Rosa Tapia
The first time my mom met my dad’s family, she left his uncle’s house with a headache. My dad’s side of the family can get very loud. Everyone laughs and talks at the same time (I enjoy it, we tear up from laughing so much). She mentioned to us that my dad’s mom, Rosa, wasn’t very fond of her. My dad’s sister wasn’t either, as she shared with my mom, “you’re not the only one he’s proposed to.”
Fast forwarding to 2008, our family now lived in the States. And I remember my mom always sharing about how wonderful our “mamita” was. She became my mom’s second mom quickly. Whenever my mom was on the phone, if it wasn’t my dad, or sister, it had to be “mamita Rosita.” They laughed and shared everything, literally everything, with each other. My parents say that it was “mamita Rosita” the one who held the household together. ” On one occasion I asked my mom, how did you manage to get along with her if she didn’t really like you? She’s your dad’s mom, I had to get along with her, she said. Her response was followed by something along these lines: it was my duty to love her. I love your dad, I had to love his family also.
My mom and grandma became best friends. I can still picture the day when we were told that my grandma had passed away. My mom’s cried bitterly. They talked on the phone so often, and after she became sick our family prayed so fervently, and she got better. But sadly she became sicker later on and died.
She was a wonderful talented woman, a loving wife and mom, mother-in-law, sister, grandmother, and friend.
Rosa Ramos
My mom has fond memories of her own mother. She doesn’t recall her ever screaming at them, three children. You’re grandpa was irritating at times, my mom would say, but your grandma didn’t react negatively. She was a peaceful and very godly woman. I remember listening to her singing hymns morning after morning as she woke up. She would read her bible and then sing. She visited us for a few months from Argentina. And I believe that God blessed that trip as it was the last ‘earthly’ time we would see her.
She was a courageous, loving wife and mom, grandma, sister, and most importantly, a passionate missionary.
Ana Castro
Anita, was almost “legally” adopted by my parents, but perhaps it wasn’t necessary as we all adopted her in our hearts. She started living with our family since the age of fifteen. My grandma Rosa Tapia, introduced Anita to us. My mom had giving birth to her third child a few months earlier and needed some help around the house. She was fond of Anita very quickly. I was 5 months when Anita began taking care of me, and my siblings. After three months my family had decided to move back to Lima, so that my dad could finish higher education. So the big question was asked, “would you like to move with us?”
My mom said that Anita cried a lot but said that she couldn’t. So she left to her parents home. Not long before moving day, Anita came back. She wanted to move with us. She felt part of the family and was willing to leave her own.
One of the saddest days of my life happened when Anita got married. I was eleven, and refused to understand why she had to move. My dad walked her down the isle, and I carried the tail of her dress down the isle. It felt like my world was falling apart. We, her family, were happy for her. In our hearts we understood that from that day on, she would begin her very own family, and we could no longer have such close access as before.
Anita has two wonderful sons, Daniel and Samuel, and an incredible, loving, compassionate husband and friend, Ponce. She is currently struggling with disease but her faith keeps her strong. I tear just thinking of the day when I will be able to see her again. When I was little, she used to tell me,”when you’re older, I’ll take you to my parent’s town, there you can play with mud and make little pots (ollitas) out of clay.” I still dream about it, and perhaps soon I’ll be able to travel to Peru to see her.
Mary Penner
The woman many hearts prayed for. The first time I met Mary was in Rhode Island, at a conference called ASI. She sang with her husband Greg, and her daughters played the instruments. I loved her spirit, her energy, and smiley face. One of my best friend’s Brittany, always shared of how she hoped to one day be so efficient like Mary, her mother-in-law. She looked up to her, and I did too, through Brittany’s words. Mary raised the man Brittany loves, David, and two great, courageous, loving girls, Jen and Julie.
I got to meet Mary a few more times in Maine. And also when she and her husband visited Brittany and David in Springfield and Connecticut.
The last time I met Mary was in Brittany’s parents home, California. She had been fighting cancer with little success. We managed to squeeze a short walk, sing hymns, and praise God together with a great group of friends that Sabbath day.
Mary passed away in January. She was a truthful missionary. Loving wife and mom, sister, grandma, and friend.
Brittany Penner
I met Brittany at church, in my hometown of Springfield. Her husband had started his residency in a local hospital and she was taking a year off before starting work. Brittany became involved at church and soon one of my best friends. Sometimes when her husband had long shifts on the weekends, I would come over and spend the night. It became a tradition for me to pick up her photo album and just look through all their pictures together. They love each other very much, and our family got to experience five years of their awesomeness while in Massachusetts.
I got to go camping with them, and take my first trip to California with them in 2012. I also got to experience my first cross-country road trip, with Brittany and her mom. We left Connecticut and drove to San Antonio for a conference. Then we drove to Southern California. Lastly, Brittany and I drove to Sacramento, the place that would become their new home. I flew back to Massachusetts with sadness and even thought of applying for jobs in the area. But nevertheless, who would have known that a few years later, I would also move to the West Coast and live eight hours away from The Penner’s.
Currently, there are prayers all around the world, asking for a healing miracle for Brittany, as she battles cancer. I have faith that God will give her a hundred fold recovery. I have confidence that her future will be beautiful, as it has been. Brittany and David, are a beautiful young couple example of what a marriage should be. And I believe that God will heal her, and make her one of the best doctors anyone could be treated by. As she recovers, I pray that her joy will come morning after morning, and that her smile will continue to be a blessing to others.
These Women
These are a few of the most amazing women I’ve know. I have yet to share, about the woman who helped me shape my world, my mom. However, four out of these five women, struggled and are struggling with disease. There is a turning point in our lives, usually it happens when we feel so weak that our only way out is to look up. To silently cry and praise God through our pain. To seek for strength and comfort in our loved ones. To realize that weeping can only last for a night and to know that joy comes in the morning.
God is faithful, his love is eternal! And He has given women a special love that can only be so pure when lead by His love. There is no fear in love, let us not fear loving one another but become true missionaries for His kingdom.
Tapia 