The 2014 Hadassah Healing Conference held recently in Lagos. Woman Editor, TEMITOPE DAVID-ADEGBOYE, writes that it was an awesome experience.
Ninth in its series, the event, which was theme ‘Awesome Glory, held at The Haven Events Centre, beside Archbishop Vining Memorial Church, GRA, Ikeja. Not even the heavy downpour could deter delegates from thronging the venue to receive from God.
As early as 9am, special shuttle buses conveying delegates from different parts of Lagos began arriving, many of them expectant of God’s favour this year.
In Lagos, they came from Ijora, Ajegunle, Apapa, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island, Ikorodu, Ikotun and Akute. While from outside Lagos, delegates came in from Oyo, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Edo and Delta states.
The event began with the praise team leading the congregation in a one-hour praise and worship session, followed by testimonies from those who attended previous editions.
Some of the testimonies were as amazing as they were inspiring.
While Mrs. Dele Taiwo, who attended last year’s conference, thanked God for restoring her marriage after praying fervently at the conference, Pastor Fina blessed God for healing her of fibroid. Another attendee, who identified herself as Mrs. Bruno Dominic, thanked God for blessing her with a child after 22 years of waiting!
Before the conference, Hadassah Healing Foundation (HHF) outreach team had visited nine communities within Lagos and Ogun boundaries empowering women, teaching them skills in basket weaving, make-over artistry, gele tying, soap making, confectioneries, and tie and dye.
Many of the women, who hitherto thought they could not start a business without investing fortunes, were taught how to start small and grow.
In a pre-conference interview, President of the Foundation, Nike Lamai, said each time her group visited these communities, they found some women lamenting that they were tired of sitting at home.
“Expectedly, we have budgets for specific number of people in each community. But when I got there and saw the passion and the willingness in some of the indigent women, I could not help but extend the training opportunity to them. In such cases, I have to personally take up their bills.
“As at now, we have visited nine locations; but by the end of this year, we would have reached out to over 2,000 women, out of which we would choose 200 ambassadors, who we are to further empower or train. We have held outreaches in Abule Iroko, Akute, Ijora Badia, Ajegunle, Owode, Apapa (all in Lagos) and some other places.”
The 200 ambassadors were presented to all present at the event. The ambassadors will recieve further assistance to get them well established.
In her ministration, Pastor Lamai revealed that God had given her the theme ‘Awesome Glory’ (1 Cor. 2:9) because He is ready to release His magnificent splendour on everybody present.
“What we do is to walk into what He has already prepared for us. I know it is going to be the case of ‘eyes have not seen, ears have not heard’,” she added.
HHF (Hadassah) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) with a five-man Board of Trustees (BoT) of committed Christians who have great passion for the things of God and are strongly committed to the healing and restoration of women.
She further said: “The Foundation is set to reach out to women all over the world, irrespective of race, colour or religion. The wounded, abused, violated, battered, rejected, homeless, drug addicts and prostitutes among others are our target audience. It is a known fact that a lot of women, both young and old, have issues they are battling with, without a ready solution to these problems, thereby making them liabilities to the society.”
According to her, the name Hadassah is inspired by the book of Esther (2:7).
To achieve the aim, HFF operates through yearly conferences, counselling, rehabilitation, empowerment, visitation of prisons and brothels. It also offers general welfare such as medical support, provision of foodstuff, living allowance and personal needs for women.