21 June, 2022

By Sr. Gloria Okoh, SHCJ

There is new life and new beginning in the air. All of us at Holy Child Model Nursery and Primary School in Otukpo, Nigeria are radiating with joy as we see our Angel take a step for the first time since she was born, 12 years ago.

Angel was born with one leg and we were glad to accept her to join us in the school after her Auntie who took her in when she was four months, pleaded that schools were refusing to take her and had been out of school. So we took Angel in and placed her in Nursery Two to get the foundation even though she had passed that stage, age wise. After her assessment in Nursery Two, she did so well and we have been managing the situation and following up to see how she can graduate at the right age.

We have been sourcing for fees for Angel and God has been faithful. Last year, we started conversations on how to get Angel a prosthetic leg and today with so much joy and fulfillment Angel has her leg. We got an organization in Lagos, Irede Foundation who referred us to Purple Prosthetic in Abuja. We got to Purple Prosthetic on Monday the 13th of June, 2022. Her measurement was taken, molding began and physiotherapy was going on at the same time because the part of her knee she uses to lean on the crutches is stiff and needs to be flexible and straightened before the leg could be fixed.

By Wednesday, she took her first step after 12 years and has been practising how to walk. We left Purple Prosthetic on 16th June 2022 with our Angel taking her steps without crutches.

We thank all the parents and teachers who have contributed financially and have prayed and supported this “good course” as I called it. We ask God’s blessings also on Irede Foundation for bearing the cost of the prosthetic leg and physiotherapy, the Purple Prosthetic who took their time and were so loving and caring. We thank our anonymous donor who has been helping with her school fees and her Auntie who has been so faithful in taking care of her. I will also want to thank all the school drivers and conductors who have carried and assisted Angel since she joined us and all staff and Holy Child Model family – God bless you all.

We thank God for bringing us back to Otukpo safely. I thank my Holy Child sisters for their prayers and support. We are building lives and making others believe that God lives and acts in them and in our world and to rejoice in it. Blessed be the Holy Child Jesus now and forever.