Mother Mihi is 100 Years Old
The year of 2022 is a milestone year for my family. Three of my closest relatives, my mother-in-law, Jerusaben Rathod, my father-in-law, Rev. Dr. R. M. Rathod, and my mother, Mithi Rathod, would be one hundred-years-old in 2022. Of these three, only Mother Mithi is alive and lives in Des Plaines, Illinois.
Mother Mithi was born on April 10, 1922, in a remote village of Antroli of Gujarat State of India. She still remembers the day the first train came to her nearby village when she was eight years old. She was running with the garland in her hand to welcome the train in early 1930s.
My grandparents had seven daughters and no son. Mithi was a first child in her family. She was not born with a silver spoon in her mouth but was born in a family where love, care and most importantly good values were observed. She was a bright and very intelligent child. She entered the primary school and in second grade she developed an ambition to become a teacher. She just learned Gujarati alphabets and was about to learn how to read, but soon she became a drop-out student.
A severe famine locally and famously known as a "Chhappniyo Dukal" hit Western and Central India in 1900-1902. The affected area was 476,000 square miles with a population of 59.5 million with a death toll of 4.5 million. The State of Gujarat was acutely and seriously affected by this famine. The effect of the famine was so severe and devasting that it easily went out of control of the existing British Raj. The Raj looked for help from the Western churches and their missionaries. To add into the devastation, the deadly plague followed the famine. The poor became very vulnerable to this famine and plague. The malnourished dead bodies were lying everywhere on the street.
It took many years to recuperate from the aftermath effect of the famine and plague. My grandparent's family did not escape from this tragedy. One of Mithi's uncles died leaving her father helpless and hopeless in his cottage business of Pit-Handloom.
A pre-teenage Mithi saw the grief in her father. A bright and brilliant idea came in a small mind of Mithi. She asked her father if she could stop going to school, learn handloom and help him. Her father liked the idea as women's education was not so popular in early 1900s. Mithi dropped out of the second grade and started helping her father. All in the family were happy. They became proud of Mithi as she filled the gap created by the death of her uncle and became one of earning members of the family. But nobody knew that this decision will cause a permanent damage to Mithi's wish of becoming a teacher.
Craftmanship is the cultural experience and expertise of designing product made by hand. India is home to the world's most hand-skilled artisans and rich in textile heritage of high-end quality craftmanship of home-based pit heirloom industries, a timeless tradition of India. Pit means hole in the ground which is situated in the middle of loom-set. The weaver is to seat in this pit where the half body is below the ground and other half is above the ground. Mithi's father had a pit handloom set in the middle of the house. A nine-year-old Mithi became a Pit-Handloom Artisan, not by choice but by acute need of help.
Mithi, as a child, was of small stature. Thus, instead of sitting, she stood in the pit and did weaving. For eleven years she weaved, at the same time she also trained her younger siblings in the pit-handloom trade. At the age of nineteen, she got married to Mr. Karsandas Rathod of a nearby village.
After marriage both husband and wife moved to Ahmedabad, the biggest city in
Gujarat State so that they could provide a good education to their children. My father was a textile mill worker and mother was a housewife, taking care of all in the family. Together they have seven children, ten grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren. Her husband, Karsandas Rathod, passed away in 2005. They held a wonderful and blessed marriage of sixty-eight years. All her children are well educated and settled in the USA with their families except one brother who resides in India.
Mithi's burning desire for education was still alive after these many years. In the city she saw billboard advertising signs with big letters written in Gujarati language. She recalled her two years of primary school. She taught herself to read from the billboard signs. She became fluent in reading of Gujarati language. Her favorite book is the Bible and twice she finished reading the Bible in Gujarati. Her love for education did not stop at this point. Her passion for education went beyond her family boundaries. Because of her initiative, many more have received education.
Because of my dental education, I got an immigration visa to come to the USA. Once settled in the USA, I sponsored twenty-two people of my family, including my parents to come to the USA. Two brothers and a sister with their families live in Memphis, Tennessee and Des Plaines, Illinois each.
My parents came to the USA in 1984. First, they lived with me in the State of Nebraska. English language is completely foreign to them, but they have adopted themselves to American culture in such a way that they feel home here. In Nebraska they went to English speaking church where they mingled with church members in such a way that they felt as if they were at home and made many friends. When my younger siblings came to the USA both of my parents moved to Des Plaines, Illinois.
One of the outstanding achievements of my parents is to have secured American citizenship by passing the citizenship test. Mother Mithi voted for four presidential elections. During the last presidential election in 2020, she called me and said, "Son, I voted for the president." It was a joyous moment and achievement in her life. She was proud of herself.
Mother Mithi has encouraged me to use my talent of dentistry to serve humanity and God. I do voluntary short-termed dental missionary work around the world. I have provided dental services to many countries in four Continents, especially in West Africa. Having a passionate heart for education, Mother Mithi donated $500 each to be used in Sierra Leone and Liberia to support children's education. With her prayerful support and monetary gifts, I started "Dental Nurse Practitioner" training in Liberia. This DNP program is a two-year degree program and trains indigenous nurses to become DNP who can provide preventive and basic dental care.
Living in the USA for thirty-eight years, she has been back to India many times.
She also visited the Holy Land, Israel twice, including Egypt. Although she does not understand English, Mother Mithi watches TV, especially world news so that she can be aware of what is going on in the world. At present her concern is about the children of Ukraine as there is a war going on between Russia and Ukraine. She knows her Bible very well and loves to watch biblical movies.
Mother Mithi is very thankful that God gave her good life, many blessings, and a wonderful family. She has no illness in her body, and she helps my sister with household chores. She still thinks that she must do something to help my sister. She will find ways to help her. She loves cooking. During my last visit on Christmas, She cooked a special dish of vegetable for me.
At this age she would sit on the floor as she is accustomed to do so. She would also get up from the floor without any support. I was amazed seeing her getting up from the floor. She is looking forward to seeing her one hundredth birthday and meet all family members at her house in Des Plaines on her birthday. She is also looking forward to voting in 2022 mid-term election.