Reflections on Birthday of Linda 40 Years Ago

Linda would have been 40 today had she been still alive. I wish I still had a sister and wonder how it could have been with her around. I would have loved to have someone to relate with and now with mum's demise, things have even become harder. But in all things, I have learnt to trust in God and to remember He is too wise to make a mistake. Its been 6 years without her and sometimes I wonder what it would have been with her around. 

Linda with Gabriel & Kenneth, 1989

Catherine Konayuma Mwenya

15 March 2011

Tribute of Linda Konayuma

by Kenneth Konayuma

The late Linda, born on 15th March 1971 at UTH in Lusaka, was a very special person to me and the entire Konayuma family. I remember her for many things among them: the time we used to go to school together at Northmead Primary School and Kabulonga Girls High School while I was at Kabulonga Boys High School.

Linda at Skianze Camp, Lusaka (1972)

She was a shy kind of person but she could always make me and others laugh and was always full of jokes and was very funny. She was one person who could wake me up very early to do household chores. She was able to advise me where I went wrong and could even rebuke me where I did it  deliberately. She was very good at sweeping the house, doing laundry, cooking, baking especially bread (while my twin sister Catherine was good, and still is at baking cakes) with my late mother. She was also a keen at watching movies on TV. Linda enjoyed visiting her friends and was also a person who took her studies seriously. I remember she used to coach me in Mathematics when I was in grade nine. She liked listening to music in particular pop music and gospel music of various kinds. Linda was an avid reader of books who seemed to compete with Gabriel, our first born, in reading the many books that our late dad would buy every month.

Linda on the right with Catherine and Kenneth in Emmasdale in 1975

Linda like our last born Tendai went to different primary schools and secondary schools. She did primary school in Monze. Lusaka Girls Primary School and Northmead Primary School. She did secondary school at Chipembi Girls Secondary School and Kabulonga Girls Secondary School.

She was a lovely sister, very caring and focused in her education, work and career. When she could not proceed with her degree studies at University of Zambia, she found some work to do at San Francisco Project in Emmasdale, a job that enabled her later to visit United States. It appears this visit gave her self-confidence when she returned to Zambia and was able to get new jobs and train others in computer skills. 

Standing: Linda, Kenneth, Josiah, Catherine, Gabriel 

Seated: Betty with Tendai in arms in Emmasdale in 1975

Tears may dry, since Linda died on 17 February 2005, but the memories are very fresh and a living legend to the Konayuma family and all those who loved her and those who did not understand her.

Kenneth Konayuma

12 June 2010

Reflections On The Death Of My Young Sister Linda

By Gabriel Konayuma

During the funeral of my late young sister, I may not have been able to share with some of you my dear brethren on the events surrounding Linda’s death. This could have been due to insufficient time or the fact that some of you are out of town. The reflections I have put down here seek to share with you something of what I believe God would have me and the saints learn from this sad event in my family. It’s my prayer that the Lord will use it to your souls eternal good. The publication date 15th March has been chosen to coincide with the late Linda’s birthday. God richly bless you as you read on.

Background

On 17th February this year about 01 30 hours I received a phone call from the Hilltop medical staff informing that my young sister Linda had passed away. On this particular night my cell phone was on as my wife had not yet returned from work having covered the presidential petition ruling the previous day. On Wednesday morning (16th February), Matthew, my brother-in-law phoned me in the informing me that Linda was admitted at Hilltop hospital. She had been taken to hospital by Mr. Andrew Musonda whom she was staying with. Matthew, the wife Catherine and I went to see Linda at the hospital. We found Linda looking frail but able to talk. She had not had any solid meals in the one week in which she was admitted to the hospital. Catherine, my young sister, fed her some porridge which she had prepared. We chatted with Linda for some time. Before we left, Catherine and I shared the gospel with Linda. Catherine had shared the gospel with her earlier in the day.

In the evening, we visited Linda again. At that time her condition was not too good as she was having problems in breathing. The hospital medical staff put her on oxygen to help in the breathing. At this time, she could hardly talk. One of our dear sister’s Muntanga took time to share the gospel with Linda and urge her to put her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Around 20 30 we left Linda to rest. It was 5 hours latter that I got the phone call that Linda was no more. I was at a loss and heavy of heart. Matthew and Catherine came to pick my wife Judith and I after about thirty minutes. We drove to the hospital and found the body of my departed sister ready to be dispatched to Ideal Funeral Home. We all went to the funeral home along with Mr. Musonda who had been around when Linda was dying. Arriving at the funeral home the reality of Linda’s death struck me. It was a point of no return.

We got back home around 03 30 and had less than an hour’s sleep. By this time I had started sending SMS’s to relatives and friends informing them of the sad news. The hardest part was how we were going to break the news to mum. This was done by church mates to mum. They first ensured that mum had a bath and breakfast. Mum’s response was one of utter shock. She started weeping with her friends doing what they could to comfort her. My young sister and myself could not hold back our tears. The rest of the day was spent in getting requisites for the funeral and making tentative arrangements for the burial. On Thursday and Friday evenings brother Chikondi Phiri brought very heart searching evangelistic messages on the subject of death. On the second night Chikondi preached on the subject ‘How will you die?’

Reflections

What reflections have I had since Linda passed away? My reflections have centred on gratitude to God, importance of maintaining good family values and ties and the need to live each day in the light of the fact that any time we may be called from this earth.

Firstly, the need to be grateful to God. This gratitude arises from the fact that though we were informed quite late (a day before she died) about our sister’s illness and hospitalisation, we were able to see her, talk with her and share the gospel with her. I also give thanks to God that by His grace He lent Linda to us a family for thirty-four years that she was alive and it pleased Him to take her away at this time. I am also grateful to God for the relatives and friends who were able to attend the funeral and assist in whatever form. I thank God also for the former employers of Linda, the employers of Catherine, Kenneth and mine for all the material and financial assistance rendered to our family. One ought not to take such mercies for granted. I am grateful to God that He provided all that was required for the funeral and eventual burial of Linda. Thanks be to God for the comfort which he gave to our family through His word. I thank God for the preaching of the gospel from Hebrews 9:27, 28 by Mwamba Chibuta at the graveyard. It was a word in season which I pray that God used and will continue to use to the many that were gathered at the late Linda’s graveyard on 19th February.

Secondly, the importance of maintaining good family values and ties. God by His grace has planted us in families. As we grow we are exposed to family values good or bad. As saints we need to ensure that we cherished and practise good family values. We need also to maintain good family ties with our brothers and sisters and the wider family (normally called extended family). To some extent we have tried to maintain good family ties in my family. However, in the case of my late sister much more could have been done. She did not easily open up with the rest of the brothers and sisters. I’m not too sure why she did not feel to free to be open and close to us as siblings or indeed some of her friends. Perhaps we could have done more to make ourselves more approachable or forced ourselves into her life. Maintaining reasonable family ties assists in providing providential openings in gospel witness. We can only be good and do good to our siblings, friends and relatives while they are still alive.

One death can have such an impact on a family. From having had two sisters, Linda’s death has reduced the number to one sister. Catherine now has no sister. What an awesome responsibility for us the surviving brothers to be close to her! Mum now only has one daughter out of two.

Thirdly, we need to live each day in the light of the fact that any time we may be called from this earth. It has often been said that we normally feel the reality of death when it comes close to our gates. I felt it when my dad passed away in 1992 and I felt it this year when I lost my young sister. I have also felt it when we lost two dear sisters in a space of a day at Trinity Baptist Churchin Kitwe. I’ve felt on other occasions. When we are so powerfully reminded of the reality of death why do we still want to cling to the vain things of this world? Why O my soul would you want to amass worldly goods as if one day you will not leave this world? The words of the hymn writer Thomas Kelly are quite fitting. He writes:

We’ve no abiding city here;

This may distress the worldly mind;

But should not cost the saint a tear

Who hopes a better rest to find.

We’ve no abiding city here;

Then let us live as pilgrims do;

Let not the world our rest appear,

But let us haste from all below.

O to live for the Lord Jesus each passing day! O to live ‘so as to missed’ as M’Cheyne put it. What do we hope to be remembered for when we die? The words recorded by John in Revelation are a good place to end my reflection: “…. ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labours, and their works follow them.” (Revelation 14:13).

Gabriel S Konayuma
15 March 2005

Biographical Sketch of Linda Konayuma

By Gabriel S Konayuma

Linda Konayuma (in above photograph) was born on 15^th March 1971 at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka to the late Josiah and Betty Konayuma. She was the second born with three brothers and one sister. Gabriel was born on 12^th February 1968, Catherine Mwenya and Kenneth were born on 21^st June 1972 and Tendai was born on 14^th July 1983. Linda did her primary school in Monze (where she lived with the late Uncle Eliphaz Konayuma and the family), Lusaka Girls Primary School and Northmead Primary School where she completed her primary education in 1985. Linda did her secondary school education from 1986 to 1990 at Chipembi Girls Secondary School in Chisamba and Kabulonga Girls Secondary School. From 1991 to 1993 she was a student at the University of Zambia where she studied Public Administration. Linda also did some short courses in Public Health and Information Technology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the USA.

From 1993 to 1994 Linda (seen relaxing in above photograph) worked as a Purchasing and Stores Manager at Suraka Limited, a Printing, Stationery and Motor spares part supplier, in Lusaka. Linda also worked for Project San Francisco (an HIV Research Centre) in Lusaka  from 1994 to 1997, as a Researcher/Project Administrative Assistant where she was involved in the co-ordination of  Project San Francisco as an NGO with other NGO’s through workshops and seminars held nation-wide. She also worked as a work-study student at Project San Francisco headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama where she assisted the Project Director in various administrative tasks. Linda also worked as a Contracts Officer and Administrative Assistant at Windsor Properties in Lusaka in 1997 from July to October. Other places where Linda worked were in South Africa as an Information Technology teacher in 2000 and at Milko in Lusaka where she worked up to January 2005 when she resigned.

     Linda fourth from left standing next to dad Josiah Konayuma and Kenneth & Catherine (1989)


Linda was generally quiet, intelligent and loved reading a lot. She got on well with her siblings, parents, relatives and friends. She also showed a remarkable ability to deal with set backs in life. For instance, when she had to leave school in Monze  and Chipembi due to illness, she continued her studies in Lusaka and completed her primary and secondary school education respectively. When she was re-directed from the University of Zambia she was able to get employment at Project San Francisco and take care of her own affairs without bothering mum or her siblings.

On 9^th February 2005, Linda was taken ill and admitted to Hilltop Hospital in Lusaka. She passed away aged 33 on 17^th February 2005 at 01 10 hours. Linda is survived by three brothers and a sister. She is greatly missed by all who knew her and loved her.