A mother’s love never ends
A mum and grandma
HAVING shrivelled hands speaks volumes of the struggles one has gone through in life. It habitually depicts hands of the older generation that once laboured tirelessly to provide the best care and love for their family.
This perfectly describes 76-year-old Jotaisa Leweniqali of Gusuisavu Village, Naitaisiri — a mother of seven children, 17 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Her motherly affection sturdily radiates as she shares her story of being a mum who helped her husband raise their children in the village. Today she counts herself blessed to be able to still see her children, grandchildren and great-grand children grow up around her while she celebrates another Mother’s Day with them.
“My life as a mother revolved around my children and being able to provide for them,” she said.
“Being a mother is one of the toughest roles a woman can take up as it requires love, kindness and being able to overcome barriers for her children.”
A woman who once toiled the land to sell produce at the market to support her family– Ms Leweniqali knows firsthand the adversities that many mothers face especially in rural communities and villagers.
To get up early every day to collect firewood so she can feed her family was a task she proudly carried out as she made sure her children were fed before they left for school daily.
Carrying food crops on her back, spending hours standing or wading in water to fish and gather food from the farm were daily chores Ms Leweniqali carried out to put food on the table.
It wasn’t an easy life and not all women are cut out for it.
These chores depicted maternal assurance to her children and taught them the important role mothers play in their day to day lives. Ms Leweniqali like many village women sold food crops and vegetables at the market back in the day to sustain her family — a role now played by her son.
“If I’m not weeding I’m cooking something in an openfire or completing my other household chores,” she said. “When my husband passed away in 2003 I became a widow but I was blessed to see my children and grandchildren grow up and have their own families.
“When my children were big enough they then helped me support our family and it is something I’m grateful for as a mother — having my children to support me at this age.” Today she still lives off the land and eats healthy meals provided by her children as she takes every single day as a blessing from God.
“My message to mothers out there is to treat every child with kindness,” she said. “If you treat children with kindness they will respect and love you.
“Now I have my grandchildren and great-grandchildren doing things for me at my age and I’m grateful for the love shared among us every day.”
She wishes all mothers in Fiji a Happy Mother’s Day today as she celebrates another year with all her loved ones by her side.