There is a door which opens to a home where all men can be at home. But it has proved the most difficult to open. Whenever it does open, to whomever it opens, it can only bring happiness and amity; all men know this. Yet it is the greatest of all wonders that that door is rarely opened, and it never seems to open wide enough anywhere. Indeed one can say that all the unhappiness and cruelty in the world, all the enmity and barriers to harmonious living, all our wars are due to the fact that men have not learned the secret as to how to open wide the door to that home, how to keep it permanently open to all. The day men discover the secret as to how to do this, there will be no more insoluble human problems, but only peace and amity and the fraternity of all mankind.
WMF, you have just handed me a key. This key may open no material door of wood or metal, but it is the symbolic key to the most important and the most difficult of all doors. You yourself have shown that that door is the door to the human heart. I am sure you will agree with me that it is because we keep our doors to the human heart so narrow, if we open them at all, that we have divisions and cruelty and barriers to human co operation and understanding and war. In handing me the key which opens the door to your hearts therefore,WMF,you have given me the greatest of all gifts,and the most precious. I shall treasure it as long as I live.
The heart has it own language, communicated without words, transcending the barriers of space and race, but universally understood by all peoples. One true thing that can be said is that all over the world every human heart is human. Every human heart can respond to the music of love and friendship and brotherhood. I happily and gladly respond to your love; I also gladly open to you the doors of my heart. I am sure the same will become true of third world countries, as with increasing co operation and understanding our respective nationals get opportunities to meet, to live together, to work and play together. I hope as the years go by, and we open our hearts wider and wider to one another, we shall give evidence of the truth which we as men must strive not only to accept but also to face the challenge it throws;It is the truth that the door to human fraternity,to prosperity,and peace,is the door to which you have given me this symbolic key the door to the human heart. I thank you all for this memorable welcome and gifts. I salute you as my kinsmen joined by indissoluble ties. May our ties continue unbroken through many generations. LONG LIVE WMF! LONG LIVE UNCLE SAM!!
Elijah, is a Liberian refugee living and studying in Ghana. He does volunteer work with the Liberian Refugee Welfare Council.
I am very glad to see a very serious minded Liberian who is so eager
to learn and acquire knowledge in order serve his country and countrymen.Some
Liberian are complacence they are quick to be satisfy with little thing and this has
made ignorance and illiteracy to be rampant with in this country which is one of the oldest
in West Africa since 1822.But I am glad to see a young Liberian like Elijah to prove to the world that all Liberians are not the same and that he can do what others nationals can do.
Thanks to the WMF for sponsoring such a poor Liberian refugee who is doing so well to move the world.Thanks Tom and Carol and the entire team God bless you all.