By Christy Aboghe
Chairman, Delta State Christian Welfare Board, Archbishop Cyril Odutemu has encouraged intending pilgrims to be determined to achieve the New Nigeria they desire through their prayers.
Odutemu gave the admonition while speaking with our Correspondent during the screening exercise of intending pilgrims in Asaba.
The Chairman advised that they should go to the Holy land to tap into spiritual fountains and come back home with blessings.
While speaking he said the determination of the past pilgrims to pray resulted in a zero abscondment in the state and blessings recorded to the country.
He said the intending pilgrims to Israel and Jordan should be understand that going to the Holy Land was not a means of absconding from the country, but an opportunity to intercede for the blessing of God which they believe in and they would come back to enjoy.
Odutemu said the Holyland, though not heaven, but then they could only tap blessings from there to improve their territory.
The Chairman, advised them as good ambassadors of the state not to go to the pilgrimage and bring shame to the state and the Church of Jesus Christ.
On his part the Executive Secretary, Apostle Samuel Okoh has said that the platform of embarking on pilgrimage should not be used to bring shame on the state government.
Okoh said with a zero record of abscondment by the Pilgrims during the previous pilgrimage, he was optimistic that the year’s pilgrimage would add colour to the previous success recorded in the state.
Okoh said, all has been put in place to ensure zero absconding, as every intending pilgrims have been tasked to be his or her brother’s keeper with the duty of guiding each other against acting contrary to the objectives of the pilgrimage.
According to the ES, the screening would enable the federal and state government know how genuine the intending pilgrims were, as complete presentation of International Passport, evidence of acquired vaccination, state of origin amongst other documents, would qualify them to be partakers of the pilgrimage.
While commending the state governor for availing Christians the opportunity to be part of the pilgrimage, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), Snr. Apostle Sylvanus Okorote urged intending pilgrims not to see it as a jamboree, picnic, or opportunity for abscondment rather they should be spiritual sensitive for greater impartation.
Okorote described pilgrimage as a spiritual retreat for spiritual revival and renewal, adding that they should take advantage of every site they would visit, to seek God’s face and not for picture taking.
