They called me “Mom”

 

Last week my daughter Karen blogged about reading Matthew 19:29 the night before her dad and I left for Africa: “‘And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.’ (Matthew 19:29.)” (Click on When I read her words, tears stung my eyes and the earth buckled.)

 

Karen continued: “I remember thinking I needed to trust God for the promise in that verse, both for me and for my parents: that we would receive a hundredfold. 

 

“I prayed that for my mom that night. I asked God to give her a hundredfold for all her sadness, for all she was leaving behind.

 

“I remember writing the verse down to give to her. I wanted her to know that I understood, that I trusted God, that I believed Him and His promises—for myself and for her.” 

 

Not until years later, not until Karen wrote—and not until I read—her guest blog post, did I know she prayed God would give me His “hundred times as much.”

 

Bless her dear heart! Now you know why that, when I read her words, tears stung my eyes and the earth buckled.

 

Little did Karen know the many ways God would answer her prayer.

 

In Chapter 2 of Grandma’s Letters from Africa, I wrote about arriving at the second locale for Kenya Safari, our orientation course. Even though my husband, Dave, was still recovering from illness, we had to clear undergrowth and pitch our tent.

 

A couple of young ladies in our group struggled to clear their land so Dave, weary and weak, helped them too. I don’t know how he did it, but he did! (Click on Strengthening the sick beside streams in the desert.)

 

I wrote: “Those gals seemed comforted by our presence and before long, they started calling me ‘Mom.’” 

 

Do you see it?! 

Jesus said those who leave children 

for his sake 

would receive a hundred times as much, 

and Karen prayed for that.

 

God answers prayers in various ways—some of His answers are deep and spiritual, others are everyday things—and there in Maasai-land, God provided a few young ladies to call me “Mom.”

 

That probably didn’t fall into the deeply spiritual category, but believe me, I was delighted to add a few kids to my “family” that day!

 

Shortly after we arrived in Maasai-land, one of the young ladies, Sue, had a birthday, and it was within a day or two of Karen’s birthday. I wrote: “I felt heartsick—I wanted to see my Karen on her special day.

 

“Then I thought of Sue’s mother. No doubt she longed to be with her daughter on her birthday.

 

“That’s when it occurred to me that, in a small way, I could stand in for Sue’s mom, so I gave Sue a birthday hug and told her it was from her mother.

 

“I prayed that someone would do the same for my Karen Anne.” (Grandma’s Letters from Africa, Chapter 2) 

 

So, you see, people who leave children (like I did) and leave parents (like Sue and the other young ladies did) receive more than spiritual gifts and blessings from God—He also gives us people who stand in for loved ones.

 

The lovely ladies you see in the old photo (below)

are part of the “hundred times as much”

God gave me.

 

I’m smiling. Are you smiling?

 

Here’s an old photo of the residents of what someone nicknamed The Thomas Estates, our adults-only community in Eleng’ata Enterit (in Maasai territory). Along with Ma and Pa Thomas, you’ll see the young ladies who honored me by calling me “Mom.” They are Jennifer, Diana, Sue, and Joy. (And notice the size of that tree trunk!)

 

Has God blessed you with special people to stand in for your family? Tell us your story. Leave a comment below or on Facebook at Grandma’s Letters from Africa: A Memoir.