By Christine Onwuachumba
Women of Assemblies of God, Lagos Mainland chapter, recently celebrated its annual Mother’s Day. It was a week of sundry activities.
As part of the event, the team visited the Lagos Old People’s Home in Yaba, Lagos.
It was a day of building relationships and serenading the elderly, lovingly reminding them that they were still viable members of the community. And for many of the old men and women, they felt a great sense of being involved.
Leader of the Women Ministries, Assemblies of God Church, Lagos Mainland, Bright Eberechi Okorie, gave a unique perspective on the care of senior citizens.
“Probably, there is no group that has greater spiritual needs than the older group,” Okorie said. “Their needs are different. Such needs as acceptance, someone to listen and opportunity to pass on the wisdom gained from life are spiritual aspects. Women groups like us meet that need.”
The residents of the care facility enjoyed the praise and worship as well as the jokes that freely flowed during the visit. They urged the women to visit more regular.
Issues of death and dying are a big reason people avoid visiting nursing homes, Mrs Bright Okorie noted. “But there is so much knowledge and wisdom in visiting them and it’s a joy giving back. Most of them have given a lot for their country, so it will be good to be there for them.”
Lauding the Lagos -state government for building such a facility, she called on other state governments to emulate it and at least have an old people’s home in every local government. She noted that social facilities could make them healthier, even as she urged other women groups to show their support to the elderly folk and make it a duty to visit them.
“It is the essence of life to show them affection,” she stated.
While presenting the gift items to the facilitators of the care facility, Okorie urged them to continue in their good works by keeping the inmates clean and maintaining a neat environment.