“Ndigoneranji m’manda ndekha.Amayi tsalani, ngakhale mundikonda, Ambuye tsogoleleni ndili ndekha,” Choir members were singing, as the white coffin of Mary Mount Student, Ruth Tembo was slowly being lowered into the grave at Madisi in Dowa District.
At exactly, 1.29pm, the pastor instructed grave diggers, “Tsopano gwirani ntchito adzukulu,” (Meaning now it is time to laid our dear daughter to rest).
Sound of different birds inside the cemetery could be heard, “Kukuruku kukuruku” as Ruth was on her last journey.
Relatives, parents to the late Ruth could be heard narrating sad words, as the coffin waved good byee that nobody could see it only adzukulu who surrounded the grave yard.
Background,the choir members changed tune from ndigoneranji m’manda ndekha to Kumwamba ndithu kukoma Awusako anthu.”
After the coffin of Ruth reached 6 ft under the ground, there were tears especially from women who mentioned her name in disbelief.
The mother wept,and appeared to be speaking to her daughter as she threw a flower into the grave.
The mother looked lost and forlon,and seemed to be confunsed when she saw Ruth’s friends from Mary Mount in their school uniform.
Grave diggers started burying the body of Ruth,as choir members sung, “Tidzaonana kaya ndiliti Namalenga ndiye adziwa zonse.
One grave digger shouted on top of his voice,”Anyamata osangoima kumeneko bwerani tithandizane ntchito kuno.”
Suddenly, while grave diggers were doing their job, dark clouds engulfed the cemetery with news that Ruth’s schoolmate,who was also in the same bus which was involved in an accident has passed away at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe.
The sad news made people at the cemetery to wept, and everywhere you could see sad faces with so many questions but only God knows the answer.
After burial it was the time to lay wreathes. First to do so was the mother to Ruth.
Looking weak and sad, the mother cried as she hugged the soil on top of her lovely daughters final resting home.
She waved the grave while narrating, “Kapume mwana wanga tidzaonanaso mu umoyo winawo.”
After everything, people left the cemetery leaving Ruth alone, six feet under the ground, and only sound of birds could be heard singing.