Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Jan 17 1931- Peking, China



On January 17th,, 1931, Margaret Belle Hansen was born in Peking, China. She spoke only Mandarin until the age of five, after which she learned to speak English. 



 "Margie" sitting on her mom's lap, picture taken in Peking, China.


Little "Margie" could never have imagined 12 years after her birth she and her family would be prisoners in a Japanese Internment camp in Wei Hsien, China. 


Dec 1943 marked the date Margaret and her family arrived in New York as exchange prisoners of war. Before she knew it, she went back to Asia as a married woman.  
 
Margaret on her wedding day 


In 1955, Margaret Belle Seaward settled into life in Singapore where she made good use of her childhood Mandarin. One day I must write a book of her life, as it was filled with grand adventures and marvelous miracles.


On Jan 17th,  2010, Margaret turns 79 years old. She now resides in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. She flies between Singapore and KK regularly. In a given month she will fly over to Australia to speak for a conference and then zip back to Malaysia to speak for some meetings; a quick dash down to Singapore and back up to Kota Kinabalu....then she wonders, "why am I so tired"

"Mom, because you are almost 79 and you act like you are 19!"

I want to wish my mother a Happy Birthday- and thank her for all she has instilled in me. "Impossible"...."no"...."it cannot be done"....were never part of her vocabulary. She taught me above all to put God first. She taught not only by word, but by her very lifestyle.  I can only hope that when I am 79 I will be as 'young' as she is. :)



Margaret and Fred Seaward- taken in Singapore 2009

9 comments:

  1. Oh, this post is so emotional & full of love. More than your mom, I want to meet you now... to see what all qualities you have got from her. :-)

    Happy birthday to your inspiring mom. And yes, I am looking forward to your book.

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  2. Happy Birthday "Margie". Now I know where you got your awesomesness from. I cannot wait to meet both of you now. When are you coming to visit me Con and what about that book about you...? start it soon!!!...i will keep pestering you...yes 'pest'ering :D

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  3. Nisha- on one of your travels you must come and make good use of my guest room here in Seattle! :)

    A-You come and visit me first :) ...or better yet...let us both go and visit my mom in Kota Kinabalu. hee hee...ah yes...'pest'ering me AGAIN! In the meantime, you can always read the book I've already written about my grandmother. (Letta In China)

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  4. wow! to have a mother like that! you must write that book.
    very inspiring post.

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  5. You must be kidding me. Your mom's really 19. I would have blown myself out tired if I traveled so much

    Wish her a great birthday and a long life!

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  6. K - Thanks for the good wishes for my mum

    A- aaah, thanks for the tag? :) you made me do alot of head scratching- but I managed to accomplish the ten things.

    Sneo- She really runs circles around me- I've stopped attempting to keep up :)

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  7. She sounds amazing!!!!! Just reading about her is inspiring!!!

    LOL at ur comment to Sneo, I'm sure ur daughters will be saying the same about u;-D


    p.s: half-way thru, will write soon;-)

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  8. Well It's a very interesting post.
    Thanks for your post.

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