Humanist

While the remains of Ms. Georgette Mutesi Mugisha lay in a coffin, her loved ones grieving, and still they found the strength to celebrate her life here on earth. In her speech at the funeral service, on behalf of the late’s maternal aunts, Dr. Alice Baingana Nganwa reminded us of the meaning of the late’s name. Georgette is a “French feminine form of the Greek George, meaning tiller of the soil, or farmer.”

Yes, her loved ones remember her for being a nurturer of people; a farmer, if you will, of people. Her brother shared, “Georgette was not a ‘texter’, she was a caller.” She took time to actually talk to people, irrespective of their station. And so she made friends easily, we learnt.

And, by the way, her paternal uncle, Mr. Johnny Barenzi, shared that the late had a “phenomenal mindset thinking ahead.” Her talks thus “ploughed in people the goodness of God,” her aunt shared; and deducing from her uncle’s speech, she ploughed in people phenomenal wisdom.

Today, her remains were laid down their final resting place at the Barenzi Family Burial Grounds in Mukono, but her legacy lives on. We, for example, were privileged to partake and have a taste of Georgette’s phenomenal wisdom. One of her poems was memorialized in the Order of Mass for her funeral service.

No wonder, in all her grief and pain, Ms. Hilda Kabashomi Mable Baingana is finding the courage to continue taking a chance in the strength of her Christian faith and faith in God. She reminded us in her speech, that the day we are at Sacred Hearts Catholic Church Bugonga, attending the funeral mass for her late daughter, “is the day the Lord has made.” Strength of a Christian woman Hilda has and such a woman of valor she is – strong and righteous.

It was right and fitting indeed for Mr. George Mugisha Barenzi, father of late Georgette, in his speech to thank Hilda for doing a great job raising their children. At only 28 years of age, after all, the late already had two university degrees – a Master of Laws (LLM) from The University of Buckingham and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Keele University. She was an alumnus of Rainbow International School, of Gayaza High School and of Taibah International School.

According to folklore, Mutesi is a name that is given to princesses. At her naming, her parents, George and Hilda, and her grandparents, signified their love for their child and in life they showered her with love. In her lifetime she learnt to be loved, how to love and to give love; and she spread love to her siblings, her cousins, aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents and other humans.

Adding meaning to her name Georgette, which her friends and cousins in their speech thus defined by letter: Generous, Energy, OMG, Reflective, Go, Elegance, Truth, Tenacious and Entertaining. Her “blast of energy” is already deeply missed by her loved ones. It has been taken away for Georgette got a heart attack and died. Her father shared that the results of a postmortem revealed that the heart attack that killed her was induced by a clot in the left side of her heart.

I cannot end this post without recognizing the Sacred Hearts Catholic Church Bugonga, OMG! My absolute favorite was how they sung the refrain: “It is well with my soul; it is well, it is well with my soul. Through the lyrics, the music and the angelic voices the comforted Georgette’s immediate loved ones; and as well us the celebrants and nourished our souls.

Fare thee well, Georgette Mutesi Barenzi. May your soul find eternal rest, I pray.