by Laura Knight
I’ve had a lot of powerful experiences over the years with A2S in Nigeria, but none stands out quite like the first time I met Testimony in 2022.
In a small room we had 10 people sitting tightly in a circle. I was on a bench that had been brought from outside, borrowed from a neighbor. We bowed our heads to pray, and a small 4 year old boy with his tiny, slightly raspy voice began to sing. He sang words of praise to the Lord, and others in the room began to join in. That small moment left an impression on me. This little boy was something special, and his name was Testimony.
Our Vision Trip team of volunteers visited his family’s home (pictured below). Testimony’s older siblings Rejoice and Divine were kids at our After School Academy, and his mother, Grace, was one of our volunteers in the kitchen. On this visit we learned how Agbator, the father, had been in an accident that affected his driving leg. Driving had been his primary job, and he had been unable to find a different source of work. This family setback paired with the COVID-19 pandemic had taken a toll. During the shutdown period, the family had run out of resources. To survive, they had consumed all of the goods from Grace’s store. With no store and no income from driving, the family shared their uncertainty with us.
Thecla, our National Director, was able to step in with some emergency funds to restart Grace’s business. Grace’s story is one of the many reasons we launched our small business grant program to benefit parents of our After School Academy kids. Providing that stability at home is so important to be able to allow a child to learn without the mental load of constant survival mode.
Three months after my visit, Agbator applied for an open security position at the A2S Youth Center. I remember cheering back home in the U.S. Office when Andrew shared who had been hired. There’s nobody who loves our children more fiercely or would be more dedicated to keeping our Youth Center safe.
Testimony was admitted into the After School Academy in 2023. That summer, just before his admission, I returned to Nigeria with a team of volunteers. As I got off the bus right when we arrived, I spotted Agbator who had opened the gate. I ran to him, excited to see him owning his new role. “You remember us?” he asked. “Of course I do.” I replied. “You welcomed us to your home. How could I forget?”
I began to check on Agbator, Grace, and their beautiful children any chance I got. On each visit, I spent more time with the oldest son, Divine, and Testimony as they began exploring their futures at the After School Academy. The Vision Trip teams always visit the local church that hosted A2S programs before we had the Youth Center building. At every church visit, before I can locate them in the crowd, Testimony and Divine are quickly at my side to share that time together.
Around this time last year (2025), we had a scare. Testimony and his older sister, Rejoice, were in an accident. They were crossing the street to the Youth Center when a biker zipped by and crashed into them. Luckily, the A2S team was quick to act and rushed the children to the hospital.
A funny thing about me, when someone is going through something, I can’t sit still and pray. I have to incorporate prayer into something that I’m doing, usually something artful. We had a staff challenge to paint a picture for team bonding activity. I took that opportunity to paint a portrait of Testimony while praying for his full recovery.
If you’re an artist, you know there’s always something you’re fighting with that might seem “off” if you’re painting a person that you know. For me with that painting, I felt like Testimony came out looking older than the picture I was going off of. I took it as a sign he would be okay.
After about a week of prayers, Rejoice and Testimony both made a full recovery. I hugged them a little tighter this past summer, amazed at how you couldn’t know by looking at them what they had been through just months before. I think that’s true for anybody – you never know what a person is going through, or may have just experienced.
When I think of the joy with which Testimony approaches the world, I’m constantly inspired and reminded of why I do this work at A2S. He is an absolute beacon of light, and if you get the chance to meet him, you’ll see a fiery faith behind his eyes befitting of his name.
So, thank you for supporting A2S and believing in our mission of restoring God’s design of dignified life for all of His people. In this instance, where A2S was able to step in at a critical moment for Testimony and Rejoice, it made all the difference. Your support allows us to keep creating opportunities to walk hand in hand with our youth toward hopeful, exciting futures.
