A few weeks I met a close friend of mine to catch up, and she asked me how I was doing after losing a dear mother. I narrated the ordeal of going through grieving individually and as a family. I outlined for her how we were handling it as sisters, especially, and how the mutual support was really helping. She said "I can understand the pain of losing such a mother. She was an amazing prayerful woman. She did not just pray words the traditional way we are used to, but she prayed as led by the Spirit of God! She prayed with an unusual anointing!”
I said "thank you….. but why would do you say that?"
She said "you don’t understand. Two years ago, I was doing some consultancy work in Kigali. I had to leave my sick husband behind because we really needed this cash - it was a difficult time. While I was still in Kigali, my husband had to go through a heart-wrenching operation without my presence and care. He was totally upset with me about this. On my day of return, I was so scared to face him. I did not know what to do. As fate may have it, or you could say by God’s gracious set up, I met on of your sisters and long story short, she suggested that I go check on your mum on my way to the
airport. I accepted and we went for a brief courtesy call. What ensued was amazing! She prayed for me as if she lived in my house and worked with me. She was on point! The greatest point of all the prayers for me was her final proclamation of favor upon me before my husband on arrival! Ooh how did she know that I needed this desperately!"
I mused as tears started rolling down my cheek!
"…really? …aha, and then?" I intercepted!
‘I arrived home that evening to a queenly treat! Wowowow! It was a miracle I tell you!! I kept thinking about your mother! What a role model! That is why I had to come bury her! I just had to!"
That was my mother! She was ever in the presence of God, with her precious bible and song book beside her. She would be praying and interceding for us and the whole world. She also always forwarded timely scriptures and prayers to our phone. When you slept you just knew that mama had covered you in prayer and you could rest in that assurance.
She was an elder in her church and she belonged to a Whatsapp group that prayed every single morning. When I traveled to see her, I often saw her follow the regular prayer guide sent to her phone. She also organised prayers with her prayer group at home often. We all knew that mama was the go to person when it came to praying for personal and confidential issues!
She prayed for us to know God; to love one another. to get married; to have children, to prosper; anything you can think of, she prayed for. And it all happens just like she prayed! When we would go to hospital to give birth, she would be there praying and interceding. She always asked how we
were so she could know how to pray for us.
She reminds us of Epaphras. In Colossians 4:12 it says "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, i salute you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God."
The last time she was in my home in Uganda in 2015, she had come to be with me as we expected my first grand-child; her great grand-child. She was praying all through that everything goes well, and it sure did!
At this point, I realized that there is nothing as precious as a mother’s prayers! I had been praying for my own kids, but watching and hearing mama pray for me, my children and now my grand child just blessed me beyond measure!
I now realize that at that point, I had made a subconscious decision to pray for my children much more intentionally, intensely and consistently. I also started praying scriptures and not my own words. To-date, praying and interceding has become my second nature, thanks partly to mama’s prayer habit. I pledge to ensure that this legacy lives on in my own life and the life of the wider family by God’s grace and unfailing power in Jesus' name!
Oh Mama!! What a precious godly and prayerful mother that God blessed me with! You showed us the way, and we are following in your footsteps!
You are greatly missed, but you will always be in our hearts and minds! We are glad that you are with your redeemer and lover of your hearts
Rest in peace, we shall join you at the right time!!
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