Do you know what it means to grow up an orphan?

Have you been up all night because you don’t know what will happen next?

Have you ever been sick and no one came around to visit and you can’t even afford the medication?

Have you ever spent months running away from bombs?

Have you ever been accused wrongly and imprisoned?

Have you ever been up all night because you haven’t eaten for days and have no hope of eating tomorrow?

Have you ever had to take stagnant water, put some alum into it and drank it after 5 minutes?

Have you ever worn torn clothes to school/market and your peers are mocking you?

Have you seen your parents fight because there’s nothing at home?

Have you ever spent all day and night trying to recall the taste of tea and bread?

Have you ever gone barefooted to the stream under the hot sun carrying a clay pot?

Have you ever fought with your siblings over a piece of meat?

Have you ever been bitten by an adder as you went to fetch some wood?

Have you ever woken up at 4 am during harmattan to go to the farm, harvest some cassava, run to the market to sell them and come home at 8 am to prepare for school?

Have you ever worn a pair of shoes for years because you have no money to purchase new ones?

Have you ever worn patched shorts of multiple colours for so long that you’re ashamed of going to school?

Have you ever dreamt of furthering your education, but as the days go by you just know that may never happen?

Have you ever had to consider some indecent offers just to put food on your family’s table?

If you have, you’ll understand how depressing such times can be.

Now, my sincere plea is that you go out today or this week and search for someone in need. That could be someone you know or someone you don’t know; someone who may never reward your kind gesture.

Walk down the street, visit the orphanage, the hospital, the prison, the railway station, the parks, under the bridges. Just visit the places the rules in your country allow. And lend a helping hand.

Or search for GENUINE foundations or organizations involved with helping those in need, and donate something. Donate some money, some clothing, some food etc. Donate some blood to help someone. Just help out, please!!!

After that, kindly spend 30 minutes out of your busy 24 hours to pray for them, including those in war-torn zones.

This is who we are – humans; this is who we should be – caring for others; this is what drives sleep away from me.

God bless us (Matthew 25:35-40).