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The first day I met you is still vivid in my mind. Accompanied by your last born daughter, I had come to your home to express my interest in her which was going to be a very defining moment. It was a bit intimidating at first to face your whole family alone – I had requested just to see you and Mom, but you had insisted that I had to meet the whole family. This sense of fear however ended up being unfounded as you, and indeed the whole family made me feel very welcome.

You were an answer to my prayer as I had always longed to have somebody I could call Dad, having grown without one. I confess that I was initially disappointed as I had this mental picture of a macho man who commands authority through machismo.

This has since changed to enormous respect and admiration as I have interacted with you and the story of your life. Your calmness that could easily be mistaken for weakness is understood better when you spoke.

The wisdom of your few words is evidenced by the family you have raised. One can only imagine what it took you to take care and raise not only your own family of 7 children, but also your siblings starting at an early age of 20 when your own father passed away.

The highlight of your impact in my life has been through my interaction with your daughter that you graciously allowed me to have her hand in marriage. One of the character traits that attracted me to her is her confidence and belief in the good of life.

This she does at even the toughest of seasons. For some time I thought it is just her personality, the sanguine type. This may be part true, but that is not the main one. I realized this as she ones made a statement, “One thing I’ve never doubted is my dad’s love for me.”

Later she was to tell me that your love for her helped her know our heavenly Father’s love better as she asked herself, “If my earthly father loves me like this, how much more my heavenly Father!?”

Dad, we’ll miss you, but we’ll ” not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” (1Thes 4:13b-14 NIV). We know you are with Jesus and we shall see you again.

Thank you for showing us how to love.