TRIBUTE TO MOTHERS

On Sunday Mother's Day is also celebrated in Namibia. It reminds us to appreciate and thank our mothers for their love and role in our lives.

Diamond Commissioner Kennedy Hamutenya says his mom is his biggest hero on earth. “She raised seven kids during tough times and has been unfortunate to suffer the anguish of burying three of them. Her wrinkles and grey hair bear testimony to her trials and tribulations in life,” he said. Hamutenya said he shares a very deep and special bond with his mom, because he is the firstborn of seven children. “ I went into exile very young, at the age of nine, and did not see her for a straight twenty years, so I do my best to try and spend time with her to make up for the lost time and to try and make life easier for her and my granny,” he said. “Yes I believe Mother’s Day is necessary for us to reflect about the value our mothers add to our lives and to appreciate them, but we must appreciate them as often as we can regardless of which day it is,” he said.

[Photo of Kennedy Hamutenya and his mother Selma Haushona Source: Namibian Sun]

Let's thank God for our mothers. Let's pray for them.
But also put yourself in the shoes of the majority of mothers in Namibia.

Being a mother in Namibia is a challenge. As many as 59 % of the adult population has never been married. Many children grow up in families with no father. Raising a family alone requires mothers to perform the roles of two people, the father and the mother. This can cause behavioral problems, and lack of a positive male role model making it difficult to manage discipline effectively. It creates problems with identification, discipline, values, and more. Many of the single moms are also in the low income group of the nation and they experience the stress of financial strain. Many lives in self-erected shacks in the informal settlements.

Father God, as mothers prepares for their celebration of Mother's Day, help them remember that You have selected them for their role as "Mom". May each mom embrace your love, faithfulness and grace. May their joy not end on Mother's Day but may it be the start of ever lasting love affair with you. Amen.

• It is not until you become a mother that your judgment slowly turns to compassion and understanding. Erma Bombeck 
• I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life. Abraham Lincoln
• My mother taught me to treat a lady respectfully. Chris Brown
• There is nothing in the world of art like the songs mother used to sing. Billy Sunday
• My mother is a walking miracle. Leonardo DiCaprio