By Magnus Effiong
There was excitement in Calabar at the weekend as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Calabar Nigeria Stake, donated wheelchairs to the general hospital, Akamkpa, as well as some physically challenged members the Moslem community in Calabar and other members of the society.
Making the donation at the premises of the Church at Eta Agbor, Calabar, the Stake President, Alex Nkoro, said the donation was a package for the Church’s welfare programme for the year 2022.
“The Church is doing this as humanitarian assistance to the less privileged and the needy in the society as part of the welfare programme initiated by the Church decades ago.
“This is in line with the teachings of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who taught us to show love to our society,” Nkoro explained, adding that he believed the gesture would help in reducing human sufferings.
Receiving the wheelchairs on behalf of the hospital, a staff nurse, Angela Akong, lauded the leadership of the Church for having the ability to discover a particular plight of the hospital in terms of transporting patients within the hospital premises.
She lamented the dilapidated condition of public health infrastructures across the country, and therefore called on public spirited persons and individuals to always sow the seed of kindness for the sake of humanity.
Also speaking, Secretary of the Moslem community in Calabar, Alhaji Shaaban Abdullahi, who spoke on behalf of recipients, described the gesture as demonstration of religious tolerance, love and acceptability, saying the gesture would ameliorate the plight of the beneficiaries.
“If all faiths were to be as humane as what the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints has demonstrated, the world would be a better place for humanity to live. And by extending this to Moslem faithfuls, it proves that you tolerate and accept other people’s religion,” he stated, and urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the wheelchairs.
