Celebrating Pa Vaia

Pa Vaia and his lovely 4 ladies and the cute dog.

He died today many years ago.  But he still lives not only in my heart but in my ways of being and in my story telling.  He was my uncle in my father's side of the family.  My own father admired him so very much that he told me all about Pa Vaia when I was a little girl.  At age 8 with my father's help I stared my correspondence with Pa Vaia.  He was the minister of Education for the State of Mizoram, India then.  He wrote back every letter I sent him.  He became my hero, my favorite uncle from far away in a different country.

At age 13 my Putea (mother's youngest brother who grew up with us) and I went to visit there for the first time.  But Pa Vaia was out of town.  So, I did not meet him.

At age 18 I decided to go to College in his part of India.  I was staying at my mother's oldest sister's house then.  One day I went to visit his house to meet him in person.  He was so pleased to meet me.  He told me that I was now practically a grown young woman but will always be a daughter to him.  So, I called him "Kapa (father)" in stead of uncle.  He told me that I should be spending all my holidays during College at his home.  By then he was married and has their first daughter "Mami" who was all of a few months old.  Mami was very cute.  He showed me all my letters to him for the last 10 years that he had saved every one of them.

So, needless to say, I spent all my holidays at their home except 2 times when I went home to Myanmar.  His wife nu Tluangi was also very kind and loving.  I learned so very much about life from him.  He went on being a successful a politician and I prayed for him and his Congress I party all the time.  He was kind, quiet, no nonsense, generous and most of all very WISE.

In the fall of 1993 he came to Washington D.C on government business.  I was in DE then.  I went and stole him away for 3 days.  We played in Philadelphia, Wilmington, DE and took him to the homes of my Church members.  He loved that.

He was very sick in the late 90's and came to Cleveland Clinic at my suggestion.  I was in Columbus, Ohio serving as an associate pastor.  I got to drive him to the Cleveland Clinic in Jan. and Feb in the snow and ice.  We had good long talks and we sung Mizo Folk songs during those long drives.  What marvelous times we had!  He told me that I have 7 younger siblings not 4. He said 4 in your mother's house and 3 in mine.  Know that you are the oldest of 8 not 5or 6.  I agreed.  We laugh a lot as sick as he was.  i can still  hear his voice today.

I thank God for him and all his teachings.  Today I celebrate his life which was a gift to many even me.