Paul Njoroge Says ‘Thank You’ To Bermuda
Paul Njoroge, whose family was tragically killed in the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash, has expressed his gratitude to the people of Bermuda for their sympathy and support.
Mr. Njoroge said, “On behalf of myself and my wider family, I have been able to meet and personally thank Governor John Rankin, Premier David Burt, Ghana’s Honorary Consul in Bermuda, Dr. Teye-Botchway and a number of friends and colleagues who were able to attend the prayer meeting at the Hamilton SDA Church on Wednesday, July 10. Although I really wanted to, I will unfortunately not be able to meet and say thank you to each and every one of you in person.
“I want to also say thank you to my employer Butterfield Bank, the Hamilton SDA Church, the African community in Bermuda, my Flanagan’s team and all of Bermuda for the wonderful show of love to us during these testing times. Through your prayer, contributions, sessions and services as well as your messages in the condolence book, we have come to feel your love and warmth which no doubt has helped us to this stage.”
Paul and sister Leah with Premier David Burt and Minister Wayne Caines:
“We are going through an extremely difficult time in our lives. Our well-being and little strength comes from your words and actions of encouragement and your messages of hope. I cannot, therefore, thank you enough for your expression of sympathies, good thoughts and prayers. I can only wish you God’s blessings every day of your lives.
“My family was my world. I have always been wondrously blessed to be with them, to sing and pray with them, to take walks together with them, to eat together with them and to laugh and play with them. Every aspect of my life today is a reminder of my departed family.
“But as I journey through this dark time of tears and desolation, I take the gifts of time, prayer, and reliving the good memories rooted in the beauty, truth and goodness of my family. I hope one day I will move towards a time filled with tears of consolation. I lived for them before. Today, I am struggling to live to keep their memories alive.
“I am however encouraged by the words of Jeremiah; in the book of Jeremiah 29:11, God speaks to us by saying that; “For I know the plans that I have for you, plans for prosperity and not for despair, to give you a future and a hope”. My life today is founded on this hope. That one day, God will reveal these plans and the future that he has for me.”
Paul and sister Leah with Governor John Rankin:
“My daughter Kelli enjoyed singing, and she would sing to us multiple times a day; her favorite song written by Michael W. Smith; ‘Draw me close to you’…but she would tell us that she wanted it as ‘Hold me close to you’. Because she wanted me to hold her close to myself for the rest of our lives. As I live today, in my heart and my ears, that young and soft voice sings every moment:
“Hold me close to You
“Never let me go
“I lay it all down again
“To hear You say that I’m Your friend
“You are my desire
“No one else will do
“‘Cause nothing else can take Your place
“To feel the warmth of Your embrace
“Help me find my way
“Bring me back to You
“You’re all I want
“You’re all I’ve ever needed
“You’re all I want
“Help me know You are near
“It is God that I want today, it is God that I want to be close to. But in reality, I wish that my wife and my children could also help me find my way in life. Because they are all I needed in my life.”
Paul and sister Leah with Dr Teye-Botchway:
“In the old, old hymns, there is a song that I like singing. And every time Ryan and Kelli saw me with the hymns book, they would say to me, “Daddy, I know you want to sing that song again”. Which one? I would ask them. And they would answer, the one you say ‘Until then’. And when I sang, they would sing along with me:
“My heart can sing when I pause to remember
“A heartache here is but a stepping stone
“Along a trail that’s winding always upward
“This troubled world is not my final home
“But until then my heart will go on singing
“Until then with joy I’ll carry on
“Until that day my eyes behold the City
“Until that day God calls me home
“And so brethren, until that day, that day when I stand on the lofty heights of Mount Pisgah, as I wave goodbye to this world, on the other side, there will be my wife Carol, my son Ryan, my daughters Kelli and Rubi and mom-in-law Ann. But until that day when God calls me home, my heart will go on singing.
“God bless you all; God bless you every day of your lives.”
What great faith! Keep the faith, friend; redemption draweth nigh!
Wow!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, until then. God continue to be with u.love and prayers in Christ.
I pray for your peace to bring you comfort, courage to face the days ahead and loving memories to forever hold in your heart.