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I learn
with deep sorrow your early departure to the Father, Creator of everything
visible and invisible. There is nothing much I can do to this fact that you
have joined eternally the company of saints and angels in eternal banquet that
Christ came to call all human beings. All I can do is to make you remember
where we have come from. You have left tears rolling from our eyes and sad
faces just because you were too good not to be amongst us. Yet the Creator saw
you too good to join His heavenly family. I have three words for you; intercede
for us.
It is
only the living human beings that have a memory to relive the past. We remember
the good and the challenging moments we shared here on earth with you. It is
exactly ten years since we parted ways from St Gabriel’s Minor Seminary, a
small compound in between two rivers, where we bonded together deeply. Ten
years which is like yesterday and today you are in eternal Kingdom where you
will not bother with Mathematics, Agric, Physics, Histo, Bio, CRE, Geog, Chem,
Engo, etc. Neither bothers with the manual work or giving out medicine and
taking care of the sick as the seminary infirmarian.
Listen,
do you remember when we frequented together the catechism classes (Dini) under
the japuonj George, Otiende, Bernard etc., and later met again as teens during
the intake interview at St Gabs where we were joined by the likes of Akuro,
Jacodhy amongst other enthusiastic young teenagers ready to put another layer
in their educational foundation? Tempus fugit. Yes, time flies!
Do you
remember as we began the form one, Owaa, a form 3 student by then, said that we
were too young? Do you remember that were four monos, Akuro, Jakodhy, yourself
and I, who got linked up the very first day until the day we finished our fourth
form? Do you remember the four of us picking up our result slips from Mr.
Wanjala Martin, Fumblush, and then preceded
to Ojola because we were contented with what we got? Do you remember we slept
on the same double-decker bed, you down and I up; then Akuro and Jakodhy always
with their bed right beside ours, actually the same beds until we finished our
secondary education?
Do you
remember that you, Akuro and Jakodhy pushed me to take the responsibility of
being the class prefect right from form one only to succumb to your pressure in
form two. You particularly saw in me the capacity I did not see in myself, even
if I had to defend some of our interests. Do you remember paying you in kind by
proposing you as the one responsible for the sick students? I, too, saw in you
something that in the beginning seemed heavy but later you did with a lot of
love even if it meant missing sleep to respond to a sick call. Finally our corner
got a name in our final year: the Corner of the Head boy! Do you remember that
Corner?
Do you
still remember that you were an expert in climbing trees…? Oh the jamna trees that beside the lab building
and the one on the way to the field. The rest of us we were down and our mouths
and games kits turned purple. Do you remember we didn’t understand each other
when I found some form ones on top of the tree and had to take away the jamna they had collected? You saved
them. You negotiated on their behalf and even made their punishment much
easier. As if that was not enough, you intervened in most of the punishments
the offenders were put under. Do you remember that one of Migono thura, the worst that even made you sad?
Do you
remember you asked me to join the drama club? I categorically refused, isn’t
it? Yes. And I hope you remember the reason I gave you. It was simply because I
could not dramatize life. But I hope you remember when you proposed for me to
join the seminary choir. Do you? We joined the choir and that year saw us
stepping the capital city as St Gabs, under the good caring hands of Mr. Abel
Okello Okoth, singing loudly, Magnificat!
And do
you remember the many hours we passed together in the Simu ya Jamii cabin where you used to work before heading to
Mombasa for your university studies? You challenged us to be positive in the
society even after school and get ourselves busy building it. And do you
remember your encouragements as I was about to join the Propadeutic year? Do
you remember you were with my elder sister Pauline to see me off to Kampala,
Uganda where I was sent to begin my formation to religious life? Your presence
was a source of strength and courage for a journey not known to me. But, excuse
me. Two things I cannot remember: first, the number of occasions we met in
Nairobi during my philosophical studies and as you were passing by on your way
from Mombasa to Kisumu or vice-versa. Second, the number of the phone calls we
made, even after leaving Kenya for Kinshasa, DR Congo… Do you remember? What I remember is the constant keeping in
touch… the SMS, Facebook chats, the calls we had together.
And
today, I woke up and remembered that you are with the Father. I hope, Daudi,
you remember our request; pray for us. Before I forget, do you remember that
you wanted very much to learn Lingala
language? Allow me to tell you this in the language that you wished to learn: yaya ya biso, kende malamu, obosa te
kosambela mpo ya biso kuna na epai ya Nzambe, nzambi yo moko oyebi makambo
manene toza na mango awa na mokili. Solola na Tata Nzambe. Yebisa ye ndenge nini otiki biso. Obosana biso te,
moninga. Merci mingi mpo na nionso osaleli okati ya bomoi bya biso banso.
