…God bless Papa & Mama in many folds

By Sam Eyoboka

WARRI—A 60-YEAR old Madukwe Okocha with a debilitating health challenge, residing at 9, Efejuku Street, off Deko Road, Warri and 42-year old job seeker, Sebastine Efekan residing at First Marine Gate, Warri-Sapele Road, Warri, who is still recuperating from stroke were among the 1,074 beneficiaries of the 13th Word of Life Bible Church/Eagle Flight Microfinance Bank Limited annual Poverty Alleviation and Empow-erment Programme.

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The 13th edition of the programme which took place on Ajamimogha Road on Wednesday, December 26, 2018 as the Word of Life Bible Church in collaboration with its Eagle Flight Microfinance Bank gave out completely insured and registered 19 Mini buses, five tricycles, 50 grinding machines and 1,000 mini bags of rice to persons selected through a transparent ballot process.

Boxing Day is regarded as a day when employers distributed money, food, cloth (material) or other valuable goods to their employees or a day off for servants when they receive a ‘Christmas Box’ from the master. The servants would also go home on Boxing Day to give ‘Christmas Boxes’ to their families.

In observance of that tradition, the Word of Life Bible Church with its Eagle Flight Microfinance Bank had over the years given out ‘Boxes’ to residents of the Niger Delta. Applications for the items was free and open to all members of the Word of Life Bible Church and other Nigerians residing in any part of the Niger Delta region irrespective of creed and religion who must be present at the ballot event.

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According to a statement by the organ-isers of the event, the poverty alleviat-ion programme is open to majorly matured people who are not expected to sell off their winning or unbrand them within the first three years.

“All winners who are not members of Word of Life Bible Church shall automatically become members to enable us mentor and disciple them for optimal usefulness to the church and our communities. Where a winner sells the item won, or not seen in church, the church and the Bank reserve the right to recover or retrieve such item from the winner,” the statement read to all the winners stated, adding that the legal unit has prepared a document to that effect.

Chairman of Eagle Flight Microfinance Bank, Pastor (Mrs.) Helen Oritsejafor in her remark, noted that the bank which started 12 years ago with a vision to be the biggest and best in the scheme of things, has established itself and claimed its rightful place and has transformed millions of lives in different aspects.

While explaining that the Eagle Flight Micro Finance Bank has 100 direct staff and over 200 indirect staff thereby reducing unemployment in the nation, Mrs. Oritsejafor averred that the bank has successfully empowered and registered about 3.5 million micro credit groups with a cash value of about N3.1 billion.

“Loans have been granted to small and medium scale enterprises to the tune of N11 billion and corporate bodies with a cash value of N15 billion. Our turnover has risen to well over N26 billion,” she stated, adding that the company had two 32 inch HD television sets for two outstanding customers of the year.

In addition four Sewing Machines were given out to four graduates who had passed through a period of free training in fashion design as starter packs.

One of the mini bus winners, Mr. Sabastine Efekan Awen, shared his excitement thus, “I was very happy when I heard them call my name, because I wasn’t expecting it. I want to say a big thank you to Papa and Mama Ayo, because with this they have done, I feel very relieved that God has delivered me from poverty.”

A tricycle winner and 40-year widow who has been raising five children singly, Mrs. Peter Monday Love said: “I am very happy, because God of Papa Ayo has changed my story, life and my family.”

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The Akwa Ibom born who has been hawking second hand clothes to feed the family of five, also thanked God for using Papa Ayo and Mama Helen to deliver her family from poverty. “I am grateful to God for this special Christmas present.”

The joy of 74-year old Mrs. Florence Akpojevwe whose husband died in 2015, knew no bounds as she kept sc-reaming in local language, “Papa and Mama don take away my sorrow. Make una come rejoice with me ooo. God go bless my Papa and Mama because of this wid-ow. ” Similarly, a 31-year old Emmanuel Deneran Obaro who married on April 26, 2017 was so excited becoming a sudden owner of a mini bus.

“Bros, I dont know how to express my gratitude to our Papa and Mama because this na our year of Advancemen and Enlargement. You see how this God of Papa and Mama Ayo come decorate my life with advancement and enlargement few days to the end of the year!”

Asked how he would combine his passion for photography with the new business opening, he shouted excitedly: “Ah, Bros! I go dey snap my pic-tures wela and dey find time to operate the bus. You no under-stand the level? Papa and Mama don remove pverty from my dictionary completely. May God bless Papa and Mama!”

The martriach of Word of Life Bible Church and Chairman of Eagle Flight Microfinance Bank, Pastor (Mrs.) Helen Oritsejafor expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity to contribute their quota to the upliftment of the people.

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The immediate past president of the christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, His Eminence is overwhelmed by the display of joy by the winners, saying that words have failed him to describe how he felt. “I am just overwhelmed and I thank God for the privilege that God will allow us to to put a smile on the faces of these people. We dont take it for granted. We are grateful to God for the opportunity,” he stated.