Mme Mbongo as we fondly called you. Mme Mbongo, our English language teacher!

It was in 1980 at the then Government Girls’ Technical College, Molyko Buea. The school was new and we did not have an English language teacher. Mme Mbongo, then a teacher at the then Baptist Boys’ Secondary School (BBSS), Great Soppo, Buea came to our rescue.

Years may have gone by and time may have eroded some of my memories of our time at the then Girls’ Technical College, Molyko but they have not touched my memories of your smile and motherly gait!  You taught us table manners at the refectory; you taught us to walk and speak like ladies; you showed us that a quiet voice can carry far; your dedication and guidance gave us the wings with which to fly.

I still sing the songs you taught us, the song about one smile that makes two, the song about how we walk with the Lord our Sheperd all way… How often did you  correct us when we said "always" instead of "all way"? Yet you did that with a smile. Yes, that Sheperd has now called you home to be with Him and I know, just as we used to sing, that “you walked with Him all way” and are with Him right now, smiling down on us.
Continue to smile, till we meet again, this time, no more to part! 

 I reproduce here three of those songs:

Song # 1

A smile is such a funny thing;

It brightens up your face;

You smile at me,

I smile at you,

And so one smile makes two!

Song # 2

You can smile,

When you can’t say a word you can smile

When you cannot be heard you can smile

When it’s sunny or fair, you can smile anytime anywhere!

You can :),

When you can’t say a word you can :)

When you cannot be heard you can :)

When it’s sunny or fair, you can :) anytime anywhere

(We would sing the second verse not saying ‘smile’ but actually smiling).

Song # 3

The Lord is my Sheperd, I walk with Him all way,

He leads by still waters, I walk with Him all way,

All way, All way, I walked with Him all way.

Beatrice Fontem. (Bamako-Mali) Ex-student, GTC Molyko Buea.