RESORTING TO RUBBISH A FAMILY STRIVING TO SURVIVE

Disgusting, sickening, revolting – whatever name you may give to a refuse dump, sadly for some, it has become the only means of survival.
Such was the case for Mrs. Philomena Sunday and her nine children from Warri, Delta State, whose situation following the tragic death of her husband and breadwinner deteriorated to such extent that her source of livelihood depended solely upon the waste of others. Looking at the circumstances surrounding this family, one can easily deduce that theirs was an extreme case of poverty, and as TB Joshua put it, ‘their poverty had become a curse’. His words: “Such poverty is not just poverty but has become a curse and only Jesus can remove that curse”.
Narrating her horrific tale recently, during her very first visit to The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations, she explained that no sooner had her husband died than she was thrown into the waiting hands of poverty. With no means of livelihood, coupled with abandonment by her in-laws, living became a nightmare for her and her nine children as they were gradually forced to beg for their daily bread. The crushing effects of hunger soon set in. And when they could no longer cope with the starvation, the young family resorted to scavenging through dustbins in search of food remnants. “We go to dustbins to get food. Even the clothes we wear, we pick them all from the dustbin and wash them,” said Philomena, “sometimes, if we don’t make it early to the dust bin, we don’t have anything to eat at all. We pick bread, groundnuts, yam, everything we can find to eat.”
It was on one of her many trips to the refuse site that she met a woman who proved to be the catalyst of change in her fortunes. Apparently, the woman had observed Philomena’s frequent patronage of the refuse dump and decided to put this on record without her knowledge. “She asked what I was doing at the dustbin every day, with these children, picking food, and I answered: ‘My sister, things have been very difficult, and even when I go to people to beg, they usually disappoint me.’ ”
During one of their visits to the rubbish dump, the woman approached Philomena and asked if she knew about The SCOAN to which she answered, ‘no’. She then encouraged her not to worry and handed her the recorded tape of her and the children feeding from the dustbin. She urged her to go with the tape to The SCOAN, believing that she would be assisted.
Acting upon the advice of the woman, Philomena, and her children went to The SCOAN on October 11th 2009, where she gave an account in the Sunday service of the kind of living conditions she and her children had had to contend with since the death of her husband. The tape was then played to the public, confirming the truth of her unbelievable tale. It was a pitiful sight as Philomena and her children were seen on scavenging trips to the refuse dump as she and her children rummaged through mountains of refuse, searching for food, disused clothes, shoes and all, as well as empty cans, which they sold for N50 apiece, to buy food.

In confirmation of what Philomena had said, her eldest daughter Abumare Faith told her own version of the story. She explained how she had rushed to live with a man who promised to marry and take care of her. Unbeknown to Faith, however, the man she found was himself an unemployed person. She became a teenage mother, bore him two children and thus the cycle of poverty increased. “Even the clothes I am putting on now are from the dustbin,” she said tearfully. “But suddenly, my mother came one day to tell us that one woman told her about Synagogue… I know that as we are here now, our story would turn around.”
The story of Anthonia Abumere, the second daughter of the family was no different. She too got lured into a relationship she believed would blossom into marriage and help save the family from their wretched plight. Unfortunately, her union turned out to be one with a man who suffered with bouts of mental illness manifesting in aggressive behaviour. She too became a teenager mother and the family’s problem went progressively from bad to worse.
“I did not know that the man had a mental problem which, whenever it occurred, made him misbehave and caused people to run from him,” narrated Anthonia. “Last June, his condition deteriorated,” she went on, “ he beat me and my baby and sometimes he would kick us out,” cried Antonia, with a huge scar from a stitch that marked her pretty face, holding her equally lovely infant baby.
Turning to the family as he preached to his congregation, Prophet Joshua noticed little Esther, her delicate face smudged by hot tears: “Wow! What a beautiful girl,” he exclaimed. “If you don’t help this one now, she would turn out to be like her sister who married a mad man,” said the prophet, shaking his head, solemnly.
“All over the world, people like this are everywhere. Find them, restore them, help them,” TB Joshua admonished. “We must do whatever we can to restore this family and make them part of our families and counsel them; we must not allow these children to be destroyed.”


Thereafter, he made a cash donation of N500,000 to the family in addition to 10 bags of rice and his trademark gift of the Holy Bible, promising further assistance to help sponsor the children’s education and secure adequate accommodation for them. Other cash gifts and donations started pouring in from the congregation, as well as from viewers of Emmanuel TV, worldwide, who had been following the live telecast of the Synagogue Sunday service.
Expressing her gratitude for the goodness of God in her life, Philomena said: “Pastor, I have something to tell you. I thank you for removing me from poverty today. I thank you for the good thing that you have done for me. You will live long; you will live long; you will live long”. Smiling, TB Joshua responded: “Look opposite is the case now. I am to thank you for receiving the gift. Thank you for receiving this gift. You will live long; you will live long; you will live long”.
In fulfilment of the promise to provide Philomena and her children with accommodation, TB Joshua sent an Emmanuel TV Team to her hometown in Delta State to rent and furnish a suitable apartment for the family.
Sometime later, a reinvigorated Philomena and family came back to The SCOAN to share their testimony with the world. “I thank God today that my past is over. We no longer pick from the dustbin. We can now eat from the dining table.”
Out of the monetary gift, Philomena has set up a successful tailoring business to comfortably provide for her whole family’s needs. Dignity restored, stigma removed, survival secured… a new day has dawned.

Join the Conversation

No comments

  1. This story touched my heart when I wached it on the programme.

    I felt for my sister in God and having been away for almost 9 years without seeing my family it broke my heart more. I have been away for so long inorder to provide for my family. I praise my sister for being there for her family despite the difficulties and God opened away for her and the family.

    We thank God for creating T B Joshua who is working wonders for the whole world.

    God Bless all involved in running the church.

  2. Really sad,I was move to tears reading about this family,we have people living lik dis yet the so call govt are busy looting d country resources

  3. May the God of Abraham continue blessing Prophet T.B Joshua and gives him a healthy and happy life.Amen

  4. i thnx u 4 th good work that u r doing may god bless u n urfamily please man of god help me pray 4 me n myfamily we dn,t hv enithng.

  5. Watching the record through Emmanuel TV, l was touched. Thank You Man of God 4 kind gesture. Amen

  6. I had the priviledge to watch that service and honestly l got touched by an angel to help those in need. Looking at her situation, l wondered in disbelief. But am just grateful, the Good Lord saved her and her family. Be blessed Senior Prophet, continue with God’s work.

  7. I am humbled.I have to confess that i have such calling but havent started working yet.Because i have nothing in hand yet.as soon as i start working,through the help of the Almighty God will do His will

  8. The man in the synagogue is not an ordinary man of God,but a true son of the most high God.No wonder what he does is nothing but a replica of what God has bestow on us to do.This is the church that Jesus build ,a Church that Jesus will be proud of in heaven.T B Joshua is not just making a show to be praise by men but a true reflection of his calling as a shephered,I say this because before the advent of emmanuel TV I was one of the beneficiary of his welfare in march 1999.Let those who have ear hear and let thos who have eyes believe.he is the son of God

  9. Love is not love until you give it away then you know thats love! For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that—–. We shld also show our love through giving. Praise the Lord!

  10. The spirit of helping the need is what is required now as many people are languishing in poverty. What prophet TB Joshua is doing is a great thing to the vulnerable and homeless. i admire the prophet.

  11. May God bless Prophet T B Joshua,all who helped ths family,Philomena n her children.May God also bless all of us wit a heart of caring for one another.Thank you Lord for blessing this family.

  12. Jesus said to peter, do you love me? feed my sheep?. Lord i pray to have the heart of love in helping the poor, the needy and the homeless.

  13. May God richly bless u Daddy for using u as an instrument to reach his people,in times like these we need each others strength,ooh ineed the spirit of God is upon u!u live long baba!u are my mentor, i admire such of heart.

  14. For a heart of like TB Joshua God will always honour it by blessing it with more than enough so that it can flow to people like her and the name of the Lord be glorified.

  15. This story really made me cry,prophet u will live long in jesus name amen.indeed u are a father and a powerful man of God,i wish u heaven at last,wow…..

  16. THE ALMIGHTY GOD IS USING T B JOSHUA’S MINISTRY TO HEAL THE WOUND OF THE UNIVERSE,PRAISE BE TO GOD.

  17. may god truly keep on blessing you and your ministries(tb joshua).the work you do really encourage me to help where i can.you show the true meaning of true love and eternal love.you are a blessing.thank you.

  18. THE ALMIGHTY GOD IS USING T B JOSHUA’S MINISTRY TO HEAL THE WOUND OF THE ENTIRE WORLD, PRAISE BE TO GOD.

  19. I so much thank, de man of God, prophet TB Joshua for transforming de life of phelomina and children, may de Lord continue to expand him, to do more

  20. May God continue 2 bles u man of God. So many lives u ve touchd n changed God wil add mre day 2 ur life.

  21. Man of God you are doing a great job may God bless you, many I believe will emulate you and start to help many people.
    Finding a need and meet it is our calling

  22. U’v got the spirit of giving man of God,Thank u for showing so much love to those who are inneed’this is all about love.

  23. My holy scripture said on Proverbs chapter 28 verse 27 ” He who gives to the needy will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses” The SCOAN is where I see the word of God being taught in both practical and theory. God bless the man of God “Senior Prophet TB Joshua, the Wise-men, all the brothers and sisters God is using mightily in one way or the other in the Synagogue Church Of All Nation in Jesus Name Amen!!!

  24. TB Joshua please help im HIV positive i can find a man when i tell them im positive they run away. I wish to come to SCOAN but i cannot afford Please help!

    1. Don’t worry my sister, even those who are running away are yet to be HIV positive. Thanx for being honest, believe it or not, ur Man is on the way. Leave everything in God’s hands, don’t rush. God bless u.

  25. Emmanuel,
    thank you Jesus for all you do through your able servant Prophet TB Joshua.
    Such has happened to me. I visited the SCOAN in september 2011 and the prophet gave me some money. I am now a business woman and God is realy doing so much in my favour.I cry no more. I am comingback to my place divinely designed by God and i am sailing over live obstacles. God is turning my setback to a comeback in the mighty name of JESUS.
    I will soon be traveling to the SCOAN for my testimony.
    Emmanuel.

  26. It’s a very sad story to learn.Thank you Man of God and your Humanitarian Ministry for coming into their rescue.May God abundantly bless you always.

  27. I thank God for what the man of God Prophet TB Joshua is doing to the nation Africa and abroad,It is my duty to go out and do the same because the little I have can be a solution to someone else.

    Emmanuel!!!!!

  28. Man of GOD, i want to thank you speacially for the finacial assistance you render to the above family.GOD wil continue to bless you and your ministry in JESUS CHRIST name Amen.PROPHET T.B JOSHUA i wil continue to love you,above all GOD love you must.

  29. Greetings in da name of Jesus Christ! Im livin in gaborone, botswana.i lost 2 kids, 1 is sik nd she has bin admited bcoz of TB.Im also sick nd i earn a litle at work,so may u plz send me annointed water nd stickers i dnt hav money 2 come 2 nigeria. I know dat nothing is imposible wit God. Please help me Man of God.

    1. Hello my sister. sorry about your situation. However, i want to encourage u that ur faith has delivered u in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

  30. I. Thank. God who created the man of God,through him I have learn.to forgive,Caring and to love. Prophet you are my mentor

  31. We are grateful to God 4 giving us a prophet in our time thank u TB Joshua and ur family at large

  32. We thank God for what the man of god is doing,I have learnt alot from the man of God.May the lord continue to you man of God.

  33. Father we for the man of God you sent for us to experience your good works.Prophet continue to bless all that needs your help other people’s lack is your lack too.Let us unite as the body of the Christ.Love is the greatest thing of all.

  34. May God bless you dad and indeed live long. Im realy touched: Pray for me to recieve such an impartation.

  35. thank you to be to God. and the woman who show the family awy to salvation it was god who put that whoman i that familys way. thank you be to that woman for having a loving, caring heart. thank you be to man of god TB Joshha and Scoant. you are a freely giver , that make u cheerful giver and God love those who give cheerful. you are helping alot of pipl. we thank God for you as you touchng alot of life. let your work continue and may lord our God add upon ur life and what you give. amen

  36. I watched this sunday service in tears, Praise be to almight God that this family was helped. Man of God continue your good work and God bless you. I have one request man of God, pray for me to have enough to share and a heart to help the needy.

  37. T.B joshua, thank you for your assistance. pray with us we want to be the one who will assist others.

    julieth-tanzania

  38. May God continue to bless u. And i am really happy for the family. Prophet adimitted that he is ready to sheperd Jesus`s sheep. And he is on it. Praise God.

  39. May God bless U. realy every thing is possible for God. for the lady and her family it is new era.I thank God for all the thing what he did for human kind.

  40. May the God Allmighty give you more years to live to do his good works! you are a very good example to all mankind, God Bless you and your family. lam really happy for this lady and her children.

  41. Truly changing Life, Man of God your blessed, i wish people in position could learn from you, i believe hardship will reduce, i thank Jesus for your life.

  42. Thank you Jesus!Realy this is what we call”perfect love”may God help us to activate this kind of love.there r many people eating in the rubbish bin worldwide ,what we use to say is shame,shame and do nothing to help,may God help us to learn from Prophet TB Joshua,he is cheerful giver.

  43. Thank you Jesus for the Prophet You gave to us, with out Him where would we be,Thank you Man of God for what You are doing in people’ s lives,God will continue to strengthen your heart desire to save more souls and God will continue to prosper you, because you now how to handle your prosperity,by giving, sharing,supporting and benefiting others,God will definitely bless you more and more in Jesus’name

  44. be blessed man of god T.B.Joshua for a great job you have done to the all nation,i have been blessed much watching emmanuel TV,may our god keep on bleesing you much for your job
    Yosepha Swai
    Tanzania

  45. Milka Ahemed
    Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27 NIV .Stay Blessed SP TBJ

  46. Its wonderful thank you servant of high most God for removing that family from the opression of the devil and a curse of poverty.

  47. Whats a great job man of God you are doing to bring life and hope to the helpless.Indeed when we face calamities in this world we forget about God instead problems are songs on our lips and Disgusting words describing our troubles,sickness and our poverty.
    I wish one day you can come to Zambia and remind us of our creator because it has been too much worshiping our troubles and am one of them who a day cant pass without complaining and wondering of how i will clear my debts .
    Its four years now since my husband went away for another woman but keeps coming to beg money from me without supporting his daughter who I conceived after touching the screen of the TV when TB Joshua was praying for the fruit of the womb in 2008. Who ever man comes my way is married and some would even cheat on me that they are single for the sake of winning a relashionship with me.Also help me i believe 2012 is mine too!

  48. Father in the name of Jesus Christ,help me I need this grace of giving and helping myself, by helping those who cannot payme back in my ministry. Let it be for your honour,and glory.

  49. True True this is all about LOVE as it’s in 1corinthians 13 vs 1…..13 if i speak in tongues of men & of angels, but have not LOVE i am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal, please people of GOD let LOVE leads us, as prophet TB Joshua always say we should show love & kindness to the needy & to the poor GOD richly blessed prophet TB Joshua for giving us the right ward & the right way of GOD EMMANUEL……………………….!

  50. To God be the Glory. We thank God for the Man of God and the wonderful works that he’s been doing. God will surely remember you for serving this His people. Keep it up Man of God.

  51. This is an eye opener to those of us who spend money carelessly. This should remind us that there are people out there who need our help. Let us not wait for them to come to us, we must find them, because one day we are going to be in the same situation and they will surely remember us. Most importantly, God will remember us.

  52. Indeed God is the father to the fatherless, a husband to the widows, a companion & friend to the lonely. The greatest gift one can ever give to another is LOVE and this is exactly what we see happening at the SCOAN. May the spirit of the most high God continue to prevail at the SCOAN. May God continue to bless all his servants at SCOAN, expand their territories and as well as bless their households for the kind gesture they do those from humble beginnings and the rich alike.

    May the ministry of Prophet TB Joshua flourish for the many years to come!

  53. Thank you Man of God for what you are doing for the poor. I wish one day in future i can have a chance to visit the Scoan and be touched by those blessed hands Amen.

  54. Everything has been said and i like and say “amen” to what Escantstuttgart from Germany said about the man of GOD prophet TB Joshua!

  55. Our challenges in humanity are many and sometimes we concentrate on nursing and nagging about our own small problems when and yet there are human beings living like imitating animal life, God’s creations not only merely or barely eating but existing on what we reject and throw out as rubbish while sleeping on another waste heap. It is a big lesson to us as well as challenge to open our eyes, ears and minds! If that family can be let like that by close friends, former neighbors and relatives then it means others who will not come out to be seen, the blind and disabled will simply die unnoticed. We have sinned against God! Father give us the grace to see and extend a hand to those who need us without any bias, Amen!

  56. man of god my almight god will blessing you for what you did in the whole world .especial that women who was suffering with her children soo long now look at what our might god did throw our dady prophet T B JOSUA long live dady longlive in the name of Jesus Amen.

  57. Man of God you amaze me a lot i fail to understand the God that you save He is a true and loving God , If all Pastors,Bishops,Reverends etc were like you ,there would be no poor people in this world.People who say that you are a satanist are just jealous of you works.James says faith without works is Dead.Their faith is dead.Keep on with the good works God will reward you.
    God richly Bless you.

  58. May God contiune to bless you man of God TB JOSHUA . Indeed may you live long in Jesus NAME. aMEN

  59. Emmanuel!

    Thats all about LOVE.Thank you Lord for what Senior Prophet TB Joshua is doing to our lives but not only to Nigerian people, but to the whole world at large. Man of God continue your work and be blessed in Jesus Mighty Name.

  60. the best is yet to come. to you Lord i watchip, to you i put my trust. BT Joshua may the almight God continue blessing you. you are the greatest gift we have received from God. Love your teaching. Amen Amen!!!! thank you very much.

  61. Senior Prophet T.B. Joshua will never lack, he gives what others can’t give. He is my mentor in giving. God help me to emulate your giving. You gave us your only son and now you have over 2 billion children. Those that emulate you will never lack.

    Charles Banda
    Malawi

  62. I would like to know if there is somewhere or someone I can get the Anointing Water in Kenya,I am in Nakuru and I need this desperately.I believe if I lay hold of this my problems will be solved by God forever and I and my family will be delivered in Jesus Name
    God Bless Prophet TB Joshua and His Ministry

  63. This is awesome. You will surely live long TB Joshua. I wish to give as much as you do and we keep learning from your example.

  64. Love is so powerful..indeed let love lead. Lord give me your haert to love…in Jesus name. May God continue to bless the man of God. Changing the world and all nations

Leave a comment