JIG, Author at Straight from our hearts

Help! I can’t give because I don’t have

Let me ask this simple question: Can you give what you don’t have?
To answer this question, let’s look at the inspiring story in the Bible about a lame beggar (unable to walk from birth and living on begging ) who gets healed at the Beautiful Gate by disciples Peter and John. The lame beggar had specifically asked the two disciples for money or coins, but Peter looked at him and said, “Silver and gold I do not have; but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

Peter and John had no money and did not hide it from the beggar. To me, they had something more than money, and that is the healing power of Jesus Christ. Peter gave that to the beggar, which saw him rise and walk for the first time in his life.

Wow ! that’s a miracle. (Please Read the full story in Acts chapter 3).

I’ve often found myself in situations where I was asked to give, but I could not do it because I did not have. Do you also experience that sometimes? I’m talking about being at that place where you hear so much about giving, but you seem helpless, not because you don’t want to give but because you don’t have what they are asking for, in most cases, money. And when you don’t have something, giving it is impossible.

I want us to reconsider giving so we don’t feel guilty or helpless when we don’t have..

You have heard or are familiar with this verse: ‘ Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” -Luke 6:38 and this other one in 2 Corinthians 9:7- ” Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

These verses are among many in the Bible that encourage us to give. But none of these verses mentions what specifically to give. I have yet to come across a verse in the Bible that specifies that our giving should always be money. If you find one, kindly let me know.

I, therefore, take it that giving can be anything, including money, items, or gifts one possesses, as Peter demonstrated at the beautiful gate. Peter had the gift to heal. That notwithstanding, do not hold back if you can give money at any time to support a worthy cause, including providing for the needy, contributing towards a community project, or supporting a family member or sibling. Do it willingly and out of your heart.

When you do not have money, ask yourself this question—what else do I have? Time, ideas, talents, energy, and even a smile are valuable gifts one can willingly give. What about those clothes that you bought but realized you do not need? Shoes, bags, books, food, etc. can all be given to someone or persons who need them.

Last year, one of our volunteers, Jemima, surprised me when she willingly took up the decorating assignment. By this, she used her talent in ribbon design and decorations to save our foundation money that would have been spent in hiring the services of a decorator.

Another volunteer, Sylvester, constantly communicated with the team in the Volta Region to ensure that our project was completed on schedule and according to specifications.

Apart from Jemima and Sylvester, let me add that each volunteer can be acknowledged for dedicating their time and making great suggestions.

So, the next time you find yourself in a situation where you can’t give money, I suggest you stop worrying.

Offer what you have because, after all, you can only give what you have. And remember, your giving must always be out of love, not compulsion or pressure. You can read more about giving in my book “Straight Outta Love.”

Let me conclude by encouraging you to give when you can. Always remember that giving is beneficial not only to the recipient(s) but can also be deeply rewarding for the giver.

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Volunteers – our priceless gifts

Let’s discuss volunteerism today. My interest in this subject dates back to my student days. But let me begin by showing appreciation to all our volunteers, including myself. They are the reason why I am writing this piece.

Our volunteers live busy lives but sacrifice their time and sleep for a worthy cause. They share love and joy with the children we serve. They volunteer for the Joy In Giving Foundation and are our priceless gifts.

I yearned for an opportunity to volunteer as a student Journalist, but I think I did not search too hard, so I never found one. Later in life, I searched online for organizations for which I could volunteer. I discovered that there were so many volunteering offers outside my country, and if I wanted to proceed, I would incur some costs, including application, flight, and accommodation. However, not having the money to sponsor a trip, I did not pursue it.

The good news is that I am now a volunteer. Are you surprised? I am the founder of the Joy In Giving Foundation, but I am also the number one volunteer because every team member volunteers at our foundation. Again, through this foundation, I will have the chance to do what I have always wanted: volunteer.

The blessings, satisfaction, and joy we derive from serving the less privileged are enough rewards. Maybe I can explain it better by quoting what Harriet, one of our volunteers, said after visiting the Volta Home Orphanage for the first time-“The experience was amazing…..It is time we all come together to support these kids who are our future leaders.”

This may be why many more people have expressed interest in volunteering for our next project. Welcome aboard! You will enjoy it.

So, who is a volunteer? According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, “A volunteer is a person who does something, especially for other people or for an organization, willingly and without being forced to do it or paid to do it.”

The Cambridge English Dictionary definition of a volunteer is not different from what the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, captured in its 2015 Annual Report: “The terms volunteering, volunteerism, and voluntary activities refer to a wide range of activities … undertaken of free will, for the general public good, and where the monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.”

The UNGA explains that universal volunteerism is multifaceted and can be organized and managed formally within structured organizations, especially CSOs, governments, and the private sector. It can also be run informally, and millions of people volunteer within informal structures and groups outside of formally recognized institutions. Volunteering is often practiced within the communities where people live and work and can be a lifelong commitment.

I did not limit myself to dictionaries and Annual Reports. Still, I consulted my Bible and was amazed at the number of scriptures and verses that relate to or support volunteerism. For this article, I will use only three verses I came across. 1 John 3:18 admonishes us to demonstrate our love by words and actions; “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” Galatians 6:9 encourages us not to be tired of doing good; “Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap if we do not give in.” Titus 3:14 cautions us against becoming unfruitful: “And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.”

The truth is that many people, especially the young ones, volunteer for organizations or institutions without being aware. Internships and offering a service at any organization without monetary reward at one’s will can be described as volunteerism, right?

For us at Joy In Giving, sacrificing time and service is a priceless gift. Our volunteers give this gift to the foundation and the children we reach out to, and we do not take this gesture for granted.

Some universities and tertiary institutions in Ghana have included volunteerism in their curricula. I believe this is to teach the students or inculcate the spirit of giving and serving one’s community without expecting anything in return. In other countries, men and women who occupy high societal positions, including former presidents, volunteer for the causes they support.

I encourage you to embrace volunteerism. If you are not too busy—perhaps even unemployed now—be productive by offering to volunteer at any organization willing to take you on. This activity must be captured boldly on your curriculum vitae, CV, or Resume. And you must be proud to talk about it anytime. Remember, you may be doing it for free, but hold on because very soon, that gesture will pay off, to your surprise.

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From Accra to VeDeme and why you shouldn’t give up

“Why the Volta Region?” I will try to answer this question, which I have been asked many times, in this piece dedicated to all who believe in our mission.

It was one of those evenings when I finished presenting the sports news after a long day. In what had become a practice, I will unwind by logging in to my Facebook account on one of the newsroom PCs, checking what’s new before I finally leave for home. At that time, Facebook was not an app yet and was only accessible on a computer.

While scrolling through my inbox, I found one message that caught my attention. For this piece, I have captured that message here:

“Hello, Miss Joyce. I have been watching you on television. I live at the Volta Home Orphanage in the Volta Region of Ghana, and I would be happy if you could visit us…….God bless you for the work you always do.”

I repeatedly read this message sent on September 28th, 2010, and I was excited as always when I read messages from friends and admirers I had never met.

The sender wanted me to visit their orphanage in the Volta Region of Ghana. As touching as it felt, I was unsure if I would honor that request, especially as the location was outside Accra.

I responded positively to avoid making my “friend” feel bad. I promised to visit during Christmas, almost three months from the date he sent the message. My response got my “friend” sending me more messages, sometimes telling me about how he was faring at school and sharing some interesting activities at the orphanage.

So, December 2010 finally came, and I did not fulfill my promise. How bad of me! Though I strongly desired to visit the orphanage, traveling to the Volta region was not on my to-do list, coupled with my busy schedule at work.

Fast-forward to September 2017, when I stepped foot at the orphanage for the first time. Hmmm! Seven years after I made a promise, right? In between, this boy would not give up. He consistently sent me messages to remind me about my promise. He also told me how disappointed they were at the orphanage as I postponed my visit.

To compensate them, I delivered food items to the “unknown boy” and all the children at the orphanage in 2016.

Though excited with the gesture, he would not hide the fact that the children at the orphanage wanted to meet me. This request will force me to plan my trip to the Volta Region in September 2017, but I wasn’t going to travel alone. I went with the Joy In Giving team, and that trip was made even grander with the kind sponsorship of Partners of the Joy In Giving Foundation, the Melcom Group, Patrick Quainoo Ministries, and the Mothers of Africa.

The four-hour trip from Accra to VeDeme began very early in the morning. The road is full of patches and potholes. VeDeme is on the way to Hohoe. I remember the bus driver, whom I had been assured was very familiar with the Accra -Volta road, missed the turning at the Ve junction. After driving for about thirty to forty-five minutes, we had to make a U-turn with no sign of the orphanage insight. With the help of one of the volunteers who hails from the Volta Region, we finally found the Ve junction that leads to the Volta Home. A few minutes’ drive saw us reaching our destination- the Volta Home Orphanage.

That is when I met my “unknown friend“ for the first time. He is Charles Annabi. His parents own the orphanage. He was in junior high school when he first contacted me through Facebook, but he has now graduated from senior high school and is pursuing further education at the university.

The 2017 trip to VeDeme was my second time in the Volta Region. My first was somewhere in 2008, and that took me to Tapa Abotoase in the Biakoye District, where I reported on some human-interest stories for GTV News and the Breakfast Show.

However, I was happy to be back in the Volta Region. I got the opportunity to meet with the owners and matrons and also had a good time interacting with the children—thanks to God and Charles, the boy who refused to give up.

So, my question is, how long have you been expecting something that seems to be taking forever, and how long are you willing to wait? I have learned a lot from this story, and I will encourage you never to give up because giving up won’t speed up the process anyway.

Today, we are helping the orphanage meet its numerous needs through Joy In Giving Foundation and partners.

After several years of excuses and disappointments, I know that the visit to the orphanage finally came off. It has resulted in a stronger bond between the Volta Home and Joy In Giving Foundation, which hopes to benefit the children positively.