Baa, I have a hard time saying good-bye. Yes, very hard. You and I just talked exactly a month to the dreaded night, the night I will like to forget but cannot because I am in very deep pain, the pain of picking up the phone that fateful night to learn that you were gone on the everlasting journey, leaving us behind. Father, how can you go like that when you and I were not done? We were not done, Dad. Yes we weren’t because when we talked that day, you gave me an assignment. Dad, you gave me an assignment and I promised you that I was going to complete it while you sit back and relax. Yours was to have a well-deserved relaxation, confident that you did a great job bringing us up, so you knew I could complete the assignment. Now Dad, I feel empty, confused, lost and tortured without you. Please, Father, who will help me with this pain that I feel? Dad, when we played or did anything and got hurt, you would go to your room and come out with something to help us feel better, may be that contri mixture with the secret ingredients that as kids we ended up only guessing that whatever it was, it had ginger and salt in it too. Sometimes we the kids wished the ginger was not so much or so hot but Dad, you knew better what really worked to take care of that stomachache, thus so hot was that contri mixture. Sometimes you brought out Mentholatum, anything, something, as long as it made us feel better and it did. Dad what am I going to do now without you and Dad, I am pain, much pain knowing you have moved on without us?
Dad, I hear your voice and I am listening. I hear you speaking to me. Yes Dad, I do. I hear you through all the lessons of life you gave us as your children growing up. I hear you through all the family evening prayers and Bible studies that you brought us up on. I hear you through all the pre-baptism Inquirers Classes that you made sure we attended at church before being baptized. Father I hear you speaking to me through the countless Christian teachings that you helped to instill in us from very early on. Dad, do you remember how after successfully completing Inquirers Classes with my brothers, you advised that only they could be baptized that year because I was too young compared to them? I cried then but now I realize what a great and right decision you made, for dad, that simple decision helped me to grow up having more chances to study and understand my Bible lessons better each time! Father you spoke to me then and now I hear you speaking to me as well. Dad, I hear your voice, that very voice of yours which helped us start life on a firm foundation. Yes Dad, I hear you. I hear you remind me to look back and realize that I do not have to cry. Dad here I am always, listening to your voice. I hear you still reminding me to stop and think just for a moment and I will see that we are not left alone without you. Yes, Dad, you have left us in better hands, the hands of our Lord God Almighty to whom you introduced us very early in our lives. Dad, we learned about growing up and I hear you say we must continue to trust Him all the days of our lives. Dad, I hear you and so I shall abide in Him, Lord God Almighty all the rest of the days of my life. Dad, thank you for being who you were and will continue to be. You will forever be in my heart. I love you Dad and promise you I will do the assignment you gave me. So also Uncle Jonah Gwei, Uncle Solomon Nfor Gwei, Brother Joe Gwei and wife, Emamnuel Nfor Gwei, Kenneth Gwei, and all the numerous other Uncles, cousins, aunts and nieces you meet. May your soul and theirs all rest in peace until we too leave earth to join you.
With lots of Love to you Dad, from your Daughter, Genevieve Yah Gwei