Pastor Agentunya Napoleon Nwokeimaji, is the director of the Seventh Adventist Rehabilitation Welfare Orphanage Home, Kilometer 7, Ahoada/Abua Rd, Edeoha Ahoada, Rivers State.
The center was established in 1996 by the Seventh Day Adventist Church in response to observed need for a center to care for needy children in the Ahoada/Abua axis and since then, it has successfully nurtured many children some of who have been handed over to their parents, some have grown to become self-sufficient adults.
According to the director, Pastor Napoleon Nwokeimaji, God saved the center from flood.
While the stretch housing the orphanage was submerged by water as well as its neighbouring surroundings, the center was miraculously dry. The buildings, halls, generator house were saved and the farm within the premises were thriving unaware of the stress around them.
The center has according to him, produced children who have upgraded and become self-employed.
Hear him:
How old is the center?
“The center is as old as 1996. It was set up and sponsored by the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Everybody brings in their support. We have 10 children. The youngest is one year, was one year this November, another is one year nine months, others two, three, four years, etc.
The orphanage is open to everybody but it is sponsored by Seventh Day Adventist.
They are either motherless or fatherless children
How is the shrinking economy affecting you; did the flood reduce support?
Well the economy affected us partially but we still look on to our God. For instance, the flood affected everywhere around but it did not affect our compound. It cut us off, and we were left handicapped. The road was affected by the flood but it is free now.
How did you cope during the flood?
That is why God is God. I was passing through the water every day because a good Nigerian gave us a jeep last year. And now we put the children in school in the morning and bring them back in the evening.
So what sort of help does the center need?
The center needs help to support its welfare. Our roof is leaking. We need 18 bundles of Cameroon Aluminum zinc and we have eight bundles.
