By Musa Paul Feika
The Director of Love One Another Campaign Sierra Leone, (LOACSL)Dr. CTH Bell who is also Gynaecologist, said descendants Associations is counterproductive and dangerous as it bring division among Sierra Leoneans.
Dr Bell made this statement during the twenty-five (25) anniversary with the theme: “Call to love and last peace”.
For Sierra Leone to develop, he said Sierra Leoneans need a sustainable and lasting peace, emphasising that for the peace to be sustainable, “Sierra Leoneans need to love one another”, love that cares for others without expecting anything personally in return.
He described such love as selfless and sacrificial love, adding that goes extra mind to help people without expecting anything in return. Sierra Leone, he emphasised needed peace, especially at this critical moment, disclosing that the campaign is gear towards spreading message of peace and love.
Speaking on the aims and objectives of the campaign, he said he started the campaign (25) years ago, when he was Gynaecologist in Germany. He said while he was in Germany he got a message when he attended at church service tiled”Sierra Leoneans needed to love one another”
Upon receiving that message, Dr Bell said he came to Sierra Leone and a week later, he and few of his friends including Dr. Modupe Taylor Pearce, launched the campaign at the British Council Hall in Freetown.
“So this campaign is a divine mandate, not academic exercise, but rather a divine mandate,” he emphasised. Initially, he said the campaign was registered as an NGO which it aims and objectives were formulated.
He said God sent him to preach love to Sierra Leoneans as the campaign is there to preach sustainable and last peace and bring Sierra Leoneans together.
He further encouraged Sierra Leoneans to love one another regardless of their political affiliations and religious backgrounds.
Dr Bell said they will do anything humanly possible to discourage anything that will separate Sierra Leoneans. He assured that descendants Associations is counterproductive and dangerous in Sierra Leone, adding that Sierra Leone needed peace.
He assured that he was talking about agape or sacrificial love, not a February’s love (Valentine Love), but love which allows loving one and embracing another. He said love is choice, disclosing that “Love is not what you say, but what you do. Love is the only language that death and blind can hear,” he said.
“For a country to prosperous and flourish, there must be sustainable peace, assuring that sustainable peace only comes through love,” Dr. Bell asserted. He said there’s a lot of consequence when love is absent violence, exploitation, corruption among others.
Dr Bell assured that there are several signs in Sierra Leone showing that love is absent including violence, hate speech injustice corruption and exploitation.
“Sierra Leone needed anti-exploitation commission, assuring that as long as there’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) it shows there is no love.
He urged Sierra Leoneans to have focus for the country to develop by making reference to Singapore.
Buttressing on the same theme: “love one another” Rev Joseph Kanu said the topic love, is not new, because it one of the oldest topics. Rev Kanu assured that genuine love comes from humidity and sincerity as love is not arrogant, not envy, rude, as it doesn’t insisted on its own way and more importantly it doesn’t rejoice over evil, instead it celebrates justice.
He made reference to II Corinthians 13:4-8. Loving one another he said it is not impossible, but rather it is choice, emphasising that it is the right choice.
“Charity beings at home” as it started from home and to our immediate communities and the country at large.
In a home where love is taught and practice, he said it will become a seed of sanity, respect and growth to be cultivated.
He said the subject of love is every important and should remain perpetual as “love is an action, not to say it, but do it” Rev Kanu encouraged Sierra Leoneans to nurture love in this particular season and also made scriptural reference in Romans 12:10.
Another keynote speaker, Hawa Samai in brief, narrated the civil war in Sierra Leone to school going pupils from various schools and encouraged them to love one another. Madam Samai urged Sierra Leoneans to forgive one another.
