Ebong lives in the heart of Ilaje- Bariga, in Lagos state where he and his ten siblings were reared by his parents. Ilaje community is an area close to the river bank where during the raining season; several houses including Ebong’s house which overlook the river are regularly flooded. Ebong’s parents were petty traders and making ends meet was an almost impossible venture, consequently the children took to the streets to earn their daily bread, leaving them with no early school education. Ebong supported his family by selling groundnuts on the streets from the age of eight and watched with helplessness and deep sadness his peers attend school. His plea to his parents for such an opportunity always fell on deaf ears as they told him time and again they could not afford the cost
One bright morning Ebong set out to ply his trade; that day marked a turning point in the young lad’s life. Ilaje community was one of the many areas visited by the InnerCity Mission of Christ Embassy – a non-governmental association dedicated to reaching Street Children. They stormed the area with plenty of goodies for children, parents, and youth living in the community, they also brought along free copies of the October Rhapsody of Realities because that happened to be the day members of Christ Embassy embarked on the 2007 edition on the “Reach Out” Campaign – a campaign where millions of copies of Rhapsody of Realities, the bestselling daily devotional by Pastors Chris and Anita Oyakhilome was ditributed freely across the nation of Nigeria as we celebrated our Independence.
Foodstuff and household items were freely given out and a number children who wanted to attend school were given a once in a life time opportunity at the LoveWorld Academy – the educational program of the InnerCity Mission, Ebong was overjoyed when he was named among the beneficiaries of this program. Presently, Ebong is in school with the groundnuts stored away forever only to be hawked by him when he is not busy with his books. He is eternally thankful to God for giving Pastor Chris Oyakhilome this great vision.
Emmafemi
The Shouts Blog 