This post was written on behalf of the children in law
“I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us…” John 17:21
It is now almost five months since we laid to rest the earthly vessel in which our mother-in-law, or rather our “mother-in-love” as we used to call her, ministered her boundless affection to all those who knew her. Yet, the Bayingana family and our own individual families still grapple to this day with the loss of our beloved Mama! No words could express or fill the void she left with her passing. Had it not been for the heavenly hope and faith she held up to the end of her pilgrimage here below, grief and sadness would have crushed us. For we know, that this too shall come to pass. And as sure as the light of day follows the darkness of night, we know that we shall see her again, and this time, she will be radiant and glorious, shining and reflecting the light of the Lamb of God for whom she lived and died. Our Mama lived a purposeful life filled with legacies that will take us a lifetime to emulate. We intend to share with you, in this post, her legacy as a “Unifier”.
One of Mama’s life traits was that of being a ‘Unifier”. If there ever was anything that kept her awake at night, other than knowing that one of us was on a flight, it was the slightest sight of discord in the family! As her children, she kept a tenderly watch over our lives and marriages, in ceaseless prayer and in sound advice. To all her sons-in-law, she made sure to make us feel as her own sons and became a trusted friend of all our couples. She earned our devotion and trust for we all knew that whatever she did or said came from a place of love and a heart that deeply cared for us. In her own humble way, Mama was an extraordinary mother and she became “the glue” that held everything and everyone together in her family and community.
Some may wonder how a human being could achieve a label of “Unifier” from all the people who knew her! Well, the life Mama lived had an open secret: She loved God and pushed all people she met, especially her children and friends to God! As Jesus said in the gospel of John 17:21 “I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us…” Mama intuitively understood that by pushing and carrying her loved ones to God, they would eventually meet in perfect peace and love, hence they would stay united together. One of her deepest desires, probably the one that brought her the greatest joy, was our weekly family fellowship. Every Saturday evening, our families gathered in one of our homes to share God’s Word, testimonies, prayers, and a delicious meal. The hymn singing and spiritual exhortations received in those sessions carried us along the week and we would look forward to the next gathering with eagerness. Quite unfortunately but also quite expectedly, the influence of the flesh and the coldness of our hearts led us to skip some sessions. And the altar’s fire that once shone brightly dwindled gradually into a lukewarm smolder. Week after week, Mama would implore us to meet, and sometimes, often out of guilt, we would meet, only to regress again not long after.
I (Jean-Louis) recall her tender entreaties, pleading with me to take the lead and revive the fire. The last time was in December 2019, after a gospel meeting she came to attend to at my house though, unknown to us, she was gravely ill. As we saw her off, Maggie and I, she asked me again with a fainting voice to consider the need of the family fellowship and take care of it too. Three months later, standing by her bedside in the morning of her last day, holding her warm hand, I felt infinitely fortunate to have known her. I knew then that I was witnessing the final moments of a giant of our faith, a hero in the shadow, whose life may not be published in a best-seller, but whose chapter in the Book of life shall captivate many in Eternity. In that solemn moment, blinded by my own tears, I made her the promise that, by the grace of God, I would take the mantle she had long asked me to bear and that I would make sure that all her children and grand-children stay united under the banner of Christ through our weekly family fellowship meetings.
This is but a glimpse of the Unifier that our Mama was. She didn’t need to cross seas and lands to serve her Master. She worked with the cards that she was dealt with in life. She sowed a message of love and unity wherever she went and that legacy is now ours to uphold. Will you please join us in making sure that it never fades? To the reader who hears of our Mama for the first time here, will you also please make sure there is a weekly fellowship in your family to honor Christ?
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