No fewer than 2,000 vulnerable Abuja residents on Sunday received food items, shoes and clothing from the Everlasting Arms Parish, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Garki.

The annual alms programme known as ”Tabitha Tent”, which began in 2007 is designed to support the poor and vulnerable with food items, cloths, shoes among others humanitarian materials.

Some of the beneficiaries in an interview with newsmen, expressed their satisfaction and appreciation to the donors and organisers of the programme.

They called on government to initiate policies and programmes such as Tabitha Tent so as to alleviate the suffering of the common man.

A beneficiary, Mr Gonet Jato, said that he received rice, beans and some other materials to support him and his family at the Yuletide.

“We thank Redeemed Church for what they have done for us, they have done so well, we appreciate them and may God bless them.

“To our President, the poor are suffering. Please look at what is happening in the country and do something to help the suffering man.

“It is not easy for us the poor, look at the crowd here, if not for Redeemed, what will be our hope? What we have received can take us for one to two weeks.

“Government should please look out for us as citizens of this country,” he said.

Another beneficiary, Ms Happiness Jacob, said:”I am very happy and grateful. I pray for those that gave all these  gifts. May God open more ways for them so that they can keep on helping us.

“I got cloths, biscuit and rice. I want government to really come to our aid especially at this Christmas season.

“People are suffering, going about looking for their daily bread to eat yet no food, we are suffering, many people are dying because of hunger,” he said.

Another beneficiary, Ms Victoria Ola, prayed that God will bless the members of the church and their supporters who made the 2024 Tabitha Tent possible.

She said that they had done so much in putting smiles on the faces of the poor and beamed a ray of hope at such a difficult time in their lives.

“We are praying for those who gave us these items, may Almighty God bless them; they gave us a lot.

“They gave cloths, rice, beans and garri and some other things, I pray God to bless them in Jesus name.

“The person that brought this initiative and those who supported it, may God increase them more and I wish the government will support them so they can reach out to more poor people,” she said.

Earlier, Pastor Everistus Azodo, who is in charge of the parish called on a well-to-do Nigerians to support the poor.

Azodo who is also the Assistant Provisional Pastor in charge of Christian Social Responsibility, identified lack of functional social safety nets are one of the major problems in the country.

“One of the greatest challenges we have in our country is lack of a proper social safety net; in many advanced countries they have a welfare system that provides for the poor which is an official government function.

“In Nigeria, our own social safety net has remained members of extended family system but when you have a family where everyone is struggling, you can see that we have a real problem.

“We want to encourage as many people who can, to reach out to as many as they can; it is a difficult thing the government itself is in straits as it is so we cannot push everything to the government.

“All of us have to pull together and try to help our people,” he said.

He said that the Tabitha Tent programme which began 20 years ago was designed to reach out to people irrespective of their region, tribe or creed.

According to him, there are people who are not certain of a meal a day not to mention three square meal as things are getting narrower by the day.

He said that the idea behind the Tabitha Tent initiative was to reach out to people irrespective of creed and provide them with some support for a good meal and other needs at this Christmas.

One of the coordinators of the programme, Mrs Modupe Ogundimu acknowledged all the donors and supporters of the programme that made it a success including the beneficiaries.

She said that the church has a skill acquisition programme where vulnerable people are taught skills to be able to fend for themselves.

Ogundimu explained that the This isprogramme was specially designed to give gift items which everybody wants at Christmas.

“During seasons like this, we want to support people to have a decent meal,” she said.(NAN)