THE WINGS SHE NEVER FLEW WITH (A True Story of Lerato Assedi)

PART 2: When Wings Grow When your child gets selected to represent their nation, you don’t sleep - you plan. You prepare. You do the impossible. That’s exactly what our father did. The official notification came through the school. The organizers requested that Lerato have a passport as she would be travelling outside Malawi. To many families, this alone would have been a roadblock, not this one. Our father, eyes shining with pride, made it happen. Quickly and quietly, without any complaints. Not long after, another notice came: The organizers requested not less than $500 for pocket money or upkeep. Remember, the departure date was less than two weeks away. It felt rushed. Pressured. Unexpected. Yet again, our father delivered. Even though they were a modest family - not flashy, not showy - he made the sacrifices. That’s what any African father would do to see their daughter rise. It wasn’t just money - it was belief, love, and faith. His daughter was going to fly and stand on foreign ground for the first time, he would not let her do it without dignity. Remember, all other five students came from private schools, some known for their elite standards. Lerato stood out - not because she was lacking, but because she wasn’t supposed to be there in their eyes. Perhaps, in ways silent but sinister, someone thought she wouldn’t be able to keep up as "mwana wochokera sukulu ya boma", they didn’t expect her to meet the demands. They didn’t expect her to rise. Kachingerezi pang'ono..." Anyway... despite all odds, we got her ready. New shoes. Her best clothes. Encouragement from every family member. We prayed over her luggage. Gave her advice for the flight. It would be her first time on a plane. A first flight. A first stamp on her passport. A first taste of what her future could hold. She was glowing. Even her silence that morning said everything. She was ready. What we didn’t know... 10 Likes for part 3