27/02/2026
On Sunday 22nd February 2026 , we laid our 106-year-old grandmother to rest, and it was truly a celebration of life.
Our Kaaka, or Katwere as we fondly called her, was an icon in every sense. She was my motherโs mother, and she left behind an extraordinary legacy: survived by ๐ฎ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป, ๐ฎ๐ฏ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป, ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐-๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฏ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐-๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐-๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป. We praised the Lord for her life and gave her a befitting send-off.
I was reminded of Psalm 91:16 (The Message), which feels especially real today: โ๐โ๐ญ๐ญ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ค๐ถ๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ, ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ข ๐ฑ๐ข๐ณ๐ต๐บ. ๐โ๐ญ๐ญ ๐จ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ข ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ ๐ญ๐ช๐ง๐ฆ, ๐จ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ข ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฅ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ด๐ข๐ญ๐ท๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ!โ If anyone lived this promise, it was Kaaka. At 106, she had a truly long life, rooted in faith, prayer, and love.
As we said goodbye, I couldnโt help but picture heaven keeping its word; the Lord welcoming her home and throwing her that promised party. Songs, laughter, and the angels she often spoke about, welcoming her at last - not to send her back this time, but to keep her home.
For a long time, Kaaka told us she was ready to go to the Lord - not because she was sick or in pain, but because she felt she had lived her full life. She spoke often about the angels, how beautifully they sang, and the place where they lived. We would laugh and tell her her time had not yet come, that God knew we still needed her. God did keep her with us, with her sharp mind and clear memory, right to the very end. Even on WhatsApp video calls, she would strain her eyes and still correctly guess who she was speaking to.
Kaaka was a deeply prayerful woman. She loved and worshipped the Lord at every opportunity. As her grandchildren, we were blessed beyond measure. Her stories about her childhood and young adult life always amused us.
Going home to Kashari to see her was always a priority - whether to receive her prayers, hear her songs of praise, or bring our children for her blessing. For those who live abroad, Kashari was always the first stop; to take their children for her blessing, to hear her songs of praise, and to receive her prayers.
Yesterday, we stood there proudly, grateful for the people we are because of her prayers. None of us is in jail. None is battling addiction. None is stuck or lost in life. We truly believe Kaakaโs prayers have carried us.
So today, while we miss her deeply, I choose to picture this; Kaaka finally at that promised party. Rescued. Welcomed. Celebrated. Enjoying her โlong drink of salvationโ in the presence of the Lord she loved so faithfully.
Farewell, Kaaka. You were truly an icon - a beautiful woman inside and out. You showed us what it means to love and to be loved genuinely. Rest with the angels. Until we meet again. ๐ค
Rest well mother to many and a grand mother to everyone
