Every day, Victoria, it gets harder to imagine how any of this can be true. It was a situation we talked and prayed about; it could never become real.
And yet, the unbelievable materialized itself. I’m still reeling from the shock and the pain of never hearing your voice again, or never debating about a dystopian society as we try to pass time.
However, it gets easier to cope when I think of all the amazing memories we have. I think it’s rare to find someone who when they come to mind, all you can think about is the good, a character that is pretty much flawless. That’s who you are Vicky; you have this amazing ability to leave a beautiful and lasting impression on every path you cross. Your voice is unforgettable and so is your character and the memories you left behind.
Darling, you were a fine, fine debater. Ever since you joined Naisula, I cannot think of a week that passed without us engaging in a passionate exchange of thoughts, ideas and perspectives. You, me and Neema were the dream team, both in class and on the podium. You demanded attention with the articulation of your speech. You commanded a room with your presence and disposition before your words could ensnare the audience. You were an animated speaker; I could and did listen to you talk for hours on end. You hooked me to the very last portion of your ideas. You were a passionate speaker; God knows how you physically underwent a metamorphosis every time someone asked you for your take on a subject. That’s always been one of my favourite things about you. You’ve always had an expansive vocabulary too, and I can remember how much we enjoyed talking to each other because we didn’t have to “dumb down” our speech when all we wanted to do was use a string of complex words that no one would use on a normal day-to-day basis. Ignoring judgemental looks was always a pleasure with you <3.
The only time when I can’t find a word out of our unlimited vocabulary is when I have to find one word to describe you. What I have, is a series of my favorite memories that are an embodiment of the beautiful character you were.
So, who was Victoria?
Victoria was a brilliant, assertive, hard-working, driven and principled girl. Above all that, she was a true friend.
She’s the kind of girl to hold my hand when we started climbing Mt. Kenya because I lost all hope at the beginning. She told me “You’ve never been a quitter, Ivy. Let’s not start this ugly habit now.” And trust me, she held little celebrations every time I’d finally get to the next milestone no matter how much time it took me to get there. She was proud of me for finishing, completely ignorant of the fact that I finished last.
She’s the kind of girl to lecture me on walking with a purpose. She’d insist that wherever you are and no matter what you’re doing, let your movements show you have a purpose because there’s nothing worse than an aimless young adult. She’s the reason that everyone believes I look busy when I’m up to a whole bunch of nothing.
She’s the kind of girl who would develop and refine speeches for the girls in our grade to stop entertaining “little boys”. Her favourite phrase was of course to “Stand Up!”
She’s the kind of girl who somehow managed to trick the entire year group that she had eloped with a short caption on an Instagram post when she had just attended a wedding. I still don’t know whether she intended to trick them or whether her caption was simply vague. For reference, see below. (She looked absolutely beautiful)
She was the kind of girl who would argue relentlessly for what she believed in. It didn’t matter whether she was a black sheep or whether her opinion was unpopular. She expressed it with passion. She would rather pull her hair out than back down when challenged. She was the epitome of confidence. I can remember when she insisted to the coordinators of the school that students needed more practice than one Mt. Longonot hike before going to Mt. Kenya. When nothing was done about it, she rounded up a team of interested students and organized it all on her own. To this day, I’m still impressed by how she pulled off calling parents and financial planning all from school.
She’s the kind of girl who would not condone laziness or dishonesty. I once borrowed a pair of socks because mine were yet to dry from the hanging line. Of course, she was kind and gave me the pair. But in the week, I forgot that I needed to wash the ones she gave me. When she asked, I promised to do it the next day. This time, I didn’t forget, I was just lazy. So I dipped them in some water, squeezed them and left them on the hanging line. When she asked for them; I simply explained that they were drying and she could pick them up if she was in too much hurry. 5 minutes later she stalked down the dormitory halls to my cube and confronted me for not washing the socks. I tried to lie that I did, but she quite literally stuffed them in front of my nose and asked me whether they smelled like clean socks. Moments later, I was washing them under her supervision. This is probably one of our favourite shared memories. We’d laugh about it long past the event.
She’s the kind of girl who was kind to everyone, no matter how much she was wronged. She did not take out any of her anger or her hurt on the world and instead did good deeds to remind herself that the world could be a better place. She made us playlists depending on our moods; somehow she was attuned to our style. All in all, her music taste was impeccable.
She’s the kind of girl to speak to everyone around her in French, ignoring our inability to understand, just so she could improve her fluency.
1st Corinthians 13:4 says Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
When describing a character that was guided by the Lord, Victoria’s name can honestly fit into the characteristics described above.
Victoria is patient, Victoria is kind. She does not envy, she does not boast, she is not proud.
That is who Victoria is.
While we mourn your absence, the heavens celebrate your presence.
You were a joy to be around Victoria and had a brilliant future ahead of you. Every day I praise the Lord that I was fortunate to have met you and to have known you for 3 and a half years. That can never be enough time to know someone as wonderful as you, but it was filled with so much love and laughter that I can always look back and smile.
You are an unforgettable gem. You changed me for the better. You loved me despite my flaws. You corrected me where I was wrong. You inspired me to be the best version of myself possible, and for all that, I thank you.
I love you, I miss you and I hope to rejoice with the angels when I meet you again.
- Ivy Wendo Madara