Redefining Christianity through Love Foundation Raheem Akingbolu
Writes that the church is fast redefining Christianity and evangelism in a positive way through ‘His Love Foundation’ CSR Scheme championed by the City of David, a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God
For the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), its mantra has always been synonymous with giving. From charity donations to free feeding scheme, to running homes for prostitutes, destitute and trafficked girls to male homes for drugs addicts, their Christian Social Reform (CSR) knows no bounds.
Barely a year after The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) initiated ‘His Love Foundation’ as a platform through which the church wanted to give back to the society, the initiative has begun to make significant impact in various communities in Nigeria. In the last six months, the church has not only touched lives but has initiated social service projects in the area of security, health services and education.
At the City of David (COD), a parish of RCCG, it’s no different. They are focused on improving the social, health and economic activities within Oniru and its environs, as well as impact lives spiritually and socially.
Already, it has set up a fully fledged hospital with cancer, dental, dialysis and diagnostic centres, and mobile clinics to improve health care services in the community and Lagos State; built primary and secondary schools, including providing scholarships to support students with superior academic results but faced financial challenges.
They also set up ‘A CAN CAN Make A Difference (ACCMAD) Ministry providing free packed meals to over 60,000 people (in prisons and general welfare centres) every week in Lagos State, as well as provide free legal rehabilitation for inmates, donation and bursary awards to inmates in various prisons all over Lagos State, and renovation of Multipurpose Hall at Kirikiri
Health Scheme
In what looks like the peak of its activities for 2019, the Healing Stripes Hospital Dialysis Support Scheme, an offshoot of the foundation, established by the Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David (RCCG COD), recently emerged Outstanding CSR Health Project of the Year.
In a country that is struggling with worsening living standards, the need for quality healthcare cannot be ignored, hence the recognition of the scheme by Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award 2019, for generously giving free dialysis to the less privileged. The scheme is part of the foundation’s Christian Social Reform, which has been confirmed to be the first faith-based Cancer Screening Centre in Nigeria.
The hospital started as an out-patient clinic in 2010 by offering primary care and community healthcare outreaches with determination to ensure that quality health care is accessibly affordable and reliable.
In 2012, ‘Makoko Care Clinic’ was birthed to offer free out-patient clinics to the Makoko community every quarter. Other communities that have benefitted from the medical outreaches done by the hospital are Ilaje, Oshodi, Bar Beach, Oniru New Market and Mayegun community located in Lekki.
The Healing Stripes Cancer Screening & Diagnostics Centre has screened over 101, 837 people and 9,505 dialysis sessions have been completed at subsidised rates, with a good number done for free.
According to Doctor in-charge of Healing Stripes Hospital (HSH), Dr. Ezinne Onyemere, HSH which is the Christian Social Responsibility (CSR) project of RCCG and a partner of His Love Foundation, a charity arm of the church, has been supporting healthcare delivery in the country and from inception by offering quality health care through diagnostics, laboratory, pharmaceutical, dialysis and ambulance services.
Onyemere further mentioned that HSH has completed successfully nine kidney transplants in partnership with medical institutions abroad.
In June 2019, for providing extensive health care services, the hospital was awarded with most Outstanding CSR Health Project of the Year by the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award 2019 for giving free dialysis to the less privileged.
“The Dialysis Support Scheme is the reason why we won the award. It shows that whatever you put your mind to do it is possible regardless of the circumstance. Health care system is really a complex system and it is something you can do if you are determined,” an excited Onyemere said.
Also, the Special Assistant to the General Overseer of RCCG on CSR, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade said in addition to the numerous beneficiaries of the health intervention programmes, the church has sponsored major medical treatments like kidney transplants and the donation of an Intensive Care Unit.
As if this was not enough, the church had moved to Jos, capital of Plateau State a week after, where its General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, commissioned another ultra-modern Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Jos Specialist Hospital, as part of the cardinal focus of the church’s CSR.
Speaking at the event, Pastor Adeboye expressed gratitude to God for granting the church the enablement and thanked the leadership of Jos Specialist Hospital for receiving the church and allowing the development of the facility which, in his words, is a gift of love from the charity arm of the church.
Intervention in Police K9 Unit
Three months ago, the church, had through its CSR intervention programme handed over Canine Section popularly called `K9’ Unit to the Nigeria Police Force Canine Division Area F, Ikeja.
According to the Pastor-in-Charge of RCCG LP 47, Pastor Femi Obaweya, noted that it was during a recent visit to the Canine Division of Area F that he first took notice of the dysfunctional dog service facility, which was not befitting of Nigeria Police Force.
According to him, the kennels were not in good in condition and then promised to work towards uplifting the current facility.
During the visit, he also observed that there was no direct water supply to the facility, which also possessed a challenge to the effective running of the facility.
Obaweya sought approval of the Nigeria Police proceeded to commission the renovation of the facility, including sinking a borehole and providing a 3.8KVA generator to power the surface tank and the provision and replacement of all metal gadgets (runway, fences, loops, barriers, etc.) with new ones for the training of the dogs.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Iluyomade said: “We have done all these for NPF as our contribution and appreciation to the Nigerian Police Force good works to the community and state where we reside”.
Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations (FAB), Force Headquarters, Abuja CP Aishatu Abubakar, said the renovation of the kennel located in Area F Ikeja and provision of 3.8kva generator was indeed commendable.
The gestures, she said, will enhance effective policing of the State at large.
She thanked the leadership of RCCG and specifically Obaweya for his support and generosity.
Free Meals
On the free meals for those in need, Iluyomade said it’s practiced in all zones and branches of the church. He also highlighted the other intervention programmes of the church through its charity arm, His Love Foundation, where over 57 million meals have been served across the 197 countries where the church is in operation over the last one year.
His Love Foundation
The journey began over a year ago ahead of the annual Holy Ghost Congress of the RCCG with the inauguration of its global charity arm, “His Love Foundation,” to address critical needs in education, health, prisons, hunger, social enterprise and rehabilitation.
During the inauguration, the Special Assistant to the General Overseer on CSR, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, flanked by other senior members of the global outreach had made the announcement at a media conference in Lagos, pledging that the foundation had perfected plans to feed 50 million persons in 197 countries that month.
Iluyomade, pastor-in-charge of RCCG Region 20 said the foundation had active participation from 42,796 operating centres/ parishes in Nigeria with 150 daily feeding centers serving the need of over 1,000 people daily, amounting to over 150,000 free meals per day nation-wide.
According to him, the target of 50 million free meals project was projected to coincide with that year’s Let’s Go A-Fishing, the mission’s annual evangelistic ministry across 197 countries worldwide.
“RCCG has successfully implemented in Nigeria from March 2018 to date over 30,626 projects nationwide, with hundreds of thousands of projects being done in the nations of the world where the church is operating.
“As a charity organisation, His Love Foundation will achieve stability and reach more people around the world through institutional partnerships,’’ he had said, adding that the church had set up feeding centers across the country to address hunger.