Tribute to my cherished friend/sister
Author: Mrs. Nneakmaka Udogo | Date: 03/03/2009
I will try and talk to you from this end not because I have but because I have waited for days after that night they said you passed on and have not heard anything on the contrary. Where are you my dearest sister? Could it be that you are on a voyage of discovery to be back when you have made the discovery? Have you gone to visit Jesus who you devoted your entire life for? I think so, please reserve some rooms for us, for I am convinced you are resting in His bosom. Please tell God that my name is Patricia Nneakmaka Udogo and that I know Him and He knows me. My dearest sister, chapter 3 of the book of Ecclesiastes in the bible tells us that to every thing there is season. In believing that, we have accepted the fact that your season to join the Almighty was the season of lent, on Palm Sunday of 2008, which incidentally was the vigil of St. Patrick’s (my patron saint) day celebration.
Sister Kate, remember you encouraged me to come home to carry out a political assignment, which I did. Remember the same day (Saturday) that I came back you told me you would accompany me to carry out the assignment on the Monday? But my dear where were you on that Monday? I had to go alone as our relations insisted I go for the assignment, as that would please you. I saw you before I traveled and after. Did you know that? Tell me sister, what happened on that faithful day? Was the reception overwhelming? Remember that I wished you a happy 60th birthday at
Dame Katherine (Papal knight) I am every proud of you. I remain loyal to you more than ever. I will not abandon yours. You accepted me as a friend, adopted me as your sister after a circumstance that brought us together. Through us our families have bonded and, God willing, will remain so forever. It did not take us long to discover that we shared a lot in common. We were deeply rooted in the catholic faith from infancy and effectively practiced it during our secondary schools stage and up until now except for the fact that you never missed daily masses which I was very irregular with.
We bonded so much that we perceived when we were hurting and we confided in each other. We behaved girlishly and were companion to each other; we shared our concerns and anxieties; we trusted each other and mostly we have no basis for competition. It was real and genuine friendship. I will miss your local dishes you insisted I came over to share with you and if I refused, you sent across to me. The last of the meal was the kunu you personally brought to me the morning of the Saturday you had the attack. Most of the times you persuade me to eat the grains when I think they have lots of calories and said that the type of grains you cook are good for the digestive system. I believed you. I will leave you to rest now my dear, but remember I told you on your birthday that you were beautiful, graceful, adorable, clean, stylish, intelligent, resourceful, industrious, caring, loving, tactful, honest, virtuous, honest, respectful, humble, energetic, youthful, composed, prayerful, religious, dedicated, unassuming, awesome, good and now I will add glorious.
Good-bye sister Kate!!!!!!! You see what I mean; you loved me so much that you decided to bring me home to start your divine journey from my environment. Do not give me that joke next time. By the way, you have a team in your siblings, George (daddy), your sweet and brave Kekuut (baby girl 3) and mama (your baby). They were faithfully there for you and are now devastated by your untimely demise. God and your legacy will console them.
Adieu my dearest friend. Adieu my sister. You are now our ambassador, our own guardian angel up there representing us and watching over us.
God’s love for you has overpowered mine. My sister, Paradisum te angeli; may te matyers greet you at your arrival and lead you in the holy city
I completely surrender.
POVERTY AND THE FAMILY IN THE THIRD WORLD
The family remains the basic unit of society in the world today. In its modern meaning, the family is that social unit comprising a man, his wife and their children. In most sub-Saharan African countries, the extended family, which is a more inclusive definition of the family, includes uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents and other distant relations. This paper has deliberately chosen to make the family its center-piece for a number of reasons.
Excerpt from: A/S-23/1 8
The Holy See delegation has participated actively in the negotiations leading to this special session of the General Assembly, a session which has raised issues of critical importance to the lives of millions of women worldwide, and which has been evaluating the progress that has been made since the Fourth World Conference on Women.
