Widow Says Community Support Key To Healing

It takes a village to help persons who are hurting to heal, says Khadene Guyah, widow of Kedo Guyah, who was murdered at a tyre repair shop along Spanish Town Road in 2021.

“If I didn’t have the support, I don’t think I would be standing here. We must help each other,” she said.

Mrs. Guyah shared her experience at the Hope Area Churches Organisation (HACO) Values and Attitudes ‘Ambassadors’ Awards Ceremony, held at the Sts. Peter and Paul Church on June 26.

She was among 14 ambassadors from the 10-week training programme who were tasked to train others on how core values and attitudes can help to reduce negative outcomes from conflicts in their communities.

The 44-year-old teacher said she received help “every step of the way” to cope with the painful experience of losing her husband to gun violence.

It was reported that her husband was helping his twin brother at the repair shop when gunmen killed both Mr. Guyah and another repairman.

“When his brother called [with the news], I was at home preparing for a [school] assignment. It was a shock because I’d just spoken with him. I’m usually with him; the only reason why I wasn’t that day is because of school. I couldn’t understand it… . it didn’t make sense,” she said.

She pointed out that her nephew, who is fostered by her and her husband, was also with him during the attack, but he only sustained bruises.

“When it first happened… I had thought, ‘why not? The person [murderer] should feel as much pain as I am, but then you realise that the persons who might have been involved are just victims as well,” Mrs. Guyah said.

She said the help received from the Ministry of Justice’s Victim Support Unit, the Caribbean Graduate School of Theology, her church community, family, and friends assisted her in the process of grieving and forgiving.

“There are moments where I just feel sad because my husband and I were very close… we were partners [and] we did everything together. So, it was quite a transition to being a single mother, studying, working, and having a lot of things to do on my own,” Mrs. Guyah said.

“Having my faith in Christ, gives me hope beyond what this world has to offer. It has been challenging, but as I make that decision each day to get up, knowing that God is with me and that he will help me and that he will provide the resources, be it personal, financial, whichever, I’m assured of his presence, and that helps me daily,” she noted.