My parents divorced when I was barely two years old. According to my mum, my dad asked her to send us to his mother in the village when she was leaving the marriage. She refused to do that so he washed his hands off us. Our survival was no longer his concern. He didn’t even bother to visit us to see how we were doing. My mother was the only parent we had and knew till I turned ten.

It was when I turned ten that my father realized the errors of his ways. He came begging for forgiveness. He said he was a changed man. I was too young to remember what broke them up in the first place. But I remember my mother telling us that she was taking him back because of me. I didn’t know what it felt like to grow up with a father. She wanted me to have that experience.

When she took him back, we moved in with him. Things improved for us slightly when it came to finances. However, other aspects of our lives were in complete chaos. This man tortured my mother, disgraced her the least chance she got, and then emotionally abused her. The pain was too much for her to bear, so she left him again. This time around, she didn’t take us along.

After my mother left, he was angry. He took out his frustration on us. It wasn’t easy living with him but what could we have done? The entire time we were there, my mother was supporting us with money and every other thing we needed to survive as young girls growing up. My dad did the bare minimum. He wouldn’t even stress himself to pay our school fees.

We stayed with him for almost five years before he passed. From childhood till now, my mum has always strived for us. What hasn’t this woman sold before? She has sold charcoal, shoes, panties, and fish, among other things. If you can name it, she has probably sold it. Despite her struggles, she never put anything on our heads to sell on the streets.

One time during an argument my mum had with my dad, he made a statement that stuck with her. He told her, “Who are you to tell me what to do? What does a Form Four Leaver like you know?” This hurt her so badly that she swore no man would ever look down on her children because of poor education.

This is the reason she never burdened us with us with our financial problems. She made sure we got the best education. We went to school with rich kids. She sold anything she could get her hands on to ensure we didn’t have to switch schools.

When I was about to write my B.E.C.E., my school refused to register me because I owed school fees. My dad told me, “If you go to the school and they sack you, come home. I don’t have money to pay the fees. Even if I do it and you become somebody big in the future, it is your mother you will spend the money on.” My mum on the other hand didn’t have the same reaction. She gave me her business capital knowing very well that it would collapse her business.

After all the struggles we’ve been through, my sister graduated from the university three years ago. I will also graduate this year by God’s grace. We have made it this far because my mother always put our needs before hers. Sometimes she wouldn’t go to church because she didn’t have shoes to wear. She could be sick but give all her money to us to buy groceries for school. I cherish everything she has done for us with every fiber of my being.

It has always been my wish in life to make sure my mother enjoys the fruits of her labor. It’s just unfortunate that the devil refuses to make this wish come through. My mother hasn’t been very healthy for some time now. She was recently diagnosed with the advanced stage of breast cancer. Unfortunately, we couldn’t detect it early at the initial stage when it started as a rash.

This situation has shaken me. I now understand that anything at all can happen at any time. What if I don’t get to start making money before something happens to her? Does it mean she is not going to enjoy the fruit of her labor?

Last year I had the privilege of doing my internship with an organization and they gave me tips occasionally. My mum always complained she didn’t have data to join her online prayers so I took it upon myself to send her something small to buy an internet bundle. I wish I actually recorded her reaction. It made me sad because I realized I had not done that before. I was always at the receiving end of her generosity. She even called me the following day at dawn to thank me again.

I have learned that these little things make our parents happy. I realized you don’t have to send them as much as Gh100 to make them happy. Something as little as Gh20 could put smiles on their faces.

I have gathered a little money that I want to use to surprise her for her birthday. I have GHC300 so anyone with any beautiful package can comment with pictures and I’ll reach out. Please I’m still in school so I wouldn’t be able to afford anything above my budget.

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I called her and asked, “Mama, what do you want for your 53rd birthday?”

All she said was, “I want total healing. Nothing more.” Although she said she doesn’t want anything more, I want to get her something. That being said, I plead with everyone who comes across this story to say a silent prayer for her. I want her birthday wish to come through. A woman like her deserves the world, and I want her to stick around till I give it to her.

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I don’t know what the future holds but next year by this time if everything goes well I’ll be here again to give a testimony and express my gratitude. We’re praying and hoping for the best. Please join hands with me as I wish the most amazing mother in the whole world a blessed birthday with lots of healing blessings and a long life.

I know most people believe their mothers are amazing, but trust me when I say mine is extraordinary. I only see such mothers in movies not in reality. If I’m ever given the chance to choose a mum in the next life it’ll be her or no one else. I just want everyone to know about this amazing woman and know how blessed I am though I have nothing in life. Happy birthday mama, we appreciate everything you’ve done for us. We love you so much! 

—Gail

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