Loving the Neighbors

My 82 year old mother is a dear and that is not just from me. Everyone who meets my mother falls in love with her no matter what their age.  She has two families on either side of her. The parents do not speak English. My mother had 1 year of Spanish in high school. Remember she is 82. High school was a looong time ago for her. But on her computer she types out English and Spanish words. She has been working with one of the mothers for a long time. The mother is getting better with her English.



All the kids from both sides come over to just visit with my mother. She brings out the crayons, markers, paper and stapler. After some time, they have become so comfortable in her home they just help themselves to the craft room. They love to draw and make things for her.  She has baked a birthday cake for each child on their special day. She has made cookies for them. And in turn, the mothers make a special trip over with a helping of their dinner for her.  Sometimes she could eat it and sometimes they made it so spicy she could not. They have learned over the years to tame down the spices for her.



My mother dotes on the children, she helps them with their homework. She helps them with English, they help her with Spanish. She plays games with them. She is a grandmother to them. And she is modeling the love of Christ.



The neighbors are so good to her too. One of the mother's crocheted my mother cute slippers for her feet, both have brought her flowers and gifts on her birthday year after year and they shower her with love. The little boys are so polite and if out at the same time with my mom, they will open the doors for her.


I was home last November, and I witnessed the love, the give and take, the sharing, the giggles and the hugs. I was a little envious that I couldn't be there with my mom every day like they were. But I realized what a gift for me to know that my mom who lives 750 miles away, is watched over and cared for and loved by her neighbors. They are a blessing to her as she is such a blessing to them.


The neighbors and my mother could have ignored each other when they were new to one other. They could have let the language barrier keep them apart. They both could have let prejudices get in the way. But my mother reached out and the neighbors reached back. They are like a family now. The children's grandmother lives in Mexico and cannot come over very often. But they have one next door. My mother has grown grandchildren who live away. But she has some next door each day.

Many could learn a valuable lesson in these times today by watching my mother and her neighbors.

This is some of the handmade love from the little boys for my mom. . .

 

This is in honor of my mother and her two neighbors for modeling such a beautiful picture of the commandment, "Love your neighbor as yourself." And don't you know how honored God must feel to see his children loving one another, even with the language barriers. With real love, there really are no barriers.