Orthodox Easter Day and the death of my mother: Sunday 12th April 2015

We awoke the Sunday morning to the irrepressible sounds of the Ethiopian Church community beginning their celebration of Easter Day and their celebration of Christ’s conquest of death.  In the afternoon my brother rang, on skype, from the residential care home where my mother has been and cared for during the last few years. She was sleeping fairly peacefully. I was able to see and talk to her, though she herself has not been able to enjoy the technology that so helps to reduce distance for a long time. Within half an hour of that call she had died. It’s strange how, with her passing memories, come flooding back and somehow I am going to have to pull together these memories and those of other family members into a tribute. Thankfully she had made a funeral plan, so the order of service for her funeral has been straightforward to plan. Tricia and I will head back for the funeral on Wednesday 22^nd April, next Sunday. She will be buried in same plot as my father who died twenty years ago. We have been grateful for the love and support that we have received from the Cathedral and Awali communities.