Tribute to Mom

Today is my Mom's birthday, and I wanted to write a tribute to this very special woman. She has not only been an amazing mother, but a friend and mentor.

There are so many qualities I admire about her--especially that she loves the Lord and taught us about Him. When we were little, every morning we would walk by Mom's bed and see snuggled under the covers in her "turtle" position. She would be face down, with her knees pulled under her and Bible open, and her eyes closed in prayer.

I have often thought how Mom's "turtle" position, with covers pulled over her head, was much like Susanna Wesley's apron over her head. Both mothers had their own way of teaching that time with God took precedent over everything else.

Mom was a great teacher. She seized natural opportunities to show us about the qualities of God. I remember the first time she cut open an apple and showed us the star inside. And how she illustrated the story of Elijah and the widow by putting a marble in a jar of oil. She would hold the bottle up (causing the marble to block the oil from running out) and tell us how the widow's oil was running out. But then, God miraculously provided more oil!!!! (she would tip the bottle so the oil flowed around the marble.) I thought that was amazing. My Mom could do magical things.

She is also an loving nurturer. Every morning we would awaken to the aroma of breakfast, then go into the kitchen to get a hug and a cup of hot tea from Mom. Anyone who knows Barbara Schleiff knows that her love language is feeding people. Which was not an easy task when we lived in the bush. Everything had to be grown, picked and cooked from scratch!!!!

Mom is a lot of fun. She is spunky, and funny and loves to tease. She also has a slightly competitive edge, which usually comes out in board games. I remember many late nights of playing "Texas 42" or putting together a puzzle. And she loved to embarrass us at mission meeting by getting up and doing skits for the group.

Mom has some incredible faith. She has always lived by the principle, "If we really need it, God will provide." I remember one time we were way out on a dirt road in the bush, and had a flat tire. When Dad started to put on the spare, he discovered it also had a slow leak. We were not sure what we were going to do.

Then Mom pulled the bubble gum she was chewing out of her mouth, stuck it on the hole in the tire, and prayed, "Lord, you know we need to make it into town, so make this bubble gum hold." We actually made it those next several miles--over terribly rough roads--and into a service station!!!!

She also is a woman of prayer. One night, Dad was up late reading by candlelight as he often did. Suddenly, he noticed a cobra slithering into the bedroom. In a panic, he tossed his shoes at it, then the book.......then the candle. Uh-oh. Not a good move. Unsure what to do next, Dad leaned over and shook Mom awake. "Barbara. BARBARA. There's a cobra in the bedroom."

Mom woke up just enough to comprehend what Dad had said. Then she pulled the covers back over her head, and said, "Honey, I'm praying for you" and went back to sleep. (We never did find that cobra.)

Mom also is a woman of incredible courage. One incident that stands out in my mind was when we were living in Gweru right after the war was over. The city had a new mayor named Kombayi, and he was an evil and ruthless man. He had a gang of thugs that accompanied him wherever he went. People were severely "dealt with" if they crossed him.

Well, Mom felt like God told her in her quiet time one day to go and confront Kombayi for his actions. She also felt that she was supposed to present the gospel to him.

So after a week of prayer and fasting, Mom made an appointment with him.

I thought she had lost her mind, and when she walked out the door that morning to meet with him, I really felt like it might be the last time I saw my mother.

Kombayi did not accept Christ that day, even though Mom gave him a Bible with some very impressive passages highlighted (including some on sin and judgment.) However, one of the men who worked in his office was so moved by Mom's courage that he accepted Christ, and years later became a deacon in our church.

From that time on, though, whenever Kombayi saw my mother in town, he would cross the street and come over to greet her warmly (with all his thugs in tow.) She is the only person I know of who he treated with that kind of respect.

Mom's heart, though, is illustrated best in a conversation we had recently. She had really been missing having opportunities to share Christ. "I feel like I'm always around Christians now that we are retired, " she told me. "I just miss getting to tell people about Jesus."

She asked me to pray for her to build some relationships with lost people.

About two days later she called, all excited. One of the universities in town had called and asked if she could host some international students. When they arrived, there were two vans full of new students. Mom quickly discovered that most of them were not Christians.

She was in missionary heaven!!!! Since then, she has continued to build relationships with several of them, and even mentors three or four of the girls. She has started a Bible Study with the ones who were interested in learning about Christianity.

Mom's life has been a reflection of her favorite bible verse.

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. "