UNMSA 012 Mourns Her Own

I pick my phone as I stand in the bus on my way back home from work. Reflexively, my thumb goes to Whatsapp checking for new messages. I notice the blackout DP and the group name that has been changed to '012 Mourns'. I'm worried. 012 mourns what? I remember last night in the group was a whole lot of lamentation about the state of the country. So I'm not surprised at the name change. Maybe my classmates are still mourning for the situation of things in Nigeria. But that dark DP - I only see that when the worst has happened. We just mourned the loss of a senior colleague a few weeks back. Even then, I don't remember the group name being changed to '012 Mourns'. Does this mean we've lost one of ours? OMG! I open the conversation and the first word that gets my eye is Linda. What happened to Linda? I scroll through the conversations for answers. It is confirmed. Another has bitten the dust. But she is not just another. She is one of us. She is Linda. 

They said she had a fever, she was breathless and then she slumped while walking on the road. Just like that! Just like that, a journey of twenty something years brakes to a halt. Just like that, a new life beyond the Jordan begins and all the struggles here are forgotten. Just like that, dreams truncate, an assignment is cancelled and a soldier reports back home. Linda is to be wed to the love of her life this coming Saturday. Just like that, a day of joy becomes a day of sorrow.  

Aaron Shust in his song, "My Savior, my God" writes,  
I am not skilled to understand  
What God has willed, what God has planned  
I only know at his right hand  
Stands One who is my Saviour...  

Yes living, dying let me bring  
My strength my Solace from the Spring  
That He who lives to be my King  
Once died to be my Saviour  

Rest in peace dear Linda. We are comforted that you knew the Lord.  

©Radiant ~ October 2017  
UNMSA stands for University of Nigeria Medical Students Association 
UNMSA 012 is the graduating set of 2012