Liberty!

from the deepest darkest marry mire–a way is made.

In the heated passion of temptation–a choice of escape can be found.

A way out of no way,

A blazing trail through the wilderness is beaten, as water parts the desert dry, so is a way out of no way and choice of escape is found!

More than your load, carry you will not, for HE makes a way out, to escape and to flee!

 

 

RefinedOne.

 

“true liberty is in the courage to choose righteousness, for righteousness is never easy and will have to be fought to possess”

RefinedOne.

Last Tango in…

Man proposes God disposes, so they say….Well it seem so in my situation. I would have loved to be writing this in the heat of Lagos, but alas! It’s not to be…

All my furniture and things are having that experience at the moment without me…something came up and we have to spend one more Christmas in the UK….

Yes I am still in the cold of the UK…dreaming of my Lagos sun.As I sit on the floor typing this( it’s all back to basic guys ) …No Christmas tree or decorations…No feeling of the season, my body is here but my spirit is not ( it is in las gidi )…thinking of all my plans for Christmas in Lagos… taking the children to the beach after feasting and visiting, I think God must have a reason…He must have something better in store in January or He is just looking out for us, one way or another ….It is well!

So one more “tango in the UK” folks   I will make the best of a situation I was not looking forward to….

On the 3^rdthis month makes One year of blogging for me….How the year has flown. It has been the best and the worst of years all mixed into one…. But I would say it has been a year of Gods faithfulness… getting to know more about the layers that make me, ME.

 A year that God has shown me I am able to carry some loads I would have never believed I could… A year of seeing how far His love for me expands. A year of growth….This has been a landmark year and I am thankful.I would like to thank all that have ever left a comment on my blog….all those that have been to my blog and not left any comments…all those that have left email comments and encouragement…all those that have emailed me to say they where encouraged by my words or post, I say a big THANK YOU…GOD BLESS YOU and I look forward to many more years (God willing)

My New Year starts in September, that is when I seek God face for a word to carry into the following year/season. 2007 was “Taking the limits of God and expanding boundaries” This He sure did…I was so excited about the expanding boundaries, that I did not take in to account what it fully implied…If I was to expand my boundaries, that would also mean stepping into a boundary already occupied, at first I was not careful and did not protect myself from the assault and attack of “expanding boundaries” but soon understood that when God gives you a word it will be fulfilled, but it will never come easy, cos it is in the process of the fire you are REFINED.

This Year/Season 2008 ( yes 2008 , for I am already in my New Year) my word from God has been “Soar like an eagle….New beginnings/ new thinking…a season of separation and feeling of going it alone (some friendships will not go it with me in this year/season). Many will not understand me…but that’s ok, they are not meant to. It’s a continuation from the year before to take the limits of God and walk in my uniqueness.

The more I read about the character and attribute of an eagle it gets clearer…This time I have learnt to guard my heart, keep myself in His covering and not be arrogant to think I know anything….for it is all Him.

Have a Merry Christmas ….the reason for the season is CHRIST and nothing else…Not the trees…Not the presents…Not the food….Not clothes…..Not the drinks.

Happy New Year….may we all walk in the fullness of our purpose and fulfil DESTINY.

Till 2008.

 Thanks http://mumsdadschildren.blogspot.com for this:   

 

The Other side of moi…

  www.refinedonelyrics.wordpress.com

 

   The Breaking…  

From eternity to destiny in-between these; the seasons
Yes! You choose me from the creation of time
Yes! I was with you, in you, were you.

You birth me into this shell for you know the end.

In this shell you kept me, to minister for you care so much; you wanted to feel what I felt, to deliver destiny and redeem a generation.

 Ah! To be born into this shell and go through the seasons, learning, being broken and birthing.
Ah! How this shell has been knocked, bruised, abused, tossed and pulled … for the shell hates you!
it loves what it sees and wants more
it loves what it feels and wants more
it loves what it touches and wants more
it loves what it tastes and wants more
it loves what it hears and wants more…
But! Yes, I was in you from the creation of time, was with you and was you.

Alas! You are still in me to birth destiny (for you know the end).
The alabaster box was broken
The lamb was slain, so ….
You break and slay me daily, in seasons to birth destiny (for you know the end).
I am knocked but I get up, to be knocked again and again

But I get up quicker with every blow until I master how to block and dock the punches….
With each knock, a breaking, until you are poured out of this shell to birth eternity to destiny…

For you alone know the end! 

Author: RefinedOne   

…will not be putting any new post for a while, stay strong all 

  

Nuff said!

                                                                                                                                     

                                                                       http://www.silentday.org/index.php

Woman that do it for me…finale

Cece Winans- When I listen to her music it always ministers to me, she comes across like one that is a true worshipper- one that loves the Lord with all her being giving Him the praise in every way. Apart from being an award winning artist (six times Grammy awards winner), Dove award winner, Soul train award winner and actress… she is also a teacher and mentor…Her album Throne room is my all time favourite, not just the melody but the words always bring healing and joy to my soul, I feel sometimes listening to her songs and feel like I am intruding in her personal time with God. I most admire about her is a passion for the youth, especially young girls. In Oct of 2005, Cece developed and hosted the Always Sisters conference which focuses on support for young women ages 13-26yrs, where she offered words of encouragement and self esteem was discussed. This is her passion that young women will walk in the fullness of God glory and self worth of their everyday lives. At the conference she presented the young ladies with tiaras as a token to the girl, She said…”My prayer was that they know God and know who they are”…”He is the only one that can really teach you who you are, how beautiful you are, how powerful you are, that you deserve the best and not to settle for less” This are the kind of things I like to see and hear..Older women mentoring the younger ones and empowering them on who (we) are as women/princesses and should be treated as one by ourselves and others. Cece has been married for over 21yrs with two children (boy/girl) Cece the wife and mother has managed to balance her personal and professional lives with relatives ease….this for me is a woman living a life with purpose. 

 Oprah Winfrey- Born January 29, 1954 is the American multiple-Emmy Award winning host of The Oprah Show, the highest-rated talk show in television history. She is also an influential book critic, an Academy Award -nominated actress for The Color Purple. And a magazine publisher of O, The Oprah Magazine and O at Home. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century, the most philanthropic African American of all time, and the world’s only black billionaire for three straight years. She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world {} raised in rural poverty by her grandmother, born out of wedlock by a mother who was a housekeeper and father a coal miner, at the birth of Oprah, but later became a councilman. Regardless of background and a challenged home life she was able to rise above it all at 13yrs received a scholarship to attend Nicolet High School in the Milwaukee suburb of Glendale, Wisconsin after which she won an oratory contest, which secured her full scholarship to Tennessee State University, a historically black institution, where she studied communication. This is a woman that has accomplished so much in the world of media I could go on, but what I would like to spotlight and truly admire is her Leadership Academy for Girls  in South Africa, she intends teaching a class via satellite. Oprah is not married, but instead has been in longstanding relationship of over 20yrs with partner Stedman Graham. She never had children of her own but had this to say about the girls of her Leadership Academy….”I never had children, never even thought I would have children. Now I have 152 daughters; expecting 75 more next year. That is some type of gestation period…I said to the mothers, the family members, the aunts, the grannies — because most of these girls have lost their families, their parents — I said to them, “Your daughters are now my daughters and I promise you I’m going to take care of your daughters. I promise you.”   

I found doing the research for this list quiet reflective and it sure did reinforce things about myself that I am absolutely sure are no coincidences anymore… all the women that I admire, truly sum me up …Out of the box, Passionate, Motivational, Strong, Natural nurturers, Called to run “their own” race, Unique with a large heart of service to others and effective to their immediate society and the world!

 None of these women are perfect and have made mistakes in their lives, they have had their share of challenges and adversity, but it never stopped them…

Life must have purpose!

Who inspires you? 

Who do you admire?  

 And Why? 

Love and Mercy!

This is especially for you ….

Ashe of www.asheselah.wordpress.com

Sister-Friend Alicam and baby sis’ T.

Stay strong! Girls

Ishmael!

Birthing Ishmael!

We all will experience hurts, disappointments and even betrayal by the ones we love and trust sometime in our journey of life. I guess that is why it is a journey of many paths… We will come to crossroads and have to choose what direction is best to travel, some may be roads well travelled, so you  have an idea of what may lay ahead others may be uncharted territory, one you would have to trail blaze yourself and some may just be wrong to walk!

Relationships become important, close ones became valuable and relied on, we’ll sometimes let others lead us down there path, let them set the tone or pace  of your journey, until things start taking a turn for the worst and the feeling of trust gets violated, love broken. We start to loose the lustre in the relationship.  You just want to give up  trying  any longer, and for the moment to ease the pain….To ease what ever pressure you long for, a soothing ointment ( could  be drink, drugs, work or in the arms of another) but not the true “balm”. But we know we need soothing, release for the moment!

It is at this point I say call out! shout out! even cry out! to the one that has a greater and better view of your journey. The one that created and knows you ….Please! Do not faint, for in your  weakness is when He shows up in His strength on your behalf.
 Do not miss your call, purpose, and destiny by selling your birthright for a morsel of porridge (instant gratification).  Do not walk in bitterness, unforgiveness and resentment for this will only birth more pain and revenge, but wait!…………. Less we birth “an Ishmael”

What is birthing an Ishmael you say……

You will have to go the bible and read the book of Genesis 16-21.

To paraphrase …. Abraham and his wife Sarah  were very old and had no child of there own, but were promised by God that they would have a child. In the impatience of Sarah, she encouraged her husband to bear a child with her maidservant called Hagar; she gave birth to Ishmael meaning God hears. By the time Ishmael was a teen  Sarah took in and gave birth to her son called Isaac (you see Gods word never goes back to Him unfulfilled)
Sarah later made her husband send Hagar and her son Ishmael away, cos she felt had become a treat to Isaac her son and cos Hagar had taunted her all the years after Ishmael was born….
Today the trouble in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestine is all a result of Sarah’s impatience.

Let us not in our pain, heartache and weakness  take the law /retribution, payback, revenge in our own hands….
The Journey is long with bends and turns,  up’s and down’s, the bumps on the road are many!
Be encouraged!

*an Ishmael*………….a temporal solution that could cause long term damage.

The God of a second chance…He saved!

As I walk in this season of my life, I am just overwhelmed with the different extreme of emotions I am going through… form one minute feeling like giving up, of shame, despair and then excitement that it’s not all over, but a chance to “do over” a chance to make it better, sweeter and greater!!

So I thank the God of a SECOND CHANCE!!!

Loosed!

Devil you should have killed me when you had the chance…. 

When I walked out of God’s plan, out of His purpose and destiny for me, and let myself get tainted, diluted and separated from Him……to the point that when my Lord went looking; could not find me, only to see me bound and chained by my own habits that did not glorify Him….

 I was ugly and in dispair I was without the glory my Lord had put on me….Yet He came and paid the costly price to release and save me. You saved me, cleansed me, and started to prepare me. With my head down you lifted me.You told me (reminded me) who I was ….

You gave me beauty for all my ashes, joy for all my pain.You clothe me with your righteousness again!

You stayed with me to teach me how to walk with you, again! You restored my purpose for you loosed me!

 Devil you should have killed me when you had the chance….

‘Cos now, I am loosed! and set free!

Amen!

Authour:  Refinedone

A few good men…( thank God they are still out there)

…Just got this and had to share. 

Minister Joe Wright’s Prayer of the Opening of session of Kansas Senate.

“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your
forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.
We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil
good,’ but that is exactly what we have done. We have
lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our
values.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and
called it building self esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbour’s possessions and called
it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and
pornography and called it freedom of ___expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our
forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse
us from every sin and set us free.
Amen!

The response was immediate. A number of legislators
walked out during the prayer in protest. In 6 short
weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is
pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only
47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is
now receiving international requests for copies of
this prayer from India, Africa and
Korea. 

This is the time to draw a line in the sand and choose,whose side are you on?

Hot or Cold no lukewarmness no sitting on the fence, make you stand… choose!enjoy the benefit or suffer the consequences…it’s your choice!

Brother sold Brother!

Slavery with all its horrors was still a plan of God! (Believe it or not)

This was what my pastor preached about on Sunday the 25th of Mrach(200yrs of the abolition of slavery in the British colonies). At first that did not go so well with me, just as I was getting over that he dropped another “truth” …( he did warn that most of us would not take to his next statement likely) Trust me, it did not with me, but you could not deny the truth.

He reminded us about Joseph and how his brothers first planned to kill him because of his dreams/destiny and favour he had with there father…but later decide to sell him into slavery … They did not know, nor care what would become of him. As the story goes Joseph favour followed him every where …In the donjons he had favour with his gift as a dream interpreter, from there to be made a citizen  and  a Governor and only subordinate to Pharaoh ( King of Egypt)  all this in  the land he was sold to as a slave.

Then we are told there was famine in the all the land …but there was food in
Egypt, because Joseph had been able to read the dream of the King that foretold the famine… anyway cos of all this Josephs family where able to come and get food and even relocated….Read the detailed story in the book of Genesis 39-47.

All this is said to let you know the plans of God in your life can be killed/aborted or destroyed…what God says, will be fulfilled, a seed that never dies will never ripe a harvest.

Why I decided to write this post was because in the post before this I said something about an apology….which I would like to take back.

That is not necessary for the plans of God for slavery will be fulfilled. The pathway of our Destiny… {Everything happens for a reason, and sometimes horror has to happen and we may never understand its purpose but, that God, He knows!}

When Jesus was born …King Herald killed child aged 2yrs and under just to prevent destiny… was God aware? Yes …Why did He allow that? I don’t know (I guess that is why He is God!)

Brothers sold Brothers … That was what my Pastor said that did not go well with me, Slaves from
Africa were sold by there own brothers( Africans)… No matter how hard that maybe for us to accept it is the truth!

This has caused division between Africans and West Indians to date…some feel resentful towards Africans for what was done to there ancestors.

We should not let division in our lives,  for the perfect will of God is still to be unfolded…Our dreams will still be fulfilled.

Brothers on different continents, of different shades, we are all still brothers, as I said before FORGIVNESS is the only way forwarded.

200years…

 
After all, what makes any event important, unless by its observation we become better and wiser, and learn to do justly, to love mercy,and walk humbly before God…. OLADAH EQUIANO. ( an exslave that was stripped of his home, culture and language)
25 MARCH 2007 will mark 200years to the day that a parliamentary Bill was passed to abolish the slave trade in the British colonies. Although it would be another 30 years before slaves gained their final freedom – when slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire.The need for a large and steady supply of labour on the sugar plantations of the Caribbean and South America, and on the cotton plantations in North America leaded to need of labour (Guess where they looked?) but to the dark continent of Africa.
The Middle Passage was the sailing of slave ships from Africa to the Americas. It is estimated that between nine to 12 million Africans were forced to make this passages The African captives were considered as ‘cargo’ and inhumanely packed together below the deck of a ship for most of the journey This took anywhere from six to eigth weeks, Conditions were appalling in the packed and unhealthy ship holds, and up to one in five died. Uprisings were common, but were violently suppressed .The mortality rate for the average journey was 10-15 per cent due to ill treatment, malnutrition and disease.Once the ships arrived at their destination, the surviving Africans were cleaned and prepared for auction.Now …I am not going to go into all the different wronged that the salves encountered, this is a season to remember those that were lost, the pain and suffering endured.

A time to salute those that fought against it and help bring an end. It a time for forgiveness and yes apology …..But most of all forgiveness and a time for closure, and this not be repeated in it’s different forms today!

The effect of slavery has left lasting damage to a whole race of people, but should not be used as an excuse not to progress and achieve their best.

What is slavery?
 A slave is one…

• forced to work – through mental or physical threat;
• owned or controlled by an ‘employer’, usually through mental or physical abuse or threatened abuse;
• dehumanised, treated as a commodity or bought and sold as ‘property’
• physically constrained or has restrictions placed on his/her freedom of movement.

…so today we remember those who endure this evil…those that did not survive the journey and died as “cargo”
Roll call and Salute ….
 To the freedom fighters and those who rose to became a symbol of encouragement to other slaves…
The first recorded slave revolt was in 1570. There were at least 250 shipboard rebellions. Jamaican slave society faced a serious revolt every decade, in addition to prolonged guerrilla war. In 1760, 30,000 Jamaican slaves revolted. The culmination, recorded in CLR James’s magisterial The Black Jacobins, was the 1791 slave revolt in St Domingue.

 Granville Sharp, Olaudah Equiano, Ottobah Cugoano, Thomas Clarkson, John Newton, William Wilberforce, Hannah More, William Knibb,  Ignatius Sancho,  Elizabeth Heyrick,  Samuel Adja(Ajayi)i Crowther,  John Wesley Toussaint, L’Overture Sam Sharpe.
For more please go to  http://www.setallfree.net

       

         

  

It’s turning around in my favour…

…This blog was not meant to be a personal journal like most out there, it was to be a means of service, and a stepping out into a place I have not been before…why am I saying all this, well cos I am about to share like a journal which this blogsite is not, but I have such an overwhelming feeling to share with all what is happening to me at this very moment …I feel the presence of the Lord to do this.

Coming out of a season and place that I would never have thought I would walk…and the mercy and grace of God have been Oh! So! Amazing…

Just when I think I have seen all of God in my life He shows me another dimension to Him…

At the moment what I am listening to is- Youthful Praise with James Hairston …and it is just speaking my heart every single song is just ministering to me, healing my heart and just putting in that place to hangout with God again.… (Worship for me is the way I fellowship and connect with my father and the lover of my soul)

I did not intend writing about this… but I just feel like shouting of God’s awesomeness in my life… No matter how I fall or fall short He still loves me…He will truly turn what the enemy plans to use to destroy/embarrass/cause pain that can sometimes be irreversible, all for good and the glory of Him!!… An incredible God deserves AN INCREDIBLE PRAISE!!!

The battle is in the mind for real…the distorting of truth that would cause the wrong decision to be made which would determine destiny… whoa!!!

I am all about DESTINY!!! and to allow destiny to nearly be destroyed by wrong decision based on the mind…  God, I thank you!!! You’re Incredible and I bless you.

 

 {praise break}

I love you lord with all my heart ….I thank you for mercy and grace …again I  say  you’re an INCREDIBLE GOD!!! 

During healing you’re very fragile… and start thinking your personality is to blame … No!  I am unique and God has made me so… you say to yourself… so if other takes advantage/ dishonour or take you for granted  cos of that,  is for them to deal with …

I am a very open soul… I easily take people in to my heart, so when that is bruised, it makes me question my personality…which in turn makes me lot more guarded than I would normally not be…

So why am I saying all this.. to be honest I don’t know,  just was so excited that when  I feel  low, sometimes so disappointed in myself ..That there is a God that loves me sooooo much and who’s forever forgiving, faithful and loving… so all I can do is to give Him PRAISE!!

 

And say Shabach to the rock!!! (Praise to the Lord !!!)

 

Before we even think about adoption…. Please let’s look after the Orphans!!!

As promised the interview….its long but an eye opener

Refinedone: Hello
olusinabelle: Hi Angela
Refinedone: …Hope this is a good time?
olusinabello: no way its a good time
Refinedone: Thanks for your reply.. Most appreciated
olusinabello: my pleasure
Refinedone: So where do we start…
Refinedone: I would like to take this first as an interview…
Refinedone: then we can expand with other stories.. If thats good for you?
olusinabello : ok
olusinabello : lets shoot
Refinedone: …First I’ll like to thank you for responding as you did…
Refinedone: Could you please tell me about what you do for Linkachild.. And how you got involved

 Meet the Administrator….

olusinabello : well I started working with link* ( linkachild)
olusinabello : as a volunteer sum three yrs ago
olusinabello : or let me give a background on myself…
olusinabello : If that’s ok?
Refinedone: Please do…
olusinabello : My name is Olusina Bello am 31 male ..single for now
olusinabello : I have a degree in history & international relations
olusinabello: I love reading , writing and doing research work
olusinabello : I also enjoy sports , soccer, basketball, volleyball, chess and snooker
olusinabello : I also am an avid runner
olusinabello : professionally I work with linkachild as the administrator
olusinabello : I am responsible for the day to day running of linkachild
olusinabello : and I report to the board of trustees
olusinabello : administration, liaising with the donors and the homes..

Adoption  in Nigeria…

Refinedone: Adoption is an issue I have a great passion for… what would you say is the response like in Nigeria Fostering and general attitude to Orphanages. I was in the country a few weeks ago… and saw something in the News about Orphanages… and the help needed…that did get to me
Refinedone: How does Linkachild help ?
olusinabello: Adoption in Nigeria is generally not as organised as it is in Europe and America
olusinabello : fostering is almost non existent
olusinabello : it works on paper…but in real life it doesn’t work that way
Refinedone: Please explain..
olusinabello : so many issues need to be tackled
Refinedone: I would think mindset would be one
Refinedone: cultural mindset that is…
olusinabello : the general structures are eroded, there is a general malaise in the system. In Lagos it takes between 2 months to 24 months to start and finish an adoption process
olusinabello ): the red tape and bottlenecks are too hectic
olusinabello : but those who persevere in the end get it

Link-a-child steps in…

olusinabello : as per linkachild we are not an adoption agency
olusinabello : we only assist those seeking to adopt by linking them with homes where they can get kids to adopt
Refinedone: but you work closely with Orphanages?
olusinabello : yes we do
olusinabello : the process is regulated entirely by the ministry of women affairs
olusinabello : we presently have about 86 homes on our database
Refinedone: What would you say are the challenges we have in this area… of Orphanages.. Do they get any Government funding? And how is it regulated?
olusinabello : Government homes get minimal funding
olusinabello : private homes rely on whatever they can find
olusinabello : That’s where we come in
olusinabello : we try our best to raise funds
Refinedone: I have to thank you so far for your time…
olusinabello: from October to date we have been able to raise about 1.2million Naira for different homes in our database
olusinabello : You are welcome
olusinabello : am glad I can help

Catholic church and Muslim women group….

Refinedone: I would like to know what practical assistance linkachild needs at the moment?
olusinabello : well for one we bear all our admin costs ourselves 100% of donations are sent directly to the homes. 
olusinabello: we don’t take anything for ourselves ..Which is against the normal convention?
Refinedone: wow!…
Refinedone: What about help from the Religious sector?
olusinabello : a lot of the homes are run by religious organisation ..The Catholic Church is very strong in that regards
olusinabello : also some Muslim women’s group run a number of homes
Refinedone: good to hear…

Funding…

olusinabello : however the major challenge as always is inadequate funding
Refinedone: why?  I wonder in a country like ours.. That should not be a challenge
olusinabello: we are trying to get steady funding to meet basic needs , food, clothing , shelter
Refinedone: Exactly how do you go about getting funding?
olusinabello : its an endemic issue of corruption
olusinabello: we solicit from donors and individuals by making representation  to them on behalf of the homes
olusinabello : for example we were able to get an oil exploration firm Addax Petroleumto build a water & power project for a home in Imo state
olusinabello: we also have successfully lobbied an auto firm , they will be spending 1 million naira each on two homes to help them improve their infrastructure
olusinabello : that’s roughly about $10, 000
Refinedone: Good News. And none of this is funded by our Government!
olusinabello: another bank is committing to spend about $120,000 this year on 6 homes
olusinabello : all that is private initiative instigated by linkachild
Refinedone: I celebrate your work….
olusinabello : don’t know if you heard Beyonce Knowles is  in the diamond association by making a donation of $10,000
olusinabello: to linkachild on behalf of Beyonce knowles
Refinedone: I read that on your website…
olusinabello: we hosted her to a party with some orphans during her visit to Nigeria in October of 2006
olusinabello: yep
olusinabello: so we do try to throw our weight around
olusinabello: but indeed we can do more
Refinedone: Yes of course!!
Refinedone: there is always room for more…
olusinabello : we need more funds to be able to reach more homes and more pple
olusinabello: we need to advertise and let more people know bout us
olusinabello: we need billboards , radio and television adverts
olusinabello: and you know all these cost money
olusinabello: most of our overheads go into travelling and visiting the homes
olusinabello: we can say proudly that we are the only organisation with up to date info on almost 90 orphanages in Nigeria
olusinabello: even the government doesn’t have the kind of info we have
olusinabello: all this we update regularly
olusinabello: from next week am off to the north for 5 days to supervise some of our projects and update info on some homes
olusinabello: so you see we need all the help we can get

Celebrate the trustees, staff and volunteers…

olusinabello:  This might shock you, apart from our trustees we only have two full time staff
Rrfinedone: paid staff?
olusinabello: myself and my colleague a female
olusinabello: yep…
Refinedone: the rest?
olusinabello: 3 volunteers for now
Refinedone: please what is her name.. She should be celebrated too
olusinabello: Herrietta Agboifo
olusinabello: but really its not about us
olusinabello: if people must be celebrated its the trustees
olusinabello : who put there money where their mouth is
olusinabello : they fund the work of linkachild and that itself is something

Closing comment…not quiet

Refinedone: What would be your closing comment on this issue… what would you like to pass on to others and hopefully encourage ppl to get involved one way or an other… if adoption is not an option at the moment and the fostering is not being regulated.. What about sponsorship….Volunteer work and contributing financially
olusinabello : from conservative estimates their are about 7 million orphans in Nigeria
olusinabello : let me correct a notion adoption is a viable option
olusinabello: its just that its a bit muddled presently
olusinabello: and it takes a lot of red tape
Refinedone: hmmm..
olusinabello: we welcome volunteers and sponsorship
olusinabello: the situation here is critical

HIV Babies…

olusinabello: HIV babies are cropping up
olusinabello: its not like its the end of the world don’t want to sound like an alarmist ..But truly we need to start paying attention to that epidemic, some kids are dying needlessly
Refinedone: That is self is an issue of its own
olusinabello: any agency or individual who feels like helping can get in touch wit us
olusinabello: yes indeed it is …
olusinabello: we just want to get as many pple involved as possible
olusinabello: there is so much to do and too few labours as the bible says
Refinedone: Well… we are going to have to break it all down… you have opened my eyes to so much
olusinabello : if we cant save everyone
olusinabello: at least lets save as many as we can
Refinedone: before we even start talking about adoption.. Just looking after the Orphans is what we should be tackling
olusinabello : yes most definitely
olusinabello : adoption should be an end product of being an orphan
olusinabello: but if we don’t keep the kids alive long enough for them to be adopted what happen…
olusinabello : we lose them
olusinabello : so while not neglecting adoption lets look
olusinabello : at how we can take care of the babies who are being dumped almost on a daily basis
Refinedone: my head is spinning with all the info you are dishing out … my heart just aches
olusinabello : Angela, if you  have seen the kind of pain I have seen in those kids
olusinabello : u cant help but feel passionate
olusinabello : its really heart wrenching
olusinabello : when you see a 3 day old baby on a rubbish heap
Refinedone: I saw an abandoned baby on tv .. still with the cord attached to her
olusinabello : left to die
Refinedone: I just cried
olusinabello : there are many like that almost daily
olusinabello : to see a kid die of HIV thru no fault of hers is even worse
olusinabello : I mean all the pain and suffering just because she couldn’t get anti retro
olusinabello : after a while u stop crying and get angry
Refinedone: Anti retro?
olusinabello : anti retro viral drugs
olusinabello : HIV medicine….
olusinabello: 80 % of kids wit HIV can’t get d drugs
olusinabello: cos most of them are in the villages
olusinabello: jus last month we had to transport a 3 yr old boy from his village to Lagos to get d drugs cos the doctors won’t dispense any drugs without seeing the kids in person
olusinabello : That is why linkachild becomes important
olusinabello : we give a credible outlet to get involved
olusinabello : we can guarantee that their donations will be getting to those who need it
Refinedone: Thank you so much for this Mr Bello …
I personally would like to celebrate the trustees of www.Linkachild.org  well-done and keep on doing what you’re doing…
To quote Mr Olusina Bello “they put there money where their mouth is” you did not just talk the talk but you have also walked the walk..

Trustees:

Mr.Oluwatoyin Subair
    – MD/ CEO Entertainment Highway Ltd,Principal Partner of Abraham & Co
Mr. Nzan Ogbe
    – MD Makarios Nig Ltd
Mr.Olanrewaju Kupoluyi
    – Director, KOS World
Mrs Toyin Bello
    – Director, TY Bello Photography
Mr.Mena Ajakpovi
    – Partner, Abraham & Co.
Mrs.Ololade Ososami
    – Managing Partner, Abraham & Co.
 

The “A” Team…(you had to be there to understand)

 Pain can be good…Tears come after Joy…

Have you ever lost something that you thought you had already lost only to find out that you where just about to loose it for real…? (If that make sense to you, then you have been there).
We make decision to help, protect oursleves, or stop other people hurting us…
We rationalise wrong decisions, cos we are in a pain or afraid.

This month we are talking all about LOVE
I am just going to write without qualifying what I am saying, I just feel the need to do this; so if someone gets something from it… so be it.

The girl loves to be loved…, loves hard work and determination: big attraction.
The girl was young when her heart was given away for ever, but let’s tracks back…

Before then, the girl was looking for love in all the wrong places, she had nothing else but that to Have you ever lost something that you thought you had already lost only to find out that you where give (she did not know that at the time) you see how the best things about you can be blinded by you …. Just before girlfriend’s heart became cold and shut …love walked in … lovewalked in so different from what GF was use to…lovelooked different, spoke different , did not real fit GF ideal…but she gave it a go…love said “ what do you have against  a men taking you out for dinner and bring you back home in good time” love said I know about the others that took your love and could not appreciate it for the gold it was, I promise to wipe those tears away’ not to be remembered again…promise to look after you with all my love ….( at this point GF was not really ready to open up again, but was curious to see what would happen .
Loved was constant, love was solid, and was always there….GF felt protected, valued, possessed, content and poured out!… did not feel vulnerable or afraid to LOVE!

As GF  fellowships  with love, and found out that GF could be loved for real… love brought yellow roes, art materials, and counted the copper coins to cover and provide for GF, she loved love even when other could not see what love could offer. But GF did!
In the mist of all the love, there where clouds of darkness (sometimes) but too often (chipping away) the glow of Love…At that time GF felt (rightly or wrongly) that lovedid not love GF anymore in their special way! Too many criticisms, too many let-downs, explained way …always explained…always explained…was it necessary? (Will find out)

…..then what happened, love started chipping away from GF …Little by little, little things… Little things…
Harsh words, a hard thoughts,  lots of little excess, no control. love started to shake…I think Love forgot “I’ll wipe the tears from your eyes” and stated to bring tears to GF the pain….the pain…
OK! So the wounds would heal, the heart forgiven… was love taking GF for granted or just had other things on the mind….did life come in and  steal the atmosphere of their love? Did they both take their love for granted and not guard it with all their heart?

….anyway, time passed, blue clouds and dark clouds came and went…the rains came and sunshine shone as hearts are broken and mended, broken and mended…healed hearts with scar tissues building around…the heart.

(Let’s not forget the God factor!!) That was only what was holding things up, together and somewhat moving… hope was driving the bus (maybe trust, patience, courage and faith should have been passengers too)

For as time passed GF decided…why must my heart keep on breaking? …yes there were fun times…plenty …so much fun, so much births have come and gone. Blessings that could not be returned and responsible for…
As we where saying GF made a decision that what would make or break the love (she never knew)
A heart that has felt betrayed (I say felt…cos that is the deception here), been bruised but had a high sense of duty would look for a balance, for sanity, for numbing the pain past or expected… (Does all that make sense?) well so it was…..

….so here comes he that is good at magnifying your supposed pain and bruises to the level of destruction of one’s self…you know him…the enemy of LOVE…the usurper of life …the life source of darkness …in his disguise as a solution.

…watch here as he set the stage for his devastation…in come the players onto stage.
Love….
GF….
“The solution”
Their love…
The birthing of their love…

All to be destroyed.

GF says…love it lost, fast spent and not ever going to see just me again…but we have a duty to do
Love is brilliant on duty…you cannot fault Love on that…nothing special anymore but duty.

Love on the other hand says …yes! I have not been fair, I have seen the light…I have a plan to go back to my promises…to lift GF again… (but the evil one has plans)

The solution… did not even know was a pawn in the distractions of the Love for love and GF and even ”Solution” (how sad).

…..Solution come just as GF decision is made…soon GF feels this balm for the pain past and the pain to come…
The evil one( EVO) dressed “solution” in the old clothes of love…( you guessed it GF is  deceived and so is solution) as always EVO tells you he is giving you what has been taken from you when you had it all the time…for when you take it then you lose everything!

In comes riding on His white horse wielding his sword, exposing and causing what seem like distruction…in the commotion ….in the mess….in the confusion….in the pain…in tears … in the breaking ..There is a pouring out of Truth! The lies are exposed!  Love and GF are saved… even “solution” is saved form a future that would have been smeared …
….so do I have a conclusion? No…you make yours.

But I have this to say ….before any major decisions, make sure HOPE, FAITH, TRUTH, PATIENCE, Unity OF MIND, and COURAGE AND LONG-SUFFERING ARE driving and riding on the bus….

PS: 11 days to go o!

February….Love, Valentine and Moi! #2

What is love to you?

As Valentine day comes closer….with gift of affection hopefully given (if not buy or make a show of affection for yourself).

I love, love….I love to be in love … and to be loved…

Love for me is an act of worship…

With different relationships,  the different types and kinds of love can be expressed.

As for moi…

Love is like a diamond, with every new angle a new aspect of it’s beauty is revealed…. Just Like God… Mercyful, kindness, forgiven, faithful, loving, trusting and the list goes on… ( fill free to fill the gap)

so I ask … what is love to you?

PS: guess who celebrates her birthday in the month of February.. in 15days time

PPS: Funmi aka Fumosh’s b’day is 2morrow (1st) so show her some love and go to her blog and wish her HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! fumosh.wordpress.com 

AS WHITE AS SNOW…

 

 

Ok! guys where do I start?  …. I guess from the beginning (some smarty-pants would respond)
 Didn’t intend to write this, so I guess thats the best kind of post to put up. Hubby had to travel on a business trip so I was sort of awake as he was getting ready, once he left I thought I  would get back to sleep…but some how I couldn’t.  I tossed and turned for a bit…with things I shouldn’t be thinking about racing through my mind..( worries that I should have left on the altar for God to deal with)  thoughts of where I had fallen short or missed the mark…..So I decided to get up and make myself a hot drink, then maybe I’ll feel sleepy again…but low and behold what do I see as I looked out my window, but snow! the first fall this winter…the whole landscape covered in a bed of delicate clean white fluff…how beautiful it all looked, even the garbage cans too looked beautiful in the blanket of white snow, I could see the footprints of an animal (most probably a fox, cos no dog owner would let the pet out this early) as I stood looking out the window watching fresh snow fall (O! what a sight to see) I could just hear God say… “Angela that is how I see you…regardless of your short comings, your flaws or mistakes …. I choose to cover you in a sea of white…and make you all anew”.  At that point my heart became filled with gratitude… I felt so thankful…for my life, love, my family, my health, my brothers, sister, friends old and new and most of all the mercy of God’s grace…. for  He has chosen to cover me and has made me as white as snow….