As I began drafting this post, the working title I gave it read "What if my kids abandon me when I'm old?" My daughter Kris happened to see the title. Genuinely hurt, she asked me if that's what I thought of her, if I felt that she'd abandon her dad and me in our old …
Category: Elder Abuse
Silence of the Lambs or the Wolves?
Featuring a guest post today, written by my sister Sonetta. ----------------- The other posts on this blog describe my grandmother, a gentle and loving lady, and her inclination to stay silent about the treatment received at the hands of Son 2 and DIL 2. Even though my father, mother, sister, and I speak up for her, …
The Implications of Divine Mercy
The wrath of God is a real thing, too terrible to imagine. Yet, the Christian view of God was never that of a fearsome and distant deity, waiting to punish; rather, Jesus bridged the gap between man and God, teaching us to call God "Our Father". A dad who loves us despite our imperfections and wants to be …
When Pride Replaces Familial Love
I called my grandmother Mercy at the start of Holy Week. Her cheerful greeting was music to my ears; it had been too long since I'd heard her sound like her usual self. Her back pain had reduced and she'd been walking more frequently, she said. However, the hope that bloomed in me at her upbeat …
Washing of The Feet: A Lesson in Service
"I'm not your servant!" retorted my daughter once, when asked to complete a chore. She was about five at the time. I responded, "That's right, you're not, and neither am I yours. But we both have to serve each other." Why? Turning towards the picture of Jesus in our living room, I asked her to think …
Asking for Help To Save A Life
My grandmother Mercy's pitiful plight and the continued indifference of her two younger children, compelled my parents to look for assistance outside the family. In March 2017, they contacted two leading elder care non-profit organisations in Mumbai with her story, requesting help with transporting her to a hospital for a long-delayed review. However, they were turned down. Both organisations said they …
When Cancer Invaded My Family – Part 1
26th March 2017. One year since the diagnosis that has changed my family's life forever. My younger sister Sonetta had been suffering random chest pains while eating / drinking for a few months. In January 2016, she vomited during a meal because her food wasn't going down. From then, the chest pains increased till in March …
Mercy in Neglect: An Eyewitness Account
Last week, my parents and sister went to Mumbai for a few days. They visited my grandmother Mercy twice. She was hospitalised earlier this year with back trouble, and has largely been bedridden ever since. All we had till this point was her saying that it was terrible back pain; she was unaware of the …
Preyers vs. Pray-ers: When Counsellors Hold Double Standards
What type of person does the term 'counsellor' conjure up in your mind? For me, it's someone: empathetic - who can relate to the many problems people face; kind - who genuinely desires to help heal brokenness; peaceable - who aims to resolve conflicts swiftly; wise - more than the average person, in order to guide people through …
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Caring for Widows: The Christian Approach
How should a society treat its widows? The ideal answer to this is, the way it treats every other human being. But we know that for most widows, reality has fallen brutally short of this ideal. Through the ages, and in too many cultures, widows have generally been a vulnerable and often savagely exploited group. The question …
Justice for Mercy 