The late Afia Birago Donkor
The huge premises of the Toronto West Seventh-day Adventist Church located at Albion and Martin Grove in the metropolis of Toronto-Canada was filled to capacity as people of all walks of life came together on Saturday, November 25, 2017 to celebrate the life of the young Ghanaian Lawyer cum writer/photographer/literature evangelist, Afia Birago Donkor.
By the hour of 6pm (Toronto time) on the said day there was no room left in the church building for mourners- young and old, female and male! They had come in the numbers from far and near including Britain, Germany, Ghana, the United States as far as Texas and from Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, St Catherine, London-Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area in Canada.
Dr. Muller from USA who delivered the sermonette at the memorial service drew attention of mourners to the fact that 'the dead are blessed'. Using the Holy Scriptures he made it clear that only those who are dead in Christ are blessed and that they are resting from their labours awaiting the return of our Lord to take us home! 'The dead in Christ on that Resurrection Morning will rise to enjoy eternal life but the dead not in Christ to damnation!' he emphasized.
He said Afia knew the Lord and lived her life in and for Him labouring to bring many other people she interacted with on this earth to come to know Him through her ever-present smiles, preaching, teaching, photography and literature evangelism.
Before the sermonette came many tributes from various families who were very to Afia during her journey on this earth. During his tribute, the only and younger brother of Afia, Akwasi Donkor who in 2010 was the perfect donor for his sister bone marrow transplant move mourners to tears of joy and hope of victory in Christ.
Akwasi said that he was thankful that God could use him to 'give life' to his sister in 2010 so that she 'could run and live a life of no pains' for seven years to serve other people. That his sister lived and served humanity for Christ wherever she found herself.
He then concluded, "l am not worried about my sister. I worry about myself and those of us mourning my sister now! "My sister played her role very well in this world as the Lord gave her. It is left to us to do the same for the Lord now!"
His was followed with a tribute from the parents, Pastor (Dr.) and Mrs Donkor who simply described Afia, their daughter who was affectionately called 'Maame' as a gift from God. "She was our Lawyer, editor, cook, counsellor and anchor in time of trouble. We loved her dearly as she grew beautifully in the work of God and humankind"
The celebration of Afia's life continued that night at that Toronto Ghanaian SDA Church at Attwell Drive also in Toronto where traditionally friends and well-wishers came to pay their homage to the bereaved family.
The mortal remains of Maame Afia Birago Donkor was laid to rest at the Glenview Memorial Gardens in Toronto on Monday, November 27, 2017.
Afia who suddenly passed away on Saturday, November 11, 2017 in France on a teaching tour there was 35 years old. May her soul rest in perfect peace Amen
