Frances Okoro: Reflections of an Ex-Corper On A Meaningful Service Year

Has it really been one year since I wrote the post on BellaNaija on my hopes for how NYSC should be? {Click here if you missed it}  Has it really been one year since my hopes were bashed in the comment section on them not being feasible as “NYSC usually ends up being a wasted year?”
But what can I say? The past one year has seen the dreams in my heart for my NYSC year come true.

I remember being so mad when people used to say that “NYSC is a waste of time”. Something in me simply refused to believe those lies and the truth I held on to saw me scaling through the year touching lives and hitting goals.

Ekiti State is a State where you see a 20 year old with three kids trailing her while she thinks that that is all there is to life. I had a burden to tell the young students that getting married and having children isn’t all there is to their life as God has a unique niche and purpose He has created them to fulfil  So I set out into different schools, speaking and counselling the young ones, inviting speakers to steer them unto the right academic path, inviting trainers to teach them basic skills, fielding questions on relationships from confused young hearts…

And as I did all that in six secondary schools this year, I saw myself in the young kids.
I saw the young girl I was 12 years ago. Why didn’t anybody take it upon themselves to let me know that I am beautiful? Worthy of a purpose? And good enough to do anything I set my heart to achieve?
Why did the corpers they posted to my secondary school do nothing of this sort in my school?
My heart ached for the past I missed and rejoiced for the opportunity to pour into the lives of others.
If there is anything I can look back fondly on during my service year, it was seeing the faces of the students, each shouting “Aunty when are you coming back?” And me saying “I will soon be passing out but here’s my number…”

I don’t think that there’s any greater joy to be gotten in life than walking in purpose and pouring out into lives God has placed in your path. It’s a joy that money cannot give to us. It’s a joy that the world cannot give to us. And as I walked round the schools, trekked sometimes, waited patiently for principals to show up sometimes… that joy continued to shine through my heart. And each time the seminars at the schools held and the students asked me “Aunty at what age should one have a boyfriend…”

I thanked God for the opportunity to indeed serve during this one year; to indeed lift my nation and my community high and steer young girls in the right direction. I stepped into NYSC year with an aim to pour out positively into lives and that aim was achieved.

As I stepped out into the real world on October 15th 2015, I promised to always remember this truth:
Wherever I go, whatever I do, nothing would ever satisfy me like walking in God’s purpose for my life will. And if that purpose entails teaching and guiding young ones into the right path… If that purpose entails trekking for long distances just to make plans for what I need to do… If that purpose entails me receiving no monetary compensation whatsoever… I will still do it.
Because my one year in NYSC has taught me that we weren’t created to get all we can… we were created to give out of ourselves, of our talents, of our resources… we were created to pour out and finally die empty. And in pouring out, we find ourselves being refilled.

It’s been an awesome year in Ekiti State as a youth corper.
I have been bombarded with favour from left, right and centre.
From free bike rides, to free “iyan”, to free “fufu,” to kind smiles and willing helping hearts…
It’s been awesome.

And then there is the quest I went on to sight see and have adventures in this State.
I had awesome moments climbing hills, scaling mountains, singing in Fajuyi park while riding the kiddies swing, planning trips to waterfalls and greeting “era ma”.
But more than ever before, I know that what I wrote one year ago is still true today.
The only way one can leave NYSC with a full heart and a fulfilled year is to pour out into the lives God has placed on their paths.

Don’t think about the monetary compensation…
Don’t think about the State/Federal Government awards… just pour out into lives.
And when it’s time to go, you’d look back down the journey and be certain that the seeds you sowed in hearts will grow to become tall trees in the years to come.

Sow a great seed in the lives you come across.
It’s better than moping around, whiling away time while waiting for the year to come to an end.
If you would indeed make your NYSC year a year of purpose and service like I did, then I have no doubt that your heart will be full like mine when you leave.

My message as I step out of NYSC is the same as it was a year ago… the only difference is that I have lived out my belief and found it to be all the more true.
Sow the seeds. Make the mark in lives. Go out, sight see, travel around the state you’ve been posted to and find the beauty buried in it.

Live a life of purpose… and yes, you can do this even during your NYSC service year.