It is Well...

It is Well With My Soul

Since the passing of yet another loving brother of ours’, I can’t help but to think, real why are we here? I started to look back and remembering what had been so special about this life that we have lost in a space of five years, after we had lost our last born brother, who we also lost five years after we had lost another brother. Is it just a coincidence or that is how God has planned it or we did something wrong with the number five? These are questions my family is scared to ask, but I am certain we are all thinking about.

When the helmets have been raised, hands waved and the coffin has went down, there is real nothing we can change, except being grateful to God for giving us such honour to have been siblings to him. We called him many things, His dad called him Kwekwe, his mom called him Bongy, his wife called him Babes, his brother called him Machel, his son called him Babah, his nieces and nephews called him Babo’ Mdala and us his beautiful sisters we called him Bra Bongs.

He raised men in us, he never wanted us to be too girly, he played soccer with us, taught us how to play chess, tennis and he later taught me how to ride a bike and helped me to buy my first motorcycle. He would say Ntandose you must always be safe, never ever ride without a helmet and proper gear no matter how close you riding to.  I know biking was his prevailing passion, but my brother lived his life to the fullest, he went for his dreams, he knew what he wanted and he made sure that he got it. I remember when he started as a DJ, I was so sure that he was just being bored, but when I saw him playing in some event, I was so proud, we called him DJ Under G, this was way before the well-known DJ.

 Bra Bongs, loved jokes, he would make them out of anything… I remember him telling this special lady in our life who is a pensioner that when people ask her which department she works for because she is always looking beautiful, she should tell them Department of Welfare.

To be honest, I have never felt this way about any one that I love and had to loose, his departure has been the most peaceful one for me. When we lost  Fezi, it was such a trauma, I had spoken to him during the day, and later that evening I was told he was gone, by the same guy, who is gone today. It was so painful and I was very angry, with Kaizer, I was just confused and nearly lost my mind.

 A day before Bra Bongs left, my dad told me that he wasn’t too well, the song “It is well”, just played in my spirit. I knew whether he survived or not, but it will be Well. It was so painful, but I could not erase his beautiful smile on my mind, his voice saying “Ntandose, you must focus, you have so much potential you, just focus.”

 I know our faith teaches us that “Everything work together for good for those who love the lord”, to be honest, I still hope to see the goodness that will come out of losing our three brothers. I remember when he was still in hospital; we read a scripture on faith so that we never lose it. We always wanted to make sure all of us were in agreement that our brother will be healed. We never lost hope, but he did not make it.

He was on the movie “Ordinary People”, a Christian movie whereby bikers attend Ps. Angus’s Might Men’s Conference. There is a biker who accepted Christ in that conference and on his ride back home, while giving praise to God, this guy dies. My brother would get so excited about the scene, he would be happy because he knew his soul was safe. So when my brother got sick while attending Christian Motorcyclist Men’s conference and died, I could not help but think of the guy in the movie. Bra Bongs loved and worked for God through his passion of bikes, they fed the poor, worked with charities and preached the Word.

Very intelligent, well organized and systematic, that was my brother… He rode for the Son while he lived on earth and when the helmets were raised up, he rode up to the Son. We are only left with his beautiful and loving memories. At least I know for sure, it is said that there is no more death to those who are in Christ.

“I love you so much” … somehow I told him these words each time we communicated… I real pray that I get to see him again, not just him, but my other two brothers as well, Kaizer and Fezi…

 “Whatever my Lord, you have taught me to say IT IS WELL… IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL”