Eulogy to Sis. Doris Mercy Akua Afriyie Owusu

A LETTER TO our MA DORIS

Dear Ma Doris,

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised”. Proverbs 31:30 NIV. Ma, this is a summary of our letter to you.

We first met you in the course of our work in helping establish the North America Mission of The Methodist Church Ghana. In introducing you, your credentials as one of the founding members of the Reverend Gaddiel Acquaah Memorial Methodist, Alexandria, Virginia, and devout member no matter what happened were highly extolled. From the very beginning you appeared to us as an unassuming, simple Christian lady who wanted only the best for our beloved Church.

In not many words you offered support, called when pressed with questions and offered candid views and opinions ‘in secret’. Your love for our work on the Mission Prayer line and by extension the Lay Movement, was touching and we cannot but state that you among a few far from being offended, urged us on. As a tribute, when we called to express our condolence to your sisters Esther and Rosina the ensuing chat ended on our involvement on the prayer line.

The Methodist Herald for Builders, [The MHB], for some time the Mission’s mouthpiece was also your ‘baby’. You loved to have copies distributed whether or not you or a close relative was featured therein. To you, enhancing Ghana Methodism in North America was a passion that was truly commendable.

We recall with gratitude your role in electing the first corp of Officers of the Association of Ghana Methodist Church Choirs [GHAMECC], North American Mission in Columbus, Ohio. Your input at the Electoral College and your fair and honest critique of Officers who presented themselves for elections to those high positions were phenomenal. We never had the opportunity to tell you but you of all the lot spoke your mind all in a bid to give God the very best.

The accomplished 16th Century English Poet, James Shirley in his famed ‘Death The Leveller’ declared,

“Sceptre and Crown

Must tumble down,

And in the dust be equal made

With the poor crookèd scythe and spade”.

We who are Christ’s believe that death is only a doorway. You have passed through triumphantly and we are proud of you. For we are reliably informed and believe same to be true that you led a phone prayer meeting and read a Bible Lesson in Church, the day you started your journey home to be with the Lord. What a way to take a bow!

So now we part ways but only in the physical because you will always be present in our hearts and memories as one of the very few in the North America Mission, who has been a backbone to our efforts. We thank you- sincerely- and pray earnestly that at the trumpet call we shall see each other once again and sing as “SERVICE TO GOD”.

“DA YIE MA DORIS, DZI FIE KAN K?TWE?N H?N, DA YIE”!!!

Yours in Christ,

JOSEPH & KAREN.

PS: Please look for Brothers Akwasi Gyamfi and Philip Opoku and tell them both, we thank them with all our hearts. They like you were some of the “silent Giants” on whose shoulders, by God’s grace, we accomplished and continue to accomplish much in Christ’s vineyard in North America.

NB: SISTER DORIS MERCY OWUSU aka Aunty Akua Afriyie, who went home on February 20th 2014 will be laid to rest as follows:

VIEWING & FUNERAL DATE: FRIDAY MARCH 28TH 2014

VIEWING: 6-9PM @ ST LUKE’S – VENUE OF REV. GADDIEL ACQUAAH MEMORIAL METHODIST CHURCH – 8009 FORT HUNT RD, ALEXANDRIA, VA, 22308

FUNERAL: 10PM-6AM @ GHANAIAN COMMUNITY CENTRE, 6424 GENERAL GREEN RD, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22312.

PLEASE JOIN CHURCH & FAMILY TO GIVE MA DORIS A FITTING FAREWELL.

SOURCE: THEMHBONLINE – themhb.simplesite.com