Since am on a role here, I am going to write another tribute.
Abishai Ngulube is an amazing pianist, you will see him playing keyboard at church every so often and at our church concerts all the time. In the short time I have known him; I have found him to be extremely humble, respectful, selfless and sincere.
Of late I have been trying to get him to admit that he is good at playing the keyboard but he won’t badge! If there’s anyone who realises that his talent is God given and undeserved, it’s him. And he sure uses his abilities to serve the Lord, which brings me to my next point.
If I were Abishai, and had his amazing gifts, well, to get me to play at your church or concert, you would probably have to pay me but not Abishai. I recall how during the rehearsals for the Youth Concert, Abishai would use his own cash to get to the rehearsals so he could help by playing keyboard. We as organisers only realised towards the end of our time of rehearsal that it was thoughtless of us to allow that to happen. And yet this young man, never once complained, but used his own time to come over and use his own gift at our own leisure and not for free either, he did it all at his own cost! Come on! That’s an amazing trait. I could never. I could do all these things but certainly not at my cost.
Few men are as humbly as Abishai. I recall a time when he came over to my house and we were discussing something and he got a call. I was impressed with his cell phone and asked to take a look. Well he handed it over and I began my inspection. When I was done and we continued talking, I forgot that I still had it in my hand, Abishai asked for his phone back in such a humble way that you’d have thought the phone was mine. “May I please, kindly, sort of, kind of, hopefully, if you don’t mind, I mean, would you be so kind as to, please, kindly pass me the phone?”
I was like dude! It's your phone!
Ok... so he didn’t really say it as humbly as that but he almost got onto his knees as he asked for it and I was like, "Wow!" If the phone was mine, I’d probably say, ”Hey buddy, I’d like my phone back now thank you very much!”
I respect Abishai and so does every other person who knows him. His conduct demands respect because he himself is respectful and patient. Just a couple days ago, I was playing the keyboard while he set up a few things. When he was done, he just sat there for, I don’t know how long, waiting for me to realise that he was waiting for it. When he saw that I’d realise precisely 1 light year from that moment, that he was waiting for me, he asked for the keyboard in his humble way again, and I knew for sure that my patience could not stretch that long.
I get so thrilled to see people happy when they get something that they really need and wish for. If I could, I’d get Aby a keyboard. He is working towards getting one, but the kind he is eyeing cost an arm and a leg. If I could, I’d be thrilled to provide it to him absolutely free. He deserves it. But now I will do, for him, what is within my means, I will write him a tribute that will hopefully help people appreciate his sacrifices and love for the Lord!
"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of
mine for you...making request with joy, For your [partnership] in the
gospel from the first day until now..."
-Phillippians 1:3-5
Abishai, thanx for being a partner in the gospel!
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