Hi Everyone, I’m Rose, feel free to call me Rossydiva. From time to time, I will be sharing some of my touchy experiences as a volunteer caregiver in a nonprofit organization just to encourage us all to reach out and touch lives, reach out to loved ones, reach out to the aged ones, reach out to the needy, the lonely, the abandoned ones, the young and the vulnerable. Let’s work on minimizing neglect in our families and society at large.

Sometimes, neglect happens right under our noses. We need to work together to reduce this and give the best to each person we come in contact with while they still have their breath.
Being a Caregiver is something I derive pleasure in doing, it gives me so much joy and happiness. I am always fulfilled when I put a smile on someone’s face, but sometimes it can be overwhelming when you don’t have the resources to do and give what they need.

In my journey of being a caregiver, I met this blind woman who had no child, her husband was late, her extended family members had abandoned her to cater for herself. A concerned neighbor brought her case to our notice at a charitable organization I belong to.

Mama, as she was fondly called, does her laundry, walks to the bathroom, does her cooking and some other things in her one-room apartment, all by herself. I usually visit her at least twice a week. When I do, I cook for her, do the cleaning of the house including her laundry.

Mama was full of life, sweet and loving, she told me lots of stories. I was happy seeing her and taking care of her. She was always happy when I’m around and most times she will not want me to go because she enjoyed my company.

I was very calm and patient with her, I gave her listening ears. Sometimes, when the organization books for an appointment at the hospital for her regular medical checkup, people see me walking with a blind old humble woman, some people tend to look down on me but I didn’t worry about it. Serving the less privileged is an opportunity for me to worship God and be grateful for who I am.

I visited mama one faithful day and I found her down and weak, mama could not talk, she was just giving me signs. I became destabilized, I didn’t know what to do, I was confused. I informed my other colleagues at the organization. She was taken to the hospital.

After the doctor examined her, we were informed by the doctor that Mama was partially paralyzed. I cried my eyes out, then I began to ask God some questions, This woman has been suffering at her old age when she ought to be enjoying and now she can’t even walk on her own, what is happening?

For one week mama could not talk, it was the second week that she started talking but not loud and most times one could hardly understand what she was saying.
Mama’s sickness became worse and she eventually left this world to another where she could rest from her struggles and loneliness. I was devastated when I heard of her demise. I could not eat, sleep or even do anything. You would think she was one of my family members.

Hmmm, Human beings, with so much neglect, and some are so vicious, just 3 days after her death, I saw some of her family members planning her burial. I was dumbfounded, the questions on my mind were….. Where were they when she needed them the most? None of them brought food to her, None of them visited her when she was alive. None of them even bothered to know the young people taking care of mama, they didn’t even pick up her calls and when they did, they made promises of coming around to see her, which they never did.

Some family members and friends can be cruel, what I don’t understand is if these are deliberate acts or it just happens because of how busy the World can be, that they forsake you in your deepest moments of need and appear when you no longer need their help. They somehow, abandon a loved one in need to fend for herself and give up on life when she can’t continue. Then, family members appear and spend lavishly at burials just to impress the public but never bought aspirin or orange to make her feel better and happy while she was alive.
I’m happy I was there for her, I’m happy I played some roles in her life and I am happy that she was also happy anytime I visited her.

May God continue to bless her soul. Amen
My word for you out there today is to make effort to reach out to a loved one. When was the last time you called your grandma, grandpa, Aunties, Uncles, especially those among them that genuinely need your help. Let’s reach out today to make the world a better place.

God bless us All

One ❤️❤️❤️