Sandra Tjitendero was born on 30 August 1949 in Sacramento, California, USA. Sandra declared her faith in Bahá’í lláh the founder of the Bahá’í Faith in 1968 at the age of nineteen.
She met her husband Mosé Tjitendero while studying at the University of Massachusetts in 1972. Sandra and Mosé were married on 24 November 1973.
On 26 March 1976 the couple arrived in Lusaka, Zambia, to participate in the work of the United Nations Institute for Namibia as well as being involved in efforts towards the liberation of Namibia. Sandra contributed to community building projects including literacy and feeding programs based on her qualifications in community development. The Tjitendero home in Lusaka provided refuge to many Namibians who were in transit, to and from exile.
The family lived in Angola and eventually repatriated from Zambia to Namibia in 1989 prior to Namibia’s independence in 1990. Sandra was an active member of the Bahá’í Faith and was a spiritual mother to many. She served as a member of both the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Namibia and the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Windhoek (governing bodies of the Baha’i Faith nationally and locally respectively) for several years and served as the Local Assembly secretary for several terms. Her contributions in consultations were always shared with absolute clarity based on the unifying principles of the teaching of the Baha’i with a keen sense of justice carried by unconditional love and compassion.
She was a representative of the Bahá’í External Affairs Committee where she participated in many international and national events most recently during the National Prayer Day in March 2014. Sandra facilitated the consultative meeting of her husband, the first Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Mosé Tjitendero, with the Bahá’í International Governing Body, the Universal House of Justice in Haifa, Israel, prior to the meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Amman, Jordan in 2000. The meeting was in support of the endeavours to bring parliamentary democracy to Namibia, the SADC region and the world through the IPU.
Dr Tjitendero passed away on 26 April 2006. He was a friend of the Bahá’í Faith and an encouraging advocate of our central principle of unity – one God, one Human Race and one Religion.
Sandra was affectionately known as Aunty Sandy or Mamu to many of her children whom she raised or inspired through spiritual guidance. Her home was a haven of learning and laughter where she hosted devotions, study circles and Bahá’í Holy Day celebrations. Her home was a home of light, love and laughter. Sandra is remembered for her loving radiance, unconditional love and selfless service to her community. The Bahá’í community worldwide, and in particular the Bahá’ís of Namibia, will sorely miss her as we pray for her spiritual progress as she reunites with her husband and her soul continues to soar through the spiritual realm.
“When any souls grow to be true believers, they will attain a spiritual relationship with one another, and show forth a tenderness which is not of this world. They will, all of them, become elated from a draught of divine love, and that union of theirs, that connection, will also abide forever. Souls, that is, who will consign their own selves to oblivion, strip from themselves the defects of humankind, and unchain themselves from human bondage, will beyond any doubt be illumined with the heavenly splendours of oneness, and will all attain unto real union in the world that dieth not.”
~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Following the announcement of the passing of Sandra Tjitendero, we wish to share the information that her funeral will take place on Tuesday 4th of August from 13h00 – 14h00 at the Jerusalem Cemetery of the Alten Luisenstadt Kirchhof in the Suedstern neighbourhood of the Kreuzberg district of Berlin in Germany.
The Bahá’í community in Windhoek will be gathering at the Local Baha’i Centre on the 4th of August from 12h00 to join in prayer at the same time when Sandra’s remains are laid to rest in Berlin.
A memorial service is planned for Saturday 8th of August from 10h00-12h30 in Windhoek at the Parliament Gardens, after which everyone is invited to the Tjitendero home.