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June 29, 2004 I arrived at the Boundary Road Junior Secondary School Accra at about 12 noon on January 27, 2003, to the warm embrace of Mr. Osae Aryea the class teacher of Rahinatu Yakubu. I had gone to the school to pay the tuition of Rahinatu 17, one of the ten poor and homeless children I've been privileged to take to school in the past two year. The form two teacher Osae Aryea was excited to see me. He took me to the office of school’s headmistress, Mrs. Grace Agili to discuss about Rahinatu's welfare. As we sat in her office, the headmistress welcomed me warmly. Although she'd been informed why I came, as the tradition holds, she asked: "Yes, pastor what is your mission to our school?" "Well, thank you madam for the warm reception you've given me. I have come to pay the tuition of one of your students. Her name is Rahinatu Yakubu. She is in form two” I replied. "What is your relationship with her,” she asked again. I explained to her that early last year while I attended a bible school we'd gone for our monthly outreach in a community where Rahinatu lives. After the outreach, I decided to plant a church in the community. We later realized that most of the parents in that community sleep outside with their children. Other lived in shanty houses. Apart from preaching the gospel to them we decided to begin an educational program for the poor and the homeless. Rahinatu is one of those whose application was approved for the scholarship program. Beaming with smile Mrs. Agili responded, "Thank you pastor for this wonderful program, you've embarked upon. I must say that this is what I believed to be practical Christianity. It is my prayer that the good LORD will raise more people like you in our society”. I then asked for the total amount of tuition Rahinatu owed. The headmistress told me, and I paid. She issued me a receipt. As I was about to leave, the headmistress pleaded with me if I could extend similar assistance to few other students in their school. She told me about the case of a young and particularly brilliant boy called Richard. According to her, Richard has been coming to school only once or twice in a week because the parents cannot cater for him. Though I did not make any commitments, I promise to look into Richard's case. We exchanged pleasantries and teacher Osae Aryea saw me off the school building. As I left the school that day there was this incredible, unexplainable feeling of joy and fulfillment that flooded my heart. It was a defining moment in my life. I cannot really describe it but there was an evolving exhilaration from my heart sipping into every part of my body. It was like I heard a still small voice whispered in my ear saying “This is it. This is the inner peace experienced by those who have given their lives as a sacrifice to others.” My mission began about two years ago when I was attending Domata Ministers Training School .We went out to the Avenor area of Accra for our monthly outreaches. After the outreach it was laid on my heart to plant a church in the community. One day the directors of my bible school Rev Larry and Valerie Hansen donated a bag of rice to be shared among the poor in our church. On the day of sharing, there were thirty-five adult and thirty-four children present. The rice was shared among the adults and the children were not amused that they couldn't get to share some of the rice. After the rice sharing some of the adults stopped coming regularly to our services, but these children kept coming to the church. This was our first challenge. There was also the challenge of my messages having to be translated from English to the local Twi language. Most of the people do not understand English and I cannot speak twi. I therefore thought of establishing an educational program for the poor and homeless children. I thought about it for a while. I also considered the financial implication. Our church is new and I'm still a student attending a bible school. Well, God is a God of plan and purpose. And He will always make provision for the vision. When I arrived at our school the next day I discussed the idea with my school directors Rev Larry and Valerie Hansen. They listen to me and showed interest in the program. The program was also announced to the whole class of thirty-nine students. Immediately we were able to raise some funds. The next day when I returned to the church, I asked the children if any of them would like to go to school. To my surprise, nineteen of the children between the ages of four and twenty- three registered to go to school. I selected two of them Abigail (6) and Kwasi (6). Both of them are street children. They sleep with their parents in the open space in front of a dilapidated 3-story building. I took Abigail and Kwasi to Esther Nursery School Kokomlemle, registered them and bought uniform for them .As the Lord provides I looked through my list and fixed another child in school. In the last quarter of last year, I decided to change my strategy. Instead of taking the younger children like Abigail and Kwasi, who have not been to school at all, I decided to registered teenagers like Rahinatu, Joseph and Henrietta who were already in school but had to withdraw, for lack of funding. For example, Joseph Ella 14 is a brilliant boy who'd finished the junior secondary school but couldn't continue to the senior secondary school because his parents are very poor. According to him he'd been selling sachet water to fend for himself. Joseph is now admitted at the Social Advance Institute where he is taking Accounting. For the last two quarters we had paid about $100 for Joseph Quite interestingly, all ten children are unique in their own right. I had prepared a scholarship form, which was filled out for each of them before they can benefit from the program. In a place in the form, I've asked the children to fill in the profession they would like to pursue in the future. Here are their responses: Abigail (6) will like to be a military Officer, Kwasi (6) - teacher, Keni (12) - Medical doctor, Rahinatu (17) - air-hostess, Joseph (14) - Accountant, Henrietta (12) - bank manager, Kwame (5) - engineer, and Kofi (12) - footballer! As I write this line, we've spent about $600 on these children for paying their tuition, books and uniforms. Anytime I see Rahinatu, there is a smile in her face. One of the children, Joseph Ella had written to me and said "Thanks and God bless you pastor Matthew for this wonderful thing you have done for me." Everyday when I passed through the streets of Accra, I see many children who are suppose to be in school but they are selling handkerchiefs, sachet water and dog chains. When I asked them:” Why are you not going to school?" They answered me with the usual refrain "I don't have money to go to school". Would you like to go to school if someone offered to pay for you?” I would ask they would answer yes. I want to send these precious children to school. In fact if I had money today I would build a school here in Accra. Meanwhile, whenever I arrive at the schools where these children are attending school, the children will jump on my neck and hug me. Their teacher and peers called me their "father." For the past year that I have given myself to work for these poor and homeless children, I've known more joy in my life than all the other years of my life put together. I now believed that the best way to assist disadvantaged people is to become a model of possibility for them. I believe we can all make a difference in the world nor matter how small our efforts are. It may be a little thing like I'm doing now, but the effect that such small acts have on how you feel about yourself will be very profound. I agreed with Ralph Waldo Emerson when he said," To have lived is to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived." The old King James Version of Jude 22 has been my inspiration "And of some have compassion making a difference." I cannot tell you how rich my life is now. There is such incredible and indescribable joy that will filled your heart when you add value to another’s life. When you become a model of possibility to others, especially to those who may not have the opportunity to pay you back Since my meeting with the teacher and headmistress at Rahinatu School I have begin to experience a deeper meaning for living. Indeed, the joy of diffusing blessings to others is the purest and most sublime that can ever enter into the human mind. FROM MATTHEW OYE ARIKANKI P.O. BOX GP 1548, ACCRA, GHANA Email: matthewoye@yahoo.com ------------ About the author: Pastor Matthew Oye Arikanki is the pastor of Chariots of Fire Mission a ministry located at the center of Accra. The ministry ministers to the poor and homeless, drug addict, unwed mothers and sends poor children to school. If you would like to assist us in sheltering the homeless and send more children to school, contact us through the email: matthewoye@yahoo.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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