Young Munshya,
As I write these words, tears literally drop down from my eyes because that is how close and attached I was to you. Distance and time has never been a barrier to the closeness and attachment that I had and felt for you. This from the time that I first saw you in your infancy when I visited my auntie Mbaita, your mum, and all of you in Nairobi, Kenya. As an older brother/ cousin would fend for his sibling in all areas, Chileshe and I did that for you - we fed you, bathed you, clothed you after, put you to bed (I remember we even read to you at bed time sometimes), took you for strolls, consoled and lifted you up when you cried, ran after ice cream together when the ice cream man's bell rung in the street, we danced together with Chileshe, Mwitwa, auntie and I, to music in the living room blarring from Chileshe's big music system, and did many other things together to numerous to mention. And with each and the many visits I made to Nairobi, Kenya, these repeated associations and activities eched an indelible mark on my mind and heart of the kind of relationship that you and I had for each other. I had always been known as Munshya before but from the time you were born, my name changed from that to Big Munshya and you were referred to as Small Munshya. Another bearing of names that joined and associated us at all times, no matter where each one of us was, in our relationship.
Your moving to Canada did not do any injustice to this. I travelled on the few occasions I did and visited you all in Canada. On all these occasions, our love for each other continued to grow! It is with these memories in mind that I feel such a pain, sadness, grief and sorrow at the announcement that you are no more. It is with a sense of deep shock that you could have just left like that, even without notice that you could have been ill as such (and we could have heard about it).
Chileshe afew days ago when he confirmed of your passing to me sent me a photo of you when you were young with Mwitwa in the plane (Mwitwa says she has one photo of you and me together that she will send over to me soon, which I anxiously await). That is the young Munshya I knew and again I literally cried when I received this. And people I tell and show of the picture say you and I do look alike. But why shouldn't we, because we are also actually closely blood related, without doubt!
But I am consoled because God is faithful. He gives us a hope in the Book of John and the Book of Revelation that those that die today have a hope of a ressurection. The same hope I placed on the passing of my father Lidson and my mother Esther is the same hope that I place on you, the hope that God gives to each one of us who have lost our loved ones in death. It is the hope God gives that assures me and most of us that soon and very soon, God will bring you back to life and we shall have the prospect of being reunited with you, to see the beautiful smile that you had once again. You shall always be remembered in my heart young Munshya, because that is where I promise to keep you. I loved you then, I love you now, and I will always love you till we meet again.
Young Munshya, may you soul rest in peace.
Big Munshya (M'kushi, Zambia).
