Botswanaโs flag continues to soar high across the world! ๐ ๐ง๐ผ
Congratulations to ๐ฝ๐ค๐จ๐ ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐๐ for winning bronze in the 400m at the World Para Athletics Championships โ a truly inspiring achievement ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฝ
Big ups to his teammates, coaches, and the entire support team for flying our flag with pride and representing Botswana with such excellence.
Your success reminds us all that with hard work, unity, and belief โ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ช๐, ๐๐ก๐๐๐ , ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐ก๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐จ ๐ง๐๐จ๐. ๐ง๐ผโจ
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Rest well Tumalano โ๐๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ฃ๐โ Thebenyane (๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ซ๐๐ง ๐๐๐)
When death strikes unexpectedly, as it normally lacks the courtesy of prior notice, it leaves one seeking answers they may never get. It however also presents an opportunity for one to reflect on the impact that the departed has had on their journey of life.
I am the eldest child in a family of five sons. When son number four was born, my parents named him Gofejane, which can be translated to mean they are the last-born child. When my youngest aunt was expecting her first child, she moved in with our family. We were all happy to receive the new born baby Tumalano who we nicknamed ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ as our new auntie. Possibly motivated by the birth of Mmamane, a younger brother to Gofejane was born. When the new last born was also a boy, he was named Keineetse, simply meaning ๐ ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ. Its an easy guess, there was no prospect for a daughter in the family. Let me not go further on issues that could get me into trouble with my surviving parent!
Mmamane became a part of our family for well over a decade after her birth. Though she behaved more like a boy, playing with toy guns and trucks as there were no dolls in the house, she had a significant role in our upbringing. In a crowd of 5 boys, the scene tends to be rough and minor differences tend to be resolved with threatening words and occasional violence. Mmamane with her soft voice became the sanitizer for what my mother called her BDF Camp of 5 boys. She exuded the feminine touch that was lacking in the family.
As her Big Brother, I enjoyed intervening on her behalf when sibling rivalries played themselves out. She played a big role in shaping my sense of taking responsibility to protect and defend those that are unable to marshal their own defence.
In her later years, whenever we had family gatherings, she played the role of Mmamane for my children and my siblingsโ children. Auntie wa botsadi le bana ba bone!
Unfortunately, ๐๐ช๐ง ๐๐ค๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง not born of our parents passed on over the long weekend. She will forever have a special place in my memories. Sleep well Mmamaneโฆ
โ๐๐๐๐จ ๐๐จ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐๐๐ก๐ค๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ, ๐๐ฃ ๐ฌ๐๐ค๐ข ๐ ๐๐ข ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐๐จ๐๐.โ
Today we celebrate the twenty second birthday for our eldest child Loago. His birth blessed me with the privilege of being elevated to fatherhood. I make no claim to being a perfect father, but no one can contradict my assertion that I gave the task my best possible effort.
Watching our little baby grow to become a boy, teenager and now a respectful citizen who cares not only about his own good but the good of humanity brings pride to us the parents. I have scaled down on my concerns about the decisions he makes regarding his life choices. Like any parent, my default position is to defend him from all possible dangers and attacks that he will encounter as he marches to adulthood. I am convinced he has developed a thick skin not to be derailed by those who throw jabs at him as he continues with his mature engagements.
Happy Birthday Loago. What a coincidence, for this year our birthdays fall on the ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ก. I celebrate your day with the words from Matthew Chapter 3 verse 17, โ๐๐๐๐จ ๐๐จ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐๐๐ก๐ค๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ, ๐๐ฃ
๐ฌ๐๐ค๐ข ๐ ๐๐ข ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐๐จ๐๐.โ
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