Death Be not Proud

Sometimes, news hits you with such a grandiose haymaker that many times you lose balance and cannot throw anything back. Sad news knows how to bring stillness while at the same time cause such turmoil.

Death is the ultimate sad news. Nothing can beat it. Forget about the small 200 million shilling debt you may be having, or perhaps that retake or that accident which damaged your car. Forget about your lack of supper or fuel, death surpasses all these.

This year has been one of those that are just well, trying, to say the least.

At the beginning of the year, I received a text from a friend. "My dad has died.".

Angst! Fury! Carnage! Such a grave statement made even more grave by just the four words and a full stop. I find it hard to explain why that statement made me solemnly sad but it was just the pure admission and perhaps resignation in it that gave my heart pangs.

Some months down the road, another text. Meanwhile, they are always texts. "My dad has died.". Again. The same words. And this time it was my cousin. I did not know how to react. I knew I had to go home and see my aunt and cousins but damn, now? I keep wondering why the same words?

Another few months down the road, we are celebrating new birth. Two new boys, twins in fact. The spirits are high. And then, first day, "Kato abuuse." (Kato has died). Darn. Insert an angry word. However, the life of Wasswa is consolation.

Sunday night,we are watching the news and a call comes in, mom picks it and goes to her bedroom. Moments later she comes with deep distress announcing "Wasswa naye abuuse!". Both twins, gone. 7 months all gone up like smoke. The beautiful boys gone. I had not even yet laid an eyes on either.

Pause.

"Kasita nze ndi mulamu." Was the consolation she gave us her younger brothers. "At least I am still alive." Heave.

Another friend lost her mum, and there I was looking awkward trying to make her feel better. Darn.

Just this week, I read about Leland Shores. He died too, pneumonia. Such a man of God, who had lived diligently for the sake of the gospel. I saw him one time at the Food Court at Garden City and wanted to go over and ask him to pray for me, since I had my issues. But I was with a friend, and he was having lunch with friends so I decided not to bother him. Leland shores was in charge of Andrew Wommack ministries in Uganda. I had also seen him last year at the Gospel Truth Seminar at Serena.

Now today in the morning, my mom tells me Bishop John Michael Mugerwa died with colleagues in an accident in Kakira, that after 30 minutes, they were still cutting out the remains of the deceased.

Pause.

Sometimes I do not get it.

All I can say is, may He comfort our hearts, the God of all comfort. I know, not one of us has not experienced this, so my thoughts are with us all.

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou'art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy'or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

Isaiah 25:8

He will swallow up death forever,
      And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces;
      The rebuke of His people
      He will take away from all the earth;
      For the LORD has spoken.