They said they give thanks for Christ’s message of love and mercy even as they are “reminded of our responsibility to serve.”
The commonwealth, they said, is “blessed with the gift of fine citizens who reach out with a compassionate hand to help others in need.”
They urged the people to “remember our brave men and women in uniform who have volunteered to defend us at home and away from home. Many of them will spend Christmas far from home and away from family. “We honor their sacrifice and ask God to watch over them and their families and pray for their safe return.”
They added, “Remember, the greatest blessings of all are the ones that don’t cost a thing: the comfort of spending time with loved ones, the freedoms we enjoy, and the joy we feel upon giving something of ourselves.”
A good thing
Congressman Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan, in an interview, said he wishes everybody in the CNMI a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
One of the best things that happened this Christmas, he added, was when President Obama pulled the troops from Iraq while reiterating his administration’s commitment to do the same thing in Afghanistan.
“We have our own troops in the NMI who went to war and we thank them. I am very grateful to them and their families for the sacrifices. We should remember that we still have people from the NMI serving our country in war-torn places,” he said.
Sablan said he is very happy to be home and very grateful that the people of the CNMI allowed him to continue to represent them in the U.S. Congress.
“I am very humbled and grateful for this opportunity and I will continue to work very hard for the people of the NMI,” he said.
On behalf of the House members, Speaker Eli D. Cabrera, R-Saipan, said he wishes the people a Merry Christmas.
He said the best thing the CNMI government can give the people as a Christmas gift is to restore the 80 working hours of the government employees.
They are now on a 64-hour work schedule due to the government’s lack of funds.
The House leadership, he said, has been “working really hard” to end the government’s austerity measures.
For his part, Press Secretary Angel A. Demapan said while Christmas “is a time of joy and good cheer, this is also the special time to celebrate many things in life: family, friends, and most especially, servicemembers.”
“Often times we take for granted how many people have given up their Christmas so we could keep ours. I honor them and pray for them, both living and departed,” he said.
Christmas, he added, is also a “special holiday for my family because our six-month-old son will be celebrating his first Christmas. We are truly grateful to have not just a healthy little boy, but also our two daughters. I wish everyone will be able to spend this Christmas in the company of their loved ones and remember those who have gone before us.”
