Mum told us all we needed in life was hope and courage

Jan 20, 2009

MY super hero is my mum, Mrs. Hellen Ijangu Ojalle. She never gives up. She is so generous, kind, intelligent and courageous. People around her wonder how she was brought up. Others ask if everyone in her family behaves like her. Everyone admires her char

The New Vision would like to celebrate its readers’ family heroes. Below, Sambula Rehema writes about her family heroine — her mother

MY super hero is my mum, Mrs. Hellen Ijangu Ojalle. She never gives up. She is so generous, kind, intelligent and courageous. People around her wonder how she was brought up. Others ask if everyone in her family behaves like her. Everyone admires her character.

When my father died, people thought our mum was not going to last long because our father had loved her so much, that unlike other village housewives, she did not do any house work or even go to the garden and fetch firewood. Her duty was to bear the children and breastfeed them, and the rest was taken care of.

We really had it rough, but with mum’s love and advice, we made it through. Our dad died when we were still young, but my mum picked up the pieces and moved on. We would wake up early in the morning to dig with mum before going to school. When we returned in the evening, there was always a meal for us before we went out to fetch water and other necessities for the next day.

One day, Jacinta asked our mum: “Mum, our daddy is dead. You don’t have a job. Where will you get money to pay our school fees?”

It was painful for the rest of us to hear those words. Mother ‘swallowed’ the pain, but we could still see the tears in her eyes as she turned away.

Jacinta was very talkative, so she continued: “Mum, we don’t want to stay at home, we want to study and be powerful people with good jobs in this village.”

Mum asked her what job she would like to do in future. She said she wanted to be a pilot, or ship captain, Police officer, soldier, judge or army captain. Mum looked at us quietly as if reading our minds. Then she said: “If that’s what you kids want in life, may God bless you. But remember there are only three stages to follow:
Life: when you have life you live happily.

Hope makes good leadership and discipline.

Courage and discipline helps you succeed in everything

“My children, if you have these three elements in you, you will always be winners in life. And I will remain a proud mother.”

Wazi Wazi asked her: “Mum, do you have the three in you?” “Definitely, yes I am here today because of you and I have courage and hope to live and see my grandchildren grow.”

Indeed Hellen struggled to pay our fees from the little money she got from rearing goats, chicken and from selling kabalagala, chapati’s, samosas and orange juice.

And with her three elements, she is now the proud mother of a priest, pastor, police officer and two others who are still in school.

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