A Place For My Father

Born on 15^th September 1965 Kennedy Suzgo Alick Moyo was born the youngest sibling in his family. Though last he certainly was not the least. Excelling in his scholarly endeavors to become a graduate with a degree from the University of Malawi. This lead to his being employed in the civil service, much to the delight of his family and friends.

Anyone who knew him in work circles would find it hard to deny his professional work ethic. Often straight to the point, formal, analytical, yet neither harsh or cold. These were the principles he worked by as he went from the Ministry of Finance in 1978 to several different Ministries in different capacities to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and even in the Ministry of Justice.

He also proved to be an adept diplomat serving Malawi in embassies in the nations of Canada, United Kingdom and in later years India, where he helped in establishing the Malawian High Commission in New Delhi.

You may think a man with such a professional record would not have no time for a family life. Mr. Moyo would prove you wrong. He was a loving, and providing husband to the single wife of his 4 children. An upstanding member of the SDA Church family, he did not neglect to lead his family spiritually. Being part of establishing the SDA Church in Area 47. And his success in professional circles was influenced by his strong relationship and faith in God. Unfortunately, his battle with cancer did not end with such success.

Though some would say he lived a full life, the wife, children and family that he leaves behind would always say they wanted him to stay with them. Yet, God knows that when He called His servant to rest it was with the intention of waking Him up in the resurrection to be reunited with Christ and His family.

This is the way I know my father would have loved for me to write about him. Professional, modest, straight to the point. So when they told me to write a biography for my dad’s funeral service, this is what i wrote. And then…. they never did use it. The space on the church program was too small. It all had to be reduced to bullet points. I felt like Daddy had been reduced to bullet points.

• Now imagine
• Someone who played such a large part of your life
• Set the stage for you to get where you are
• Put in bullet points
• Like this

You can imagine what was going on in my heart. I could feel it break (when that happens to me it beats hard and feels more like it will explode than break). So I prayed at that time and God gave me peace as praying does.

But it comes to mind now. Imagine how God feels….

Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.

-Isaiah 29:13

Because of the relationship I had with my dad, when they gave him that little space to fit him in, it angered me. Imagine what it feels like when God has done so much in your life, delivered you from bondage, sheltered you from harm, let the ravens come and feed you, set up a table for you in the presence of your enemies, teaches you to prosper, shows you His mercies which are new every morning.

He is equal with God and yet humbled Himself so far that He could live among us, die the death of the most shameful of us (yes, that is me) and resurrect to not just relax but intercede, being our High Priest.

• Then we try put Him
• In sections of our life
• And keep Him out of others
• Short and precise
• Like bullet points

Is there no room for God in our hearts? The truth is He is the only One big enough to fit in our hearts. They may not have had space to fit my dad’s story in the funeral program but the pain I felt is nothing compared to how I imagine God feels when we confine Him to the bullet points in our lives, in our hearts.

I would never assign bullet point space for my father’s memory in my heart, you would never understand if I did. Now let’s get to the point where we give so much of our heart to Him that we would never understand or even dream of assigning bullet point space for Our Father.

And finally, words from my father’s last favourite song:

“No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.”

But we have this hope that burns within our hearts, hope in the coming of the Lord. And those who died in Christ shall awake to His shout and rise first. (1Thessolonians 4:16)….

You will be missed Daddy.