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Children urged to relate, connect with God through praise

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Outpour of Fragrances Initiative, has urged children to learn how to relate and connect with God through praise, prayers, and songs.

The NGO made this charge on Saturday in Ibadan during the eighth edition of its annual Children Praise and Pray project, themed ‘Sing to the Lord’.

The founder and president of the NGO, Dr Lola Ayo-Fashida, in her opening remarks, stated that the initiative, founded in 2016, provides help to the less fortunate, assists underprivileged women and widows, promotes education and reading among young people, among others.

According to Ayo-Fashida, some of their projects include Love4JAMB, business grants for single mothers, beautifying His jewels, back to school, children praise and pray, Jackies hub, and pads our beauties.

She added that all these projects align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 17.

Ayo-Fashida revealed that, by August 17, the organisation will be organising the maiden edition of the Children Praise and Pray at the St Laurence Church Hall, Coventry City, United Kingdom (UK), which will continue to be an annual event in the UK.

Ministering, Victoria Kolawole stated that singing brings people, especially children, closer to God, and that it is good for children and young people to cultivate the love and habit of praising and singing to God no matter the conditions they find themselves in.

“When you sing, you find joy in God. When you sing songs, hymns, and psalms, you glorify God,” she said.

Kolawole urged the children to always praise God with honesty and sincerity, adding, “Do not just sing for singing sake or because you love the song. Sing because you want to find joy in God and glorify His name.”

Earlier, Olayinka Olorunkosebi, a spoken word artiste, performed a spoken-word piece titled ‘Praise God’. He said the event was apt because it brings children together to showcase their artistry talents, and for them to meditate on the word of God through songs and praise.

Olorunkosebi further said that, because Nigeria, at this time, is not what most people expect, having someone to gather children to praise God in the face of all the challenges, is commendable and encouraging.

While performing, ensuring the children were carried along in the act, he enjoined the children to tell their neighbours beside them who God is through the songs and dialogue.

“If you are telling your neighbour who God is, he is also telling you who God is ─ we are all telling our stories through songs because we are children of God,” Olorunkosebi added.

Abisola Sulu, a children’s minister and evangelist, spoke on people’s relationship with God and how it affects their lives. She said that most people see God as a fence, ladder, garbage can, and door.

Sulu further said the right way to see God is as a door, adding, “Even though the distance between you and God is 1000 miles, God will still take the 999 steps towards you. We only need to take a step towards Him.”

She urged the children to strengthen their relationship with God like the Biblical prodigal son did by uniting with his father. She also told the children to avoid peer pressure and walk the path of righteousness.

The founder of the organization, Dr Ayo-Fashida, later spoke on the benefit of savings as a child or a young person. She did this through her new children’s book titled ‘Bisola Visits Her Grandma’.

Three eight-year-old children read excerpts from the book as Ayo-Fashida explained the theme of the book and the importance of savings using the story of Joseph in the Bible.

She told the children that they are not too young to save, adding, “For every money you get, learn to keep a little out of it so that when you do not have money, you can go back to what you have saved.”

In the course of the event, there were singing, dancing, quiz, Bible reading, and gift presentations, among other activities.

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