Living abroad was difficult for me, not only being away from my Guatemalan family but it was also difficult to learn to adapt to a new culture while raising our children in a different country that wasn’t home for me or my husband. For that reason it made me ask more than once for wisdom from the one who had already done that.

“Enjoy our time together, we make memories as much as we can and we treasure them as much as we can.” It was one of the sayings that my mother-in-law always said to me, everytime we came to visit and when it was time to say goodbye for a little while. And that is what we did. We knew that this was true in so many ways. So, we did enjoy as much as we could those times together.

I not only got the opportunity to get to know her as mom but also as an active disciple of Jesus Christ. She always had a heart to support her husband and share life in what impassioned him. Through experiences, knowledge, talents and skills, Mary Jane found a way  to show God’s love without regard to who you are, your background, or social position, and without asking for anything in return. Whether translating, hosting a team, helping others in difficult times, or simply sharing a meal and recipe, she demonstrated God’s love.

Sacrificial love was a part of who she was.  One cherished memory that demonstrates it clearly to me, occurred as we prepared to get my first visa to travel to the US.  We had spent the previous weekend at a conference in Antigua, Guatemala.  We were to go to the US embassy the next morning for the visa application interview.  As we reviewed our documents we realized we had forgotten a not required document but perhaps the most important document of all, our marriage certificate.  Without hesitation, Mary Jane offered to travel to get the document because we could not miss the appointment.  It did not matter to her that it was 4pm and the last bus left at 5pm, nor that it was a 5 hour ride each way and the only bus that would get her back to Guatemala City in time left at 2am, nor the lack of sleep or safety issues.  It was a matter of something that needed to be done and something she could do to help. At any rate, she made it back to Guatemala City with the document just as we were to enter the embassy.   

That is just one of a grand multitude of examples of how Mary Jane demonstrated a sacrificial love for others day in and day out.  Not for her benefit but rather to demonstrate God’s love to others.  

Now, as we treasure all these memories she encouraged us to make, they put a smile on my face.  At the same time my heart is sad for not being able to be there for her and the family to say goodbye.  Mary Jane, mom, grandma… we already miss you a bunch! Our hearts are sad, yet our hearts have assurance that one day we will all be reunited again. 

As you always said to me, we will keep all these memories and we will treasure them in our hearts as a reminder of your great love and the passion you had for God’s love to be shared with others in our everyday life..

Daughter-in-Law