Gilbert Ekezie
Mary’s Perpetual Help Foundation Motherless/Less Privileged Home, a member of the Association of Orphanages and Homes Operations in Nigeria (ASOHON), has given hope and joy to many children and families in Nigeria.
Located along Isingwu Road, near Afor Nkpor, Anambra State, and Ilogbo, in Oto Awori Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, the home has the slogan, “With her perpetual help, things swiftly turn around for our good.” The reporter recently paid a visit to the facility.
Among the facilities found at the home were babies’ and children’s wards, kitchen, milk preparation room, a multipurpose room and an isolation room for children with suspected infectious diseases.
At the place, the reporter and the photographer were received by little children of between one and 10 years that should be under parental care, but that has been denied them by circumstances. They embraced every visitor with songs and prayers in a happy manner. While at the home, the reporter was moved by the story of six-year-old Oluebube Anyigo, a native of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, who was brought to the home after surviving in her dead mother’s womb.
It was gathered that her father, Mr. Pius Anyigo, brought her to the home in November 2013 when she was eight months old. Her pregnant mother was the victim of a stampede during a crusade at the Adoration Ministry early that year. After the incident, the woman was rushed to the hospital where she was confirmed dead. And since she could not be buried with her unborn baby, the doctor operated on her to separate the baby.
Everyone, including the medical doctors, thought that the baby had died like her mother. But as God would have it, when she was brought out, she was still breathing. Eyewitnesses were surprised that such could happen. Days after she was discharged from hospital, her father approached the home to know what it would take to nurture the baby.
Manager of the home, Miss Obiageli Obiora, explained that when the man brought the baby, she was premature and her body was covered with veins. In spite of that, the home received her, cleaned her up and started taking care of her like the rest.
She said: “Oluebube’s case is a unique one. It is rare for a pregnant woman to die and her unborn baby survives. That is really a great miracle. We at the home believe that God used her to prove Himself. That was the reason she was named Oluebube (Miracle).”
Obiora stated that the girl, who is now in Nursery 2 is doing well due to what God is using the home to do. “She hardly falls sick like other children,” she noted.
She expressed displeasure, however, that after the father had brought her to the home, he had not showed up again. Each time he was called upon to come and see his daughter, he would claim he had no money, she said.
Obiora, who has managed the home for about eight years, also informed that the home takes good care of motherless babies from a day old.
“The home was established ten years go and I joined two years after. The founder and director of the home, Rev. John Mary Ihueze, a monk, is doing exploits in the area of philanthropy and proper upbringing of motherless children, orphans in the society and other less privileged people.
“God created the children to have a sense of belonging, but one thing or the other wants to deprive them from such. That is the reason the founder is doing everything possible and legitimate to stand in for them. He is a special gift for the children. If you stay here till the time the children will be praying, you will shed tears. They pray for him because he cares for them more than their immediate families could ever do. In fact, he is a true gift from God to the children and he will be blessed for that.”
She noted that Rev. Ihueze has been running the homes with his little resources. She explained that the demands are becoming very high for him to carry alone. She therefore appealed to individuals and groups to put a smile on the faces of the children by donating foodstuff, clothes, cash, or by sponsoring their education, feeding and medications.
“We need money to take good care of the children. It is so bad that sometimes, it will take up to a month and no one will knock at our gate for donation. It is only God that has been sustaining the children. Director of the home, Rev Ihueze is doing his best to see that the children get the best they deserve. At the Ebelechukwu Nursery and Primary School, Nkpor, we owe about N1.3 million for tuition, school bus fees and other levies for the 12 children we have there. The proprietor has been magnanimous enough to give us more time to pay, but we do not have such amount. Our homes also need more space and the necessary facilities needed to care, raise babies and less privileged children. That is why we need support.”
She also called on government, corporate organisations and religious bodies to offer help to the children.
Founder of the home, Rev John Mary Ihueze, said Oluebube has a mission to accomplish in life, adding that it was that reason that made her survive in her dead mother’s womb.
He explained that the home was aimed at ameliorating mortality among children from impoverished homes and the motherless. He said the home caters for children from the first day of their lives, giving them much needed maternal care and love through God’s intervention.
His words: “The book of Isaiah 58 said the fasting that pleases God most is opening your home to the homeless, giving your food to the hungry and your drink to the thirsty. Then, in verses 6 to 11, you will see the blessings that follow. That is what we are doing here.”
Ihueze said when he was convinced that God wanted him to help the poor as a Catholic monk in the monastery then, he told his superior of his intentions.
“My superior was happy about that and gave me permission to write Rome. Then the Pope gave me the dispensation to follow another vocation of taking care of the poor, needy and helpless. That was how we started in 2005 at Asaba, Delta State, but now at Nkpor, Anambra State and Ilogbo in Lagos State.”
Ihueze also explained that he was inspired to establish the home by his wretched background. “My father died when I was ten years old and mother had nothing to offer. So, no one was there for me and I had to stop at elementary three. Today there are so many families that are still passing through worse things than what we went through as a child. For instance, there was a mother of three kids in Asaba who I use to help with some foodstuffs. Sometime ago, she called and told me that they had no food to eat and I told her to go to the home at Nkpor to get some foodstuff. But she was unable to go after three days due to transport fare.”
He called on all to remember children in the Mary’s Perpetual Help Foundation Motherless/Less Privileged Homes in their will, donate gifts in kind, help with transport, homework, sponsor a birthday party or host a child.
“Obviously, many Nigerians are using their affluence to impact the lives of the less privileged, especially children and motherless babies. I have stories of young Nigerians who came from a humble background, but haven’t forgotten their roots entirely. They make it a point of duty to help those in need. As a monk, I did not get married. So, each time I see the children, I feel happy. They are my family, and I am out to take good care of them.”