‘Mother’ answered her phone as our group gathered around and prayed for her ministry. Her responses bounced off our prayers, but we continued nonetheless. She wrapped up the conversation as our words tapered to a close.
“That was the hospital,” she said. “It is almost time for the c-section.”
The c-section Mother was referring to was that of a woman she met on the streets 9 months ago. A young girl, this woman had been raped and left abandoned when Mother found her completely alone and without hope. Now, 9 months later, she is about to give birth to twins.
“When we went to see the last ultrasound it showed not just one baby, but TWO,” Mother exclaimed happily. This once hopeless young girl now has a warm place to sleep, food to eat, and support to raise the twins she is about to have. Mother’s joy and encouragement has allowed the young woman to be happy about her pregnancy, and look forward to the birth. She has a place to call home and a family to love; all because of one woman’s heart and the love Jesus has placed there.
Mother is a woman my team had the privilege of meeting this week. She’s a small woman, standing merely 5 feet tall. Her hair is short and neat, a warm brown that blends nicely with her tan skin and caramel eyes. Her face radiates the joy and warmth of the wealthiest soul. Those who know her refer to her as the Nepalese Mother Theresa, or for short, Mother.
“I don’t know where to begin.” Her face crinkled into a tiny smile, her hands folded across her chest. “When I was 20 I had a love marriage.”
A love marriage is what Nepalese people call a marriage when two people want to be married, and ask their parents permission to marry. The norm is to have the parents arrange a marriage for their children.
“When we had children, I could only have girls. We tried and tried for a boy, but I could not have one,” she explained. “My husband really wanted a boy. He left me, because he wanted a boy.” Her eyes showed immense sadness. “I really loved him.”
After her husband left her, Mother and her daughter found themselves in a severe depression. They felt rejected, unprotected and alone. On a night they were feeling incredibly down, Mother and her daughter decided to end their lives together. Thankfully, they were not successful.
A neighbor found them in their room unconscious three days later and rushed them to the hospital. They were saved.
“We were lost and didn’t know what to do,” she said. “We were still very sad and decided we wanted to try to end our lives again,” she explained.
But this time was different. Mother and her daughter prayed to Jesus as they were starting to take the medicine.
“Jesus spoke to my daughter,” she said as a smile spread across her face. “He told her not to commit suicide.”
That night they changed their minds. Filled with the hope of Jesus, they decided to give life another shot.
Shortly after that, Mother took in a homeless woman she met on the street, and began to care for her as if she were her own family. The woman gave Mother’s life meaning.
“I felt God calling me to care for all the women I met begging on the streets.”
This includes one woman we also had the privilege of meeting that night. A few years ago, Mother found her naked and unconscious, lying on the side of the road. Mother came to her aid, clothed her and brought her into her apartment. There she bathed her, fed her and took her to the hospital for emergency care. She now lives in Mother’s home full-time, well fed and happy.
“I am so blessed by God,” Mother told us with tears in her eyes.
As she began to take in more women, her need for a place larger than an apartment grew. Mother’s parents gave her the large home she is now living in.
This home is now the home to around 20 once homeless women, and 50 orphans. She clothes, feeds and loves these people like they are her own children. Just one look at these children and you can tell how deeply they are loved. When Mother sees a child she squeals with joy, rushes up to them, pinches their cheeks, and wraps them in a large embrace. The children absolutely adore her.
The night we visited, we were able to participate in giving each of the orphans their own care package and backpack. The joy on these childrens’ faces as they opened up their very own gifts was a treasure to see. Their beauty lit up the entire room.
It broke my heart when I thought of these children, and even most of these women, never knowing their real parents and the joy that comes with being someone’s child, and how many children are like them around the world. Yet there are so many in this world lost to their true Father. Just like these orphans who will never know what it’s like to know their parents, there are so many orphans in this world who do not know their Father, who do not know the love He has for them, what He’s done for them, and the freedom that comes with being His child. Although these women and children do not know their biological parents, because of Mother, they know their true Father. And there is no greater treasure. These little ones are among the richest of this world. All thanks to one woman and her love for our King.
“I was sad when my husband left me, but I am very thankful that he left me,” Mother explained. “Because now I have all these beautiful children and women to love. God has blessed me.”
