As Mother's Day approaches, I am thankful for my own mother, 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.
Margaret Seaward 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 over to Indonesia and back up to Kota Kinabalu....then she wonders, "why am I
so tired"
"Mom, because you are 81 years old and you act like you are 21!"
 |
| My mom, Margaret Seaward, in 2011 |
What a fascinating history! I bet your mom tells some wild stories. What does she speak about?
ReplyDeleteoh yes- some very wild stories. She actually preaches- powerfully, I might add! :)
DeleteWow.. I just dont have any words to say. What an inspiration she is! I am just amazed by her inner strength. Lovely tribute this to your wonderful wonderful mom! :)
ReplyDeleteRaj- she has been and continues to be a great inspiration to me.
DeleteAnjuli, get to it and write that book about your mom! I hope you've interviewed her and taken notes? Perhaps she wrote some of this down herself? Having just been to China, I've been reading up on its history, and her perspective growing up there before WWII and then ending up in a Japanese internment camp would be fascinating!
ReplyDeleteyes, you are right- I must! I have the research from the beginning of her life- because I wrote a book about her mom- and I know the part I was involved in (after I was born, etc)-- but I have been trying to get her to record the in between parts.
DeleteConnie, your blog!! I truly truly look forward to reading such stories which gets the goose bumps in me. And your mother is an incredible lady! Travelling ike that at the age of 81! Ha, I would crib so much if I had to do all that now, when I am 27. And that pic where she is a baby, that is so cute. And how it is must feel like for her to look at her photos now. I am sure she would be amazed to read this account of her on your blog Connie! Totally Fascinated.
ReplyDeleteShe is definitely a 'high tech' grandma! ha ha-- She usually introduces me to all the latest technology and can run circles around me when it comes to the computer. She has 1,961 friends on Facebook- I keep telling her "You don't have to add EVERYONE who asks" ha ha!! ;)
DeleteYour mom is exactly the type of mom that I aspire (and fail) to be like. She sounds like an amazing lady! And I am so impressed with all that she's done...
ReplyDeleteBelieve me- you and my mom are more alike than you can imagine. She was definitely a no nonsense mom...and was not airy fairy about raising us kids- ha ha!! That's why we all came out tough as nails. wildly independent and very creative- well the creative part somehow ran out by the time I was born ;)
DeleteWow! Such an incredible lady she is!
ReplyDeleteI do think she is incredible Kusum...and I only shared the bare surface of who she is.
DeleteLovely ode, Anjuli. Your posts are usually quite poignant and bring a tear to my eye. Your mum, 81 or not, is amazing! I don't see mine often as she lives in KL and unfortunately, lost my dad just before Christmas last year after a sudden illness, hadn't seen him in 5 years. Your post has just reminded me to pick the phone up and call my mum!
ReplyDeleteOh I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your dad!!! It is so hard being away from them isn't it? I thank God for skype and tango- as it gives me a chance to SEE them even though I can't be near them that much.
Deletethe more i read about your family, the more i am admiring each one of them individually and your mother is definitely so wonderful
ReplyDeleteand hey, that kind of hectic schedule - wow! she is special truly
She is amazing!
Deleteyou are blessed to have a Mom like her Ms.Anjuli and I'm sure you are a good Mom too because she has taught and loved you well..visiting you Ms.Anjuli and Happy Mother's Day *hugs* ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Mother's Day greetings
DeleteHappy Mother's day to you and your mom too. Such a wonderful lady.
ReplyDeleteIndeed you are lucky to have to have her and find inspiration from her life.
Thank you for the Mother's Day greeting!!
DeleteWhat an inspiration for all of us and how proud you must be:-)).
ReplyDeleteYou must write the book Connie!!!!
yes - one of these days :)
DeleteHi Connie,
ReplyDeleteThis is elrica from Singapore!
Your mum is here with us today, and she is indeed such a blessing for me :)
So glad she was a blessing!
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ReplyDeleteThe happilly blessed married couple is our senior pastor here in ccc. I love them. And when pastor margrt preach i can feel the mother's love in her and when she told stories about her mum, i know that she still miss her mum. Anjuli!!! U r blessd to hv a mum like her!!
ReplyDelete#1st comment had been deleted to be edited#
K.k sabah.
Blessed Mother's Day to two remarkable women of faith. U have taught me to desire and pursue God above all else. I m so blessed to be mama seaward's disciple.
ReplyDelete