Some of the beneficiaries of the “Shower of Hope” intervention in Plateau State by Paradise Mission for Widows and Teenagers.
By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Jos – Food stuffs and school fees were provided at the weekend for over 60 widows and orphans from various communities in Jos, Plateau State.
The gesture tagged: showers of hope was courtesy of the Paradise Mission for Widows and Teenagers, a non-governmental organization based in Jos.
Addressing the beneficiaries, the benefactor, Mrs. Jane Egbo who is also a widow charged them not to succumb to whatever bad situation they may be passing through but to remain hopeful as God, the husband of the widows and the father to the fatherless will raise help for them.
Her words, “Our programme is for women irrespective of tribe or religion because the sun shines on all. God has decided to visit us through a donor, a friend, Mrs. Victoria Kush who provided money for the foodstuffs and school fees for the orphans.
“In the past, we empowered women to start small-scale businesses, today they are doing well and we have success stories to tell. Our gifts bless and multiply, the widows we empower, excel. With these foodstuffs, God will continue to provide for you to feed your children.
“Be hopeful and thankful for life, many are dead but you are still alive. If God took our husbands, He knows what He is doing, I have been a widow for the past 13 years, and God has been faithful, I encourage you to keep trusting in Him.
“Keep your bodies holy, God has a special place in his heart for the widows, He will visit us in His own time. If you want to get married, you can remarry but if not, serve God in truth and spirit, don’t mess yourselves around because there are many sicknesses in town, HIV/AIDS, name it.
“If you are infected, it will be a different issue, when you don’t have money to eat, how do you start thinking of money to treat yourself? Hold on to God, He will see you through and your children will be blessings to you.”
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Earlier, a guest speaker, Pastor Margaret Udeme encouraged the widows to remain hopeful saying, “I want you to know that you are not here because you are beggars, you are here because you are God’s children.
“God has you in His plan, there is no day He does not think about you. Always put your trust in God, I guess most of you did not know that something like this would come up but God made this provision for you.
“Don’t feel that you have been forgotten, God loves you. Don’t be depressed, when you wake up in the morning, sing joyful songs to God, rejoice and be glad and put the devil to shame.
“You are here to collect today, tomorrow you will be the one giving, being a blessing to others. God will restore your joy; He is the husband of the widow.”
However, the beneficiaries appreciated the gesture, describing it as a dream come true.
