It was a grand moment of encouragement, motivation and kudos to the Holy Trinity, when on Sunday, October 27 an old widow, who pledged N4,000 to purchase a broiler for her parish priest during Youth Harvest, went home with a big turkey.

As the sale of life chicken formed one of the agenda for this year’s Children/Youth Harvest at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish Word Bank, New Owerri, a poor widow was moved to pledge N4,000 to purchase one for the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Nicholas Ijemaru.

It was interesting to recognize that the said widow never thought of a public attraction as she whispered her intention while on her seat to the youth leader.  As this pledge was being related to the parish priest, the joy of recognition by such a poor donor led to her being invited to the altar rail by the chief celebrant and parish priest.

In his reaction to this gesture, the Parish Priest enumerated how the donor  has been regular at morning Masses and various devotions.  He recalled one occasion when after receiving her pension, while approaching the church gates to pay tithe, was robbed by thieves of that entire money.  The priest then used the opportunity to appeal to all Godly-spirited worshippers to offset that sum pledged for the broiler.

It worked like a miracle when the response was so fascinating that the parish priest decided that his donor would take home that broiler herself.  As the possibility of catching one was not forthcoming, Fr. Ijemaru promptly ordered for a big turkey to be given to the widow who is also a pensioner.  However, a total of N17,000 was raised to pay for that N4,000 fowl pledge.    This goes a long way to prove the adage that ‘givers never lack’.

It will be recalled that none among the earlier buyers had given above N10,000 for the fowls sold earlier.  The congregation was full of excitement on how the parish priest transformed that wish of a widow pensioner into a reciprocating gesture.

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