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Mama Kaya: "Because I have Love in my heart, I feel light.I live free of any hatred in the light of God.
That is why I am full of joy.
God alone can make all things possible...
All my life I struggled to feed my 12 children. I could never dream of ever having such a party for my 90th. Birthday...
I cared and carried them all through their youth. Now they all come together to sustain me in my old age!"
My family is my only wealth... Only God, Father Laval, my family, my friends and neighbors matter to me!"
Preparations for the celebration began many days ahead!
The contributions of children, grand children, great grand children, neighbors and friends from everywhere highlighted the belief that: Love given is love received... Especially so over a lifetime...
The house was transformed to receive and accommodate the many guests!
Cooking on the open fire went on for two days.
Hands burning with love cannot get burnt even when handling a huge cast iron wok straight off the open fire without any protection!
Finally at exactly 19 hours on September 6, 2014 a loud burst of fire crackers coming from Mama Kaya's house called all to hurry to the party.
By the time, I got there, a short walk down the steep hill from our house, I missed the family shot of Mama Kaya surrounded by her children.
But I was just in time to capture Mama Kaya at the head table with some of her wonderful grand children around her.
That lovely picture portraying Mama Kaya and the joy of her many grand children was followed by a snapshot of Mama Kaya with a few of her great grand children all around her.
Worthy of Note:
Once I asked Mama Kaya: "Mama, how many grand children and great grand children do you have?"
Mama Kaya answered: "Ayo! I have never learnt to count that much! Whatever God gives me, I say thank you Jesus!"
But family pictures were not enough. Mama Kaya wanted all guests to share the limelight with her and feel equally important. So she insisted to invite many guests to spend a precious moment by her side to soak in her special words of wisdom and love of Christ and Father Laval!
It is during that precious time that I managed to record a few lessons of tremendous love for all from dear Mama Kaya!!!
(A transcript and translation of the video will be found at the end of this narrative.)
Then it was champagne and toast time to the living and the dead.
Grand daughter Maurine who has very obviously inherited Mama Kaya's inherent joy and winning attitude popped the champagne cork. As she did she flashed her million dollar winning smile to all. Before serving the living, Maurine symbolically remembered the dead and departed by pouring some champagne on the soil. We are dust and to dust we shall return but at such a special family gathering, it was important to remember the departed with love.
At 90 years old, after Mama Kaya had more than a single sip of champagne, grand daughter Maurine led Mama Kaya and all onto the dancing floor. Mama Kaya opened up the dance and invited the guests to join in and celebrate with her to the notes of a lively Sega.
All who know Mama Kaya also know that she always talks about her faith and about the glory of God!
At the end of her 'tour de dance', how so very fitting for Mama Kaya to raise her arms up to heaven as she does so often giving all praise to the Lord!
That is the very source of the earthly joy that flows abundantly in her heart from above.
Thank you dear Mama Kaya for being you.
Thank you for reflecting so much the immense love of God for all His creation!
Thank you for passing on your contagious joy of living to all around you.
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