Fellow Namibians,
Christmas is a time of jubilation. It is a time to come together with our loved ones. Most importantly it is a time Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We can all identify with the main tenants of the season. Love, kindness and the sanctity of the family. As we celebrate with our families and loved ones, let us be reminded that this is the season to reflect on how we treat strangers in our midst. There is no purpose to kindness, love or charity if it is only extended to those we know or those who speak our language or look like us.
There is no better time of the year that exemplifies the spirit of Harambee. As we prepare our tables of food and gifts, let us remember the lonely, the hungry and the downtrodden. Just as God blessed us with the gift of his one and only Son, let us show compassion and love to all our fellow human beings.
Any contribution you can make towards helping another person during Christmas will go a long way towards making the Namibian House a house where no Namibian shall feel left out.
As we reflect on the story of the Mother Mary, her baby Jesus, let us remember and be grateful for our mothers and children. Let us respect and honour them and renew our commitment to uproot the scourge of Gender Based Violence from our communities.
Christmas should be a time of celebration and not a time of suffering. I therefore encourage all Namibians to engage one another in the spirit of goodwill and extend this basic act of humanity to our many friends from abroad, who have decided to celebrate Christmas in our Namibian House.
God blessed Namibia with a beautiful landscape and wonderful people. Let us treat the natural beauty of our land with the respect it deserves. We can each make a difference by making sure to throw away our litter into rubbish bins. As we head out to our homes and favourite holiday destinations countrywide, let us exercise extreme discipline and caution on our roads, so that we ensure that they are roads that lead to happiness and not roads that lead to despair.
To the emergency services, the uniformed personnel, health professionals and all of those who continue to serve the nation, please know that we are grateful for your dedication as we are mindful that while many of us are with our families, you continue to ensure that critical services remain available.
Since Christmas provides us with an opportunity to come together as families and as one Namibian family, let us also remember those who have left us this year. Let us remember those who will not join us at the dinner table this Christmas. Let us remember those who have lost a father, mother, daughter, son, or loved one, and pray that they find solace in the Christmas message, which is a message of love, and hope for all human beings.
In closing, I would like to leave you with these words by BC Forbes who said, “Christmas is a tonic for our souls. It moves us to think of others rather than of ourselves. It directs our thoughts to giving.”
Fellow Namibians, this Christmas, let us provide a tonic for our souls and be moved to think of one another rather than ourselves. Let our thoughts be directed towards giving, so that we make this a truly Merry Christmas for each and every member of the Namibian House.