will fall on fertile hearts,” said Chief of Staff Ziankahn.
Defense Minister Brownie J. Samukai also thanked the church and invited them to the Armed Forces Day Celebration at the Barclay Training Center in Monrovia.
“We want to tell you that in as much as we protect, we ourselves need spiritual protection. We are thankful today for celebrating with you, as we will be celebrating Armed Forces day this week. We want to thank you for worshiping with us today and you all are invited to the Armed Forces day Celebration on Tuesday at the Barclay training Center in Monrovia.” said Minister Samukai.
Deputy Chief of Staff, Brig. Gen Prince C. Johnson III, who gave an overview of weekly activities of the AFL said Sunday thanksgiving service, marked the series of the 60th Armed Forces Day of Liberia.
“We usually start with a thanksgiving at a church to thank God for his blessings upon us as a military. On Tuesday, we will have the Symposium at the Monrovia City Hall, with Boima Fahnbulleh serving as keynote speaker and people from the government circle will also be represented on the panel. It will be an interactive forum where the public will interact and ask government officials, who will be serving as panelists, some questions relating to pressing issues,” Said General Johnson.
He continued: “On the 9th of February, we will be going for cleaning up campaign and medical outreach in Kakata Margibi County. We will be showing to the citizens that that the AFL is not only known to carry weapons but identify with the people. On Friday, we will go to the 72 mosque for a thanksgiving services, so that the Imam can pray that Allah should guide and protect us. On that same Friday we will be meeting the cash boy from the Ministry of Finance in a football match at the BYC sports pitch.”
On the main day which will be Saturday, Feb. 11 2017, he said the AFL will have President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia, who will inspect the troops. He said Nigeria Former President.
Olusegun Obasanjo, will be serve as keynote speaker and he will speaking to the troops and Liberians about the role Nigeria played in country’s Peace process.
The celebrations will close with an official ball at the Executive Pavilion, where the President will be there to grace the occasion.