They Died In The Service Of God

Dumi Mmualefe | Monday May 5, 2014 11:56

 

The Apostle Paul says “Death is swallowed in victory, O death, where is your victory, O death, where is your sting?” (2 Cor. 15: 54). This text is interpreted very well by Handel in Messiah. Listening to its musical rendition sure makes a joke of the finality of death.

The reality is that death has struck our nation again. This time, once again we have lost three beautiful people who had committed their lives to serve this blessed nation.

It has not been long since they were paraded in the local media with their colleagues after completing their training and as they pioneered the air-wing of the Botswana Police Service.

Like the name suggests, this young woman and young men were servants of the people, their lives were lives of service, they had committed their lives to the safety of the nation. The tragic reality that we woke up to was their disappearance in their chopper and subsequent news of their demise.

Superintendent Keokeditswe Sobatha from Molepolole was and will remain a Shero! Her spirit will live on as her life and commitment to the safety of this nation, her exploits as a pilot will continue to inspire our youth especially the girl child.

The policing work has been seen as a man’s domain. Even though we have women in the police service there is still scepticism on their ability to perform their duties the same way men do.

How often do we see police lady officers controlling the traffic and we make remarks among ourselves or even loud enough for them to hear? Yet this young woman overcame the stereotypes to become the shero she is. We should also recognise the sacrifice made by Assistant Superintendent Shepherd Ntobedzi. He was a shepherd as his name suggests. He committed his life to shepherding the people of God; Batswana by helping to keep out human predators who have no respect for the law and the dignity that should come with God given life.

The same applies to Inspector Ricardo Mabotho. These were a blessing to this nation and we need to thank their families for sharing their lives with us. What honour can I ask of God but to die behind that pulpit preaching the Good News of God’s justice!

These three wise woman and men were a gift to us as Batswana. We must at this time lift their spirit to the Lord our creator for they have run their race and died on the race track!

We should thank them posthumously for allowing themselves to be the instruments and agents of God. Through them God has touched lives, through them God has saved people in dire situations, through them God has given many a sense of security.

Theirs was not just work, and I am convinced they did not treat it as such. Their commitment to work even as speculation posits, is seen in the alleged fatigue. We need to consider seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty to see their commitment to a calling.

I take this time to urge the nation to celebrate the ministry of these committed servants of God. For in their diligent service of the nation they were serving the one who called them. 

Ministry is not only that of women and men of the cloth. To assume that it is only the latter who are called ministers is to confine the wonders of God. These three had responded to a call to ministry, and they have died in the ministry: what a great honour! Our prayer should go to their families for strength and comfort. Death is but a pause in life’s journey, it is not the end of the journey. Death is part of the plot of life’s story, it is not its ending.

In death life continues to unfold as the story reaches the climax in glory. King David called death “the way of all the earth.” He is recorded as having said to Solomon his son, “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong and show yourself to be a man” (1 Kings 2:2). Such is the journey our sister and brothers have embarked upon. We need to be strong and courageous to look death in the face and purpose to move on as we celebrate our lives.

Let us remember that the measure of one’s life is not according to the quantity of life lived but the quality of that life. These young people may seem to have passed on too soon, but the quality, the worth of their life and contribution surpasses that of many who have hanged on to life. God has been gracious to them and this grace will surely lead them home!

As for those of us who are still this side of life, let us join hands to celebrate the lives of the departed, let us honour their memories and remain steadfast and fearless in the midst of death “For fear of death is indeed the pretence of wisdom, and not real wisdom, being the pretence of knowing the unknown; and no one knows whether death, which men in their fear apprehend to be the greatest evil, may not be the greatest good” (Socrates). And indeed it is the greatest good! Gomotsegang betsho, and to God be the glory!