10/05/2023
As I celebrated my birthday I have been thinking not of the police diaries but of mothers of Children with Disabilities. I grew up with a disabling hearing challenge which to some extent robbed of my happiness and of my being confident with myself. I was frightened by the thought of deafness. It was a sole journey, none could journey with me except my mother. Eventually, I arrived at a destination of silence. Surprisingly, all the fear evaporated into thin air and a new me was born. However, I think of my mother how she took it all and raised me and my siblings single handedly after the death of my father mkoma Cecil. How she remain composed even though I went through hell to the journey of silence. This was a believers journey to the end of the world and I emerged triumphantly as the winner. I didn't lose, instead I had everything to gain. And yes deafness was supposed to conquer my being but the opposite occurred. I guess it was because I had and still have a strong mother, I can not call her by name she is maConnie. However, I would pay to understand the pain she went through as she could not take the journey in my stead. I believe it was written that I was to take this jiurney alone. However, today I know she is happy for we conquered deafness. I embrace being Deaf, I am content, at peace with my Lord Jesus Christ. So these thoughts went on to include all the mothers of children with disabilities. Especially the new mothers who are facing a torrid time from those who are supposed to stand with them. They hardly have any information on how to take care of their child with a disability. Every day brings new challenges fir her. The scarcity of information, can even disable the strongest mothers, for information is power. What of the mother with school going age child who cannot be enrolled at a school near their home? What of the one your neighbour who is labelled for having a child with a disability? What of different types of disabilities some can be easily seen and others are subtle, invisible yet the mother has to be the specialist herself? All these questions as a Counsellor I feel there is need to do more so that these mothers are empowered and be given an opportunity to learn from experienced mothers such as maConnie and others. I am therefore asking Counsellors, Church leaders, social workers and everyone to join us as we celebrate mothers of Children with Disabilities. You can sponsor a mother to come learn from others. All of us come so that we are empowered to empower new mothers as they journey this sole journey with their disabled child. Disability Counselling is lagging behind, chirch is quite about it, society just look nonchalantly some silently blaming the mother and others speaking to her face unprintable words. Join us on Saturday the13th of May 2023 Celebrating Mothers of Children with Disabilities. See poster
