When we hear of being called to ministry we often think of it as solely restricted to preaching on the pulpit. Ministry however, is carrying out whatever assignment the Lord has called you to. Be it on the pulpit, in the marketplace, in the hospital, in the Bank, in Media or in taking care of special needs children, which is what Mrs Franca Okonkwo has been doing for almost twenty years.
Mrs Franca Okonkwo is a Christian woman called into the ministry of taking care of special needs children who are mentally and physically challenged. A calling which she discovered through her own struggles with her special needs child. While she has experienced several challenges on the journey she shares how God helped her to establish the vision of the foundation despite numerous obstacles.
She is the founder of the Guardian Angels Charity Foundation, a Public Speaker and the author of “Women In God’s Vineyard” and “A Call To Share God’s Love”.
In this Interview with Diadem’s Josephine Olakanye, Mother Franca as she is called by some, narrates her journey, taking us through the Trials and Triumphs which led to finding her calling and fulfilling purpose.
Excerpts below:
Q: Can we meet you ma
A: My name is Mrs Franca Okonkwo, I am a Christian, and have been married with Children but recently widowed. By the grace of God, I take care of special children, the people we call disabled children but we refer to them as special children. I am also a graduate of education administration at the Nnamdi Azikwe University of Awka.
HOW DID GROWING UP INFLUENCE WHO YOU ARE TODAY?
My family was buoyant while growing up so I didn’t have any special problems but God works in mysterious ways, I feel at times when people go through a lot they’re not aware of the fact that God is trying to draw their attention to what he wants them to do.
I got married so early. By 1988 I gave birth to my first son, I already had two girls before I had my Son but by 1988 I was still quite young at 25 years.
There was an accident at the birth of my son, the blood touched the brain, and my trouble started from there. I went from hospital to hospital, the incident resulted in minor brain damage. He couldn’t sit down well, to stand we had to support him, There was so much he couldn’t do like other kids his age and I kept going to various hospitals in search of a solution but the doctor’s reports were always that he can never walk or all that and I always respond with the fact that God knows everything.
While all this was happening I began having dreams where I’ll be playing with and taking care of the special needs children and when I woke up I’ll be like what’s going on? I wondered if the dream meant I will have more special needs children. Because In my dream it’s not one or two children they are always much and I’m always in their midst; although I don’t understand what was happening.
I’m a very active member of the Catholic Church at Alaba, so the head of our Catholic branch then called me one day he said, God gave me a message for you and that God told him that he has called me to take care of special needs/ disabled children for him (God).
I wasn’t expecting that and when I asked him to repeat it, he said the same thing I just looked at him, got up from the seat and walked out. He called me. but I ignored him and just went outside Thinking about what type of joke that was.
Because I couldn’t even take care of one which was my child, Talk more of children, disabled children.
Athough he called me several times on the phone to try to convince but I wasn’t ready so I didn’t bother to pick his calls.
SO CAN WE SAY YOUR CHILD’S PREDICAMENT LED TO YOU TAKING THIS DECISION?
Yes, it definitely did because if I didn’t have that boy or that accident didn’t happen, I might not be here today, No matter how hard anybody tries to convince me.
God used my son to sort of train me, A natural training because after the Priest and other people told me the same thing I was still like “abeg” I can’t do it.
There was a time I attended a convention and I fainted, I almost died and I was rushed to the hospital. It was then on my sick bed I started contemplating and began taking the message seriously, I then promised God if I was able to make it out of that state I’ll obey him and go into what he has been sending people to tell me all this while.
That was how I got committed and started.
WHAT WERE SOME OF THE MAJOR CHALLENGES YOU FACED?
My major challenge at the beginning was the lack of support from my husband.
When I told my husband about my plan to open a home for disabled children, he violently refused and told me I should rather open a school and that he was going to support me than me going into disabled children ministry.
I told him that was where my interest lay but he asked me not to repeat it, I told our Reverend’s father who called him to talk to him but he remained adamant.
I and my husband were in a family business then, it was just us but when I continued insisting on the ministry work my husband told me that I’ll have to withdraw fully from the family business and I said Ok. The Reverend father later asked him to settle me with my share of the business financially since we have a joint account and so that I’ll be able to stand on my own financially but my husband refused.
He insisted that if I chose to delve into the ministry of disabled children I should look for how to fund myself.
I started praying, I told the priest about it and he asked how much was in my account, I told him I don’t even have an account, Talk more of money and that was the truth.
APART FROM YOUR HUSBAND’S LACK OF SUPPORT WHAT WERE THE OTHER CHALLENGES YOU FACED IN THE COURSE OF THIS JOURNEY?
Well, apart from that my friends were also not in support, they felt the job was beneath me as a graduate and all.
My main challenge is the fact that people do not appreciate and understand what we’re doing, the majority feel that it’s a waste of time. It is largely a thankless job but because I know God called me to it, I do not let people’s opinions get to me.
We currently have a home in Ojo-Alaba, Lagos, where we house and feed over 30 of these children. And it’s all self funded with proceeds from the donations of kind individuals who are moved to support the work that we do. Ofcourse I cannot do it all alone so the foundation employs staff who are paid to be caregivers in various capacities to these children. It takes a lot to run this and it can be overwhelming sometimes but by the grace of God we have been surviving and pushing forward.
HOW ARE THINGS NOW FOR YOU ?ANY IMPROVEMENT?
Oh Yes, by the special grace of God, I am a public speaker And also an Author. One of the topics I developed for Public speaking was Women in God’s Vineyard which God later helped me to develop into a book.
My published books are “Women in God’s vineyard” and ” A call to share God’s love”.
The majority of the financial help I got initially has been from those books most especially from the Women in God’s vineyard book.
The money I used to register the Guardian Angel Charity Foundation which is the name of the organization, were monies realized from the sales of my books.
ANY WORD OF ADVICE FOR WOMEN COMING UP IN MINISTRY?
The only advice I can offer is that the important thing is to be certain that God has called them. And they should pray for an accurate vision of what God wants them to do and the strength to do it. Regardless of whatever opposition they may face, so long as they are certain that it is God sending them, they will always be victorious come what may.
WHAT ADVICE WILL YOU GIVE TO YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF?
The first thing I’ll tell her is For her to be humble and stick with God because with him all things are possible.
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO BALANCE YOUR PERSONAL LIFE WITH YOUR MINISTRY?
When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is ask God for Strength and wisdom to go through the day. Balancing both isn’t easy by any means but God has been my helper.
IT IS BELIEVED THAT SPECIAL CHILDREN ARE OFTEN VERY SMART IF PROPERLY TAKEN CARE OF, IS THIS TRUE ?
Yes, it’s very true.
My first son despite his mental health and the numerous doctors reports is unusually smart. The boy who doctors told me would not walk or do anything for himself can now walk, even before the special school took off. So right now the only problem he has is speech.
His speech is not yet clear but he can take care of himself, walk, operate things around the house and all that.
YOUR FAVOURITE BIBLE VERSE?
I love Psalm 104
