Sister Mary Mwakalonge Passes Away

Sister Mary Is At Rest: Letters from Eld. Sam Bryant, Bro. Rejoice Mwakalonge (Bro. Obey's brother), and Eld. Martin Onyoni (Kenya)

Beloved in Christ,

Around 10am Monday morning, December 7, Sister Mary, the widow of the late Elder Obey Ndalima, passed away. It was just 9 months ago that Elder Obey passed from this life on April 1st while on a preaching trip to Kenya. Elder Paul Blair and I arrived in Tanzania on April 22nd and spent two weeks with Brother Obey’s family and the church. I had never witnessed such deep crippling grief in anyone like I saw in Sister Mary. Her groaning was beyond words. It was obvious her spirit was broken. It seemed she didn’t have the will to carry on with life. Her emails to me in recent months seemed to indicate that she was doing better but Brother Rejoice said her tears never stopped.

She had been in the hospital for several weeks with malaria. She seemed to be getting better but apparently she had a stroke a day or so before she died. I am going to include an email from Brother Rejoice that will give more details about her sickness and death and the funeral service. I am also including an email from the pastor of the Primitive Baptist church in Tanzania, Elder Martin Onyoni.

I feel a deep sadness tonight as I write this email but I am comforted to know Sister Mary’s tears have stopped and her sorrow is past. Her body has been laid next to the body of her beloved husband to await the resurrection and her spirit is already rejoicing in Heaven. What a comforting gospel we have.

Sister Mary is survived by 6 children. The oldest is Jenny. She is 18 years old. Barnabas is 16. Gift and Given are 12 or 13. The youngest set of twins are 9 or 10. Their names are Nikolas and Grace. Sadly, they are now orphans. Some have asked what will happen to her children. At this time I don't know. I hope to visit them in January. It is my understanding that Sister Mary was able to get their house finished enough to live in. It would be such a blessing if someone in the church could move in with the children and see to it that all 6 children could stay together in a safe and loving home and get a good education. The house is a 3 minute walk from the church. They could be with their church family a lot. I think many of us would be willing to give a little every month to see that their needs are met. I will know more after I visit there early next year. At the present time, they will be staying with relatives. Please lift them up to our Heavenly Father in prayer.


In sadness but in hope,

Brother Sam Bryant

DEAR PASTOR SAM,
THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS. WE AR RECOVERING WELL FROM THE GRIEF.MARY HAS BEEN VERY DEPRESSED SINCE THE DEATH OF OBEY, THE LONELINESS HAS BEEN VERY OVERWHELMING TO HER; HER TEARS NEVER STOPPED SINCE APRIL.AFTER OPENING SCHOOL SHE CAME BACK TO MBEYA TO CONTINUE WITH HER STUDIES. LAST MONTH SHE GOT SERIOUS MALARIA, RECENTLY SHE GOT STROCK THAT ONE SIDE OH HER BODY STARTED PARALYZING. TWO DAYS AGO, SHE ENCOURAGED US OF HER IMPROVEMENT. A DAY LATER SHE LEFT THIS WORLD; IT IS LIKE A DREAM.WE HAD ALOT OF PEOLE DURING THE FUNERAL SERVICE. THE UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION ASKED THAT WE LET THEM CONDUCT A FAREWELL SHORT CEREMONY AT SCHOOL CAMPUS. WE ALLOWED THEM TO DO SO. THEY TOOK THE COFFIN TO THE UNIVERSITY WITH SOME OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS. OVER 2000 OF THE THEOPHILO KISANJI UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY ATTENDED, IT WAS VERY SPECIAL. THE CHANCELLOR SAID, " WE HAD NEVER HAD A TOUCHING EVENT LIKE THIS BEFORE."AT AROUND 2.30 WE HAD A SERVICE AT CHURCCH. OVER 1000 PEOPLE ATTENDED. AT AROUND 3:30 WE LEFT FOR BURIAL SERVICE AT IGALE VILLAGE. WE BURIED HER NEXT TO OBEY'S TOMB. IT HAS BEEN OVERWHELMING BUT WE ARE GETTING ENCOURAGED WITH THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS. THANKS FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT. WE WILL HAVE A FAMILY MEETING TODAY ON HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THE CHILDREN. A QUICK THOUGHT IS THAT I WILL HAVE TO STAY WITH JANE AND BARNABAS AT MY HOUSE; WE WILL WORK ON FINISHING THEIR HOUSE IN TABATA AND RENT IT OUT TO EARN A LITTLE INCOME FOR THE CHILDREN NEEDS. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE SCHOOL FEES.THE TWO LAST ONES MAY CONTINUE WITH SCHOOL WHERE THEY ARE IN MOROGORO AND MAYBE THE OTHER TWO WILL STAY WITH OUR PARENTS. YOUR ADVICE IS WELCOME.I WILL SEND YOU SOME PICTURES SOON.
REJOICE NDALIMA

Dear Elder Sam anad Sister Nelda,
I again thank you for passing to me the news of the passing on of Sister Mary a couple of days ago. I know that we are still very sorrowful and mourning for her death, but I thank the Lord that she is in better place where there is no sickness and problems. Though we miss her here in time we need to keep praying for their children. Pray for us that Bro. Charles, I and the church in Dar be blessed to be a great comfort to the children.
I made a call to Mbeya last night only to be informed that she was burried late yesterday ( Tuesday ).
I also thank the Lord that Bro. Charles made it safe back home yesterday morning and I rejoiced to hear how the Lord richly blessed their meetings in Dar.
Let us also be prayerful that the Lord may give us His Holy Spirit to comfort us during this trying moments.
Your brother and servant in Christ,
Brother Martin Onyoni.