People in the Pews - The Ekouevi Family

By Bonnie Dalzell

Every Sunday, during the 10 o’clock Mass, when the children come forward for Children’s Liturgy of the Word, nine-year-old Naimah Ekouevi strides purposefully down the center aisle. About halfway there, she turns her head to be sure her six-year-old sister Solange is following close behind. The girls wear identical dresses, and Solange (sometimes known as “Princess”) is wearing her trademark tiara.

“I spend a lot of time shopping for the girls” admits their mother, Koryse. “I wish I had time to sew for them.”

Born in Trinidad, Koryse grew up in Brooklyn. As a studious young girl, she enjoyed nothing better than reading the family’s encyclopedia. “That’s where I learned – very early on – what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to work with preemies and all sorts of seriously sick children.” She followed her dream, studying at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, then moved to Ohio to do her residency.

It was there that Koryse met Komlavi who, in 2001, had moved from Togo in West Africa to Ohio, where his brother lived. He began his schooling in computer science. Today, Komlavi works for Almac pharmaceutical (small molecule experts) as a software engineer.

The couple, both cradle Catholics, met in church. As their family grew, they skillfully blended their cultures, adopting the Togo custom of early baptism (at two weeks) for each of their children.

Naimah was 3 months old when they moved to Philadelphia. There, Koryse realized her vocational dream at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Preferring a church that wasn’t as large as the one closest to their home, they began to “shop” for a church more to their liking. When they came to St. Raymond, they fell in love with Fr. Chris and Deacon Bill and, of course, the music.

The Ekouveis built a house near Lansdale, but they never considered moving away from St. Raymond.  Both agree that the people in the pews at St. Raymond are their spiritual family.

“All three of our children have birthdays in the first week of February (the youngest, Ezekiel is now three years old), so we have one big birthday party every year,” said Koryse. “The first names to be put on the invitation list are the girls’ church friends.”

At St. Raymond, Koryse works with the Beautification Ministry, along with Margaret Freels. “The girls help me and ‘Miss Margaret’ with the flower arranging, and they enjoy dressing the altar and generally maintaining the beauty of our church,” she said. Komlavi is a part of the Finance Committee. Both parents enjoy being with children so much that at present they’re talking about how they might become active in PREP.

Over a breakfast of waffles and pancakes after Mass last Sunday, Naima and Solange joined the conversation while they waited for the waitress to bring their food. Solange put her crayons to work, drawing a picture of the gospel story they’d learned just that morning. She drew a picture of a well, full of deep blue water, and a woman. Near the well was a never-to-be-forgotten smiling Jesus. Then Naimah remembered Jesus’ words about living water, and the whole family began to speculate about what that means.

Solange spoke up with great certainty. “I know! Living water is (long pause before a triumphant answer) -- water that’s alive,” she declared.

Fresh from her after-Mass Girls Scout cookie business, Naimah offered some impressive sales figures -- “I sold over 100 boxes!” Her mother said the St. Raymond family almost cleaned them out. Koryse donated the remaining cookies – about 18 boxes – to St. Raymond School.

Every single member of the Ekouevi family loves everything Disney: movies, stories, and visits to the Magic Kingdom. In two weeks, thy will make their first cross-country flight to California, bound for Disneyland.

Currently, the family is in the throes of moving to a house on the Main Line, near a new CHOP satellite hospital. “Our house sold in four hours,” said Koryse, “and they paid our asking price.” Later, the purchaser confided to her, “You probably don’t remember me, but you saved our son’s life at CHOP.”

“That child was seriously sick,” Koryse said, her eyes soft in remembrance. “And now he will continue to thrive and grow up in our house. Full circle,” she added with a smile.

Moving won’t mean a change of schools for Naimah and Solange; they already attend Wynnewood Friends Central. And it won’t mean a change of church, either. Both parents firmly agree: they are loyal to St. Raymond.

And they are staying put.

The Ekouevis are well-known for their amazing costumes at our Trunk or Treat events!