You may be saved. Would you bow with me as we go to our Lord in prayer? Heavenly Father, we come before your throne today with two emotions burning in our heart. We are happy for our brother Alex. He is with his Lord and Saviour.
He will never experience pain. polio, strokes, or death, ever again. He will never know anything again but joy unspeakable. and full of glory. There's another emotion.
That's tough. That emotionless sadness. We will miss Alex. He's been a blessing to his family. A godsend for an orphanage.
and a joy to this pastor. The Grace Church. I pray for us today. Put into our hearts a peace that passes all understanding. Help us to focus on Alex's joy.
and not our sorrow. May our Lord and Savior be glorified in this service. May Alex be honored. May his family be comforted. We love you, Lord.
We praise you for your goodness. For it is in the holy and precious name of Jesus that we pray. Amen. In times like these, the only hope that is adequate and in fact more than sufficient. is the hope that can be found in Jesus Christ.
He is our blessed assurance. We're going to sing of that assurance now. If you're able to stand, I'll invite you to stand with me as we sing. Blessed Ashore, the Lord of the Spanish Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine.
Hero salvation, purchase of God, born of his spirit, washed in his blood. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long, perfect submission, all is at rest. I, in my Savior, am happy and blessed, watching and waiting, looking around, filled with his goodness. Lost in his love.
This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. Amen. You can be seated. Twenty-third Psalm: The Lord is my shepherd.
Yeah. want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I w Walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord. Forever. This morning I'm going to read from Romans chapter 8. 35 through 39. These are the words of the Apostle Paul.
Maybe Maya, Trava, Trina. and friends and family, remember that the Apostle Paul suffered greatly, yet great emotional stresses, He was twice beaten, left for dead.
So in the Holy Spirit, let him write these things. He understood the application. of the struggles that we have. Hear the words of our hope in Christ. Who will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will tribulation or distress or persecution or famine. or nakedness or peril, or sword Just as it is written. For your sake, we are being put to death all day long. we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered. But in all these things, we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death Nor life nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present. things to come. Nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing. will be able to separate us from the love of God. which is in Christ Jesus.
Our Lord. The book of James tells us that true religion is a religion that's expressed in a love, a care for widows and orphans. And certainly, Alex's life bore witness to his true religion as he cared. for many, many of those around him in need. We want to think of that as we sing again.
Jesus loves me, this I know. Bible tells me so. Again, if you're able to stand, I'll invite you to stand with me. Mm. Jesus.
Jesus love. Me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong, they are weak, but he is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, for the Bible tells me so. First Corinthians chapter sixteen, verse twelve.
Be watchful. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. We are gathered here today to worship our Lord and to pay tribute to our friend.
Alex Diacobanzilla. In a time when our hearts have been made weak with grief, we need the strength of eternal wisdom. God gives that wisdom to us through the power of His Word. I've chosen for my text today just one verse. 1 Corinthians 16, 12.
Be watchful. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. That Definition.
is a definition that our culture ought to adopt for itself. In our culture today, a man can be immoral. He can be Um just totally deficient of honesty. He can be deceitful. He can be all these kind of things unethical.
And yet, if he's strong physically, If he is tough, If he if he is a man that is popular with the girls. If he's a man that uh enjoys uh partying. If he's strong physically, If he can curse like a sailor, then they consider him to be a man. But I want you to know that's not Paul's definition. For manhood.
Paul's definition for manhood. is having Christian character. and having Christian integrity. Jesus said it this way: If any man be my disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. I want you to know Alex Diaka Manzilla.
was a disciple of Jesus Christ. He was a man. in the real sense, the biblical sense of the word. I could say a lot of things about Alex today. Alex.
was my friend. He came from a different country. He had a different accent. Hey, um had a lot of different things about him. He was not the color skin.
that I have. And yet, you know what? None of those things matter. They don't matter at all because we were brothers in Christ. We were brothers in Christ, and the same Holy Spirit that lived in Alex's heart and lives in Alex's heart today.
Lives in my heart. And that same blood of Jesus that washed away. Alex is since Washed away my sin as well. Alex was a brother in Christ. Mamie.
Maya. Trina, grandkids. I know that this is a hard day for you. I know that because I know there is sorrow and there's sadness that is here. That is true.
But the Lord gave you a A gift in Alex. He's a real man. A biblical man. He's a man who loved you as a family. He instructed you as a family.
He influenced you as a family. And he prayed for you. And the reason that we can be happy today is because we know where Alex is. He is with the Lord Jesus, and we'll be with him forever. Enever.
I want to share three points with you today concerning Alex's manhood. Number one, he was gutsy. Alex was born in the Congo. He was born with a disease called polio. And back then, during Alex's early time, there was a superstition in the Congo that if a child had polio, that meant that he had a demon.
And so because of that, Alex was not allowed to go to church. Couldn't go to church. And so his family, when he was five years old, would get up, they would lock the house up, they would go to church and leave him there by himself.
Well, after a couple of weeks of that, Alex got tired of that foolishness. And let me tell you what he did. He waited until the family left. And then he crawled out the window. He hobbled all the way to church.
He went right to the priest's office. And he looked in the priest's eye. And he said to the priest, he said, listen. I have polio. It is a disease.
I do not have a demon. I love the Lord Jesus Christ, and it's wrong for you to keep me out of church. I want to worship, too. And he said, the priest started crying. And he reached over and he hugged Alex and he apologized to him.
And then he took Alex into the into the congregation. And he shared with the whole congregation what Alex had just told him. And then he apologized to the congregation. Then he apologized to Alex. And he said, Alex, from this point on, you will always be welcome.
In this church. He was five years old. That's gutsy. Most of you know the story of how Alex got involved with the orphanage in Goma. Alex was a cab driver.
And he got a call that there was a man that had just come into the airport that needed somebody that could speak French, and so they knew he could speak French, and so he rode to the airport and he picked this man up. The man was from the Congo. His name was Reverend Levi's. And he told him where he was needing to go. And he shared with him that he was a preacher, that he had started an orphanage in Goma, trying to get funding here in America.
And Alex said, where are you going now? He said, well, I need to go to a motel. He said, how much money do you have? He said $45. Alex said, that's not going to be near enough.
He said, you come home with me. And he took him home with him. And they they met together in Alex's home. Mimi did all the cooking for the next six weeks for all them. And they sat down together, Alex and Reverend Levi's.
And they talked. And they got to know each other. And they grew as brothers in Christ. And he learned about the orphanage. Finally, Reverend Levi's went back to Tagoma.
And after a little while, a few months, Alex decided to make the trip. He went to Goma. And he went to the orphanage. He talked to the orphans and fell in love with them. He came back to to To Harrisburg.
came back to our church, told us all about it. and we began to support the orphanage in Goma. And it was just a beautiful relationship. Alex continued to go back. And what did he do?
He supervised the building, erection of buildings on that orphanage campus. And he helped to provide clean water for the orphans and did a great job. I got tickled listening to Alex talk about the concrete company. and the supply companies that were there. They usually have this idea that they can take advantage of the Americans because the Americans don't know what's going on over there.
So they tried to take advantage of Alex. That didn't work very well. Haleck said, No, no, no, no. You're not going to take advantage of me, and you're not going to deprive these orphans. Thanks.
You know, it's tough standing up. to a swindler. But Alex had courage to do it, and he did it well, and he did it for the orphans. Alex was born with polio, suffered with it all his life. And that was a tough thing.
Couldn't play on ball teams like some other kids do, couldn't go to track meets, couldn't enjoy some of the things that people without polio can enjoy. But I tell you what, he was a man's man. He was a man's man, and he stood for God's truth, and he stood for God's truth from the heart. The second point I have about Alex is this, Alex was godly. Alex and Mimi joined Grace Church several years ago.
I found out that he had done work as a translator and he'd worked with sign language. We had a young girl in our church that time, teenage girls, getting ready to go to college. She wanted to learn how to do sign language. She was going to college to learn how.
So her name is Leah Andrews. I invited her over to our house for supper, and I invited Alex, and I invited Ray Yarborough, who also knows sign language. And I asked him, I want you to give her some pointers, give her some encouragement.
So Cindy made us a lasagna dinner. We sat around the table together, and Alex and Ray just gave her all kinds of great encouragement and just kind of loved on her. When uh we were finished eating Alex reached back and he took out his Bible. And he said, I want to lead us in a devotion. I thought, well, I'm the preacher.
I should have thought of that. Uh but uh Alex did it. And I remember listening to that devotional and listening to his sweet teaching. And it just touched my heart in a very powerful way. Alex is greatly respected by his wife.
greatly respected by his two daughters, Maya and Trina are in the military. And they're doing well in the military. They've made their parents proud. Alex is an encouraging father. He taught them biblical principles.
He gave guidance and direction. to his daughters. You know, America is filled today with deadbeat dads. delinquent dads, absentee dads. Dads who have been told by God that we are to raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
and yet absolutely refused to do it. Alex was the exact opposite. Alex loved his kids, loved his grandkids, and not only would he speak to them and encourage them, but he taught them the word of God. And you can see it in his daughters' lives. They love Alex and love Jesus.
Why did Alex put so much effort to his work with the orphans in Goma? Was it because they were in his native country, the Congo. I don't think so. Was it because he drew it? Grew to love the orphan so much.
I think that had a lot to do with it. But most of all, I think he did it because of his love for Jesus. He loved the Lord. He felt called by God to do that. 2 Corinthians 5:15 says, And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him.
who died for them. and rose again. Alex was a godly man. All right, my point three. is that Alex is a glorified man.
Alex is in heaven today. There was no waiting period for him. Hey. Breathe his last breath here on this earth. A split second later, he entered into glory.
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Alex was a gutsy man. He was a godly man. Humanly speaking, he was a good man. He was a good dad.
It's a good granddad. He was a good husband. He was a good neighbor. He was a good friend. He was a good brother.
But I want you to know Alex is not in heaven today because he was good. He's in heaven today because the only one who is truly good The only one who is perfectly without sin. went to the cross and died for Alex. that his sin debt might be paid. Romans chapter 3, verse 23 says this: We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 6.23 says Yeah. For the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans chapter 5, verse 8 says, that God commendeth his love toward us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
The Lord regenerated Alex's heart. And Alex confessed his sin. He repented of his sin. And he trusted Jesus Christ. As his Lord.
and as his Saviour. And Jesus did a work in him that no man can do for himself. He saved his soul. for all of eternity. Psalm 116, verse 15, says this, Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
Now, we're thinking about Alex's death today, and it doesn't feel precious to us. It hurts. For us, death is the last enemy. It causes sorrow, it causes pain. But I want you to know God rejoiced over Alex's death.
He rejoiced over Alex's death, for Alex is with him right now, in the very presence of the Lord, face to face with Jesus Christ himself. His sin nature has been eradicated.
So eradicated that he's perfectly holy, not even capable of sin anymore. And because of that, he can worship the Lord totally and completely unhindered. I want you to picture Alex, if you can, for just a minute. He's bowed down at the throne of the Lord. He's looking up into Jesus' eyes, those eyes so filled with love.
He reaches up and he feels the nail prints in his hand, the tangible evidence of what Jesus did for him on the cross. And then he hears the words. Those words that he's longed to hear for so many years.
Well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter now. into the joy of the Lord. How do we know that Alex is in heaven today? How can we be sure that he's already there?
2 Corinthians 5.8 says, for the Christian to be absent from the body. is to be present with the Lord. John chapter 14, verses 1 through 3, Jesus said, Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house were many mansions.
If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
Well, what's that place going to be like? We don't have to guess about that. Because in Revelation chapter 21, verses 1 through 5, Jesus gave us a description of this wonderful place. He said this. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.
and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them and they will be his people. and God Himself will be with them as their God.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more. For the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new.
Also, he said, write this down. For these words are trustworthy. And true. That's where Alex is.
So if you cry today, Don't cry for yourself. Or you can cry for yourself, but don't cry for him. For he is with the Lord. He is with the Lord. No more polio.
No more strokes. No more pain. No more grief. No more sorrow, no more sin. and no more death.
He will never know anything else ever again. But joy unspeakable. and full of glory. Just think of stepping on shore and finding it heaven, of touching a hand and finding it God's, of breathing new air and finding it celestial. of waking up in glory.
and finding it home. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of sin is death. And the strength of the sin is the law, but thanks be unto God.
Who gives us the victory? through Jesus Christ our Lord. Mamie. Maya, Trina. All the grandkids.
I wish I had some magic words that I could say to you today. It would just take all the pain. and the hurt from your heart. I don't have any magic words. But I do have a promise from the Word of God.
And that promise is there's coming a day when there's going to be a reunion. of every born-again believer who ever walked the face of this earth. And if you know Jesus Christ as your Lord, and your Saviour. then once again you're going to be able to put your arms around Alex's neck. Tell him how much you loved him.
and how much you cared. The only reason we can stand face to face with death today. and say it is well with my soul. is because Jesus Christ has defeated death. He has removed its sting, and he has offered in its place eternal life.
to all who put their trust in him. If you were able, would you stand with me as we sing, It Is Well, It Is Well, with my soul. When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my love thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul, it is well with my soul, it is well, it is well with my soul. My save, oh, the bliss of this glory of swords. My sin, not in part, but the whole is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. Oh, my soul, it is well with my soul, it is well with my soul. Lord haste the day when the fate shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll, the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend. Even so, it is well with my soul. It is well with my soul.
It is well, it is well with my soul. See, I'm not sure. Let us pray, our gracious and heavenly Father, we know Alex is in an amazing place with you, O Lord, for you have told us so through your revealed word the Scriptures. You have given us glimpses and scenes from the Old Testament prophet. Isaiah to the writings of the beloved Apostle.
Yeah. John In Revelation. O Lord, Alex's devotion to you was obvious to us all in his. running your race as he strove to complete the course and purpose you had laid out for him. Alex did not presume to tell you what you needed to be done.
And how to do it. Nor did he waste time on guessing how you might accomplish it. Alex accepted whatever you chose to provide, regardless how unusual it might be. Simply put, Alex trusted you. May his example Be an encouragement to us all.
But Lord There is now a gap here on earth. where your servant Alex stood. or a heartache. not for Alex's gain, but for our loss of his presence among us. He was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.
We need your love. And your word, O Lord. as a balm applied to our hearts and minds. to heal us, to calm us. and to draw us nearer to you.
As we leave this place, make us ever mindful of your sovereignty in all things. the needs of others. And may we end well for you, O Lord. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.
Several Alex's friends and loved ones. and family. have requested that they be able to to share a little testimony today. And so I'm going to turn this over to you. and let y'all do that.
Yes, when we think about parenthood, three words are so important. Original sheep. I mean uh relationship responsibility and reference.
Now we're gonna call the first one to give a testimony. Anaya? Here, Grandpa, we are really. best friends but your time on this earth has come to an end. I love you with all my heart and soul.
But I am so sad you had to go. I love you. Love your granddaughter Anaya. And now we turn it to Trina.
Okay, good afternoon, everyone. My name is Trina. Comunenga is a Trina. I am Alex's second and last daughter, probably favorite daughter as well, but we won't get to that. I think that's the same thing.
Thank you all for coming today and honoring my father. I won't say much, but we all know. who my father was and what he stood for. Um My dad, he has fought the good fight. He really has for 63 years for those who heard the story and know the story.
My dad wasn't rich, but you know, he did anything and everything he could for me and my sister and me and my family.
So we really appreciate him. He was my best friend. He was like, we were so close. I'm gonna miss my dad, but you know. We all have a date, we just don't know when, where, or how.
I love my dad. I'm going to miss him. And I just wanted to share one story. I was a very expensive girl before I started working.
So, my dad would always pick on me regarding dresses. I used to love dresses, not the cheap ones, like the very expensive one. Um every any time I had an event to go to, I would drag my dad to the mall. and pick like the most expensive dresses I I could find. And he would never say no to me, you know.
So I really appreciate that. And then when I was finally able to take care of my dad. I bought him a car. Um I allow him to choose a card that he wanted, and I bought it for him as well. And all of a sudden, he wasn't driving it anymore.
I'm like, dad, like, you've been saying that you needed a car and you wanted a car. Why aren't you driving anymore? He said, Well, I don't want to add too many mines on it. That's my card for Africa.
So I was like, oh, okay.
Well I guess so, but I'm gonna miss my old man. I used to call him old man, but he was definitely a a good person at heart. You guys heard the story about the orphanage. He called me up. He was like, I pick up these people from the airport.
I was like, Dad, you don't even know these people.
So, you know, that's the type of man he was. I'm very proud of my dad. He lived a good life. Thank you.
Now we're gonna call Pacline.
Okay, so I came out first. I'm the favoritist daughter. Just saying. Uh Oh, where do I start? You know, technology kids, I have stuff on my phone here.
My family and I thank you everyone for being here to celebrate Papa. Um, you know, as we send him off to heaven, as Pastor said, he is in a better place and. I am at peace with that. I know he is no longer here with us. But his legacy lives through us, his children, grandkids.
And the thousands of those he served in his short-lived 63 years of life. Growing up, I thought he was just the most strict man I had. But as I grew, I understood uh why he was so strict. He instilled in us discipline. to work hard.
to get what we needed and wanted. and to be kind and to always serve. He was truly a servant. He served selflessly. Papa would not even have a penny, but do other stuff for other people.
I'm like, man, really? He often engaged in acts of selfless service.
So, what is selfless service? That is actually one of our Army values. We have seven values, and seven, and selfless service is one of those. It is defined as. to put the welfare of the nation, the army, and your subordinates before your own.
doing your your duty loyally without thought of recognition or gain. And that is what Papa did. his entire life. he was a selfless person, who did selfless service. You know, it is pretty hard to just cut a check, give somebody cash.
It is pretty easy to do, right? Uh but it is more difficult to give up to give up our time. To give up our personal presence to help others. And Papa never hesitated. He was only a phone call away.
Wherever I was stationed, I called him. He got in his car. He loved driving. I don't know why. He'll get on the car and drive.
Forever, many hours, and he's there. Any time, just a phone call away.
Now I don't know who I'm gonna call. Habakkuk may die, I'll be ready. Yeah. Um And almost every one of us in here today can say that he served us at some point in our lives. If you came across him, you know what I'm talking about.
So, this has been the only time that I came home. to dig in in his Uh this bedroom he has full of papers, like a lot of stuff. This has been the only time when he wasn't there to tell me not to touch it, not to cut it, not to shred it, because I'm always trying to clean up that room.
So I I got to do whatever I wanted to do in that room. I'd see here.
So Has I looked uh let's see. I came across many interesting things and never shared and a couple of things he never shared with us. There was a lot of handwritten cards, letters, notes, a lot of people thanking him for things that he did for them. And one of them caught my attention. It was a large white envelope.
Uh addressed to the home. Uh And outside of it had a US Great Seal. It said the President's Volunteer Service Award written around it. As I opened it and looked inside, There was a bronze certificate from my father in recognition and appreciation of his commitment to strengthen our nation and communities through volunteer service. This was awarded back in 2014.
I never knew about it until I went through his stuff. And along with that was a note from the White House stating, congratulations on serving the President's Volunteer Service Award, and thank you for helping address the most pressing needs in your community and our country. In my inaugural address, I stated that we needed a new era of responsibility, a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world. These are duties that we do not grudgingly accept, but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to this spirit than giving our all to a difficult task. Your volunteer service demonstrates the kind of commitment to your community that moves America a step closer to its great promise.
Thank you for your devotion to service and for doing all you can to shape a better tomorrow for our great nation. Signed, Barack Obama. Discovering this envelope made me so proud and thankful for such a wonderful man created just to be our father, our biggest supporter. You know, I went to the Army almost 16 years ago. He was like, oh, you do whatever you want to do.
Mom, till today, 16 years. Oh my God, don't go. But he was always supporting. He was my biggest supporter. Each time we change uniform, he gets the old one.
I don't know what he does with them, but he's like, give it to me, I'll take it. And he keeps it in the house. And so every milestone has I went up, he was always there, biggest, biggest supporter. Supporting us to do whatever we wanted as long as it made us happy. We will miss him greatly, but I know we will see him soon one day.
He is in heaven, finally resting in peace.
So thank you so much for being here. Thank you for your presence as we send them off.
Now we we need to see Giselle Paul. Hello, I'm Giselle. I am um Alex's um niece. Um he had my father. I guess we're.
Cousins. But to accomplish The two of them, they were brothers. Um I remember years ago uh my first memories of him were Maybe in nineteen eighty one I was Very young, I remember m I went to the farm Where my grandparents or my grandparents were um. working and my grandmother took me With her to go see her sister, who was Tonto Alex's Tonto Leche, as I call him, sister. And I remember him, I guess I was so small.
He was tall and skinny. And as I got older, I said, don't think he was never tall. I think I was just very little.
So I remember my first memories of him. And I asked my dad about it a few years ago, not long ago. And I asked some Why did you choose to you know, help him order your relationship like growing up. He said, He was always my brother. Um You know, the fact that especially he had polio, he was considered handicapped.
Um I've always felt the need to protect him as a big brother. And I always, they were always together. I always remembered them when I used to say to myself, no matter where I go, I'll help them to come with me. And that's how. He came to the US And my dad will always say, you know, we are never cousins, we're always brother.
In our language, we don't have the word for cousins. Everybody's a brother and a sister, and that's truly the relationship that they had. The past few years have been really difficult. And my dad not being here. Um It's been hard the past two weeks, especially, really difficult when Dante called me to tell me that he had a stroke.
Um And I just I looked at my text message as the last message. I got from Tontoleki was on August the second. And one of the things that he said to me, and I thank him so much for leaving me with this message. I'm sorry, I'll be quick, I'm just gonna find it. It read the end of the message said Uh he said what?
God is the master of all problems and can help us find a way to come back to light. I hope we will all see. Speak the truth in love. Um, we had a little conversation and he knew me. Um And and and I'm just so thankful and I I know why he sent me that message and I'm just so thankful that.
That's what he left me with. He was always. Very kind. Uh, Don Toleki, you know, as brothers and my papa, everywhere you saw papa. Papa Meadow, Tonto Meadow, Papa Marcel.
They were always, for as long as I can remember, a lot of them together. They always love, love. You have to love people, you have to be kind, you have to be respectful. I know those who know, especially my father, he stressed that he didn't just preach it, but he really lived it. Love and respect for others and community, getting along with people.
You know, I know life is not perfect. They were not perfect, but I know that those are the values that they always taught us. No matter what, you love your family, you forgive people, you have to be kind and respectful of people. Like I say, it was hard, but I'm so proud of Pakleen. Trina and Papa Medal, thank you so much for being there with us.
Up to the very last minute, he was there with him. And it's been my this is my first time. planning a funeral. If you told me this in February, we were with him at our cousin's engagement. He was talking to my husband.
I never would have thought we would have to do this. But um we've been It's been difficult, but I know we're strong and Dantima me chewing up a queen. You're not alone, you have a family and no matter what. We'll always get through it together.
So I'm very proud of you. And thank you, everyone, in the community. And Grace Church, thank you so much. And of course, Kiberis. funeral home.
They've been so kind and so loving. I appreciate it. Thank you.
Now we call uh Adida Maseka. Hi, greeting, everybody. My name is Adida. I am Bernard Mantika-san and I was introduced to Alex, and he was giving permission to me, but my dad I know when I first came to America, I was crying when my dad was about to go to Congo to go visit. And my dad told me something that you probably don't remember, but I still remember that he told me that I'm leaving you here, but I'm leaving you to your second dad, which is Alex.
And ever since then, Alex became my best friend. I don't I never call him Alex, but I call him Butaleki. But there'll be a reason why I'll call him Alex today. And also my dad was the one that brought Alex and my family to Grace Church. And this over here was my first pastor.
Here in America, and I thank you so much. Uh I would also like to apologize for us communist people being late. That's our tradition. And we've been working on it since 1960. But but but you know, but we're getting a little better out there.
I appreciate it. So I was in the dictionary. I was trying to look up what to say and everything. I'm trying to make this quick. Um In a dictionary.
He defined Alex as a sweet, caring, and wonderful person. Oh man, what a wonderful person he was. I just wanna take time to describe how Alex was an example of courage and humble man. He was also the man of Christ. When we look at the word Alex, it's Full letter A L E X.
Alright, the word A stands for attitude. I know I'm gonna relate to what Pastor said, which was kind of what was on my speech, but Alex always showed us that having a great attitude was necessary to succeed. The great way to live. In the time I knew Alex, he helped me by showing me that he cared. And that was the most important thing, just show people that you care.
Um I know a couple of times, man, I always call Mama Mi and call Mbuta Lake, which has been the phone for like 15 and 30 seconds, and that means so much to me. And he hasn't shown me the great way how to live life. Um But I since A stand for attitude, but what I learned from attitude from Alex that your attitude is based on how you treat people. No matter how busy a president is. If they care, they will all find time for you.
As that for learning. Alex's goal was to eventually go back to Congo and teach people how to live their life, depending on the skill. they had along the way and utilized those skills in the fulfilling life. As we can see, he wanted to go help people in the orphan, go talk to the brutal area where there is nobody would go. But he wanted to go there to show people that he cared.
Um I listened to a motivational speaker. His name is Les Brown. And the last day I saw Alex, he was just talking after, talking after, talking. It was just so amazing listening to him. I know me and you know we were sitting there, we just like, oh.
If I was just so majest lesson him talk. But what I learned is that this is saying that If you do what's easy, your love will be hard. And if you do what's hard, your love will be easy. That's basically what he was trying to show us, that he wanna go to Congo. He wants to teach them how to work, how to survive, how to depend on themselves, that eventually they don't have to depend on nobody but themselves.
Um And there's also a course that I learned from Additive, from Alex, and the coach is by John Quincy Adams. The courts say. If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader. Uh Alex was a great leader. and the E stand for excellent.
Alex was an excellent husband. Dead. Grandfather, and to me, he was the best friend. He showed me how to put gas in the car. He was the first person to show me how to put gas in the car.
It was so amazing. What I have learned excellent from Alex, At least it quotes by Aristotle. What Exodus said about excellence, he said, We are what we purely do. Therefore, excellence should be an act, not a habit. And the X, which was the most toughest thing to find, but the X is for Zenagogue, which means guide.
And Alex was a synagogue man. He desired to guard others with patience, and the example led many to believe that they could accomplish whatever goal they had. In the time we spent together with Alex, he was one of the key people that had me through my job process. What I learned from Xenograph and from Alex is that we don't need more instructions and we need more example and role model. And Alex was a role model to me.
And I know I was so many times I was just listening to him talk and talk and talk. And he made me believe that he was the most fastest person in the world. He was just giving a story. Oh, that kind of boy, that movie boy, he was just so amazing. He was the most fastest person in the world.
I'd be like, wow, this man is amazing. And I learned a lot from him. And uh I know to me it'd be harder 'cause I always used to call him like 15, 30 minutes on the phone, which is being on the phone. And you know, it's hard for me to be like, Oh yeah, you know, my best friend is gone and everything, but I know like he's like he's always an angel to me. And Also, kind of the small advice I'm gonna leave to everybody.
You know, it's very simple. It's that be grateful for every second of every day you get to spend with the people that you love. Our time together is short and very precious. Let's respect, support, and love one another. I know in the Bible, in the John 15, 12, it says, love one another.
As I love you. And I feel like we Congolese people, we really need to explore to learn that more. I'm going to speak Lingala, you know, take care of my people for a little bit. Love is short. But but Eric's okay.
Sonding it to Zawa. Like the tika, like my polymika mikmi kie, oh muta salibo mita salibo, like tika, we just let it go, we just love one another. To pray for each other. And now COVID happened. Muyto cuta noses a teba.
There's always phone call. Semple text. Like sometimes I text my dad, I love you, which means so much to him. And separate text, simple call. Let's just love one another.
At least always try to practice good habit. 'Cause that's what excellent do. And I thank you so much. He means so much, he still means so much to me. And hopefully, one day I'll see him in heaven.
And I'll probably see him soon. I mean, not soon soon. I see God, you know, feature live ahead of me, but I'll definitely see him soon. Thank you all, and thank you so much.
Some people, I think we deserve Alison Ciel. The time is really running so fast so we need to get to the point.
Now, Japelle Mama Lise. Manseka. He was my friend. To come to America, we came together to trip together. At the village.
Aloha Bango Aki. I'm gone. But I will be back. I will try to do the best I can. We came.
He went to um surgery. I was trying to help. the same way his his wife would have done. We're all together all the time because we're living in the same house. I don't know what to do.
I like any gen fi. I think that's the only thing that I'm going to do. He taught me how a a young girl could really live to succeed in his life in her life. I know. Tofandakina fiya malamu.
We were so good. Until the end. We were meeting all the time, every week. And talk. The plans he had.
He went to Goma and he told me about it. Nasalaki Onga Nasaraki Pote Nasuteneria and a plana. I supported him. He had another plan to go back to work when they go to work. What he told them to do.
Two days before he passed away. I agree for not an angari. Corona and Tantine Elise. You see, the virus is almost gone. Tantine Elise, I'm about to go back.
I'm not sure if I can do it. As we We said that's what we're gonna do. Alor to solo like Mingi. We talked. Keeping talking to me.
Man, Ira Sukana Lobakina Yumputaliki Kende next week next week, and we'll see what's gonna do. I can tell that it was the last time we could meet. He is a lovely guy. He's a helpful guy. He's a kind guy.
I will miss him. God bless you guys. There's an uplay uh Uh now we're gonna call Mutamedar.
Okay. Thank you very much. My name is Medar Di Katulu. I'm uh Alexei Kazi. Uh There's a lot of things to say about my cousin.
Like a My niece said, We don't really call a cousin in Africa, it's just a brother.
So it was really A good brother to me will call Every week Maybe I will call you three times if you call me with talk. The day he did stroke? He called me in the morning. We talked. Then uh In night, they called me or Alex.
had a stroke, so we taking him to the hospital. Uh Everybody say almost everything.
So all you need just Uh make a conclusion, maybe. Alex. was a giving guy. He helped me. He's the one who pay the ticket so I can come to United States.
I will really miss him. In addition, while the Pasture dogs said he. Uh he knew. The sign language. And uh We were going to a ministry is called a way international.
And they have classes over there.
So that's why really we're involved in it. uh their ministry with Alex.
So Now you found that the class was really really good class for to learn about God's Word.
So he Translate. Wendy. The the the class was in the cassette.
So he will translate. in the sign language to deaf people. That really impressed me. I said, oh my God. Mm-hmm.
In that class of the class With we speak in tongues, they show you what is it? Uh speaking tongue. And uh how Then uh He did all these things to the deaf people. And he make like a correspond. They're dead?
We're singing. And now I was watching, oh my god, this guy. How we How did he do that?
So he was uh really he he loved people. He wants he knows something, he want to People to know it. Uh from the Bible.
So That's uh things I wanted to mention here. And the last thing he spoke in tongues. In a class, like I said, He spoke in tongues.
Well, we are all in there. What the Bible called the church. The church is now Just a built just The building but is the body of Christ.
So each people who are safe Well I'm born again. We belong to that church. No matter where you go, but if you confess in your mouth, Like a romantic ten and ten said. If you confess, if Tao confess, In your mouth, the Lord Jesus. And believe that God raise him from the dead They would be saved.
That's why the church we We belong every church you go where they call upon the name of Jesus Christ. They are born again. And that's my joy here because Alex Was it born again? Speaking tongue. Is uh is a manifestation After you receive the Holy Spirit, then you can manifest The gift which is speaking tongue.
Just like the day of Pentecost. Once they receive the Holy Ghost, And the next step, they spoke in a tongue. The speaking tongue was done the apostle, but God energized the spirit the spirit they received. That's why they spoke in a tongue. Those languages of the people who were present at the Pentecost.
And God did this. To Alex. Is it? And since we are the church, We have a hope. The return of Jesus Christ.
And that's my job because uh I will be with Alex. When Jesus was returned, So this is a really make me happy. The other side, I may really I miss him. And he always called me like I said. And I miss his call three, mostly two weeks.
Since uh he died, I don't have his call anymore. One day, Uh I'm I'm the end. Uh I think about four days ago. Then uh there's my my cell phone rang. Then In the name Alex, I'll say women.
This is Alex calling me. Let me stop and uh I was uh Um close to a gas station, then I park there, then I pick up the phone. Alex? Then your voice, and mommy, oh mommy said, his wife, I'm using Alex, the phone to call you. I said, oh my God.
I was thinking that's Alex.
So really We miss him. But We have to know. He is the A man of God.
So we Uh no that uh Yeah. Uh he gave us some uh Really, um Something we have to live, which is the word of God, so we can. The gospel that God said, we can be more than conquer, so we can be really can love each other.
So his love was really Uh in life A spiritual life. And they will love him. We will miss him.
Now I'm going to turn it over to Pastor Dai. At this time, we're going to just. go right out this door here. and we'll go to the grave site from here. I have a policeman that'll be leading us out.
And for those of you who don't know where the burial is, it's straight down 49. And we'll go to um Cold Springs Road, take a left. and the cemetery will be Um right on the corner of 73. and Coal Springs Road. We thank you all for coming.
Continue to pray for the family. And uh God bless you all.
So, if y'all could just stay put for just a second. If you didn't hear me, I need you to stay put just for a second so they can move the casket out. That was my mistake.
So just kind of clear out right there at the door and let them move this out.
