MY LATE MOTHERS

On International Women's Day I want to pay a special tribute to my two late mothers who have been my pillar of strength until their passing.

My late mother Ms Nawai Kogori was a Vocational Instructor who served well until her passing in 2013. A great disciplinarian and bread winner she did everything she could to help her children succeed in life. I've learnt so many things from her but one main thing that stood out in her life which I have embraced as my value is the principal of ploughing.

She was also a great gardener. She would plant a kaukau (sweet potato) garden and just when you thought that garden was big enough, you'd be surprised at the new extensions she'd make whenever she visited her garden. Small extensions led to a much more bigger garden and she enjoyed doing that, all by herself on many occasions. Then after several months when her sweet potatoes were ready to be harvested, she would encounter a big problem. Her problem usually was too much kaukau to be harvested alone. So she would bring her sisters, nieces, cousins or other relatives with her to the garden so they could help themselves. They would carry big string bags of kaukau to their houses and there would still be more in our garden.

I read the Scripture on ploughing in Luke 9:62 and gained insight on the significance of putting our heads down and keep ploughing. To keep extending the Kingdom of God by trying our best to live our lives according to the Bible daily (doing good to people, trying to be more understanding, forgiving and blessing those who hurt us, etc) despite our short comings. Not only those, but also in our jobs. As children of God, we should serve with diligence and excellence. The Lord opened my eyes to see what my late mother did and I understood there and then. Only those who keep their heads down and continue to plough without turning around would produce not only a great harvest for themselves but more than enough to bless everyone.

My late small mother Beryne John Kunai, whom we call Mummy BJ for short, was my late mother's cousin sister. She and her husband Daddy John were a great blessing to so many of us. They have only one son and there was more to share with others. So they opened their homes to so many children and I was one of those. They blessed us physically, spiritually and financially. They helped my late mum with my school fees (my late Dad was sick) when I was in Secondary School up till my University days. Quiet but silent achievers and great givers! 

Their marriage was a blessing and a source of inspiration to many people. I have learnt a lot from her and try my best to emulate her in handling work and family life (I fail many times by not living up to her standards). She would tell me "yu yet mas kukim kaikai blo man blo yu. Noken larim ol narapla kukim kaikai blo em. Tambu" meaning to say that I must cook food for my husband myself and not to let others cook for him. She modeled that life for me. Every time she finished work and came home, you would find her standing in the kitchen cooking. She enjoyed it. She was an entrepreneur and always encouraged me to save up and start my own business. She purchased properties and built homes. She sewed and cooked for her family. Her husband is successful. She was the epitome of a Proverbs 31 Woman.