Fearless for many reasons. First, she married my dad (sorry, I just had to...haha). When I was seven, she agreed to move to Ethiopia and when I was 12, she agreed to move to Bolivia. Although she was living in foreign counties, she learned the language, made friends, shopped in the markets, got involved in local events, drove like the natives, traveled out of the city and through the mountains (even when the breaks gave up and the gasoline was out). She was always a trooper. When I was 16, she was burned and nearly died. However, she not only survived, but she then founded her own burn care ministry. Over the years, I have seen many emotions, but I can't recall a time that I ever saw my mom afraid.
Selfless for even more reasons. When my family moved to Ethiopia, then back to the USA, then to Bolivia and back to the USA, my mom never complained about losing a house or the things that fill it. We would simply pack up, move on and start over. Each place we lived in, she would find people who needed her help. Women who needed to become family instead of another housekeeper. Children who needed a bath and new clothes while they visited our home. Schools that needed books and a real library. Kids who needed shoes and backpacks so that they could attend classes. Even when the schools we attended needed teachers, she was the first to sign up and give up her free days to make sure we got the education we needed. After she was burned, she would even spend her days at the hospital, visiting burn victims and trying to figure out how to get them better medical attention. It's always the same. In all these years, I can't remember a time when I saw my mom put herself first.
So, I want to say Happy Mother's Day to the BEST mom in the world...I hope that I grow up to be just as Fearless and Selfless as YOU!
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