I am leaving it very late to be writing about Mothers Day considering its almost here but I am so time short at the moment, and I am trying to fit in too much to my day! Yet really, I am so lucky to be living in Australia, and living a life that is damn easy.
What Does Mothers Day Mean?
As I dont normally go out and Celebrate Mothers Day, nor do we make a big deal of it I still wanted to know what Does Mothers Day Mean to you?
No Mum In My Life Near Me
I dont have anyone that is in the same town as where we are to celebrate Mothers Day with. My Mum is in another state, and is not going to celebrate the day with our boys. Not something that I like but it is what it is. Then again I have four of my five boys with me, and I am so sure that we will do something/anything nice for the day. I have asked for no gifts but for our boys to get along, and to be happy. All I want for the day is one that is relaxed, and every one to be nice….maybe a day at the beach is in order.
Yet I thought that I would look at “Other Mums” around the world and see what there Mothers Day is like. That way we can relate to other Mums, and spread the love around.
I would like to say a HUGE Thank-you to World Vision as they shared another Mums story. Mariah – and how, with some assistance from World Vision, she pushed for her family’s education.
Here is Mariah Story:-
“When Nozipho was born, her mother Mariah was on her own, a single mum with five other children to take care of.
That was in 1988. Due to a scarcity of transport in her part of Swaziland, Mariah had to give birth at home; there was no one to help her. Despite the hardship, Mariah decided to call her last born Nozipho – meaning gift.
Nozipho was a sweet little girl from the very beginning and everybody in the family loved her. She was very smart in school, topping other students year after year.
Despite the difficulties, Mariah was determined that her children should remain in school, even though there were times when the family went to sleep without eating food for days.
To cope, Mariah started farming, assisted by her six children who would weed and take care of the cotton plants until harvest time. With the money she received, Mariah made sure that there was food in the house, the children had clothes and their school fees were paid. Nozipho and two of her siblings were also sponsored by World Vision which assisted the family.
Nozipho certainly made the most of the opportunity. After graduating in 2004, Nozipho was accepted into university, where she embarked on a journalism and mass communications diploma. The Swazi government awarded her a scholarship for her three years of study. Now, Nozipho was able to support her mother.
During her first year at the university, Nozipho gave Mariah some of her government allowance to help buy wiring material for electricity installation. “It has been my wish to have electricity at home,” says Nozipho. Later, she was also able to give her mother money to plant maize so she could produce enough food for the family, as well as a 10,000 litre water tank.
Over the years, Mariah has benefited from various World Vision projects, using them to increase her skills – and help the local community. She remembers being taught how to make water harvesters using one bag of cement to help cope with times of low rainfall, a common problem in her area. With the skill she acquired, Mariah even assisted her neighbours and other people from other community to build water harvesters.
Mariah did not stop there. When the local World Vision program started a project to construct toilets in her community, she was chosen chairperson of the project. Though her house constructor disappeared, Mariah was able to finish the job off herself.
“I am always grateful to World Vision for the assistance that my family received over the years,” she says. As well as food rations and basics for the children, Mariah received a goat and fruit trees. In fact, the trees are doing so well, says Mariah that “every year they give fruits in abundance and we even sell some to our neighbours.”
Since Nozipho finished her post-secondary education, she has been working for a construction firm. With her salary, she is assisting her mother to take care of her six grandchildren who were left orphans after two of her children died.
As Nozipho looks to the future, she hopes to start her own consultancy firm. She is grateful to be able to take care of her ageing mother and her grandchildren.
What dreams do you have for your children?”
Mother and Daughter
What a fantastic story…..and such inspiration to everyone. Sharing how one family with nothing but each other can stay strong, together and have a goal to get ahead. Goes to show that really we all can have dreams, and we all can succeed with what ever we set our minds to.
Sure Makes The Meaning Of Mothers Day A Lot Clearer To Me.
What Does Mothers Day Mean To YOU?
Cheers
Lisa
New Life on the Road.
What an inspiring story Thank you for sharing it with us.
Love the new look of your site
Rita recently posted..How Can I Lose Weight by Walking
Hi Rita,
Thanking you for reading Mariah story! It sure goes to show that a Mothers love is so strong 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
Heartwarming story – love is a powerful thing. Mothers day to me is having my family with me, BIG hugs from my big growing boys and little hugs from my two sweet little girls. It is also a time of quiet reflection, remembering wonderful times with my mum, sending her a huge kiss and mega ginormous hugs, as I know she is watching us all from the heavens above.
Hi Andrea,
Love reading about your Mothers Day. That sounds so nice – having hugs from your family.
I like how you remember you Mum. That is so special 🙂
Thanks for reading Mariah story.
Cheers
Lisa
Mariah’s story is a very humbling one. Like most mothers I hope to have a nice day with my children and Mother. They usually come to our house for a meal at night. This works best for the different ages and food requirements. I am not at home this mother’s day, but I was surprised and happy to get two lovely messages from my children, and I hope to phone my Mother today. Thanks for making me think about Mothers who have it a lot harder than myself.
jan recently posted..Not the Albaicin again!
Hi Jan,
So glad that you got two messages from your children – and that you will be on the phone to your Mum 🙂
We sure do have it easy living in the lucky country!
Cheers
Lisa