His Excellency the Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen was among several leaders who joined with members of the National Prayer Vigil Committee, to pray for the healing and transformation of Jamaica at the National Prayer Vigil that was held at the Sharon Baptist Church in St. Elizabeth.
Sir Patrick Allen said that while many may have already concluded that these prayer vigils are ineffective, and that God is not hearing these prayers because of the widespread iniquity in our nation, that Jamaicans ought not to be daunted.
“Let us not be diverted from our focus and our mission! We as leaders and citizens alike must acknowledge where we have failed, and seek God’s enabling to lead and live in accordance with His will”, encouraged Sir Patrick Allen.
The Governor-General called on the Church to be examples for the justice, unity, peace and healing that is desired for the country. He said that the prayer vigils must equip Jamaicans to stand up for what is right, regardless of the cost and to reaffirm what is good and to gently help to change attitudes which are negative and corrosive.
Sir Patrick Allen said that he believed that with the prayerful support of the faith communities all across the land, that we all can be used by God to make a lasting difference in Jamaica.
“…Our prayers should be continuous. As a nation we would do well to spend much of our energies on prayer, rather than on the negative criticism which is regrettably rampant in our country,” said The Governor-General.
He said that the four pillars: Justice, Unity, Peace and Healing are necessary if Jamaica is to forge ahead on its nation building journey. Sir Patrick called on the nation to open itself to be empowered by God’s Holy Spirit as they cry out against injustice and all forms of social inequity, and seek to build brand Jamaica in order to cement a positive image of the country in the global marketplace.