IDPs: AUN Community Keeps Hope Alive
IDPs: AUN Community Keeps Hope Alive
American university of nigeria live, 15 Apr 2015
URL: http://www.americanuniversitynigeria.org/news/aunthisweek/763-idps-aun-community-keeps-hope-alive
AUN-API organized a special pre-Easter food distribution on Thursday April 2, for nearly 6,000 Internally Displaced Persons, all women. This event, which took place at St Teresa Catholic Cathedral, Jimeta, had members of the University community as volunteers.
Having lost family members, their businesses, homes, farmlands, husbands and adult male children to the Boko Haram insurgency, what was left for those women was, perhaps, hope. This view was shared by Bishop Stephen Mamza, Catholic Bishop of Yola Diocese, who felt that the peaceful presidential election would certainly bring peace to the North East region. And this hope was what AUN community members supplied in abundance by assisting with the food distribution. He encouraged everyone to pray for the President-elect. “He needs our prayers and support.”
Professor of computer science, Francis Adepoju, participating in a distribution for the first time, described it as “amazing.” He said, “I feel satisfied seeing the relief on their faces.”
For Yakubu Ayuba, the Assistant Registrar, “I always look forward to an opportunity to do humanitarian work.” He recognized that the situation that befell the IDPs could happen to anybody. Ayuba praised the University for providing him and others the opportunity to serve the needy.
Okechukwu Ohamadike, a junior majoring in Telecommunications, believed that everyone was called for a purpose, and to serve humanity. “I feel much fulfilled as a student contributing to helping these people who have lost everything.”
There was another food distribution on Saturday, April 4, at New Life Gospel Center. The delegation was led by Reginald Braggs, Assistant Vice President, Community Engagement. Over 3,000 IDPs benefited from this, including over 100 Muslims. Bishop Stephen Ransom, the Pastor of the Center, asked the IDPs to pray for AUN to continue the supply. The supplies included bags of rice, corn and beans.
Braggs, while addressing the IDPs, said the AUN-API will continue to ensure that they keep hope alive. “We understand that there are many struggles that you have in life, there are many hardships that have come before you. We are here to represent hope that you have something to eat today, that you have something to eat tomorrow, and as God continues to shine upon this nation, that you have something to eat the following day, and the day after.”
He assured them that the AUN President believes in their country just as she believes in them. He said Nigeria had witnessed a historic moment which should provide hope for them all. “One of the things that has happened is that change has come to your country and we believe the change will provide hope for you today and tomorrow. Please know that AUN and API will continue to support you.”
Having lost family members, their businesses, homes, farmlands, husbands and adult male children to the Boko Haram insurgency, what was left for those women was, perhaps, hope. This view was shared by Bishop Stephen Mamza, Catholic Bishop of Yola Diocese, who felt that the peaceful presidential election would certainly bring peace to the North East region. And this hope was what AUN community members supplied in abundance by assisting with the food distribution. He encouraged everyone to pray for the President-elect. “He needs our prayers and support.”
Professor of computer science, Francis Adepoju, participating in a distribution for the first time, described it as “amazing.” He said, “I feel satisfied seeing the relief on their faces.”
For Yakubu Ayuba, the Assistant Registrar, “I always look forward to an opportunity to do humanitarian work.” He recognized that the situation that befell the IDPs could happen to anybody. Ayuba praised the University for providing him and others the opportunity to serve the needy.
Okechukwu Ohamadike, a junior majoring in Telecommunications, believed that everyone was called for a purpose, and to serve humanity. “I feel much fulfilled as a student contributing to helping these people who have lost everything.”
There was another food distribution on Saturday, April 4, at New Life Gospel Center. The delegation was led by Reginald Braggs, Assistant Vice President, Community Engagement. Over 3,000 IDPs benefited from this, including over 100 Muslims. Bishop Stephen Ransom, the Pastor of the Center, asked the IDPs to pray for AUN to continue the supply. The supplies included bags of rice, corn and beans.
Braggs, while addressing the IDPs, said the AUN-API will continue to ensure that they keep hope alive. “We understand that there are many struggles that you have in life, there are many hardships that have come before you. We are here to represent hope that you have something to eat today, that you have something to eat tomorrow, and as God continues to shine upon this nation, that you have something to eat the following day, and the day after.”
He assured them that the AUN President believes in their country just as she believes in them. He said Nigeria had witnessed a historic moment which should provide hope for them all. “One of the things that has happened is that change has come to your country and we believe the change will provide hope for you today and tomorrow. Please know that AUN and API will continue to support you.”