The Founder and Senior Pastor of Abundant Life Evangel Mission, Pastor Ule Williams has stated that mothers are worthy to be celebrated while alive than in death.
The senior pastor stated this during the 80th Birthday Celebration of his mother, Deaconess Justinah Ule Glad at the Mgbuoba Branch of the church in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Williams stressed that mothers are worth celebrating and deserved to be, taking a glance at his early years when he was young and now a grown up family man, facing family hustles, realised that his mother would go to every length in ensuring that food are put on the table, unlike some men who do not care.
He titled the topic of the day as: ‘Celebrating The Goodness of God: Honouring A worthy Mother,’ and Texts Proverbs 13:1-17 and 2 Corinthians 6:1-16.
The pastor noted that Christianity is not a religion, but God’s divine purpose concerning man, hence when man failed Jesus Christ came as the Second Adam to restore and unite mankind with God.
Williams explained that mothers are special gifts from God and blessings to humanity and thus, deserved to be celebrated, respected and recognised while they are alive and not to be celebrated in death.
He enjoined all never to dishonor their mothers by wishing them death, but should take proper care of them no matter the hardship, adding that when mothers are well catered for, honoured and respected, divine grace comes upon that home and thing starts to turn around for good in such a home.
He stressed that when mothers are celebrated at old age and while they are alive, makes them appreciate their children’s contribution to their lives the more, adding also that people gets it very wrong to celebrate them in deaths than alive.
Honouring them when they are alive gives them more reason to live life to its fullness because the recognition given them becomes a blissful one to them which spur and rejuvenate them to keep on fighting to sustain and more further in life”.
On her part, the celebrant of the day, Deaconess Justinah Ule Glad, Nee Ogbapu: An Amazon advised all of her age mates who came to celebrate her to keep trusting God for such a celebration of this nature whether they have children or not, adding that God would always raise men to honour them.
The Amazon could not expressed her joy in words alone, but burst into singing the Song titled: “I never know He would Honour me this way….”, adding despite all the trials, temptations from her in-laws and tribulations that out of seven children, she lost four to the cold hands of death as graduates and undergraduates, yet never gave up on God, but kept on trusting God.
Speaking also her daughter-in-law Mrs Deborah Ule Williams said it is real a blessing to have such a lovely mother-in-law, adding that she feels very comfortable and hay, but advised all other daughter-in-laws who might not be lucky to have such a mother-in-law as hers to be patient and prayerful with their over protectiveness towards their sons as it would take only the grace of God for things to turn around for their favour.
Mrs Williams stressed that the joy and happiness on the face of Mama today, cannot be seen when mothers are celebrated in death, hence, urged all to emulate from the celebration and start celebrating and honouring their mothers while alive as it gives them more reasons to live long happily with their children, grand and great grand children.
Highlights of the events were the cutting of cake surrounded by the celebrant and her children, grand and great grand children and grand children drama presentation.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana.