The League of Extraordinary Ambassadors District of Harvesters International Christian Centre, Gbagada Campus, Lagos, at the weekend stormed Shomolu and Akoka communities in Lagos to distribute foodstuffs to children.

The outreach, which is part of the church’s community intervention programme, and, tagged “It’s Not Okay,” targeted 400 children in the communities.

Speaking with The Guardian, District Pastor, League of Extraordinary Ambassadors District, Shomolu/Akoka Area, Harvesters Gbagada Campus, Damilola Balogun, described the outreach as an avenue to be a blessing to the people.

In his words: “It’s one thing to win a soul and talk to people about Jesus, and it’s another thing to give a helping hand and give from what we have.

“We believe that reaching out to the children goes a long way in letting them believe that a lot can happen for them. This resonates with our theme: it’s not okay for children to go hungry, and it’s not okay for people not to have something to eat. You don’t need to have a lot before giving to people. The little you dispense goes a long way in letting them know that someone cares about them.

“This is unique for us because the people were not expecting us. They will remember this, and their parents will also know that God can come through for them any time and any day.”

On the choice of foodstuffs, he said: “A lot is happening in the country at this time, and we can’t just tell people, ‘God bless you.’ We can also extend a helping hand from the little we have. We target the children because we believe that they are the future. If they can have hope for today, the future is bright for them.”

On what is next and his message to Nigerians affected by the economic downturn, he said: “The next step for us is to see how we can scale this to reach 1,000 and above. I have two messages for everyone: give your life to Christ. I am not saying that problems will fade away, but your eyes will be opened to opportunities.

“Secondly, you need to know that God loves you. If you believe and stay in that love, the opportunity to make a difference for yourself will become visible. There is money in the economy; it is just in the hands of a few, but it can flow to you if you open your mind and trust God. God put you in Nigeria for a reason. God never does anything without a reason. The government can’t do it alone; we should be our brother’s keeper.”

Speaking also, a pastor at the campus, Isaac Onaolapo, said: “Jesus fed the hungry. He never allowed anybody who met Him to go hungry. We may not provide them with food for a long time, but whatever we give can still help a family. Nobody should go hungry. We did this because we are following the example of Jesus. We are hoping to provide food for people for a whole month or year, but this is where we are starting from.

“We are using this medium to also appeal to well-to-do Nigerians to extend a hand, sponsor children to schools and feed families. We should extend a hand to those who don’t have.”

One of the leaders, Lynda Njoku, said: “In Harvesters, we believe that giving is part of God’s ways of bringing people together. This helps us to impact society.”

Advising parents, she said: “Holiday time is a time to teach children. Children tend to go astray during the holidays, so it’s a time to guide them and help them understand what is most important to them.”