Wanda English Burnett, Editor

England born world traveler John Halford says America is the greatest country on earth and he’s thankful to be a citizen.

Independence Day came for Halford on August 23 of this year when his citizenship was finalized. That day he proudly erected an American flag at his home in Olean. “I was so proud the day I went down to Halcomb’s (Halcomb Home Center) and bought the screws and put the flag up on the front porch,” Halford told The Versailles Republican.

After traveling literally across the globe, Halford says Americans have so much freedom - freedom they aren’t even aware of.

Halford didn’t take the naturalization process lightly. “It’s something I thought about for a long time,” he noted. He asked himself, “What am I taking on as an American citizen? What is my responsibility?”

“You can literally taste freedom,” he told The Versailles Republican, as he spoke of traveling to various countries and then coming back to America. “This is a good, fair, decent place to live,” he continued, saying we have so much in America, and more specifically Ripley County. He talked about having the freedom to be yourself, freedom to express your feelings without fear of punishment, freedom to choose where we live, eat, careers, the list was endless.

Halford wasn’t daunted by the price of gasoline going up over $4.00 a gallon. After all, he has lived in countries where the mode of travel was mostly walking, because gas was $10 to $12 dollars a gallon.

He spoke of places where streams of refugees only hope for a little reprieve with a drink of water, that is usually contaminated, and a place to lie down where they won’t lose their lives. “I wish we would see what we have in the context of what the world has,” he spoke softly. “If we could just see what we have, instead of what we don’t have, it would be a better place to live.”

Halford noted that being happy is an attitude of mind. He talked about seeing the blemish on a good apple opposed to seeing a rotten apple. He says Ripley County people are among the richest in the world. “We need to remind ourselves of that each morning instead of grumbling. We need to remember how blessed we truly are.”

He talked about being in the Philippines where a box crate served as a table. This family was grateful for the box. His travels to Haiti left Halford saying it is the most tragic country by far that he has visited. “There is such hopelessness there,” he sadly recalled.

After traveling in over 100 countries, Halford can first hand say America is the best, the richest, the most wonderful country in the world. “People who say they hate America should come to the Midwest,” he advised. “Americans truly want to make things better, they truly want good things to happen to others.” He says Americans are by far the most generous and wishes the world could see the true American spirit “deep in its gut.” He has found his little bit of paradise and he’s staying put. “I love it here,” he simply stated.

The journey that brought Halford to America started many years ago in his college days when he came to California to attend a university there. There he met the love of his life, Pat Curran, who he said he knew he would marry the day he laid eyes on her. That was in 1964. Just two years later, he saw that dream come true and they were married. Pat’s family has strong roots in the Olean community where she grew up.

The couple traveled to many places through John’s ministry with the Worldwide Church of God. He served as the superintendent over churches in Europe which encompassed 27 countries. He has served in a number of capacities some of which include being a pastor, college professor, TV presenter, international student advisor, and editor of three magazines, one of which he still edits from his home in Olean.

Earning a degree in theology/communication with a strong emphasis in journalism afforded Halford many opportunities through the media division of his church. He and Pat have two children, who were both born in Australia, but now live in the United States, near Columbus, Ohio. The couple has six grandchildren, of whom they are particularly fond.

Halford has been an advisor, mentor, leader, saying of all his endeavors, becoming an American citizen, going through the naturalization process, is truly only natural. “I wanted to be American citizen...it’s only natural to want that.” What Americans take for granted, Halford says is a privilege, one he’s thankful for. “We can all do things to make it better,” he encouraged. Following the golden rule of the Bible is one he suggested, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Ahhh, when you truly do that, he says, things take on a whole new meaning.

Speaking “a few words of nearly everything” Halford does speak fluent French, German and English. He said the Chinese word, maewantee, meaning ‘no problem’, also means ‘no solution’. He said the best foreign expression in his opinion is from Thailand, maipenrai, meaning, ‘never mind, it doesn’t matter.’

Advice from Halford is that many things in life really don’t matter, and don’t sweat the small stuff. The most important things are God, family, friends, and freedom. This Thanksgiving he will truly give thanks for all the blessings he has received and says, “It (Thanksgiving) used to be your festival, now it is mine.”

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTO John Halford proudly stands in front of his home in Olean where he erected an American flag the day he became an American citizen. Thanksgiving has a whole new meaning for him this year.