A day of service in Western Africa
E-mail story
It's easy. Send a link to the story you were just reading to a friend. Just fill out the form on this page and we'll send it along.
Your name and e-mail address are transmitted to the recipient. Otherwise, it is considered private information; see Privacy policy.
As the beautiful morning sun rose over Western Africa, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, more than 11,000 men, women and children picked up shovels, rakes and paintbrushes and donned bright yellow vests, as the fourth annual All Africa Mormon Helping Hands event swept the continent.
Under the leadership of the Africa West Area presidency — Elder Craig A. Cardon, Elder John B. Dickson and Elder Joseph W. Sitati, all of the Seventy — Latter-day Saints from seven nations in West Africa, representing more than 59 stakes and districts joined hands with over 1,200 of their friends and neighbors, rendering selfless service. Each year, the project has grown, with increasing numbers of members desiring to send the message, "We follow Jesus Christ." Those partnering with the Church included members of private business, governmental agencies, tribal chiefs and people of other faiths.
In preparation for the annual event, local priesthood and community leaders met to identify major areas of concern. Elder Adesina Olukanni, area director of public affairs in West Africa, commented in a statement to the press: "Worthy of note, is the fact that the program fosters the ideals of unity among different people who come together in community service. It is our hope that it will promote inter-faith relationships and peaceful co-existence with members of different denominations."
Many projects, in Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire and Benin, targeted improvement in the environmental conditions in and around hospitals, orphanages, public schools and libraries, marketplaces and parks. In the Ashanti region of Ghana, 893 members, from seven wards and three branches, brought cutlasses, shovels, brooms, wheelbarrows, brushes and mowing sticks to clean the Kumasi Children's Home and compound. The Ashanti regional director of Social Welfare, Mr. Benjamin Otoo, had called on the community to come to the aid of the orphanage. Personally joining in the clean-up effort, he commended Church members for their kindness.
"Worshipping the Lord will be incomplete, if service to humanity is not part of it," he said.
A similar effort held at the New Horizon Vocational Training school for those with intellectual disabilities and autism, garnered deep gratitude.
"It is through the efforts and generosity of kind-hearted individuals and organizations like yours that we are able to put smiles on the faces of our children with special needs," Mrs. Salome Francois, founder of the school, noted in a letter of appreciation,
Inspired by the words of King Mosiah from the Book of Mormon, "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God," members and missionaries emulated the example of the Savior by ministering to the needs of others throughout the day. A number of projects, like those in Togo and the Cape Coast region of Ghana, were expanded to include painting and building maintenance, filling potholes and clearing debris on major thoroughfares and cleaning out the accumulated build-up in the extensive gutter systems.
Working in three locations, more than 1,000 volunteers — including Church members, staff and student body — organized to beautify the grounds at Abia State Polytechnic-Nigeria.
"In an era where everybody is asking for what the government would do for them, it is a welcome development to have an organization that continuously provides service to humanity," Dr. A. A. Onukogu, rector of the school, said during the service effort.
Throughout the day it was reported that citizens and shopkeepers, inspired by what they witnessed, joined in the efforts to beautify their respective homes and places of business.
"I was not invited. I was just fascinated by what they were doing and I decided to participate," Mr. Silas Ije Othor, from Abeokuta, Nigeria, commented, "They all looked so happy clearing water ways, cutting bushes and filling potholes. That is what attracted me to join them."
Perhaps the most characteristic report came from the tiny Bethlehem Branch, whose members chose to serve the community by cleaning in the local police station. As they were finishing up, the prisoners, who had been observing the effort, began to sing. Members gathered together and countered with a rendition of "I Am a Child of God." Drivers of taxis, cars, trucks and "tro-tros" (public transportation vans) passing on the street, either slowed or stopped to see what was going on, asking 'Who are these people?'
As witnessed in the Savior's life, the power of example is limitless. The annual All Africa Mormon Helping Hands event is changing nations, states, homes and individuals — one life at a time.
