Unsung heroes in our homes

By Rev SEIK PITOI
Last Sunday was that special day set apart every year to bless our mothers. It is one day out of 365 where they can be served by their families.
Last week, mums were honoured and pampered with special food and gifts. But one mum gave a warning on Facebook. She challenged her friends to not just buy stuff purportedly for mum, but at the end of the day, are really for the benefit of the family. Like a washing machine. Mum says thanks and then washes your clothes in it! Get her something she can enjoy herself!
Another story was about the five and seven-year-olds who told their mum to stay in bed as they had a surprise for her on Mother’s Day.
She smelt the aroma of fried bacon and toast fill the house and she couldn’t wait to come out. But after waiting for quite a while and hearing no more clatter of dishes in the kitchen, mum made her way down to the dining room only to see her boys busily eating away.
Upon seeing her, they both chimed, “Happy Mothers Day, Mum. We told you to stay in bed because we had a surprise for you – see, we made our own food. Because it’s your special day, you can keep sleeping!”
Many churches set that day apart to honour the mothers in their congregations, and then afterwards, families do special treats for their own mothers at their homes. Mother’s Day can also be quite an emotional time for many people, especially when one has lost a mother.
Testimony times too are quite moving as children share about the love of their mothers and publicly thank them. Poems are written and songs are sung in tokples that talk about mothers while sermons are planned round the theme of motherhood.
As chaplain of my little congregation at the university, I was moved to see the level of enthusiasm from our young people as they planned the day’s activities. The bulk of our congregation are students who hail from outside provinces.
Most of them have their mums back at home. They get to see them very infrequently. Hence, on that day, they saw the mums in church as representing their own and they lavished their love upon them.
Our church mothers had lovely colourful laplaps wrapped around them and even had ribbons tied on their heads. They were quite a sight to behold!
We heard testimonies about how mum was the one who taught the kids to pray. Her prayers have kept them strong and safe. When it was farewell time to come to Moresby, it was mum who jumped in and stood in waist high water waving tearfully as the dinghy moved beyond the blue sea.
It was mum who would weep when they didn’t have enough money to give their child when leaving for school. And it was a mother who resigned from her employment to become a full time mum at home to raise her kids by herself.
One student said even when the house was buzzing with people, if mum was not around – her absence is conspicuous! How true that is.
The Bible records the story of a young man and his mother. He is being executed and is dying while his mother is weeping at his feet. With his last breath, he recognises that his mum would now be alone without her first born son. So he makes provisions for her care. He tells his best friend to take his mum in and look after her. Then he dies.
This is the story of our Lord Jesus and His mother, Mary, as found in John 19: 25-27. This brief story tells of a mother’s love for her son, and a son’s concern and love for his mother.
Both aspects of life are truly needed in our homes today. A mother will pour out her love for her children by showing concern at their wellbeing, while the children should make provisions for their parents to be well taken care of in their twilight years.
It is sad when we fail to do something as simple as that. If the Lord Jesus showed that concern for His mum, shouldn’t we do the same for ours?
To conclude, many people like to write poetry to express themselves about certain issues. In 2006, while at Bible College, I sat with my two daughters and wrote a poem for their mother on Mother’s Day. A few years later, our son then aged nine, read it out during church service.

Here is the poem:

A Poem For Mum

Thank You Mum For Everything
You’re The Best A Mum Can Be
For All The Love That You Have Shown
You Were Always There For Me

As A Tiny Babe Lying In Your Arms
I Felt Your Love And Affection
Every Cuddle And Gentle Song You Sang
Gave Me Great Consolation

I Don’t Know What We Could Have Done
Us Kids And Even Our Dad
If You Were Not Right By Our Side
Our Lives Would Really Be Sad

But We Sing Our Praises To God Above
For Giving Us A Mum Like You
Your Life And Faith Are True Examples
That Guide Us In All We Do

So On This Special Day For Mothers
I Have This To Say
To You My Mum… And Other Great Mums
Have A Blessed And Wonderful Day.

A belated Happy Mothers’ Day to all you mums out there!

• Rev Seik Pitoi is a freelance writer.