Beatrice "Hope" Ngenda Muadi

Beatrice aka Hope (as she was known by many in Canada), was born on 9 June 1971 in Mbuji Mayi province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). She passed on to glory on 14 December 2024 in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. Maman Béa (as family called her) is from a family of 11 siblings- 5 brothers and 6 sisters. Her parents were Theodore Kalombo Nguvu Mitewu (father) who went to be with the Lord on 4 October 2000, and mother, Madeleine Nseya Tshidiadia, who also went to be with the Lord on 17 July 2024. She was also preceded to glory by her sister Mbombo Kalengayi Kalombo (1959) and her brother Mitewu Kalombo Pierre (2015).

Early Life:

Maman Béa /Hope attended her primary School at Saint Marcel primary school in Mbuji Mayi and then joined the Institute Mama Yemo High school in Mbuji Mayi. She also attended a medical school at I. T. M. Bonzola " Institute of medical school Bonzola in Mbuji Mayi where she finished as a Qualified Nurse A3.

Béatrice married early and was blessed with four sons: Franck, Paul, Jeremie and Mardocae.

She began her career as a nurse at a general hospital of Bonzola in Mbuji Mayi where she worked for a while. She then went on to self-employment by opening a small convenience (“Tuck”) shop in Mbuji Mayi. Following her entrepreneurial success, she proceeded to try her hand in the food industry, opening a small restaurant in Kinshasa, the capital city of DRC. Her culinary skills were well known among her many friends and family in DRC and here in Canada she was well known for cooking up a storm of delicious food which she loved to share with friends.

Life in exile:

After encountering many difficulties and challenges of war and atrocities in the DRC, including a near fatal attack that left her in a coma for over two months, Béatrice decided to flee her country of birth before it was too late. Friends helped her to escape to Kenya: going through Goma, Kigali and Uganda. The decision on that fateful night in 2008, meant that she would lose contact with her four boys for the next 11 years.

In Nairobi (Kenya) Hope lived the difficult life of a refugee for many years during which time she made many friends in the Christian community there, learned English and put her entrepreneurial skills to use as a hair stylist.

Immigration/resettlement to Canada:

In 2017, things took a turn for the better when through the Private Sponsorship Program of Refugees Program, the Mennonite Central Committee BC, took up her case and matched her to a sponsoring group (Sandy and Terry Schulz) so that she could be resettled to Canada. Under this arrangement, on 14-Sept 2017, Beatrice arrived in Vancouver, to begin a new life. To mark this new beginning, she took on the name “Hope”, a name and virtue that she truly exemplified in life.

However, she continued to agonize over her four boys, as she had no idea of their whereabouts or if they were even alive. It was therefore a joyous day, when shortly after her arrival in Canada she was able to locate them on Facebook, see and talk to her now grown up children. Sponsorship plans were put in place to get the children to Canada. However, due to the bureaucratic immigration process it was not until 2019 (Jeremie, Mardoche) and 2020 (Paul, Franck) that the family was finally reunited in Abbotsford.

Unfortunately, shortly after her arrival in Canada, she begun to experience ill health. After several hospitalizations and numerous emergency room visits, doctors eventually diagnosed her with stage 4 liver cancer, giving her 3 months at best. Over the next 6 years, she proved the doctors predictions wrong over and over, as she fought for time with her children using the weapons of faith and prayer, hope, determination and grace. Hope won the fight, and she never once let up on life believing God for her healing no matter how bad the outlook or medical reports. Time and time again, we witnessed God give her miraculous leases of life.

During the short periods of respite from pain or procedures, Hope worked at Arch, Lepps Farm Market, the Greek Islands and helped families with childcare. In all these places she left a good reputation of hard work, integrity and her legendary warmth. She became a well-known member of the African community in Abbotsford particularly in the Kenyan community. She radiated love for God, generosity and was loyal and caring friend. She loved her children dearly and her family whom she hoped to reunite with some day.

Hope loved Jesus - passionately and absolutely--with all her heart and with all her soul and with all her mind. To rededicate her life to Christ, Hope requested to be baptized again on -- by water, doing so on December 18, 2020. This was one of her happiest days.

Hope’s spiritual life was lived and shared with her church community at Heritage Alliance, in her women’s bible study group, online with prayer groups in Congo (Yoka Yoka) and across the globe (Maranatha). She loved God’s word and was happiest singing praises to God, whether at home or in hospital rooms where she spent many days and weeks.

Hope did not relent in her fight for life until she went to be with the Lord on the 14th of December 2024 at about 16:42 pm. Hope leaves a legacy of a life lived fully and wholly to give God glory, with a tenacious, trusting faith, that was unwavering despite the circumstances that she faced.

Special thanks go to all her sons- Franck, Paul, Jeremie and Mardoche, for the support that they gave her during her time of illness. We are touched and grateful to all her friends, her church community and the entire community of Abbotsford for the continuous support- spiritual, material or financial. As her family, we are forever grateful for all the love and concern you showed her in life and now extended to our family in her promotion to glory.

2 Timothy 4:7- 8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day– and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Thank you very much, God bless you more.

Kalombo Family.

A visitation for Beatrice will be held Friday, January 3, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM at Heritage Alliance Church, 3440 Mount Lehman Rd, Abbotsford, BC V4X 2M9. A funeral service will occur Friday, January 3, 2025 at 9:30 AM. A graveside service will occur Friday, January 3, 2025 at 12:00 PM at Hazelwood Cemetery, 34070 Hazelwood Ave, Abbotsford, BC V2S 7R1.