Remembering Aunty Betty Ten Years On

Yesterday (3rd September) marks exactly 10 years since Aunty Betty Zulu passed on in the UK. Aunty Betty was a dear aunt to us as well as a dear mother to her children not forgetting grandmother to her grandchildren. She was a great friend to her friends and many things to many people.

I remember Aunty Betty for the following things:

1. Having time for people. Aunty Betty had time for almost everyone. She would make time for you when you visited her as a relative and friend. I would visit her home after church. This meant walking from Longacres to Libala. She would make time to chat with me. Many can testify this about her. Her home was open for friends and relatives.

2. Her rich wisdom on a number of issues. Aunty Betty spoke words of wisdom whenever you interacted with her. During the visits I made to her home I would tell her some of the challenges that I faced when I interacted with my parents as I stayed with them. She would offer me wise counsel on how to relate to my parents. One of them being that I should be the first to greet my parents each morning. What wisdom!

3. Her captivating smile. Aunty Betty had that captivating smile that made you want to be in her presence. This is not to suggest she never got angry. All human being get angry. One would say maybe she never stayed angry for long. Her smile made you want to be with her and interact with her.

4. Her love for family. Aunty Betty expressed her love for family by being submissive to her husband and loving to children. She was a model to young wives on how to love and submit to one’s husband. She cared for him till he passed away. As a young man In my 20s I was the one that broke the sad news of the husband’s death to her. We had no mobile phones in those days, so I walked from the University Teaching Hospital to her home in Libala Stage 2. Aunty Betty loved her children dearly and did all she could for them to grow up into responsible adults.

5. Her care for people. Aunty Betty cared for people. She would go out of the way to express her care. She may not have had so much in terms of money and resources but you could not miss that she cared. I recall one time after I completed school, I would borrow a friend’s bicycle so that I cycle around Lusaka to undertake errands. When Aunty Betty heard of that she told me to stop cycling around Lusaka as it was not safe to do so. She said I could be hit by a car and she did not want to lose me. She went to the extent of saying that if ever I wanted to go anywhere, I could ask her for transport money and she would give me. That was Aunty Betty for you. She may have been gone for 10 years today but memories of her remain fresh and she is dearly missed. We thank God for the time that He lent her to us.

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