While many others would have thrown a lavish party to celebrate the birthday of their mentor, spiritual father and benefactor, on the contrary, the disciples of the General overseer (GO) of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Pastor Daniel Olukoya on July 15, chose to put smiles on the faces of widows, widowers and other less-privileged folks.
July 15, which was the birthday of Olukoya and his wife, Pastor Shade Olukoya, was a memorable day for hundreds of widow, elderly people and others who reside in Ojokoro area of Ikorodu and its environs in Lagos State, as they were blessed with foodstuff by the GO’s disciples.
The philanthropic gesture of Olukoya’s disciples , according to them, is the philosophy of their spiritual father and GO, which is bringing joy to the lives of as many people as possible, no matter their class, religion, sect or condition.
The beneficiaries of the Olukoyas’ birthday largesse were not limited to Christians but included Muslims and other religions, who trooped into the venue where the food stuffs and some books authored by the GO, were shared at Ojokoro, Agric, Ikorodu.
And so, on that day, tagged: ‘Food outreach and Evangelism, hundreds of people who congregated at the venue of the event, were not only blessed with material things but blessed spiritually, and experienced undiluted joy, which they might not forget in a jiffy.
![Pastor Daniel Olukoya and Pastor Mrs. Shade Olukoya both celebrated their birthday on July 15](https://i0.wp.com/www.chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Pastor-Daniel-Olukoya-and-Pastor-Mrs.-Shade-Olukoya-both-celebrated-their-birthday-on-July-15.jpg?resize=672%2C566&ssl=1)
Besides, some even gave their lives to Christ and they all left the venue beaming with smiles.
Speaking on behalf the MFM GO’s disciples, the regional overseer, South South 7, Ikom, Cross State, Pastor Jesusina Morenikeji gave insight on how the idea was conceptualised and how they gathered funds for the project without any input of the celebrants.
Morenikeji promised that the project is not going to stop as as the celebrants are still alive, and it will be improve upon to caters for larger number of people in the society every year.
He said the positive impact of the project goes beyond giving material things to the people but the spiritual blessings people received were of greater heights.
According to him, many people that gave their lives to Christ was a big achievement and God Is going to record it in the accounts of the celebrants for their good deed in the world.
“Today, July 15, happen to be the birthday of our father and mother in the lord, Dr. D K Olukoya and Pastor Mrs. Shade Olukoya, having work under these good leaders for the past 23 years as pastor , as minister, I have carefully observed their lifestyles and their leadership instinct , I discovered that they are giver, they are philanthropists, they have done many cooperate social responsibility, and they have affect millions lives both in Nigeria and outside Nigeria.
“And today being July 15, three years ago, the God gave me a vision to celebrate our father in the lord ; three years ago , we had online praises section for them, two years ago too, we did the same thing, last year we did the same thing but this year 2022, is a pragmatic step because our father in the lord , Dr. D k Olukoya is 65 and our mother in the lord is also a year plus as well.
“So, I felt this thing having been done for three years , I need to take it to another level, and I remember that one of the attribute of these father and mother is that; they are givers, so I decide to put funds together by mobiles other sons and daughters of the celebrants to give back to the society.
“Unfortunately, the way we are in this country, there is hunger in the land , so , I felt it will be of good on the day of their birthday, celebrating them, to do something that will have impact on the less privileges so, I talk to people, most especially, those of us that tagged ourselves as sons and daughters of Dr. D k Olukoya and Mrs. Shade Olukoya, to put funds together, we are over 30; we have general overseers, assistant general overseers, pastors and members of the church who are just lovers, and sons and daughters of Dr. D k Olukoya and Mrs. Sade Olukoya, we put funds together to make this happen, as you can see the beneficiaries are not just Christians or church members but includes other religions.
“Hunger does not know tribe, hunger does not know religion, we throw it open for everybody and with this , we believe, this is the best way to celebrate our father and mother in the lord because being a cheerful givers and philanthropists, we have to follow their foot steps and continue to affect people positively.
“Today, the response of people make us feel happy , truly, there is hunger in the land, what we initially target is 500 people but as you can see, our target is less to the number of people that are still trooping in for the largesse so, next year by the grace of God, we will double up”, he said.
Many of the beneficiaries could not hide their feeling as they prayed whole heartedly for the celebrants.
An elderly man , who identified himself as John, said the foodstuffs mean slot to him because it would go a long way in feeding his family, prayed for Pastor Olukoya, his wife and all his sons and daughters.
A woman, Anna who claimed she was a widow, said she was just passing by in the area when got wind of the project and decided to check what was happening at the venue.
She expressed her joy for the blessing; both spiritual and the foodstuffs, thanked the organisers for their kindness.
Another woman, Funke who came all the way from Igbogbo to the programme , said she was called by a friend who she had earlier cried to for help due to condition of her family.
“My friend knows quite well that me and my family her suffering because we have nothing to eat, when I was called to come over, I told my friend, I have no money for transport but told me to go and borrow that she will give money when I come thank God, I was not disappointed, I pray to God to continue to bless the celebrants and their children,” she said.