Prophet Joseph Igbodo, General Overseer of Divine Faith Evangelical Mission International, on Friday distributed no fewer than 50 bags of rice, tubers of yams to more than 1,000 widows in Ika South and Ika North East Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Delta.
Igbodo speaking at Abavo in Ika South LGA of the State on Friday, said that the essence of the empowerment was to cushion the effects of hardship and to commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Easter celebration).
He said that he had always seen the need to reach out to widows and orphans who were mostly neglected in the society.
Igbodo, who is also the proprietor of Job Orphanage and St. Stephen’s Trust Widows Home, said the gesture would help to reduce the impact of the present hardship they are going through as well as enable them to celebrate this year Easter with joy and a sense of belongings.
The clergyman, while commending the windows for their trust in God, advised them to serve God genuinely with all their hearts, saying that God who created them will not fail them irrespective of their challenges.
He also advised them to see God as their Provider, saying that God would always meet them at the very point of their needs.
Igbodo further admonished them not to see the food items as mere food, but they should see as spiritual food.
”As you eat this rice and the other food items, it will drive away hunger, sickness and want from your lives.
”Whatever you eat from this altar from today shall attract the glory of God to your lives.
”I am always proud to associate with the widows and the orphans in the society and I am even happier teaching out to them with food items,” he said.
Igbodo, while wishing the widows a lovely and blissful Easter celebration, enjoined them to keep showing love to others in the society and assured them of God’s blessings through their benevolent acts.
He appealed to Christian faithful to always endeavour to give alms to the poor and vulnerable in the society in order to alleviate suffering and eradicate poverty.
”Love is built on sacrificial giving. That is why God gave us his son, Jesus, and Jesus in turn accomplished the love by allowing himself to die for us on the cross of Calvary,” he said.
Aside the bags of rice, tubers of yam, the clergyman also distributed cartons of noddles, cartons of biscuits, cartons of detergent, and toiletries among others to the windows.
The widows who benefited from the gesture, cut across Abavo, Owa-Oyibu, Umunede, Idumuesah, Alifekede, Oza-Zonogo, Emuhu, Igbodo and Alisimie in both Ika South and Ika North East LGAs.
Igbodo had in the last 10 years consistently empowered no fewer than 10,000 widows and orphans across Delta and Edo states.
Responding on behalf of the widows, Mrs Lucy Etueno, Women Leader of Abavo Widows Forum, thanked the clergyman for the gesture and prayed that God would continue to protect and keep him.
