Mama Bebe: Our Very Own Superwoman

Mother Teresa once said, "We can do no great things, only small things with great love." 

My mother-in-law's life will not be considered great by the world standards. Through a scholarship, she was supposed to study Medicine but my father-in-law whisked her away to start a family. Then when my husband is around 7 years old, my father-in-law was shot causing him to be paralyzed from the waist down. He also lost one of his legs from that unfortunate incident.

My father-in-law, a mechanic in the army, receives a pension from the government but it was not enough to support their family. Blessedly, both my father and mother-in-law are gumptious. They opened a sari-sari store (a small store that is very common in the Philippines) in their home. They also took care of pigs, along with native chickens and even turkeys, which they sell later on. Over the years, they have also acquired a couple of tricycles which they lend to drivers for a daily fee. When I first met them, they also have a videoke machine and a billiard's pool in their backyard that can be rented for a fee. Because of their hard work and determination, they were able to send all their 4 children to college with only my husband having a scholarship.

But several years ago, my father-in-law's health took a turn for the worse. First, he was confined due to tetanus and then he was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure. He is also prone to sepsis because of the infection in his failing kidneys. He also suffered a stroke that left him with memory (he no longer recognize me and always mistake our little Queen B as a boy) and speech problems. He had been in and out of the hospital this past couple of years. 

Nowadays, everything must be done for him. My mother-in-law bathes, clothe, feed, clean his nether region, and make sure that his fistula stays clean as he undergoes dialysis twice a week. Aside from that, she has to manage their remaining small businesses and their household. 

During our recent vacation in Negros, I have realized the depth of her dedication and love for her husband. She wakes up early every day, much earlier if it's dialysis day. She prepares their breakfast, feeds my father-in-law, and after she has her own meal. She cleans him. She then does household chores like washing their clothes and take note, she washes their clothes by hand and she has to manually draw water with a water pump. After that, she prepares their lunch and the cycle of feeding my father-in-law starts again. Every now and then, she also has to serve customers buying from their store. My mother-in-law is the kind of woman who doesn't seem to enjoy resting; she's always doing something.

And since all my husband's sisters live and work in the city (while we are based in Laguna), it is only my mother-in-law and father-in-law at home most of the time. A nephew lives with them but he goes to school. Unlike before when they can still converse, nowadays, she barely understands what he's saying. There is no internet signal in their home, actually, even the cellphone signal is erratic in their area so she doesn't even have the luxury of Facebook that most of us are so used to having. She can't leave my father-in-law's side for a long time because he's always looking for her.

Honestly, I can't imagine myself living her life. I'm used to city living. Waking up at dawn is something I would like to do but I'm such a night owl that it's almost an impossibility. A week barely passes without me itching to go out of the house. And I don't know if I'm capable of doing the things she does for my father-in-law. I love my husband but admittedly, I easily get irritated when J continuously asks me to do things he can easily do like make his own coffee. My mother-in-law's patience and attitude for service are truly extraordinary. 

As I have mentioned in a previous post, I have reservations about going to Negros for a vacation but I'm glad our Lord had pressed on me to support my husband's decision to give in to his parents' request to see him. I am astonished by their happiness to see and be with us, especially our little Queen B. It is like experiencing it for the first time again whenever my mother-in-law observes George doing something new to her like seeing her dance or hearing her speak. Her delight is just visible for everyone to see. I am happy we took that vacation. 

And today, she's celebrating her 66th birthday. As I write this simple tribute to her, I realized that she reminds me of another great woman. My mother-in-law resembles the Proverbs 31 Woman. 

My mother-in-law is indeed an excellent wife. For my father-in-law, husband, and sisters, she's truly more precious than any jewel. She had proven that being great doesn't always mean you have to do things famously. She's great because of the many small things she had done with so much love for her husband and family. 

To our Mama Bebe, 

Happy, happy birthday! Thank you for being an inspiration, a goal I should aspire to. Thank you for raising J, my husband, to the man that he is now. We may not have a very close relationship but over the years, I have seen and felt your love and care. 

I will continue to pray for your good health, along with Papa. May our Almighty God continue to supply you with strength and comfort. I am blessed to have you as my mother-in-law. 

Again, happiest birthday! We'll visit you and Papa as soon as we can. 

Love lots, 

Lady