Message from the President

October has quickly slipped away and November is upon us.  Here, in America, one of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving. I enjoy it because it’s one holiday when we count our blessings. Of course, as I think about it, it feels sacrilegious to celebrate Thanksgiving. I’ve come to think of Columbus Day as Indigenous People’s Day. And it’s hard to think of Thanksgiving without realizing I was taught that it celebrates people who survived in a new land only to take that land away from the people who were here first, Native Americans. I don’t have the power to correct anything in our past. But what I do have the power to do is to live in a way that supports good in the world today. I believe my faith calls me to do that.

One way that I try to support good in the world is to be mindful of what is happening in society around me. What is happening to my fellow human beings that I have the power to make better or not? Right now, in the United States of America, our Election Day has occurred. We voted for a president, vice president, and local leaders, sheriffs, and judges all over the country.

I did not tell those of you who live in the States whom to vote for. That was a personal decision we all had to make. Regardless of whom you supported, I hope you just VOTED! I do hope that each of us looked at the candidates and made our choices based on which candidate might make a better leader for all of us and for our relationships around the world. 

I looked for someone who respects others and looks for the best way to support each of us. I hoped for someone who wants to improve the systemic racism that is rampant here and doesn’t deny that it exists. I could keep going with my own hopes for my country, but instead, I want to share a short video that Alix CaDavid shared in our SDA Kinship Spiritual WhatsApp group recently. It’s called “A Prayer for Our Country”. Though the sentiments are North America specific, I think the ideals are universal.

May all of our members, wherever we are in the world, have a blessed, safe, and healthy November; and remember that SDA Kinship is more blessed because you are part of this amazing family.

Yolanda Elliott
President
SDA Kinship Int., Inc.