My name is Robert Alphonse Mwemya, a member of MRC Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam. June 5th, 2022, is a day I will never forget. It was the day I lost my wife, who was eight months pregnant. It was a Friday night; my wife and I were at home, just one week after she had been discharged from Vijibweni Hospital, where she had been treated for anemia.
Around 5 a.m., a loud explosion shook our home, forcing us to rush outside to find safety. We soon realized that one of the fuel storage tanks nearby was on fire, as our house was located near a large fuel depot. The shock was overwhelming, especially for my pregnant wife.
At dawn, I rushed her to Kigamboni Hospital and later received a referral to Muhimbili National Hospital on June 4th, Saturday. I fought with everything in me for her life. Yet, on Sunday at 8 a.m., I received the heart-wrenching news from the doctor that my wife had passed away.
Her passing left me with our first child, barely one year and ten months old. Despite having graduated in Mechanical Engineering, I was still unemployed, dependent on my family. Life was extremely difficult. But I praise God because He never abandoned me during this fiery trial.
I remember my younger aunts and uncles in Dar es Salaam, fully aware of my struggles, yet they offered me nothing, even when I was willing to help them. Even after the loss, they did not come to console me at home.
It was then that I turned to God and poured out my heart in prayer. He heard my tears. I continued applying for jobs as I had before, and this time, God was on my side. He opened a door and blessed me with a great job that wiped away the tears of long suffering.
There was a time when I felt worthless in front of my family—my cousins and aunts—and even when they had employment, they mocked me, saying I would never get a job, especially after losing my wife. But my Lord Jesus wiped away my tears. Today, I have a good position at TAZAMA Pipelines Limited, a company transporting crude oil. More than that, God has blessed me with a beautiful home in Dar es Salaam.
Even more, He has blessed me with a wonderful wife. For those who said I would never find a job after losing my wife, Jesus proved them wrong. And even when some relatives hesitated to attend my wedding, the Lord brought many loved ones and friends to celebrate with me.
Truly, in 2024, the Lord has doubled His blessings in my life: a fulfilling job and a wonderful wife. Glory be to His name!
