President’s Message

Issue 68, February 2022.

Fellow Georgians, Friends and Well-wishers,

Wow, its February2022 already and we are still living in a pandemic world, still with a lot of misinformation circulating about the coronavirus and the vaccines.

Goodness, we are a stubborn bunch, aren’t we?

It all started in 2020, some say maybe late 2019 but undiagnosed then. Vaccines started being released December 2020, more readily available by June 2021 and of course, it depended on where you were … Canada, U.S., Jamaica, elsewhere?

Vaccines prior to this took quite a long time to get to market, at least 4 -5 years but under then President Trump of the U.S., all efforts were made to speed things up given the gravity of the situation and the toll it was taking on lives. Strange, eh? The President who no doubt deserves the credit for the rapid development of the vaccines, was in denial over the benefits of the vaccine, starting one of the largest instances of misinformation in modern history. But he quietly took the vaccine, then the second shot, then the booster and now seems to be promoting the benefits of being vaccinated much to the chagrin of his supporters who are now booing him for being a champion for the vaccines. What a turn of events.

Anti-vaxxers continue to pay a high price for their decision … severe symptoms or the ultimate price, an early, preventable death. Case after case are being documented of persons who could still be alive today if they had been vaccinated. So, now two years after, how much more time do they need to ‘watch and see’ the results?

I recall in 2020 when this first broke, the sense of helplessness I had but there was no panic. As a Christ follower, I did what every good believer does … pray. The Emergency Use Authorization of the vaccines came shortly after, and yes I saw this as a means of combatting the virus or at the very least, preventing myself from the effects of it.

This brings to mind a story I heard some time ago about a man who was facing a flood. He prayed to God for help and when the EMT’s knocked on his door to evacuate him, he declined saying he was waiting on God. He soon had to climb to his roof as the water levels rose and firefighters’ came by in a boat to rescue him but again, he declined. He drowned

Now at the ‘Pearly Gates’ he questioned God about not coming in his time of need. God responded that he had not abandoned him. In fact, he sent the EMT’s to help him and he refused. Then he sent the firefighters to rescue him and again he refused.

Friends this is how God works … he will always respond to our needs BUT he does so in his timing and in a manner he sees as best for us, often not as we envision. So, let us stop trying to dictate to God how he should assist us and when, and start believing that as soon as we send our prayers up, they are received and will be dealt with according to his timing and manner. This is what FAITH is all about.

Stay safe!