July 2007 - News Bulletin

Sipo exemplified real hero qualities in that she was faithful to God, lived courageously and she was fully persuaded that the Bible was the only way. She fought with great endurance through whatever challenges came her way. She would quote Psalm 16v5-6: "Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." This was her motto, no matter what the test.

Sipo loved the Bible and had deep convictions about God's truth; she could not be swayed when it came to God's word. She was willing to give up everything for God. She handed even her toughest fears and desires to God and refused to take any matter into her own hands. She always fought to reconcile her will to God’s will for her life. Her deepest desire was to know God for who He truly is. She believed God and His promises. She believed He not only loved her, but that He also really liked her. Like Hagar, she gave this name to the Lord: “You are the God who sees me”, for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me” (Genesis 16v13).  Sipo had great adventures with God - going on dates with Him and writing Him letters, she had countless journals that were devoted to different journeys she took with God! She was deeply in love with Him!

Sipo had a real variety of friends. No one who has ever been loved by her was in doubt of that fact. She always let you know how glad she was to have you in her life and how much she loved you. She loved deeply, gave of herself, her heart and things. She loved for the sake of love and not what a relationship could give her. She was compassionate, generous and dreamt with you and for you. She believed in celebrating life and living it to the full as the good Lord   intended (John10v10). So she would go on guilt-free shopping sprees, just because she could! She was exceptional and wise beyond her years; you could always value the advice she gave you. 

What she showed us is that what matters is to finish the race - she was determined to finish and she did!  Her example lives on in our memories and it will continue to give us that extra fuel to help us finish our race (2 Timothy 4v6-7). We now realise that no one dies too early, but exactly when God intends them to. Death happens to those left behind and not the departed; she is now at peace! Her spirit lives vicariously through us in the lessons she taught us. Reminders of her are everywhere - her favourite scriptures, an advert you know she would have loved, in Ralph Lauren’s design aesthetics (for the fashion fundis) and many other things.