Mothers' Day 2021: The Mbokodos Arising

Mbokodo is a Ndebele word for grinding stone. In African tradition, before the introduction and advent of machines such as grinding mill or peanut butter machines we used grinding stones. These are very smooth dark cooured rocks that are so very strong. You might need a 100kg hammer to crack that one. In the Nguni culture - the culture that espouses and borns the Ndebele culture - there is an idiom that says, 'Wathinta umfazi wathint' imbokodo'. Basically, don't attack women because you'll get a good beating (from them). Really, my understanding is that this means women are strong, powerful and great leaders. 

In the Bible we find women like Sarah, Rebecca, Deborah, Esther, Bethsheba, and more of great authority who transformed the general view of what or who a woman is, especially a mother. The common denominator is that, she is strong. She, is a pillar. One that can not be celebrated just once a year. But, that, is not why I had to sit down and type all this. 

There are some things that need straightening out.

I was listening to the radio in the morning today, and Miss Tee of Khulumani FM was talking about how if it is reasonable to expect women, mothers of tomorrow will ever be able to hold homes and communities as firmly as our mothers have. The mothers of the 70s and 80s were humble, dignified and community and inspiring. They took more pain than what we can expect of the mothers of tomorrow. There comes my worry.

You see, I've been doing a little research and from Genesis 2. I am learning that while man find man finds  purpose in work - being the steward of the earth on behalf of God, woman finds her purpose in helping the man do that. She does that being under him - submitting, just as much as man submits to Christ, woman submits to Christ first then her husband before she can submit to herself or work or anything. If only mothers today taught and modelled that...

We need mothers today to hold firm and be loyal to their calls and cause and pillars of the community. To model what a virtuous woman is like. To explain the painful decisions they have to make and endure to young girls in their lives. 

We need mothers today to not only be strong and lead ike they do. They need to burry this seed of greatness in their daughters, their orphaned neighbour young women, with gentleness and love, but pure firmness to the issues. They are so very strong, they probably have had to endure the most and have had to take on more pressure especially considering age gap. 

See, I think mothers, you have a huge task to take on. A very tough one. Modelling a great and meaningful set of traits, from clothing, speech, chores, career and more. What are your ideas of how this can be done? Share.