Alas, my mom is gone!
On Thursday April 27, 2023 I got the phone call I have always dreaded receiving informing me of your departure. I had always prayed that the good Lord would grant us all long life like he did my grandparents, but God had other plans and death could not wait for you to console your beloved sister who was already mourning her late husband. I had an epiphany that morning after almost two weeks of insomnia, it dawned on me that you were trying to say goodbye.
Mom, you were an epitome of hard work, perseverance, contentment, patience, respect, honesty, forgiveness, generosity, PEACE and LOVE! You compromised a lot for peace to reign. You were a submissive, devoted wife, sister and mother to many. You were a true description of a virtuous woman and you took care of dad selflessly. You were also a fighter and you shielded your children the best you could, sometimes being overprotective.
You were my first teacher and pastor. I remember when you taught me to make backstitches and made me use them to fix my ripped sweater at the age of 7 which led to my keen interest in sewing. Thanks to you I was able to read quite a few fairytales and fables at a young age. You taught me idiomatic expressions at a tender age- my favorite then being, ‘a stitch in time saves nine’. You taught me the Lord’s prayer, the Ten Commandments, choruses and told me numerous Bible stories which remain imbibed in my heart till date.
You helped me raise my boys and you had a nickname for each one of them. With your guidance, pieces of advice and support they have all grown into the young men you were so proud of and they were so fond of you as well, fondly calling you ‘Grandma’. I had hoped you would be alive to see them get married and get to meet your great grandchildren. I was already planning your 80th birthday in my head, but as is often said, ‘man proposes, God disposes’.
You were my confidant, my advisor and my counselor. You were never too busy to pick my calls and you would always shower blessings on my brothers, my husband, my children and I. You would always end your calls with phrases like ‘ne bi kwenu ofuma’, ‘ne bi kwe nu n’udo’. In the last few weeks of your stay on earth however, you ended your calls saying, ‘gbaghara nu owe unu’. It felt strange to me, but all the puzzle pieces are now coming together.
According to Revelation 12:11, “ And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…”. Mom, you overcame when you testified just before you left this world and that is a source of comfort. Although we are really devastated by your sudden unprepared exit, we take solace in the Lord and will continually draw strength from memories of you and the legacy you left in and with us.
We love you Mom, but God loves you more!
Adieu Mommy! Mommy! Your legacy lives on!
Your daughter,
Ifeyinwa Nwankwo (nee Abia)