BEHIND THE SCENE

There are many stories about bad relationships between mother in law and daughter in law.

I’m very grateful, I had a very very good relationship with my mother in law.

She is the best mother in law in the whole earth for me.

We were able to share everything in our life. She was really treated me more than her own daughters…. I think.

I was closer to her than my own mom.

I love her.

Whenever she traveled in the country or abroad she took me along. We traveled many parts of the world.

She always very generous to me. Whenever she is going for groceries she called me, Olive what do you need? I gave her the lists, she bought every single thing. 

She bought me expensive stuff too.

If she was going with her relatives or friends she always brought home food or snacks that I like.

She has a bakery, I can take everything I need it from the shop, such as eggs, sugar, spices, vegetables, garlic, etc etc…..

I cake take every kind of bread, cookies etc…everything in the bakery for free.

Every afternoon she will make a list what to buy the next day for the bakery. And she will ask what do I need from the market.

She had operations many times because of her spines. Her daughter and other daughter in law will take turn to care for her. I wasn’t in that trip, the operation was in another country.

Before she left, she called me to come the day after the operation, she payed for my flight, whatever airline I chose. 

When her daughter knew the flight that I booked she was furious because I took a good airline. 😊

The next day after the operation, I was the first person she saw in the ICU. She was able to sit, I feed her. Taking care of her.

There were times when we traveled because of her age, she was pee on the floor and shit on the floor. I cleaned all like she is my own mother.

I love her.

Many times in the evening before the bakery closed I came to the shop and helped her, talked to her, usually around those times not many employees anymore.

But in daily basis whenever I was free I came to help in the shop as well.

One time she brought me to her bank, introduced me to the person in charge there. Told me what to do if she passed away.

She showed where she was keeping all her valuable things.

Honestly it wasn’t necessary because she has three daughters and three other daughters in law.

I know deep in my heart she loves me.

I love her.

Suddenly things were changing.

When my ex husband ( we still married that time ) divorced me his way after I found out what he has been doing for so many years. When the witnesses came forward.

His way meant, he divorced me but no one can know about it.

Our children, people who we worked with, both sides of our family.

He wanted me to pretend as his wife.

Because I didn’t want the divorce I played along.

Two years after that he came to see my mom and called my two brothers. He told them he divorced me his way and didn’t want me for the rest of his life.

I told him since he talked to my family I also want to talk to my mother in law and my in laws. He said, I can’t see and talk to them. They are his family he will talk to them.

I was so fearful of him those years of marriage so I didn’t have courage to see my mother in law.

I never seen her again…so sad.

That time after he divorced me his way, he moved me to her sister old house. 

I never came to the shop anymore.

One day I heard from my aunt, she is my mother sister in law.

She said my ex husband told my mother in law, from today onward do not buy anything for Olive again.

She also been told not to see me or contact me.

One day an employee of the shop came to my place brought some of my favorite snacks. 

She said this is from my mother in law. I told her how she did this if my ex find out, he will scold her.

The employee said that she bought snacks to all the employees so no one will notice that she also gave to me. 

I was in tears.

She still remembered me, I taught I have been forgotten.

The other time when Rose my daughter came from over sea to see me. She brought some cakes from the bakery. She said this is from grandma.

Ooooo it touched my heart so deeply, I was in tears.

For me she will always be my best mother in law.

I love her.

I left the old house and lived on my own.

Many times over the years I cried. I sobbed so desperately missing her so much, I wanna hold her hands, I want to hear her story, how is she know? Is she well? 

I wanna ate together, laughing and joking till night.

I love her.

Sometimes the feeling of missing her so deep, I cried like a little kid at home.

Since I was told not to contact her anymore. 

But every year on her birthday, Christmas, New Year I always sent message to her. Until today.

 She did reply the same: thank you Olive.

She never wrote more than that.

But I’m very happy, she read it, replied and wrote my name.

I love her.

Years gone by. 

The pandemic came.

During the pandemic I joined a Bible class from overseas.

I didn’t know the pastor.

I finished the school.

The pastor and some his students became close, we ministered together to many countries by zoom.

Praise the Lord the pandemic was over.

One day this pastor, his name is Matt. He texted me if I know pastor Simeon from my country. Pastor Matt never been to my country.

I said yes of course I know pastor Simeon, long time ago when I was teenager I was at his church, I know his wife and family as well.

Then pastor Matt explained, that pastor Simeon’s son contacted him through messenger, invite him to teach and preach at his church. 

Pastor Matt check with me, because he was afraid it was a scam.

They didn’t know pastor Matt as well, they came across his book and interested to invite him over.

Pastor Matt accepted the invitation after I assured him this wasn’t a scam.

He came to my country with his team. I took them to minister at people who live by the side of train tracks.

On Sunday he has scheduled to preach twice in.

I came to the church. Pastor Simeon’s wife greeted me, she was very happy to see me. I met the pastor and his children and their family as well.

What happens is, this church is my mother in law church. She is very close to pastor Simeon and his wife and the whole family. They always have meal together. She was baptized in this church. 

Whenever she traveled she bought gifts for them.

She respects him and his wife.

Pastor Emma, pastor Simeon’s wife told me that my mother in law will come at the second service, with my uncle and his wife ( my mother in law brother).

Before the second service started, pastor Emma told me my mother in law has arrived.

I was ….. I don’t know how to describe my heart and feeling.

I will see her face again after many years.

How will be her reaction? Will she reject me? 

I was walking inside the sanctuary, my aunty saw me first, she walked toward me, hugged me and cried….asking me how am I. I also cried. I miss her too.

We talked then she pointed to my mother in law and my uncle.

They sat at the last row.

I walked toward them. I called mom and hugged her, held my tears not flood my face. She hugged me back, called my name. She didn’t reject me. I also hug my uncle.

My mother in law look older but still very pretty.

I told my mother in law, do not sit at the back. Pastor Matt will do an altar call.

If you sit at the back it will be a long walk to the front.

Then she said, “Later you walk me to the front during altar call.”

“Let’s move to the front sit now.” I said.

She stood up, walking with her stick, she walked slowly now. One hand hold my hand, the other hand holding her stick. 

She can’t even carried her own hand bag, someone has to carry it for her.

She sat at the fourth row, she didn’t want to close to the front.

We talked a bit, she didn’t ask anything to me such as how are you? Where are you living now? 

Nothing at all.

When the service started I sat with pastor Matt team.

When he made an altar called. I walked over to my mother in law and she stood up, I hold her hand. 

While we are waking, she spoke to me, “Mom now is sick, my neck is in pain, my knees are pain….”. And many other things she told me, I felt like old days when she poured out her heart to me. I said I pray for you every day. 

She stood at the front, my hand was holding her and put on her shoulder as well.

It was a blessed moment for me.

After the service she called me to her sit and said, ask pastor Matt if he and the team wanna have lunch with her, I said before the service we had lunch provided by the church.

How about take him for coffee and cakes. She is agree. She also wants me to join.

She even asked if the pastor had a transportation. I said pastor Simeon sure provide for him.

But I don’t have transportation, I said. My auntie told me I can take their car with my mother in law.

But the coffee time didn’t come through. Pastor Matt already had another appointment.

When my mother in law walking out of the sanctuary I quickly ran to her to say goodbye.

Then she told me, ask pastor Matt if she can have his number. 

She often goes to that country, she has a house there. If she come she will invite him for a meal. Sure I said.

Then she left.

It was such a wonderful day.

God has answered my heart desires. I always want to see her.

I love her.

Pastor Matt said no problem to give his number. I texted her.

That day I went home ….. my heart full of gratitude and thankfulness to God, my Abba Father.

Really nothing is coincidental in Him.

I was joined Bible school with a pastor I didn’t know in other country during pandemic.

After the pandemic, someone from my country read a book of pastor Matt and invited him to come to teach.

He didn’t know anyone in the country except me.

He contacted me.

And what a chance, the pastor that invited pastor Matt was my pastor when I was a teenager.

And after I got married I knew that this pastor Simeon is my mother in law pastor.

Again what is the best place for me to meet my mother in law after so many years.

If we meet at the mall or ….. would be awkward or I might hide myself from her, because I don’t know how she would react towards me.

For my mother in law she won’t go to any other church.

Pastor Simeon’s church is her home church.

What a chance that God use all that incidence to answer my prayer.

What was the best place to meet her except in the House of God.

My mother in law church.

That’s was the best place for us both.

In His sanctuary, in His presence.

Really God has arranged a superb beautiful way.

One month later, suddenly my mother in law texted me.

She is going to the country and wanna invite him and the team for dinner.

I texted pastor Matt. He asked where and what time?

I texted the questions to her.

And she called me instead of texting. This was the first call since eight years.

She only talked about the meeting not asking anything about me.

But I was happy enough to hear her voice.

Honestly she can contact him directly, I had given her his number.

That wasn’t their only dinner. After that every time she visited the country she texted me to make arrangement.

Some time she called me for the arrangements.

She still not asking anything about me. Not even how are you? 

A year after the first visit, pastor Matt came again. 

My mother in law call me to make arrangement for lunch with him.

Actually by this time after they know each other and having meal together she can contact him personally. But she called me. 

I was happy.

I didn’t invited for the lunch but I’m very happy to hear her voice and hear she called my name, Olive.

With this story I wanna tell you.

God is working behind the scene on the behalf of each one of you for your goodness and His glory.

Even though since we met, I never met her again and she only called me regarding pastor Matt.

It’s fine for now.

I am very sure more to come of our together again, laughing and praying together.

Do not stop praying.

God hears.

God is working.

Be patient please.

He makes things superb beautiful for you. 

Psalms 37:34 

So don’t be impatient for the Lord to act; keep moving forward steadily in his ways, and he will exalt you to possess the land. You’ll watch with your own eyes and see the wicked lose everything.