A MOTHER’S LOVE

The love of a mother-in-law. Her son, my late husband, and a young pastor ministered in Narok Nendeni area, Kenya, under the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA). I, a young wife and pregnant with our first baby, worked in Kirinyaga District, Kianyaga High School, Kenya, a distance of about two hundred miles away at the time. It took twelve hours to travel by bus from Narok town to Nairobi; The only bus per day started the journey from Narok at 5:00 am and arrived in Nairobi, river load at 6:00 pm. Whoever missed it travel the next day. The trip took two days from Narok to Kutusi, Kirinyaga, and from Kutusi by matatu to Kianyaga High School. The PCEA pastors had an off day on a Monday. He spent a day with the young pregnant wife and went back to Narok.  One day my mother-in-law visited me, the daughter in-in-law and noted that I lived alone in a house. She realized that I expected and one month away to give birth. My mother-in-law’s first question, “Mwana do you live alone in this house?” I replied, yes, “and the other one lives Mbo ī Kamītī?” She continued and said to me, “Ciaana ici mūrī īrīmü. Ūngīrūara ūtūkü üngīteithio nū?” Meaning we lacked understanding of being pregnant and living alone in the house; what if you get sick in the night? Who would help you? My mother-in-law was right, for I didn’t understand her statement and concern. I perceived self-health and fit, and I asked myself how I would be sick? She said she would back home and come immediately and be with me. She did. My mother-in-law, or in love, lived with me till I had and after. After two weeks, I come down with a cold. After a visit to the doctor, the driver dropped to walk to the house. My in love heard the noise of the and came to the door to look if I slipped and saw me walking struggling like drunkard walking toward down steps, she runs fast and helps me before I reached concert steps and collapse and injured. I imagine what would have become of me if she did not check out on time and run fast, and held me save from falling on stones.

Many years later, I understood my mother in love by being sick at night alone in the house was giving birth alone in the night without anyone near to assist me.

My takeaway is that it is wise and necessary to have someone with you when pregnant for an emergency. In our time, there was no cell phone or phone in the house and many offices. If alone in the US, call 911 for the help of any illness. Keep phone charged and on reach. My friend was cooking super, and his feet gave away or off, and he fell on the floor. He lost the energy to stand up from the floor. Luckily he kept his phone in the pocket and reached it and called emergency services number 911I and got help. In the places that have no available technology services use human resources where possible.