Bwalya Lungu



Joan with Bwalya Lungu (right) and Delysia Timm

Dear Joan,

I had to critically reflect on what to say in this letter to you. I dug deep inside me for all my embodied knowledge on you and I realized, I could not fit all the things I could say about you in a letter. I just hope for the things I could not say, I showed you and I hope you recognized them to be love and appreciation. I want to thank you for being God’s instrument in changing my life and the lives of a lot of people.

Thank you for recognizing the light with in me and affirming that it is okay to shine at your own frequency. Thank you for teaching me that patience is very important when dealing with sticky situations: I reference your lecture on dripping water in the same spot till it makes a hole.  Thank you for teaching me to look at what is behind the hearts of men and to try and love them unconditionally, even when it has been difficult. Thank you for teaching me to not to give up on a dream. Thank you for being there to talk to when I was struck with fear, hurt, joy and laughter. I have learned all these things and more, some by watching and listening to you and some by having a conversation with you. Mwali mona bumuntu bwandi (you saw the delicate and fragile human in me) and you provided a loving home at TES for me and a lot of other strays.

I sit and wish I had meet you earlier on, then I would have had more time to spend around you to listen and learn from all your stories and conversations. But I have come to understand that things happen at the very time they are meant to, no sooner, no later. I hope that just because you are no longer at the university, it doesn’t mean you are no longer in our lives. Please carry on inspiring people whatever you decide to do after this; it has been one of the many amazing gifts that God almighty gave you.

I am wishing you the best of times out there and all the love in the many universes in whatever you get up to.  I am not going to say goodbye because, I am sure I will see you again. May God shower his blessing upon you and sustain you through your grey hairs.

With much love and reverence

Bwalya