It was in 2011 I first heard from Irene Olumese by email. She had received a copy of Effectual as a gift and had taken the time to write in to let me know how the magazine blessed her life. This fateful Saturday morning when her email came through was one very hard day in the life of a dream chaser like me. We had been going through a really rough patch with our work and I really needed the pick-up that Irene’s email provided.

That was how a friendship was born and for two years, we kept talking on the phone and via emails. In April 2013, I finally had the opportunity to meet Irene; she had orchestrated for her church to plan a women’s meeting and I had been asked to be the speaker. I was excited on so many levels. First, my reach is receiving an expansion. Secondly, I get to visit Switzerland for the first time but most importantly, I finally get to meet Irene who by this time had become my Sista.

Less than two weeks before my trip, Irene had to go into the hospital. Later I learnt she had been on the waiting list for Organ Donation for at least three years and the hospital had called to say they found her a set of lungs- something she had waited and prayed for so long!
The transplant went well. Weeks later, there were some complications and the only way was for Irene’s two legs to be amputated. I wept that day till I had no more strength to weep. In weeping, I was trying to get God to move so my Sista would not lose her legs but that wasn’t meant to be.

So why am I talking about Irene today? By the way, her full story is found here. I am talking about Irene because out of that painful experience God has birth a foundation known as Feet of Grace, and come this Saturday April 25, 2015, Irene and Feet of Grace have put together a 5km charity walk to fund the purchase of some prosthetic limbs for two beneficiaries; Olive Amadi aged 42, lives in Jos, Nigeria.

Olive, a diabetic suffered a nail injury in 2009 which wasn’t well treated and resulted in an amputation in 2014. The second beneficiary is Chidebere Chidiogwu; he is 10 years old and lives with his parents in Enugu, Nigeria. The bathroom wall collapsed on Chidiebere’s leg. This led to an infection and subsequent amputation. Chidi was provided with prosthesis in 2013 by the Irene Foundation but has since outgrown it. Chidi needs a replacement urgently.

Just thinking about how this has come full circle, I cannot but wonder at the amazing work of God’s Grace and how what breaks one man is the birth of purpose for another.

Today’s blog is to join Irene and Feet of Grace Foundation to solicit for your support in funding these limbs. Irene could have decided that life has dealt her a raw deal and in my opinion, life has. Instead, she has decided to take that which the enemy meant for evil and use it for good. I am not 100% sure that Irene would have been organising a 5km Charity Walk had she not lost her own limbs post-surgery. The goal of this Charity Walk is to help raise 15,000 Swiss Francs.

So how can you help? If you are in Geneva, you can physically join the fund raising walk on Saturday, April 25th, you can send in your donations towards achieving the goal. For more information please send an email to iolumese@gmail.com and Irene will oblige you with how you can send your contributions.

Irene’s loss of her limbs is fast becoming the reason why some who might have never walked again will walk again. Will you join? Please send that email to iolumese@gmail.com or send me an email bidemi@bidemimarkmordi.com and I will be sure to let you know how you can give.
Remember that God can birth His purpose any way He chooses. Irene’s journey has been a peculiar one but because of her journey, purpose is birth and hopefully with your help, Olive and Chidiebere will walk again.

Remember that you can reach Irene via email iolumese@gmail.com or simply send me an email bidemi@bidemimarkmordi.com and we will let you know how to make your contribution.
Looking forward to helping FOG bring relevance and ease to others, while praying that you will fulfil purpose.

Thanks in anticipation of your help.

Discover Purpose, Live Powerful!

Bidemi