My Experience at Vigilant Heart...

                                             

This Christmas the Girlfriends Team decided to do something special for orphans at Vigilant Heart Charitable Society and I was so excited about it, even if I knew it would be very hectic for us.

We chose the Vigilant heart because it comprises of orphans from ages 0-21 and we decided giving out old clothes would be more attainable because as ladies we change clothes so often, giving our unused or old clothes was a good idea even though other donations were also accepted.

Preparing and gathering clothes was a bit hectic and not so many people brought clothes forward, most people had prior engagements or were out of town. I would like such people to know that even if they could not be with us on that day they, can find time this period to touch a life and make someone out there feel the Christmas spirit, you can still feed someone, visit the sick, visit prisoners, the old people’s homes and do anything that can touch lives this season.

I met with the owner of Vigilant Heart and hearing her speak about how she sees the children as her own children, how she pays their school fees and buys them clothes, almost made me cry.

She spoke about how they organise workshops and seminars for mothers; advising them to take care of their children, and how they invite other less privileged children the around the area for classes to learn to read and write. She also spoke about the project being her calling and she said she wants to do what people like Mother Theresa did. She has a family of her own and it is so amazing how she has adopted so many other people. Her belief is that God will not give her a mission He cannot support her through; she explained that sometimes she has idea where the food will come from, but still she always finds a way to properly feed and clothe the children.

The mission of Vigilant Heart is ‘’to create a safe and caring environment for the comprehensive development of orphans, abandoned and needy children, as well as work on projects that will protect children against numerous vicissitudes in the society’’. 

Many of the children I saw were quite young. I realized the smaller children, teenagers, and adults were not all in the same location. Although, a few of the adults that Vigilant Heart had supported in their younger years were on location to assist the children.

I spoke with the children for a while and I can remember one of the boys telling me that his favourite subject was maths and how he would like to be a lawyer in the future. I felt so touched, it made me realize that some people would be unable to achieve their dreams if they are not supported.

We sang some Christmas carols with the children and then we left. It was really a touching experience.

Many people believe that because Vigilant Heart is located at Lekki they have lots of donations. However, they still need a lot of support because people don’t visit often and most of the donations are seasonal. We have to realize that the books, old clothes and excess food that we throw away mean a lot to people out there. Anytime is a good time to help someone!

We should develop a mind-set that always has the other person in mind especially in this period that is all about spreading the love of Christ.

Wearing the same thing in different ways

Hey! Do you know you can wear the same thing in different ways? A dress as a skirt, a skirt as a top! It’s fun!!!

I saw an article on it and I just had to try it.

 On a day when you have no idea what to wear and you want a new look try this

First of all you get a knee length baby doll skirt and some safety pins and a ribbons

                                           The first look is what I will like to call ‘the doll’

Here you just wear the baby doll skirt as a normal skirt with a top

   
                                                           The next look is the ‘rock doll’

Here you wear a jacket over a top, some ‘rockstar’ jewellery and fedora

The next look is the tricky one here you wear the skirt as a top with butterfly hands, a one-arm top and just have fun with it!(this is where the pins will be needed)

  Here we have a baby doll skirt as a top with a ribbon in a stylish way

You should try this sometime if you want to dare to look different in the same way!!!

Event Invitation: Clothe Someone with the Girlfriends Team this Christmas!

Hey Guys! You are all officially invited to ‘Clothe Someone with the Girlfriends Team this Christmas’ at Vigilant Heart, Lekki Lagos, on Wednesday, 21^st December 2011 from 1:00pm-3:00pm.

We would be spending time with the kids/teens and giving out all the donations. We need your support; please come with your donations (clothes, shoes, bags, toys and bedspreads) that are not useful to you anymore, but are still in GOOD condition. 

GIRLFRIEND OF THE MONTH!!!

Our girlfriend of the month is Imoh Iniakpaniko, the president of Divas Defined organization. Imoh is a life coach and a profound speaker, whose passion is to help females uplift themselves and radiate God’s given gift in them. Her vision to create Divas’ Defined began with the birth of her son in her single status.

The pain, rejection, denial, and resentment experienced during the initial stage of her son’s birth gave light to the disconcerting circumstances surrounding single mothers. Thankfully, Imoh had the support of her family members and this enabled her to see the need to revive the inner strength in women who have been demeaned either by rape, unexpected pregnancy, divorce, and abusive relationships.

Divas Defined is a social enterprise with a network of agencies and initiatives which focuses on personal development in people with emphasis on females. Its aim is to encourage, enhance and empower them to succeed in all life’s endeavour. Divas’ Defined has grown in response to the cry of emotionally drained women who have grown up to believe the norm of a negative life due to the negative experiences in their past. A growing number of young women and girls who are either experiencing difficulty progressing to adulthood or are already entangled in the trauma of sexual exploitation, abuse and trafficking should be enlightened on how the negative consequence of these experiences can affect their lives and they should be taught how to come out of these dramatic and troubling situations.

Clothe someone with the Girlfriends Team this Christmas!

Christmas is our favourite time of the year, because it’s a season filled with so much joy and happiness. Last year, we got to spend some time with some awesome kids at the Red Cross Orphanage in Lagos and it was an amazing experience!

This year, we’ve decided to do something different and we’re getting every single one of you involved in the ‘Clothe someone with the Girlfriends Team this Christmas’ project.

From now to the 16^th of December, we would like you to gather up all your clothes, shoes, and bags or some of your siblings’ and friends’, that are not useful to you or them anymore but are still in good condition; and get them ready for us to pick up.

We will be visiting some orphanages and homes to distribute the clothes. An invitation would be sent out on Facebook for those of you who would like to come with us. Also, if you have any suggestions on the homes/orphanages you would like us to visit, please let us know.

For more info on how to be a part of this, please send us an email: girlfriendsteam@gmail.com or write on our Facebook group wall- http://www.facebook.com/groups/girlfriendsteam/

Please don’t ignore this- You can make a difference in someone’s life this Christmas!

God bless you all!!! xxx

Poem: 'How to be seen'

The body interacts with the environment;

The soul contains the intellect and will;

Man is an embodied spirit;

Man is someone who can think and feel;

I do not just own my body, I am my body.

We enhance or reduce ourselves;

By how we use our bodies;

The way you dress affects your mind;

As above so below, ’Quodestintusestsicut quod est extra’;

As within so without, your world outside is your world inside;

It’s something that you cannot hide;

We dress to cover ourselves, to be seen and not to be seen;

Think of the dresses on your shelves, and wear the one that makes you a queen.

Talent- Lucille...

We got Lucille to share her talent with you guys! Watch this video to hear Lucille sing. :)