Rain of prayers, testimonies as foundation beneficiaries celebrate Tioluwani, Olamitoye

IT was a rain of prayers and testimonies showered on the founder of Bible Way Crusaders Church International, popularly known as Lesekese, and the brains behind the Care People Foundation, Reverend Paul Tioluwani, and Dr Olubunmi Olamitoye, as beneficiaries of the religious foundation celebrated the duo on their birthdays with emotional testimonies of transformed lives.

The celebration, held on Saturday, August 22, at the Care People Foundation Home, located at Kilometre 15 along the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway, brought together children, students and graduates who have benefited from the foundation’s faith-based humanitarian intervention and educational support.

The foundation, established as a Christian humanitarian initiative, has continued to combine the teachings of Jesus Christ with practical support for vulnerable children, particularly orphans and underprivileged young people, while nurturing them in the Christian faith and helping them pursue their educational aspirations.

The birthday celebration was, therefore, marked by prayers, thanksgiving, worship and testimonies, as beneficiaries expressed gratitude to God for the lives of the celebrants and for the opportunities they had received through the foundation.

One of the major highlights of the occasion was the testimony of Omolayo Olatunbosun, a graduate of Political Science Education from Olabisi Onabanjo University, who was nurtured by the foundation after becoming an orphan at the age of three.

Olatunbosun expressed gratitude to God for enabling her to achieve her educational dream despite losing her parents at a tender age.

She also appreciated Reverend Tioluwani, the Olamitoye family and the foundation for providing her with the care, spiritual guidance and educational support that enabled her to pursue her studies.

According to her, the intervention restored her hope at a time when her circumstances had made her future uncertain and eventually enabled her to graduate from the university with distinctions.

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Her testimony was complemented by that of Adeniyi Boluwatife Comfort, a Business Administration undergraduate of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), who was adopted by the foundation at a young age after becoming an orphan.

Boluwatife expressed his gratitude as a proud best student of the institution, noting that his confidence and hope was restored through the foundation.

Other beneficiaries who have benefited from the foundation’s educational intervention include Kenneth Oreoluwa, a student of Olabisi Onabanjo University; Okedion Mercy, a graduate of Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic; and Kenneth Testimony, a Computer Science student of the Federal College of Animal Health and Technology, among others.

Their testimonies provided further evidence of the impact of the foundation’s Christian humanitarian mission, particularly its commitment to combining spiritual upbringing, care and education in giving vulnerable children a better future.

Speaking during the celebration, Dr Olamitoye said celebrating her birthday with the children had become an annual tradition that she looked forward to with joy.

“I am glad to celebrate with the children of this home,” she said.

She explained that her love for the children and the joy she derives from supporting them were among the reasons she had continued to identify with the home.

“I love the children here. I support them, and most especially, I love it when they pray. I believe their prayers have been a source of joy and blessing in my life ever since,” she said.

Olamitoye prayed that God would continue to grant her, the foundation and the children good health and success.

Also speaking, Reverend Tioluwani noted that the decision to celebrate at the home was firmly rooted in Christian teaching.

He explained that he and Olamitoye, who are co-birthday celebrants, deliberately chose to spend the day with the children as an expression of their Christian faith and commitment to caring for the vulnerable.

According to him, the celebration was organised in accordance with the biblical instruction that believers should remember the poor and vulnerable.

“We have decided to celebrate with the poor, in accordance with the Scriptures. The Bible teaches that when we organise a celebration, we should not only invite the rich, but we should remember the poor, and God Himself will reward us,” he said.

Tioluwani also called on privileged members of society to emulate the gesture by supporting vulnerable children and others in need.

Quoting the Scripture, he said, “He that showeth mercy shall also obtain mercy.”

The religious dimension of the foundation was evident throughout the celebration, as prayers and thanksgiving formed a major part of the programme. Beneficiaries also used the occasion to appreciate God for sustaining the lives of the celebrants and for using them to provide care, spiritual nurturing and educational opportunities for vulnerable children.