My one and only loving mama,I did not imagine that you could depart from our midst so soon and so unexpectedly. It happened at a time when we were expecting you to come back to the US after a few months' visit at home. We were already planning your trip back by renewing your passport, but God had already planned a better and different trip for you,to eternity. God's plans surpass all plans that we can make as humans,and so you have rested from the works and pains of this world.
You were the most hardworking and honest woman that I have ever known. I'm not saying this just because God chose you as our mother for me and my siblings,but because you truly were. You were God fearing and had a very close relationshipwith God. Heaven has gained and we have lost. You made sure all your nine children were baptized and set on the right path with God. You taught us to pray together everynight,..its true that a family that prays together, stays together indeed. That is why we have stayed together until now and always will.. You instilled Godliness in us...and truly as the Holy book says in Proverbs 22.6; train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. We are old now, and we all know for sure that God is the only way.
Yet,you still had a lot of space left in your heart for others, near and far.. In the community, you fed passers-by, mentally ill,the poor,your enemies,and anyone else who stopped by. There is none that came and left empty handed if you had something to share. That is why you never lacked mama,and we as your children have not lacked. I developed a passion to help others from you,and I always feel indebted to help out of mercy even where I'm not concerned. You always loved peace, alot of people came to you for peace keeping. You always said the truth and stood with it, and councelled those involved to bring peace.. you were a peace keeper mama.. You will always be my role model mama.
You were wise,focused, organized, a disciplinarian yet you loved us deeply. I wish I could be a half of you.. You gave us tough love which is the reason why we are who we are.
Tirelessly, with God's help and others,you raised all 9 of us and miraculously saw us through school...how you did it,only God knows. You valued education very much,you were able to keep up with each one of us....how did you do that mama?
You were an iron lady yet you were loving and forgiving deep inside.. I am your witness,you had forgiven everyone that inflected wounds in your heart. You taught us to forgive....sometimes we could say to ourselves,if mama has forgiven so and so,why should we carry them in our hearts?that led to me finding out that, there is no enemy big enough to not forgive and keep me from the kingdom of heaven. You forgave even those that are humanly not possible to forgive,but you forgave them all. How huge was your heart mama?
Spiritually, I know that you have gone to a better place,where you have attained eternal rest,but physically,I am in pain. The pain of missing you each day,the pain of the reality that I'm never gonna see you again on this earth. All I wanted to do was to give you the very best,to see you smile and be as comfortable as humanly possible. The 2 years and 2 months that you lived with us shall forever stay in our memories. I remember your unending stories about life,..oh,how you knew to tell stories!you were a great orator,you could have written books..for others to read,but for us,we lived the story with you,and we were part of your story,the same way you are part of our story.
While you lived with us,you raised my son Mogambi(whom you named after our departed loving brother)right from the day he was born...you ate with him,played with him(he sat by your feet for the most part of the day)and you even slept with him....he was close to you even more than he was close to me....My big son Henry,was so fond of you,teasing each other all the time...now he is sad and heartbroken, knowing that death has snatched away a friend, a grandma. My husband is still in disbelief!he highly respected you, and always acknowledged your uniqueness. Where most mothers will always defend their children even when they are wrong, mama always stood for the truth and was able to correct me if I was wrong. She never defended wrong. He appreciated you and he will always miss you....who can fill that gap for us mama????
We miss you alot in our house mama. When I received the horrible news of your departure,I went to your room as if expecting to find you there.....everything was sitting in its place,the same way you left it,being the most neat and organized person I have ever met in my life,even still in your golden years.You left everything intact because you were coming back next month,but you have gone to the everlasting home instead. You can never come back to us,but we will come to you...how glorious will that day be?when we shall meet with our loved ones,never to be departed again!when the sting of death shall be no more!we will sing and rejoice for Jesus will call us by our names and say, welcome home my friends!you have fought a good fight,you have finished the race,and you have kept the faith. He will wipe away our tears and there will be no more sorrow,no more death, and no more pain, forever and ever more. Sleep well mama,rest well my love. Till we meet again at the feet of Jesus Christ.....
Petronilla, daughter