CHARLOTTE — Catholic Relief Services saved Thomas Awiapo from starvation. Once a poor orphan growing up in rural Ghana, now he travels around the United States every year during Lent sharing his story and thanking CRS supporters for the gift of a hot meal and schooling that they provide through the CRS Rice Bowl campaign.
“I come here to share my story continuously because it touches minds and hearts in a way that moves people to act,” Awiapo explains. “It gives me the opportunity to put a face on the work of CRS around the world and to look people in the face to say thank you for their prayers and support.”
Awiapo visited Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville on Ash Wednesday, March 6. He attended Mass with the students and staff then gave a presentation to the whole school. He then traveled to Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point to share his message with them. He also visited St. Matthew School in Charlotte and the Diocese of Charlotte Pastoral Center on March 7.
“My story helps many Americans to appreciate the blessings in their lives and the call to share those blessings,” Awiapo says.
Awiapo and his three brothers were orphaned when he was just 10 years old.
“We cried for food, we went to bed hungry… Only sometimes at night we had a little dinner to share with all four of us.” He said that the amount of food for dinner was so little that they sat in a circle looking at it, thinking about how little amount of food it was.
“We would look at it and cry,” Awiapo says.
His two youngest brothers died of malnutrition – the youngest dying in his arms. “He was so skinny and bony. That has never left my mind,” he says.
His oldest brother fled, leaving him alone. He scrounged for food alone, doing odd jobs.
One day he smelled food being cooked at CRS’ St. Francis Xavier School in his village. The hot lunches and daily snacks were enough to attract him to attend school. He went on to graduate and earn scholarships to attend college in the United States.
“I was caught, joyfully caught, and I am glad that they did catch me. I am sitting here today with a master’s in public administration. The whole credit goes to Catholic Relief Services,” he notes.
Awiapo now works with CRS Ghana, teaching communities the value of good governance and the value of education. He often returns to his old school, which has been completely refurbished thanks to CRS.
He says that “the little snack” that CRS provided “tricked him into going to school” – and “this trick saved my life.”
Catholic support for CRS, he says, “is just part of living our faith, creating a just world, changing lives of individuals, families and communities through our prayers and contributions. CRS offers Catholics the opportunity to live their faith in solidarity with the poor.”
“It was wonderful to begin Lent this year listening to presentations by Thomas Awiapo,” says Joseph Purello, Catholic Charities’ director of social concerns and advocacy. “His story begins with one of survival in the face of misery and hardship, yet it becomes a compelling message of hope, faith, and gratitude that challenges his audience to encounter Christ at home in our families, and in each member of the whole human family.
“Almost 800 students in three of our diocesan schools heard his message of how Catholic Relief Services provided life-saving assistance, and how he now is able to do the same for children in Ghana. What a powerful witness to the Church’s ministry of caritas!”
To learn about CRS Rice Bowl and donate this Lent, go to www.crsricebowl.org.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter. Catholic Relief Services contributed.