Forty years ago at my university graduation, a beloved family friend, Mama Lizzy, hosted a celebration in my honor. Decades later, she remains a cherished big Aunty. Yesterday, while working together, she shared two profound stories about my parents that left me humbled and inspired.
The Betting Forms and the Broken Rule
In the 1960s, Mama Lizzy’s husband lost his job at Agbonmagbe Bank. Desperate, he turned to starting a pools betting business. He needed to print £7 worth of betting forms (a small fortune then) and approached my father, a printer. My dad refused on principle: “As a Christian, I don’t support gambling.”
Devastated, Mama Lizzy took matters into her own hands. She pleaded with my father: “My husband lost his job. Feeding our family is a struggle. Please help us.” Moved by compassion, my dad did something extraordinary, he not only printed the forms on credit but broke his own policy.
The business failed. Only 4 shillings were recovered. Yet when Mama Lizzy came to confess the loss, my father asked just one question:
“Which church do you and your husband attend?”
They didn’t. So he invited them to his. That’s how Mama Lizzy and her husband joined Christ Apostolic Church, where her husband became a devoted usher and youth leader. Their faith journey began with a loss and an act of grace.
The Second Miracle: Wisdom Wrapped in Kindness
Years later, Mama Lizzy borrowed money from my mother for her business. As repayment day drew close, disaster struck; she’d lost her goods at the border. Heartbroken but determined, she gathered every penny she had and arrived at our home, wiping tears from her eyes before stepping inside.
In my mother’s bedroom, they spoke heart-to-heart. After their conversation, my mum did something unforgettable: she brought out her money box, handed it to Mama Lizzy, and said, “Pick £15 to add to what you have. Keep your business going.”
That moment, Mama Lizzy told me, felt like a miracle.
The Lessons: Legacy Isn’t Built on Rigidity
These stories, decades old, still speak volumes:
1. Principles anchored in mercy change destinies. My father held firm to his faith yet allowed compassion to guide him. When we temper conviction with humanity, we open doors only grace can unlock.
2. Discernment is love in action. My mother saw Mama Lizzy’s integrity, her tearful determination to repay, and responded not just with leniency, but with investment. True support meets people at their lowest and lifts them higher.
3. Small acts write eternal legacies. A failed business, a box of coins, these became the hinges on which a family’s future swung.
May we live lives that inspire stories long after we’re gone. What’s the one act of kindness you’ve never forgotten? Share below.
#LegacyOfLove #Generosity #FaithInAction #FamilyStories #LifeLessons #SolaWrites #UnleashYourStory
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