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TheTrue Citizen, Wednesday, December 16, 2009 — Page 5
Dixie Divas
By Ronda Rich
In Belfast, in the stunningly
gorgeous building dedicated by
Prince Ed-
ward in
1932 (he
who abdi-
c a t e d ) ,
where the
Northern
Ireland As
sembly con
venes, I
learned why I can never be
president of the United States.
I wink too much.
After a personal tour through
the magnificent building by one
of the country’s most esteemed,
gracious politicians, we, along
with another colleague, settled
down for coffee in the
Assembly’s private lounge.
Conversation easily, gently
drifted into the politics of our
world and theirs. The charming
Irishman spoke fondly of our
country.
“If I weren’t a proud North
Irishman, I’d want to be an
American,” he said plainly.
Then he spoke kindly of our
most recent past president be
fore adding with a slight
chuckle, “But he did wink at the
Queen.” North Ireland, as you
may recall, is part of the United
Kingdom under the Queen’s
rule while the rest of the coun
try is a Republic.
Something in the way he said
it, told me that winking at the
Queen was not politically ac
cepted.
I blinked hard. Who doesn’t
like a good wink?
“He winked at the Queen?” I
repeated in a stunned voice.
DON'T WINK/
The stately aristocrat, dressed
elegantly in an expensive dark
suit, pink dress shirt and dark
tie with pink polka dots (well
dressed Irishmen love pink),
shook his head firmly. “Oh no,
you don’t wink at the Queen.”
Though I was sitting there
with a member of her Majesty’s
service, there is still enough of
a country girl in me that I had
to know, “Why can’t you wink
at the Queen?”
He tugged at his shirt sleeves
and said warmly but firmly, "It
just isn’t done.” He paused.
“Ever.”
Right then and there, my
presidential hopes died hard.
“I wink all the time,” I ex
plained with a shrug and a
smile. "I can’t help myself.
Sometimes I wink, just to punc
tuate a sentence. You know, add
T THE QUEEN
an emphasis to it.”
He elegantly lifted an eye
brow. Terror slammed against
my heart. Had I unwittingly
made the same gauche error as
the former president? My hand
flew to my chest and I gasped
softly, “Oh no. Did I?” I
stopped. “Have I winked at you
today?”
Now he was amused. “No.
No, I don’t believe so.”
Then there in the hallowed
halls of Irish government, the
country girl in me returned.
“Well, don’t be surprised if I
do before I leave.”
Winking runs in my family.
Daddy had a great, powerful
wink that he used to playfully
accent a story or to close out a
warning with, “You do that,
little girl, and you’ll be sorry.”
Wink.
Mama, had a girlish wink,
that was always merry and fun.
“You just wait and see,” she’d
giggle then wink.
I once met a woman who
claimed she couldn’t wink.
“Could you teach me?” she
asked. Of course, I thought it
was a joke.
“Oh, you can wink,” I said,
waving away the request. “Ev
erybody can wink.”
She shook her head. “I can’t.”
Then, to prove it, she winked.
Which was actually a blink be
cause she couldn’t close and
raise one eyelid at a time. Her
reflex was to close and open
both eyes at the same time.
I was stunned. “That is amaz
ing.” Then I felt sorry for her.
“You poor thing! You’ve had to
go all through life without be
ing able to wink?”
Of course, now I know that
does qualify her for diplomatic
service so all isn’t lost.
At the door, the gallant
Irishman bid farewell to me and
his colleague who had been
kind enough to escort me to the
Parliament House.
“Please come back,” he said.
"And the next time you visit,
we’ll have lunch.”
I smiled. “It’s been a lovely
day. Thank you so much.”
He tilted his head. “Shall we
count on your return, then?”
“Most certainly.” I shook his
hand firmly and - you guessed
it -1 winked.
Ronda Rich is the best-selling
author of What Southern Women
Know About Faith. Visit
www.rondarich.com to sign up
for her weekly newsletter.
Other Voices
COMBATING CRIME
By F. Leslie Jenkins Jr.
Burke Banter Boy
There is a prison ministry
known as Kairos. I have been
participating in this ministry for
over fifteen years. Kairos is a
short course in Christianity. It
is not a Bible study, nor is it a
series of sermons. It is a series
of talks tempered with lots of
Love-Jesus’ Agape Love. With
teams of 30 to 35 men from a
variety of deminations, both
Protestant and Catholic, we go
into prisons for three and one-
half days. The team ministers to
42 inmates. We sit at tables as
families. There are six inmates
to a table and three team mem
bers, a table leader, assistant
leader and a member of the
clergy. We are in the prison on
the week-ends from early morn
ing until night. We eat prison
food with them, and we feed
them delicacies they never get
in prison. We serve hot dogs,
pizzas, spaghetti dinners, cook
ies, candy and other goodies,
just to let them know someone
loves them.
The main course we give
them is food for their souls.
Many have never heard of Jesus
Christ, but before the Week-end
is over they are well acquainted
with Him. The motto of Kairos
is Love Love Listen Listen and
this we do. These Week-ends,
which we have every six
months, have quite an impact on
the inmates. Many lives are
changed. Many seek and re
ceive forgiveness and many
learn to forgive. The recidivist
rate for those going through
Kairos is much lower than those
not going through the Week
end. Kairos doesn’t stop with
the Week-end. The team goes
back monthly for a visit of a
half-a-day and sometimes a
whole day. The attendance at
these monthly meetings at the
prison where I serve is between
75 and 100 inmates. During
these meetings, the inmates are
in charge of the program. They
take this opportunity seriously,
and present awe inspiring mes
sages. Many become great Bible
scholars.
Kairos is in most prisons in
Georgia, in many other states,
and even reaches around the
world. It is in both men and
womens prisons in Georgia. The
only reasons we are not in all is
because we lack volunteers. The
prison where I serve is the Au
gusta State Medical Prison at
Grovetown. Kairos has been in
ASMP for well over twenty
years, but we are still short of
volunteers. I take this opportu
nity to invite volunteers-you are
sorely needed. I can personally
guarantee each volunteer a
blessing. Give it a try!!
As I was writing this it oc
curred to me that though pro
grams like Kairos need to flour
ish, we, also, need to reach into
the hearts and souls of our chil
dren with Jesus’ Agape Love.
Children and others need to hear
the Gospel before they become
a prison statistic. In our County
of Burke crime is rampant. So
many of our folk have never
heard of Jesus Christ or they
don’t even acknowledge Him.
There is a need in our County
for the banding together of the
Churches, both black and white,
red and yellow, and any other
color, to reach young and old
alike.
All Christians who know the
Love of Christ need to spread it
to the many who have never
known of Agape Love. Lives
can be changed. Our County can
be changed by simply spread
ing Love.
If the hearts of hardened con
victs can be changed on a three
day Week-end, then surely the
Churches of the county, using
all their Member Warriors can
bring some similance of peace
and order. In order to combat
crime, we must reach the source
of crime. We must instill in the
hearts of our young that crime
is wrong, and there isa better
way.
If we want a better life, we
have to live a better life and help
others live a better life. In the
country as a whole, indeed in
the world, greed has taken over.
It is all about self and what one
can get for self. Look out for
number one, that’s all that
counts. Greed must be replaced
with Love and the Golden Rule,
“Do unto others as you would
have them do unto you”.
You can reach F. Leslie
Jenkins Jr., Burke Banter Boy,
via email: f291@bellsouth.net
Letters to the Editor
Woman's Club
gives thanks
Editor:
Town and Country Woman’s
Club would like to thank every
one who helped make the 2009
Tour of Homes such a success.
The generous assistance of so
many of you made this event
quite special for the commu
nity.
First, we thank the
homeowners for sharing their
homes with all of us. This in
credibly generous contribution
was the basis for the tour and
its success. The seven homes
were special and unique, and
their owners were truly hospi
table. We appreciate their par
ticipation. We also thank those
of you who attended the event.
You were major contributors
and made the efforts of those
who staged the affair very
worthwhile.
Additionally, we appreciate
the help of the business com
munity. Local businesses gen
erously provided support by
allowing the club to display in
formation about the tour or by
serving as sources of tickets.
The True Citizen publicized the
beautiful homes and the event,
and C&H Services sponsored
some of our advertising. Golf
carts were provided by James
Eastmead. All of these groups
and individuals were vital parts
of the day.
Town and Country Woman’s
Club is very grateful for all that
the people of Waynesboro and
Burke County did to assist with
our efforts. Because of the con
tributions of the homeowners,
their guests and local busi
nesses, Town and Country can
support numerous civic and
charitable activities. Your help
makes our community projects
possible. We feel really blessed
by the spirit of community this
event demonstrates.
Sincerely;
Barbara Jackson
Town and Country
Woman’s Club
Looking Back from page 4
chairman of the Bank of Midville.
Advertisers included The Village Square, TG&Y, Waynesboro
Sporting Goods, Burke County Drug Co., Smith’s Big Chick and
The Glamour Box.
50 years ago: December 17,1959
A portrait of the late Frank M. Cates was unveiled at the Burke
County Hospital. Mr. Cates had served as chairman of the Burke
County Hospital Authority from its inception in 1945 until his
death in July 1959.
An unidentified Burke County man found an Indian burial pot
near Briar Creek, believed to date from 1300 A.D. It contained
human remains which were sent to the Georgia Crime Labora
tory for examination. The pot was given to the Georgia Histori
cal Commission for restoration and exhibition.
75 years ago: December 14,1934
Plans were announced for the construction of a new building
for First Baptist Church after the old facility was condemned by
the building inspector. J.C. Palmer chaired a committee to over
see the project. Other members were Dr. J.M. Byne Jr., Mrs. F.S.
Burney, Roy Hargrove, F.M. Cates and Mrs. Nina Blount.
Among those receiving letters on the Waynesboro High School
football team were Jones Tomlin, Buck Tinley, Irvin Reeves, Jesse
Palmer, Linwood Herrington, Joe Hamer, James Wimberly and
Charles Economos.
Veteran disappointed
in lack of coverage
Editor:
I am very disappointed The
True Citizen newspaper not
covering the pizza party for
SGA Elementary School in
Sardis, GA. on Friday, Dec. 4
at 2 p.m. Chapter #18
Pinkerton-Williams, Augusta,
GA., fed over 400 students and
60 staff pizza on Friday at the
school. But, we didn’t get any
coverage from the local news
media outlets. These kids work
hard all year making welcome
home cards for our returning
veterans and their families for
Veteran’s Day. They pass out
these cards at Golden Comal on
Military Appreciation Day.
They show their love for our
veterans but the local media
could care less.
I am very disappointed with
the Burke County Board of
Education and really expected
Mr. Johnny Jenkins, whom I
thought was doing a great job,
not to overlook this because this
is where he lived and was
raised.
I was born and raised in
Waynesboro, Ga. I love Burke
County. That’s my home. The
Burke County news media and
Board of Education have disre
spected the Burke County vet
erans. When these kids do bad
things, it’s all over the newspa
per and local television, but
when they do good things they
get no media coverage. In my
personal opinion, the local
media have let these kids down.
Willie Davis Jr.
Chief of Staff, Pinkerton-
Williams Disabled American
Veterans.
[Editor’s note: The True Citi
zen staff was never notified of
the event, either by the chapter
or school; however, the Board
of Education’s public informa
tion officer attended the party
and submitted a story and pho
tograph Dec. 11, which is pub
lished on page 3 of this week’s
paper]
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