FOR OPHANS & ABANDONED CHILDREN
DECEMBER 24 – 25, 2016
Very early morning December 24, 2016, Miss Leeklli Kansuah, a student of the University of Liberia and her entourage, a Dietician, departed the City of Monrovia to travel 250 miles to Johnny Cole Town, where the MERMAI Orphanage is located. They took nearly all goodies kids love – good food, toys, popcorn, cool ale and ingredients for Jollof Rice, one of most delicious dish fitting for a king which most Liberians love, rice being our staple food. The team which arrived safely after about two hours rested for few hours and began preparation for the main day, December 25, 2016.
The entertainment program was divided into three phases: Breakfast, Lunch and Distribution of Gifts:
Breakfast
By 8:30 – 9:00 a.m., this is time when kids are really hungry, the breakfast was ready and served This was something most of them have rarely had prior to the appearing of MERMAI on the scene. One can imagine the gleam in their eyes, a sudden expression of an emotion, an optimism of happy days to come reflecting through their eyes. They were happy that someone somewhere loved and cared for and about them. Miss Kanasuah welcomed the kids, graced the meal with a very brief thanksgiving prayer and reserved more meaningful comments to be made shortly before serving lunch.
Lunch
In a twinkling of an eye the four hours’ preparation of the Lunch which is the nucleus or hub of the program, was ready. Had the kids not taken breakfast, the four hours would have seemed like ten to fifteen hours because when kids, even adults, are hungry, they need food immediately. After the kids had assembled, Miss Kanasuah popularly known as “Pinky” spoke thus to a number of about 300 – 350 that Christmas is all about the love of God for the whole world. She might have quoted St. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” She also told them that Christmas is a time of loving and giving, most especially, to children like you whose parents are not alive to care for you.
As means of furthering the legacy of Martha E. Ramsey who loved children and gave her entire life of 89 years to their care and concerns, as well as the Board of Directors and Board of Advisors, Officials, members and Volunteers of the MERMAI, by and thru its founders, Pastor & Mrs. Irvin W. Kofa, Sr. and family as a whole to tender this Christmas Day Lunch for you as an expression of the love of God which radiated through them. “After you have eaten, we shall proceed to Phase III of the Program which is distribution of gifts, whistle blowing, dancing to Kpelle Gospel Music: “Yabalehpo”.
According to Miss Kanasuah, the Chief Cook and special friend of the MERMAI kids, there was enough food to serve Senior Citizens most especially widows, and the unattended sick people including all inhabitants of the Johnny Cole Town Village. She said it has never been like this before since the founding of the village many years ago, it was the first of its kind and that it is an occasion that the people of Chief Johnny Cole Town shall ever forget.
Distribution of Gifts
It was an exciting time that after having a delicious Jollof Rice Lunch which included fried chicken, beef, pork meat, and many other ingredients followed by deserts such as cool ale, bananas, oranges, etc., Pinky, our speaker at the Program, told the excited kids: “We are now going to distribute toys and other gifts from the Founders, Officials, Members and Volunteers of MERMAI including myself, their Spokesman, as their expressions of love for you.” Then she went ahead and distributed their gifts and the children had a wonderful time. Thus the Christmas Party ended successfully.