In the morning hours of Tuesday the 21st of May 2019, the day didn’t give any signs of nothing beyond the usual for the bigger part of the residents of Nembudzia – over 400 kilometres from Harare – but for 200 elderly mothers and widows, this day was going to be like nothing they had ever seen – a special day that will remain imprinted on their hearts and in their memories.
Ruth Makandiwa, through the Agape Family Care, prepared a Mothers’ Day celebration with 200 elderly women and widows in Nembudzia, Gokwe, Midlands Province.
When the word for this special occasion was spread in the nearby villages and towns in Nembudzia, these elderly women couldn’t wait to see what instore for them and when the day finally came, they made sure that they came for this special event. And for some, even despite the fact that they could no longer walk for long distances due to old age, they tried by all their might to get to Mtora, Nembudzia; as they were being drawn by the love of God through His servant; Ruth Makandiwa.
“I left the house and then I started walking. I had to stop to sit down and rest for more than three times along the way,” said 87 year-old Gogo Regina Manyengedzo who was present on the day. She was involved in an accident years ago and she got injured in her back and her waist. Due to this injury, she could no longer walk normally.
“When I got to a certain point, I then found someone who offered their ox chart to bring me here” she added.
Gogo Regina Manyengedzo was one of the multiple elderly women who were brought to the venue of the Mothers’ Day celebrations by ox charts, some by donkey charts as they were coming from distant villages for this very special occasion.
The effort that was put by these elderly women to travel long distances on ox charts, some walking on foot, is a sure sign that the love of God that flows through our Mother; Ruth Makandiwa is touching lives of many people from different backgrounds.
On that day, these elderly women got to forget about their sorrows and pain as they were made to dine like the Queens they are.
Sitted on round tables covered in white linen with golden flower stands, this Mothers’ Day celebration was none like any other for the elderly mothers of Nembudzia. They danced and celebrated motherhood in style in the rural areas.
Each of the elderly mothers was treated to a delicious meal; a platter that had rice, fried chicken, a variety of greens and gravy, complimented by soft drink.
“We have never seen anything like this in Nembudzia,” said one of the mothers as she enjoyed her food.
A celebration it was; the event turned into a golden girls party as the elderly mothers took turns to dance to the music that was being played as they celebrated motherhood.
Ruth Makandiwa, through the Agape Family prepared a special Mothers’ Day gift for each of the 200 mothers who were present on the day. Each one of them received a new pair of tennis shoes, a new blanket, a 20kg sack of maize and a food hamper which contained 2 liters of cooking oil, 2kg pack of sugar, a pack of tea leaves, a bar of laundry soap, 2 kg pack of rice, bathing soap and tea leaves.
As the elderly women received these gifts, their emotional reaction to all this showed the deep impact that had been made by Ruth Makandiwa in their lives.
“I am very grateful and happy for what I have received today. This will go a long way to assist me in taking care of my grandchildren because we no longer had anything to eat in the house.” said Gogo Anna Ndlovu, who takes care of 7 grandchildren.
“I gave birth to 11 children. The rest died and I am left with one child and my grandchildren that I am taking care of. I am very grateful for this donation because it will help us a lot.” Gogo Marita Makamba, who was one of the beneficiaries said.
The love of God, through Ruth Makandiwa impacted the lives of these elderly women of Nembudzia in a special way as she made it possible for them to feel loved and comforted as Mothers.
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