Uganda's Motto

Jeremiah had learned a new song, and he loved it! Every morning, as soon as he woke up, the song filled his room.

"Always say please, sorry, and thank you!" he sang, his voice bubbling with joy.

Singing the song over and over helped him remember these three special words, always knowing just when to use them.

One morning, on the 29th of November, Jeremiah hummed his song as he got ready to put on his shoes for school. His father chuckled.

"Jeremiah," he said, "that song has become like a motto for you!"

Jeremiah stopped humming. "A motto?" he wondered. What could that big word mean?

His father smiled. "A motto is a special saying, Jeremiah. It's a saying that keeps reminding people what's truly important to them. Just like your song reminds you of those three important words: 'please,' 'sorry,' and 'thank you.'"

Jeremiah's face lit up. His song was his very own motto!

"And guess what, Jeremiah?" his father continued, leaning closer. "Our country, Uganda, has a motto too! It's a special saying that reminds everyone in Uganda what's really important to us all."

Jeremiah leaned in, his eyes opening wider in anticipation. "What is the Uganda motto?"

His father stood up and proudly placed his hand on his heart.

"It's 'For God and My Country.'"

Jeremiah also got up and placed his little hands on his heart.

"For God and My Country!" he repeated, trying out the words with a big smile. "What does it mean?"

His father's face glowed as he saw his little boy. "Well, it means that for us, the people of Uganda, we should do everything as if we are doing it for God first. Imagine if you were doing your homework for God, you would make sure you do it very well, right?" he asked.

"Oh yes!" Jeremiah responded. "I would want God to be very happy with my homework, so I would do it perfectly!"

"That's true," his father continued. "Now, also imagine if you were dressing up, and God was going to be your fashion judge. You would make sure you dressed beautifully, right?"

Jeremiah's eyes drifted as he imagined God judging his clothes. "Oh, I would make sure my clothes were all clean and ironed!" he said.

"Very true," his father chuckled. "Then the second part of our motto says 'For My Country.' This means, after we have put God first, we should do everything for the good of our country."

Jeremiah looked at his father, carefully listening to every word.

"For example, do you think it would be good for your country if you poured rubbish anywhere on the streets?" his father asked.

Jeremiah shook his head. "No, Daddy that would make the country dirty!"

"Very true," his father said. "What about if you stopped doing your homework, shouted at your teachers, and stopped going to school?"

Jeremiah slowly shook his head. "That would be bad…… But how would it be bad for Uganda?"

"Good question," his father said. "The answer is, Uganda needs you educated. That way, when you grow up, you can give valuable services to the country. So, you should also study knowing that it is going to be for the good of the country!"

"Wow!" Jeremiah exclaimed. "That is a good motto!"

He then stood up, put his hand on his heart, and repeated the words with even more confidence, "For God and My Country!"

The End.

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