Comments on Black Heritage Month 2022

Vox Pop

As we celebrate Black History month I want to take the opportunity to thank you for the privilege to serve the community of Medford at Medford Clinic for over 2 decades. It has been a tremendous blessing. Thank you for inviting me into your lives. We are all called to do more than we are able on our own, for our calling is always for the greater good. My gratitude goes to our provider, Almighty God, who gave me a very supportive husband and family. We are all called to do little things with great love. A life of service is a meaningful life. We must respond to it in the framework of our personal capabilities and the circumstances of time.

Indeed, “It takes a village to raise a child” ...this African proverb rings a big bell here in Medford. Our 3 children, Oby, Osy, and Onyi were raised here in Medford, right from preschool through High School, participated in social activities, sports and church activities. They all succeeded. Oby is an MD, MPH resident Physician at Yale University Hospital, Osy graduated excellently 2021 from University of Notre Dame and is now a Computer Scientist with a Computer software company in CA., Onyi is premed MD, PHD at University of Notre Dame. We are eternally grateful for God’s goodness, kindness and faithfulness to the children.

They made great friendly relationships with other kids as they were growing up. Needless to say that it’s the entire community of people in Medford, that helped make our children grow in a safe and healthy environment. This saying above contains a truth which we do not realize as much as we ought to do. Even in infancy a child learns much, a great deal more than we can imagine. A child quickly receives impressions from surroundings and thus learns far more rapidly than in later life.

Childhood is the most plastic period of life. What the child sees and hears during this period of life is deeply impressed upon its mind. To a great extent the child’s mind and habits are formed by these impressions. Above all, the building up of good character has been one of the principal aims of Medford education. My husband, Dr. Osmond, and I take this opportunity to give a special thanks to all our Medford teachers.

‘Ekene dili Chukwu’ — Dr. N. Jackie Ekwueme (fondly known as Dr. Jackie), Medford