In an Editorial I wrote on January 2^nd 2014 “HOPE. A new year and a new beginning” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/the-editor-speaks-hope-a-new-year-and-a-new-beginning/, I wrote about Cayman Premier Alden McLaughlin’s New Year message in which he said he truly believed “the future of these islands is bright”.

I said, “So we have a new year and a new beginning and hope.”

I featured a song called ‘Hope” written by the Scottish composer and singer Isla Grant.

One of the lines of the song is “Everyone needs hope to keep on going, A tiny dream that they can hold on to”; and one of the verses says – ““Just like flowers need the rain and sun, Hope lives in the hearts of everyone, We need to know we have some one to care, And hope will grow when love is everywhere”.

The reason I am mentioning again is the utter despair I am feeling at not only with our own country’s revelations of wrongdoing by some of our peers bringing shame on our country and its reputation, but the world in general.

I was born during World War II and of course thankfully remember nothing much about it except the air raid sirens and feeling something was wrong,

Since then I have never felt so much heartache at what is going on in the world today. It started I suppose with 9/11 with the twin towers in New York disappearing from our very eyes after the Al Qaeda terrorist attack. Our lives were changed after that and not for the good.

And it has got worse and worse.

The utter disdain by persons about the precious gift of life is such an abomination to me I actually feel the pain and I get angry. Very angry.

The massacres going on by Muslim fanatics, especially against Christians, and we all so called civilized persons do nothing but say words in a ‘nice’ way of condemnation.

If it was the other way around you would have seen a much different response.

The Palestinian (Hamas) Israeli conflict that was, let us not forget, started by Hamas but Israel getting the lions share of the blame. Not surprising at their attitude after killing innocent people and children. They were played like a musical instrument but with screaming strings that will live in the souls of the people who actually were not then their enemies.

The civil unrest going on in Ferguson, Missouri, with the police actually showing racialist leanings from some of their officers (one actually posting his comments on Facebook for all to read – and we did) – something that should have been buried long ago.

I would never be able to finish this Editorial if I was to illustrate all what is happening right now – but you get the reason for how I am feeling.

But last Sunday night (31) there was planted “a little piece of hope” in me.

I was at Elmslie United Church listening to various choirs and individuals from many churches across Grand Cayman sing their hearts out. It was Elmslie’s second annual “Summer Praise Gospel Concert”. It was a very inspiring and joyous occasion.

It lasted 3 hours but no one complained – it was THAT good.

Most of the music sung by young and old was fast paced and hand clapping rousing stuff. Many in the congregation stood up and clapped and sang with the performers. Nearly all the music was familiar pieces except one.

It was familiar to me because it was sung by my wife, Joan.

I am NOT saying this because Joan is my wife. If she was someone I had never met I would be saying the same.

At the end of the Summer Praise” everyone was talking about it. Some came up to me because Joan is my wife. I heard persons talking about the concert who I didn’t know and they were not aware I was listening.

It was Joan’s singing of a piece of music they had heard for the very first time.

The song, you have probably guessed was “Hope”. The tune is simple with a traditional, some would say ‘old fashion’ country sound’, a complete contrast to the majority of the music.

Joan’s voice is soft and full of emotion. She sang it from the heart and it showed. People were visibly crying and of course I was too.

And it was not just her singing. It was the words, too. It was one of those rare moments when we all shared “HOPE”.

“Plant a little piece of hope and watch it grow

Plant it tenderly with love and let it show

That as the miracle before your eyes unfolds

You’ll see the field of hope turn to a field of gold

“That’s the time that everyone will know

That like these tiny flowers hope can grow”.